POLITICS.

DEAR uncle! you have surely been long enough marching up and down, flourishing that handkerchief; do come and sit here, by the open window the breeze will fan you so pleasantly, and the fragrance of these beds of mignonette, blending with that of the rose-trees above them, is really quite delicious. Look, too, at the light clouds, floating over the walnut and acacia, with the last soft tinge of sunset, just blushing upon their edges. Come, I am tired of sitting alone, and you ought to be tired of fidgetting about.'

My uncle obeyed-like a dutiful uncle, as he sometimes is, and flinging himself back in the arm chair, which I had placed, he again flourished his handkerchief, at the same time putting up his under lip, and puffing towards his nose, as if to cool his forehead, which, to be sure, had been flushed in no ordinary degree, ever since half-past twelve o'clock, when McGhee had fairly authenticated his guilty documents,' in Exeter Hall, and Lord Kenyon put it from the chair, that those documents be read to the meeting. My readers will gather from hence, that it was on the evening of Saturday, June 20, I invited my uncle to sit down at the open window.

'Well, now, uncle, that is nice. Sit quiet, and let us talk it over.'

'Talk it over, my girl! how in the world are we to do that? We may very well talk it over when we get the promised report, of which I fervently hope that a copy will be in the hands of every family throughout these realms! We can then go over the ground again, and follow those noble fellows through their very arduous task. But you may tell me your own impression of the morning's work.'

"Why, then, uncle, I verily believe it to have been the most important thing that has occurred within this kingdom, since the establishment of the Reformation.'

'So do I-so do I-God be thanked for it!'

But, do you think it will produce an effect commensurate with its importance?'

No, I scarcely dare to hope that, except as regards those who were actually present. Things make but a faint impression, when read in a pamphlet, compared with what is stamped on the mind, by such accompaniments as we have to-day witnessed.'

That is my fear, uncle. Besides, who could avoid yielding deep attention to the energetic language of those gifted men? and who, comparatively, takes up a report of any meeting, with feelings so awakened, or peruses it with such a concentration of mind?'

'True; and therefore most richly did the deputation earn the thanks awarded them, by our acclaim for bringing the matter before us, in the way that they did. But now, give me your view of what was proved to-day.'

'Simply this: that according to the present tenets of the Romish Church, as set forth in an official book, sanctioned, yea, fully authenticated, by the Roman Catholic prelates of Ireland, and by them placed in

the hands of every priest throughout that country, to be daily read, as a manual of instruction, according, I say, to these tenets, every protestant lies under the fullest ecclesiastical and judicial condemnation, as a criminal sentenced to death by competent authority, and liable to the extreme penalty, whensoever or wheresoever the hand of the executioner can reach him.'

'It is precisely so: but will it be generally believed? could you believe it?'

'If Mr. Mc Ghee had commenced by broadly stating the fact, it would have startled me, supposing I had known as little of popery as most of my neighbours do. But, you know, he first proved, in the most distinct and conclusive manner, the authenticity of this book, of which exactly so many copies are published in Ireland, as gives one to each Roman Catholic priest, at the high price of two guineas the copy; and before he proceeded to recite the contents, he submitted to the meeting, whether he had so proved the case, as to enable them to receive that book in the light of an incontestible witness.'

'It was masterly, most masterly!' exclaimed my uncle with enthusiasm. A more dispassionate statement, more calmly put forth, was never heard at the bar of any court. Why! he did not even bring the powers of his eloquence to bear upon it, in that stage: he did not even use the privilege of every counsel, in every court, to colour his case highly, and enlist on his side the passions of his hearers! Noble, Christian man!'

'Well, uncle, I don't think you saw all that I did you sat on the platform, and, like those around you, bent forward, with your gaze immoveably fixed

on the speaker; or on his kind deputy, when reading the propositions so clearly drawn out. My eyes were not so rivetted: I looked about me-and many a cheek I beheld, blanched with horror, many an eye opened wide in the stare of astonishment, many a lip quivering with emotion, among those of my own sex who were near me. On the platform, the spectacle was actually grand, when I threw a glance along the wide range of its crowded seats, and saw the latent spirit of protestantism mantling in the cheeks, knitting the brows of a phalanx of godly men, who inherit the pulpits, and who may yet inherit the persecuting fires of England's noble martyrs. I declare to you, uncle, that I never saw men look as some of you looked to-day.'

'I can well believe it, my dear: for every fibre of my old heart was grieving with such emotions as it could scarcely endure. But you had a neighbour close beside you, with whom you could little sympathize.'

Ay, uncle, did you observe that? He was just at my side; and, I assure you, the object of my deepest sympathy-nobody could be more so.'

'But I mean the individual who interrupted the meeting, and called for a division.'

'So do I. He stood up, singly, for all the rest of that party were quite at the back of the hall-he stood up alone, uncle, amid the frowns, the bitter looks, and angry words of all around him, to defend what he believed to be the truth, from what he doubted not were the false aspersions, the calumniating inventions, of its worst enemies.'

My uncle looked thoughtful. I can hardly conceive even the bigotry and blind devotion of a pre

judiced Roman Catholic, able to withstand such an overpowering mass of evidence.'

'Believe me, dear uncle, the persons who can so utterly discredit their own senses, as these poor people are taught to do, can disbelieve any thing.'

True, my dear: and they had also an apologist in that fine fellow who spoke last -O'Sullivan. We cannot estimate the profoundness of that spiritual and intellectual slumber into which the foul policy of their church casts them. Nevertheless, you must remember, that since the parties who were invited, challenged, to come forward and refute the charge, either by disproving the authenticity of the book, or by publicly abjuring its murderous tenets, held back, it was to be expected that they would depute some agents to interrupt by clamour, what they dared not meet in any other way.'

'Yes, uncle; and more than once I shrank from the expression of my neighbour's countenance, particularly when Mr. O'Sullivan was detailing the Carrickshock massacre, and subsequent acquittal of the guilty murderers—it was quite fearful, the exulting laugh of conscious impunity, which bespoke a spirit too surely akin to that of the perpetrators. But one thing I never shall forget, as one of the finest bursts of real and passionate feeling that ever I witnessed. It was when one of the speakers, alluding to the cowardly flinching of the popish prelates, and their champion O'Connell, remarked, that the papists had abandoned their church, and deserted her cause. He started to his feet, threw out his arms, and most vehemently thundered forth “No-no-no—we do not desert it!-we will not desert it!" and you know how the no-no-no-was echoed by his partizans