The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-07 00:00:00

//i

DUBLIN orsirmsn 17 MAGAZINE.

The present Number opens with an elaborate review
of Mr. Pearce's recently published biography of the
Marquis of Wellesley: This review, albeit occasionally
tinctured with sectarian prejudice, is on the whole fairly
written. " Tlie Witch of Kilkenny," which follows, is,
a not altogether unsuccessful imitation of the 'glorious'
Ingoldsby Legends of poor Barham. "Ireland Sixty
Years Ago" is continued in this Number of the Lublin
University, and gives us most amusing accounts of tho
sayings and doings, the fun and the frolic, and con-
, spiracies and persecutions; going on in the Irish metro.
polis just before the period o the union. From this -
article we extract the following account of a meeting of
united Irishmen, with sketches of the three great leaders
of that body, Theobald Wolfe Tone, James Napper
Tandy, and Archibald Hamilton Rowan:—
" I entered college in the year 1791, a year rendered me-
morable by the institution of the society of United Irishmen.
They held their meetings in an obscure Passage, called -Back-
lane, leading from Corn-market to Nicholas-street. The
very aspect of the place seemed to render it adapted for
cherishing a conspiracy. It was in the locality where the
tailors, skinners, and curriers held their guilds, and was the
region of the operative democracy. I one evening proceeded
from college, and found out Bask-lane, and having inquired
for the place of meetivg, a house was pointed out to me, that
had been a hall in which the corporation of tailors held their
assemblies. I walked in without hesitation—no one for-
bidding me—and found the society in full debate ; the Hon.
Simon Butler in the chair. I saw there, for the first time,
the men with the three names, which were now become so
familiar to the people of Dublin—Theobald Wolfe Tone,
James Napper Tandy, and Archibald Hamilton Rowan.
" The first was a slight, effeminate-looking man, with a
hatchet face, a long aquiline nose, rather handsome and gen-
teel-looking, with lank, straight hair combed down on his
sickly red check, exhibiting a face the most insignificant and
mindless that could be imagined. His mode of speaking was
in correspondence with his face and person. It-yras polite
and gentlemanly' but totally devoid of anything like energy
or vigour. I set him down as a worthy, good•natured, flimsy
man in whom there was no harm, and as the least likely
person in the world to do mischief to the state.
" Tandy was the very opposite looking character. He was
the ugliest man I ever gazed on. He had a dark, yellow,
odtt
fwro
ncus
cords
eroodossntke- looking countenance, a long drooping nose, rather
sharpened at the point, and the muscles of his face formed
atlook,
an
nde a
nho sideu et.ebe,
aoasafi
ei
itaf.
ahl
eH twitching
sh a
snapping
a ree rmarakt convulsiveasbo ehtahni
something
motionn go
n
the ,side of him while he was speaking.
" Not so Hamilton Rowan. I thought him not only the
most' handsome, but the largest man I had ever seen. Tone
and Tandy looked like
e seat pigmies beside him. His ample and
capacious
of
fo r enha ean
nd
er seemedthat
ha
while with such an external
temakoef
hithnoinfgehart
feared,
energy
d,d
he
eha;
d a
excited lore and confidence. He
held in his hand a large stick, and was accompanied by a
lons ong standing
mneg, ownhetrth-elfin?aosr, plocorcekiiv and
a large dog.
in
ot th
eb epeenr s
ctd
aabw‘so'hlribhsepadedr ran round the room. Some one went up to the
president, then turned round, and pointed to me. The presi-
dent immediately rose, and called out that there was a
stranger in the room. Two members advanced, and taking
me under the arm, led me up to the president's chair ; and
there I stood, to await the penalty of my unauthorized in-
trusion. I underwent an examination ; and it was evident,
from the questions, that my entrance was not accredited,
but that I was suspected as a government spy. The " bat-
talion of testimony,' as it was called, was already formed,
and I was supposed to be one of the corps. I, however, gave
a full and true account of myself, which was fortunately con-
firmed
by a member who knew something about me, and was
ultimately pronounced a harmless gib,' and admitted to the
honour of the sitting.'
This article is followed by two reviews, the one of
Hood's Poems, written in a warm-hearted congenial
spirit, and the other a second article on the recently
published life and correspondence of David Hume, dis-
tinguished by its fairness and impartiality. We have
then a biographical sketch of Sir Martin Archer Shee,
illustrated by a portrait; after which William Carleton
gives us the first four chapters Of a tale of Irish famine,
jpNentitled
obh feer
sat
oh isrect
on
‘nvf Blackeprthe
apanesocial
etr
somewhathi osapith
conditionme t.i ' '
ht
t Thebe
unscrupulous
eo laxfpslt
res
ted fe i, r
ocla mrnn a
nd thethgi
is
partisan writer.

DOUGLAS JERROLD'S SHILLING
MAGAZINE.
This is an excellent number of Douglas Jerrold.
" St. Giles and St. James," " Juniper Hedgehog," and
the " History for Young England,' are all continued
in the present number. The character of King John,
in the " History for Young England," is admirably
summed up in a few words :—" He died on the 19th of'
October, in the 49th year of his age and the 17th of his
reign, more thoroughly hated, and more deservedly
condemned to everlasting infamy, than any other man
of Whom history keeps contemptuous record." This
sentence is perfect—it is impossible to add to, or take
from it, without weakening its effect. This number also
contains a smartly written article on " May-day," by
Angus Reach, and a searching, withering satire, entitled
" The Poor Man's Coat," from the pen of Cooper, the
Chartist poet ; in addition to a variety of other articles,
all good of their kind.