cessful, and succeeded in giving him a fearful blow, which cut open the old man's face. He jumped up from the chair, caught the missile which had fallen at his feet, and fiercely looking defiance, hurled it back, with his failing strength, in the direction of the dastards whence it came. "Never-never (it has been said by one who saw the scene) did he appear to such advantage." Yes! he did he appeared to much greater advantage afterwards. For though it was a fine and exciting thing to see the old man display the high spirit of his youth, it was far finer to witness his calm and serene deportment afterwards. Efforts were made to exasperate him against the popular party. All the public bodies of Dublin crowded round him, and tendered him their respects. He saw the use to which the incident would be turned by the evil-minded, and, true to the leading principle of his life, never to criminate his country, whatever he might suffer from its momentary injustice, he thus replied to the public address of Dublin, in the following most beautiful and touching words : "MY FRIENDS AND FELLOW-CITIZENS,-A few individuals—a sudden and inexplicable impulse-a momentary infatuation-anything everything-might account for that violence of which you complain. It is not worth your investigation. My friends and electors have nothing to say to it. I receive the unanimous expression of congratulation from my fellow-citizens, not as a consolation for such a trifle as that, but as an inestimable testimony, which I shall endeavour to merit, and ever preserve. "I remain, gratefully, 66 Your faithful humble Servant, Thus, after having passed through a stormy age, and having experienced all the vicissitudes of public life, his brave and manly nature remained tender and genial to the last. He died in the public service. Though warned by his medical attendants of the consequences, he insisted upon going to London to present the Catholic Petition. Exhausted by the journey, he expired there. The best and noblest spirits in England gathered round his sons, and entreated that his remains should lie where Fox and Chatham are interred. His grave is in Westminster Abbey. C* Reader! if you be an Irish Protestant, and entertain harsh prejudices against your Catholic countrymen-study the works and life of Grattan-learn from him, for none can teach you better, how to purify your nature from bigotry. Learn from him to look upon all your countrymen with a loving heart-to be tolerant of infirmities, caused by their unhappy history—and, like Grattan, earnestly sympathise with all that is brave and generous in their character. Reader! if you be an Irish Catholic, and that you confound the Protestant Religion with tyranny—learn from Grattan, that it is possible to be a Protestant, and have a heart for Ireland and its people. Think that the brightest age of Ireland was when Grattan-a steady Protestant-raised it to proud eminence; think also that in the hour of his triumph, he did not forget the state of your oppressed fathers, but laboured through his virtuous life, that both you and your children should enjoy unshackled liberty of conscience. But, reader! whether you be Protestant or Catholic, and whatever be your party, you will do well as an Irishman to ponder upon the spirit and principles which governed the public and private life of Grattan. Learn from him how to regard your countrymen of all denominations. Observe, as he did, how very much that is excellent belongs to both the great parties into which Ireland is divided. If (as some do) you entertain dispiriting views of Ireland, recollect that any country, containing such elements as those which roused the genius of Grattan, never need despair. Sursum corda. Be not disheartened. Go-go-my countrymen-and, within your social sphere, carry into practice those moral principles which Grattan so eloquently taught, and which he so remarkably enforced by his well-spent life. He will teach you to avoid hating men on account of their religious professions, or hereditary descent. From him you will learn principles which, if carried out, would generate a new state of society in Ireland. For it is not from a Senate, as some, or from the battle-field, as others, will tell you, that the regeneration of Ireland can arise. It must begin at home in our social life. It must spring from the domestic circlefrom social affections expanded-from enmities disregarded-from views exalted beyond petty sectarianism-in short, from Irish men consenting to live and work together, and using, for their public purposes, none but humane and civilizing means. Go, then, and imitate the social example of our Grattan, for though to none shall it be given to obtain his genius, to copy his noble spirit is within the power of all. Let that spirit spread through society, and our lovely island will become, like the fame of our venerated countryman, not only a source of just national pride to ourselves, but an object of interest and respect to all mankind. THE SELECT SPEECHES OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY GRATTAN. DECLARATION OF IRISH RIGHTS. 19th April, 1780. On this day, came on the most important subject that ever had been discussed in the Irish Parliament: the question of independence, the recovery of that legislative power which, for centuries, Ireland had been so unjustly deprived of. Her right to make laws for herself was first affected by the act of the 10th of Henry the Seventh, in a parliament, held at Drogheda, before the then Deputy, Sir Edward Poynings. It was there enacted, that no parliament should be holden in Ireland, until the Lord Lieutenant and Privy Council should certify to the King under the great seal of Ireland, the causes, considerations, and acts that were to pass; that the same should be affirmed by the King and council in England, and his license to summon a parliament be obtained under the great seal of England. This was further explained by the 3d and 4th of Philip and Mary, whereby any change or alteration, in the form or tenor of such acts to be passed after they were returned from England, was prohibited. Thus, by these laws, the English privy council got the power to alter or suppress, and the Irish parliament were deprived of the power to originate, alter, or amend. By these acts, were the legislative rights of Ireland invaded; her judicial rights, however, remained untouched, till, in 1698, a petition and appeal was lodged with the House of Lords, of England, from the English society of the new plantation of Ulster, complaining of the Irish House of Lords, who had decided in a case between them and the Bishop of Derry. Upon this the English House of Lords passed an order declaring, that this appeal was coram non judice; to this order, fourteen reasons and answers were written by the celebrated Molyneux, and the appeal gave rise to his famous work, entitled "The Case of Ireland," which excited the hostility of the English House of Commons, and was burned by the hands of the common hangman!! The Irish House of Lords then D |