18th. I had made my arrangements to set out early this morning from Ross, but a soaking rain prevented me. This relaxed at about two o'clock. I observed in my walk the Erica Daboecia in small quantity on my way to Galway and tho I did not see it within two miles of that City I think it might not improbably be found on some hills stretching towards it a little South of the road. I also examined some lakes in a bog about four miles from Galway where the Eriocaulon is said to grow but the water was much raised by the rain & the wind [p. 140] was high so that I cannot suppose it was not there merely because I did not find it. In the evening I called on Mr. Brown who was to the play where I followed him. Neither the place170 or the actors gave me any great satisfaction. The boxes were over full and Mr. Brown and his party and some others had consented on that account to occupy the first seats of the gallery as boxes. The Audience was very noisy — clamouring for the Tipperary quick march which they seemed to consider as their national tune & to expect after God Save the King just as the Londoners claim Rule Brittannia. An Englishman will know it better by the first words of a burlesque song ‘O love is the soul of a neat Irishman’. They also called for and at length obtained the bold Dragoon171 tho not intended for the evening's entertainment. Many jokes were bandied about, but with a great deal of noise there was no appearance of ill humour.