had congregated before the head-quarters of the projected rebella But we must not omit to mention that previous to the evening to ill-success of the enterprise had been omened forth, by the retres of the Kildare men, who, after marching into the capital, were fo tunately persuaded by their leaders to disband and return hom What ensued has been thus graphically described by one of Emmeti coadjutors:

"About six o'clock, Emmet, Malachy, one or two others, and m self, put on our green uniform, trimmed with gold lace, and selected our arms. The insurgents, who had all day been well plied with whiskey, began to prepare for commencing an attack upon the castle; and when all was ready, Emmet made an animated address to the conspirators. At eight o'clock precisely we sallied out of the depôt, and when we arrived in Thomas-street the insurgents gave three deafening cheers.

"The consternation excited by our presence defies description Every avenue emptied its curious hundreds, and almost every window exhibited half-a-dozen inquisitive heads, while peaceable shopkeepers ran to their doors, and beheld with amazement a lawless band of armed insurgents, in the midst of a peaceable city, an hour at least before dark. The scene at first might have appeared amusing to a careless spectator, from the singular and dubious character which the riot wore; but when the rocket ascended and burst over the heads of the people, the aspect of things underwent an immediate and wonderful change. The impulse of the moment was self-preservation-and those who, a few minutes before, seemed to look on with vacant wonder, now assumed a face of horror, and fled with precipitation. The wish to escape was simultaneous; and the eagerness with which the people retreated from before us impeded their flight, as they crowded upon one another in the entrance of alleys, court-ways, and lanes; while the screams of women and children were frightful and heart-rending. "To the castle!' cried our enthusiastic leader, drawing his sword, and his followers appeared to obey-but when we reached the markethouse, our adherents had wonderfully diminished, there not being more than twenty insurgents with us.

"Fire the rocket!' cried Malachy.

"Hold awhile,' said Emmet, snatching the match from the man's hand who was about applying it. Let no lives be unnecessarily lost.

Run back and see what detains the men.'

"Malachy obeyed; and we remained near the market-house, waiting their arrival, until the soldiers approached."

"The conspirators assembled previously in the depôt did not exceed the number of fifty, but pikes and other weapons were liberally dispersed among the mob, and the number of the insurgents soon swelled to the amount, it is said, of about five hundred. The night was dark, and the scene is described as tremendous; groups of pikemen, and other insurgents, were dispersed in various parts of the vicinity of the

of the government and the imbecility of the conspiracy were worthy of each other. On the night of the 23rd of July, one hundred determined men, by a well-arranged coup-de-main, might have easily obtained possession of the castle.

Even with that success, twelve hours would have ended the treasonable triumph. More blood might have been shed-but the end would have been the same, and by noon next day the insurrection would have terminated as it had commenced-in slaughter.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

TRIAL, CONVICTION, AND EXECUTION OF ROBERT EMMET.

FAVOURED by the darkness of the night, Emmet, and a few followers, contrived to escape from the city, and headed to that haunt of outlawed and desperate malefactors, the mountain range of Wicklow. For better security, the party separated, each adopting the best means within his power to evade the now uplifted hand of outraged justice. Emmet, it was said, might possibly have quitted the country in fishing boat, but his wild attachment to a daughter of the celebrated Curran induced him to return to the metropolis, and seek a parting interview with his mistress. None but a madman would have risked the dangerous experiment-but Emmet appears to have been influenced in all his actions by the wildest impulse, and, accordingly, he regained the city safely, and again took up his quarters in his old concealment, Harold's cross. On the 25th of August, he was arrested by Major Sirr, and a special commission immediately issued-Lord Norbury, with Barons George and Daly, presiding.

"It opened, on the 31st of August, with the trial of Edward Kearney, a calenderer, who was proved, on the testimony of M'Cabe, an accomplice, and others, not only to have been active in organizing the conspiracy, but to have been actively engaged in the insurrection of the 23rd July; having been one of the first who was apprehended by the party commanded by Lieutenant Brady. His trial was followed, a the 1st of September, by that of Thomas Maxwell Roche, an old man of about seventy. Both were found guilty, and were executed in Thomas-street, the scene of their criminality-Kearney on the first, and Roche on the following day: both acknowledged the justice of their sentence. Several other prisoners of inferior note were afterwards tried and executed, all of whom died penitent. In particular, Henry Howley, who had shot one of the police-officers who attempted to apprehend him, addressed the multitude in a pathetic exhortation, exclaimingGood people, pray for me: and pray that I may be forgiven my sins, which I heartily repent of. Good people, you see to what a situation I am brought by my own folly, and by bad advisers. Good people, love each other, and forget all animosities; relinquish your foolish pursuits, which, if you continue to follow, will, in the end, bring you to the situation in which I now stand!' He confessed that he had, with his own hand, murdered Colonel Browne, on the night of the rebellion. He appeared fully sensible of the enormity of the crime, as well as of that of the murder of John Hanlon, the Tower-keeper, and exhibited an appearance of the deepest remorse. His whole conduct, indeed,