youth, that blunt, when timely afforded, the edge of
early anxiety to know those amusements of life, which, if not innocently
gratified before passion gets strong, are apt to produce, at a later
period, that giddy intoxication, which has been the destruction of
thousands. When Connor, however, grew up, and began to think for
himself, he could not help feeling that, from a man so absolutely
devoted to wealth as his father was, to receive even the slenderest
proof of affection, was in this case no common manifestation of the
attachment he bore him. There was still a higher and nobler motive. He
could not close his ears to the character which had gone abroad of his
father, and from that principle of generosity, which induces a man, even
when ignorant of the quarrel, to take the weaker side, he fought his
battles, until, in the end, he began to believe them just. But the most
obvious cause of the son's attachment we have not mentioned, and it is
useless to travel into vain disquisitions, for that truth which may be
found in the instinctive impulses of nature. He was Connor's father,
and though penurious in everything that regarded even his son's common
comfort, he had never uttered a harsh word to him during his life, or
denied him any gratification which could be had without money. Nay,
a kind word, or a kind glance, from Fardorougha, fired the son's
resentment against the world which traduced him; for how could it be
otherwise, when the habitual defence made by him, when arraigned for
his penury, was an anxiety to provide for the future welfare and
independence of his son?

Many characters in life appear difficult to be understood, but if those
who wish to analyze them only consulted human nature, instead of rushing
into far-fetched theories, and traced with patience the effect which
interest, or habit, or inclination is apt to produce on men of a
peculiar temperament, when placed in certain situations, there would be
much less difficulty in avoiding those preposterous exhibitions which
run into caricature, or outrage the wildest combinations that can be
formed from the common elements of humanity.

Having said this much, we will beg our readers to suppose that young
Connor is now twenty-two years of age, and request them, besides, to
prepare for the gloom which is about to overshadow our story.

We have already stated that Fardorougha was not only an extortioner, but
a usurer. Now, as some of our readers may be surpri