Undoubtedly, there is solace for the forlorn in the pleasant city
of _Limerick_. Justly celebrated for its Hooks, it is far more to be
admired for its Eyes, for, although the former are the best in all the
world, the latter are much more killing! No sooner did we emerge from
Mr. Cruise's very excellent and extensive hotel, than we were attacked
and surrounded by the lace-girls, in their blue cloaks, drooping
gracefully, with heads uncovered, or rather most becomingly covered with
thick and glossy hair. At first, we recklessly resolved to cut a way
through with our umbrellas, or perish in the attempt, but the utter
hopelessness of such a fearful step induced us finally to capitulate,
_the Siege of Limerick_ was raised, and commercial relations peacefully
established between the besiegers and besieged. I did just venture to
inquire what use I could possibly make of four superficial inches of
fine linen, surrounded by very delicate openwork, not less than a foot
in width, and was immediately answered, “And shure, yer honner'll be for
buying the handkercher, to dry up the tares of the swate young lady, as
is waping for ye over the says.”
We would have it, of course, and the “splendid pair o' slaves,” and
a miscellaneous assortment, which created an immense sensation on our
return home, and were declared to be both pretty and cheap; for, “when
maidens sue, men give like gods,” or geese, as the case may be; and
such winning looks of tender entreaty came from under those long dark
eye-lashes, that I really believe their owners could have persuaded us
to purchase a complete collection of poisonous reptiles, or a copy of
“_The Converted Bargee_.” They were not so successful with a morose old
gentleman, who could see no beauty in their “darlint collars;” and
they quite failed in an attempt, evidently persisted in for their
own amusement, to dispose of some beautiful little babies'-caps, to a
waspish old girl of sixty-five!
[Illustration: 160]
_Limerick_ is divided into three parts, the _Irish_ town, the _English_
town, and _Newtown Perry_ (so called after Mr. _Sexton Perry_, who
commenced it); and these are connected by bridges, of which the old
Thomond, hard by King Johns Castle, and the new Wellesley, said to have
cost 85,000 L., are interesting. The eccentricities of the workmen
must have added materially to the costliness of the latter structure,
inasmuch as they seem to have been Odd Fellows as well as very Free
Masons, who, instead of cementing stones and friendships, only turned
the former into stumbling blocks for the latter, by throwing them at
each other's heads. Every day an animated faction-fight, between the
boys of _Clare_ and the boys of _Limerick_, was got up (instead of the
bridge), until at length it was found necessary to bring out an armed
force, to keep order on this _Pons Asinorum._
The main street of Newtown Perry, in which is _Cruise's Hotel_, is a
long and handsome one; and what's more, you may buy some good cigars in
it, a rare refreshment in Ireland.
We went to see the Cathedral (partly out of compliment to the memory of
good Bishop Jebb); but its iron gates were scrupulously locked. Perhaps,
had they been open, we should not have ventured within, for the building
had a grim, uninviting look, and seemed as though it despised us
thoroughly for daring to come when it wasn't service-time. I should not
have been at all surprised, if “a variety of humbugs in cocked-hats” had
sallied forth to disperse us.
One of the lace-girls, for they had followed us, with reduced prices
and a fresh supply of their pretty work, told us, as we turned from the
gate, that “during the grate sage o' Limerick there was a _mighty big
gun_ on the top of that church, that kept firing away, day and night.”
Whereupon Frank said, that the interesting fact was highly creditable to
the Dean and Chapter, who generally deputed any hard work to one of the
_minor canons_.
In which of the sieges did the great gun thunder? Was it that of 1651,
when Ireton (whose character one never can identify with that beautiful
portrait engraved by Houbraken, for how could such a noble presence
belong to a man “melancholick and reserved,” 1 and so wanting in
personal courage, as to allow Mr. Holies to pull him by the nose? 2)
died before the walls from the plague? Or did it some forty years later
send forth its sulphurous and tormenting flames, against “bould
Giniral Ginkil,” and help to expedite that _Famous Treaty of Limerick_,
honourable alike to all?
1 Clarendon's _History of the Rebellion_, vol. iii., p. 362.
2 Birch's _Lives of Illustrious Persons_, p. 96.
We did not see nor hear anything of the great Pig-Factory, whereat one
million porkers are said to be annually slain. A stern Hebrew, of a
truculent taste, might possibly venture to settle in the vicinity; but
the music must be too high by several octaves for Christians of the
ordinary stamp.
I wonder whether the lady still lives in _Limerick_, who had the passage
of arms, or rather of legs, with General Sir Charles Napier. Being, in
the complimentary diction of her friends, “a remarkably fine woman,” or,
in the vulgar verbiage of irreverent youth “a regular slogger,” she was
wont to despise those of her fellow-creatures, who did not weigh
sixteen stone; and when the little soldier broke his leg, she remarked
contemptuously, “that she supposed some fly had kicked his poor
spindle-shanks!” It so happened that, just as he recovered, the large
lady met with a similar accident, breaking her leg. Napier was at no
loss to _improve_ the occasion. “Going to her house,” he says, “I told
the servant, how sorry I was to hear that a bullock had kicked his
mistress, and _injured its leg very much_; and that I had called, in
consequence, to inquire whether _her leg was at all hurt!_”
We left _Limerick_ for _Killarney_ by the mail train, at 11.30 a.m.,
entering the main line of the _Great Southern and Western Railway_ after
an hour's travelling, progressing thereon as far as _Mallow_ (the town
upon the banks of _the Blackwater_, with its church, and trees, and
picturesque bridge, is a sweet little “study,” and looked as though the
sun shone there always); and thence by a branch line to _Killarney_,
which we reached at 4 p.m. We passed through a country (including
part of _the Golden Vale of Limerick_ 1) varied, fertile, and
well-cultivated, although two young officers (who looked at us, when
we entered their carriage at Mallow, as though I were at the crisis of
small-pox, and my friend a ticket-of-leave man) declared, as they woke
up just opposite an embankment, that the scenery was “beastly plain.”
1 “It extends from Charleville to Tipperary by Kilfinnan
nearly thirty miles, and again across from Ardpatrick to
within a short distance of Limerick city, sixteen miles.”--
_Saxon in Ireland_, p. 101.