Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Mary Ann Grant's letters from Ireland (Author: Mary Ann Grant)
Entry 47
TO MISS B—
Tuam,
December 1804.
At length, dear Hannah, we have arrived at head quarters, after a very fatiguing and troublesome journey. The little I have yet seen of Ireland, has not given me a very favourable idea of it; I thought Dublin a fine city; and was delighted with a ride of eight or nine miles on the banks of the Liffy in our way here; but after that, misery was the predominant feature of the bleak country we passed. The towns through which our route lay, were all insignificant places, and unworthy of note, except Athlone, where the noble Shannon is seen to flow
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in placid and unruffled majesty; there is also a garrison, and several out towers near Athlone: Kilcock became an object of attention from the singular circumstance that occurred when the rank of duke was empowered with the privilege of conferring the honor of knighthood. ‘The Duke of R. happening to be at a small inn, at the village of Kilcock, in a moment of intoxication, knighted the landlord, a man of the name of Cuff; the next morning, being made sensible of his folly, he offered him a sum of money to take no notice of what had been done; the man said, that he must consult his wife, and in a few moments returned for answer, that he had no objection to drop all pretensions to the honor himself, but that he could not persuade her ladyship to be of the same opinion.’ Sir — Cuff is dead, but his widow still keeps the inn, and retains the title of my lady. We had the honor of seeing her ladyship,
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and of being accommodated in her house. In the course of our journey, we passed one of those pyramids of stones, which superstition places to commemorate a murder committed on that particular spot; they do not form a regular building, but are merely thrown together in a heap, by travellers; it is considered the indispensable duty of every Roman Catholic to contribute one to the number.
The poverty and wretchedness that continually presented themselves to our view, was really melancholy: a soil naturally fruitful, remained almost in a state of uncultivation, potatoes (which here is as much the staff of life as bread is to the English) offered nearly the only trait of industry, and large fields that might be made to teem with luxuriant crops were totally neglected, and covered with loose stones: many vestiges of the rebellion were to be seen, which awakened unpleasant ideas, but when I witnessed
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the squalid and miserable appearance of the peasantry, I almost ceased to wonder that their nature should become perverted.
Remarkable for ingenuity, they frequently possess much intellect, and exercise it in native wit, but it is of wild growth; and their minds, unbenefited by education, are usually left in the lowest state of degradation; severe oppression, added to their ignorance, often leads them into scenes of riot, that inflame their ideas, and occasion deeds, which probably their nature, in other situations, would have recoiled from with horror.
Their huts (or cabins, as they are called) present the most striking pictures of penury; the horse, cow, and pig, if there are any, enjoy the same privileges with their master and his family, for they generally all live, or rather exist, under the same roof; which is, literally, a receptacle for every kind of filth, smoke, and vermin.
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Dry lodgings, written up at some of these cabins, attracted my attention; I enquired for an explanation, and found that the literal sense of the expression, such as an apartment or a bed free from damp, was not implied, but that no kind of meat or drink was to be expected; a curious idea, is it not? We met several carriages, peculiar to this country, called jaunting cars, they are drawn by one horse, and contain four or six people, who sit on each side, back to back, their feet supported by a step; it is an awkward and unsociable conveyance in appearance, but a very convenient one, and kept by most families. À propos, speaking of carriages, I never saw any thing to equal the badness of the Irish postchaises, and their horses are a match for them; my heart bleeds for these noble animals, so dreadfully poor and jaded do they usually appear; for our own precious persons, we really had reason to tremble,
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during our journey here; three times did we contrive to make lucky escapes, when the chaise broke down; and, as a proof of no very pleasant prospect before a traveller, one day that we had seated ourselves in one of these agreeable carriages, the man who was to drive us, begged, that his honor would be plaised to change sides with the lady; he was asked his reason for making such a request, oh, it was only becase he was afraid that some of the fastenings or the ropes might give way on that side, and as the lady was the lightest she had better sit there. A comfortable idea, with twenty miles before us, ere the chaise could possibly be exchanged.
We have now been here about a month, and have led, what appears to me, a life of dissipation; between balls and private parties I am almost worn out; late hours do not agree with my present precarious state of health. How I wish I could
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transport you and half a dozen of my young friends among us; you would be quite delighted.
The inhabitants of this place are pleased in having a Scotch regiment with them, and pay the most marked attention to the greatest number of the officers; the ladies are very gay, and possess a great degree of that frankness and vivacity of conversation which characterize the French. I am not quite certain, but the rigid moralist would wish to check a part of the freedom of manners that prevails among them, and which, though innocent in itself, a delicate mind shrinks from abashed; such have been my ideas, when watching the coquetry practised in the mazy dance, or the flirtations carried on in the promenade. In their attentions to strangers, great deference is paid to rank, and still more to fortune; ‘What may be his expectations?’ is no uncommon question among matrons, before a young
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man is admitted as a visitor in a family where there are daughters; subalterns usually stand but an indifferent chance of being much noticed, for, poor fellows, they are not thought of sufficient consequence, in this land of hospitality; in fact, hospitality here is by no means indiscriminate, it knows very well how to make distinctions. Dancing is a favorite amusement in this country; but, in my opinion, a perfect toil; the time is a constant jig, and played so fast that it is impossible, for any person, with a tolerable ear, to dance with pleasure or grace. Of cards the inhabitants are passionately fond, and devote a great deal of time to them; the abominable mean custom of paying for them prevails: each person puts down a shilling, and, when the tables break up, a servant comes 'round, with a pair of scales, to weigh the money, (shillings go by weight in this country) and if any of them are, in the smallest
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degree, short of the proper balance, an enquiry takes place to find out who they belong to, that they may be exchanged. This is a universal practise, nay, I have seen the lady of the house (and she a person of considerable rank) take this degrading office upon herself; I know but one exception to this common rule, and that is a Mr. A.'s a protestant clergyman's family, whose amiable and pleasing manners endear them to all who enjoy the pleasure of their acquaintance; they justly consider this custom as paltry and mean, and a great breach of true politeness, but, as inhabitants of the town, they feel themselves obliged, in some degree to conform to a custom that existed long before they became residenters; therefore, when they have large or public parties, the shillings are put down, but upon no occasion does a servant interfere, or scales make their appearance.
What a pity, now that England and
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Ireland are become a united kingdom, that the coins are not taken into consideration, and made of equal value in both countries; they occasion a great deal of confusion and difficulty; every shilling is valued at thirteen pence in Ireland, so that if a person has a considerable number of English notes, the discount is so great, that it is worth exchanging them; on the other hand, you must pay an equal discount if you wish to exchange Irish notes. The country bankers issue out a vast quantity of paper, money, 3s., yd., and even as low as 6d. notes; by this measure, the poor are much oppressed, the paper soon wears, when the bankers too frequently refuse to exchange them, thus they make fortunes and the poor become still more miserable.
The Archbishop of Tuam's palace is close to this town; the shrubberies and parks are very beautiful, and are, at all times,
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most liberally open to the public, forming the promenade of Tuam. The family are not here, which we have to regret, they being celebrated for their hospitality, condescending affability, and elegance of manners.
M. A.'s letter informed me of the death of our sweet Lucy; the account affected me much, and I can easily judge what you must feel; indeed, my dear Hannah, the recollection of the many happy hours we have passed together, often occur to me in a lone hour, and melancholy feeds upon memory. Dear Lucy! your happiness is now of a superior kind, and it is selfish to mourn your exit from a world so full of sorrow; but thus it is with human nature, it regrets objects lost till the remembrance becomes more dear. Offer my best wishes to your respected parents, and believe me, &c.
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