ford, and fearing that Banim might come to town before his return, he had left Mrs. Sheil one of the bills he had got from Warren, in order that it might be delivered to him.

Banim's next effort was the play above referred to, in which he begged of Sheil to make whatever alterations might be necessary. These, after some hesitation, the latter undertook, upon the understanding that the work should be considered as their joint production. A large proportion of the entire was in consequence rewritten. It is still a matter of doubt what passages are to be ascribed to each. The fine scene in the fourth act, where Damon takes leave of his wife and child, is believed to have been written by Banim, while the greater part of the third and fifth acts seems to bear the impress of a more nervous hand. When completed, the play was produced with great éclat, and was well received whenever it was performed. The story includes little more than a single incident; but the grouping is highly picturesque, and the dialogue full of feeling and animation. The copyright brought one hundred guineas, and the performance about double that sum. A disagreement unfortunately arose between the joint authors, the origin of which, like that of most foolish

quarrels, it were difficult to assign, and hardly worth while to investigate. It is, perhaps, enough to say, that Sheil received a hundred pounds as his share; and that the dispute caused an estrangement of many years. It never led, however, to any alteration in the tone of generous praise with which he always spoke of Banim's powers as a writer; and there are undoubtedly more than one of his novels which fully justify the opinion. In the course of years, when, on the current of their diverse fortunes they had drifted far apart, Banim found in the literary associate with whom he had foolishly quarrelled, the same ready sympathy and desire to render him service which he had experienced in earlier days.

CHAPTER V.

1821-1823.

Controversy with O'Connell-Law and Literature-The Fatal Dowry-The King's Visit to Ireland-Plunket and SaurinBirth of his son-Death of Mrs. Sheil-Sketches of the Irish bar-Charles Kendal Bushe-Tragedy of The Huguenot -Sketch of Saurin.

MR. SHEIL had hitherto enjoyed little political popularity. He had started in public life on the side of the Vetoists, and nothing had occurred to detach him from the more moderate party. By taste and inclination he was naturally drawn towards persons of the class who are apt to incur the reproach of being fastidious, and of lacking earnestness in political affairs. The members of the old Catholic families who occasionally took part in the public proceedings of the body, were looked upon by the multitude with coldness, and by adversaries with contempt. There

was not one man of moral energy amongst them; for all they were capable of doing, or believed that they could do, disability might have attached to their creed to the end of time. Their utmost idea of agitation consisted in the annual reiteration of complaint in petitions to Parliament, worded with such scrupulous care, lest any phrase should offend their condescending advocates in either branch of the legislature, that they seemed almost designed to prove with what entire impunity great wrongs might be inflicted. Every outburst of impatience was reproved by them as injudicious; every word that savoured of menace was anxiously disclaimed as liable to be misconstrued into disloyalty. The history of past relaxations of the penal code, had for the Catholic aristocracy been written in vain. All the concessions hitherto obtained had been wrung from the fears of domination in its hours of need; while to the meanness of meek importunity, little, if anything, had yet been yielded. No one saw their weakness or understood its causes better than the young and ambitious advocate, who shrunk not from bearding the popular favourite when he recommended hot or hazardous measures; and no one strove more sedulously to infuse a worthier spirit into their timid counsels. But they continued to pe

haunted by dreams of compromise; and they asked, with the force of seeming truth, if they should alienate, by a change of tone, the friends who now pleaded their cause in Parliament, what was there to fall back upon for support in Ireland?

There was indeed a multitudinous peasantry in the southern counties, and a pauperized populace in the capital and other large towns; but a people there was none. Every institution-fiscal, judicial, municipal, educational—was in the exclusive keeping of the hereditary garrison; and thus every means by which in England during the worst of times public sentiment has found legally recognized expression, was denied to the professors of the outlawed creed. And general combination was a thing unknown. Secret association would have naturally involved the ideas and the dangers of conspiracy; and public yet peaceable agitation, with multitudinous membership, a permanent directory, and a national exchequer, was a riddle yet unsolved. The need of its solution, indeed, O'Connell felt to be indispensable. Yet he likewise felt the importance, if not the necessity, of combining the upper classes with the lower in any movement for their common liberation. Two things then were essential, that the moderate party should be induced to confide in the single