stones which he will find in the pavement of the church, in front of the tribune, and a little to the gospel sidethe graves, or we should properly say cenotaphs, of the last princes of Tyrone and Tirconnell, who struggled against English power for their religion and their nation.

After the siege of Rome in 1849, it was stated that this church had been almost wholly reduced to ruins by the French cannon, the principal point of attack being in this quarter; and there was some fear that the tombs of the Irish chiefs had shared in the demolition. However, we are glad to say that the injuries to the walls and roof of the church, which were not so extensive as reported, have been long since repaired; and that while the work of restoration was in progress, the opportunity was taken to refresh the inscriptions over the heroic O'Neills and O'Donnells, whereever they were partially effaced by time. At the same time the armorial bearings, and the arabesque borders, which are inlaid in precious marbles in the manner of Florentine mosaic, were completely restored; but when the two enormous white marble slabs which contain the epitaphs were raised, their great thickness excited the cupidity of the workmen, who were proceeding to saw them, for the purpose of taking away half the thickness of the marble, on the pretence that the remainder would be sufficient. At this juncture some students from the Irish college fortunately visited the works, and made report of what they witnessed to their superiors, who addressed a timely representation on the subject to the cardinal-protector of the church, and thus prevented the contemplated spoliation. It appears nearly certain that these epitaphs were cut during the lifetime of the great Hugh, earl of Tyrone, as they commemorate the death of his son, Hugh, baron of Dungannon, who died in September, 1609, and of his kinsmen, prince Roderick O'Donnell, earl of Tirconnell, and Caffar, brother of the latter, both of whom died in the autumn of 1608, while they make no mention of his own death, which did not take place until 1616. We may also conclude from the dates of their death, that these illustrious exiles sunk under the effects of climatic disease, which accelerated the work of sorrow and disappointment, and it is probable that their remains were interred, not immediately under the slabs which contain their epitaphs, but somewhere in the vaults of the church, where they may possibly be hereafter discovered.

Its

With the impressions left on our minds by these memorials of the unfortunate but heroic Irish chieftains of the times of Elizabeth and James I., we cannot do better than pay a visit to the Irish Franciscan college of St. Isidore. What thoughts crowd upon us in this venerable asylum of Irish piety and learning! origin brings us down a step later in our history than the tombs in St. Pietro-in-Montorio-down, in fact, to the exciting epoch of the civil war of 1641, and of the confederation of Kilkenny, in the affairs of which the founder of this conventual college, the celebrated Father Luke Wadding, took so important a part. The cloisters, the frescoed halls, the library, the tombs, of St. Isidore's, are full of retrospective interest for Irishmen; but not to

detain our readers with descriptions of what many of them must be already familiar with, we shall only add here a few words about the present state of the Irish historical MSS. preserved in the convent archives, which we are enabled to do through the courtesy of the pious and learned guardian, the Very Rev. Dominic Kehoe, O.S.F., in whose company we had the satisfaction, on a recent occasion, of making, for the second time, a hasty examination of these most interesting records. The MSS. in the Irish language are, we believe, in pretty nearly the same state in which they were found more than twenty years ago by the late Rev. Dr. Lyons of Mayo, when he made fac-similes of the titles, etc., by which Dr. O'Donovan and Professor Curry were enabled to place before the Royal Irish Academy a catalogue of these manuscript treasures. Neither on the present nor on a former occasion, some sixteen years since, did we observe the second volume of the Annals of the Four Masters in the collection; but the first volume, which is invaluable, as containing the autograph approbations, etc., is in excellent preservation. The Wadding papers, which have been stitched up in four thick volumes, and have been recently enveloped carefully in plain wrappers, are of priceless value, many of the documents being originals and unique. Three of the volumes are composed of letters and other documents relating almost exclusively to the ecclesiastical affairs of Ireland during the first half of the seventeenth century, and they are indispensable to a writer of Irish ecclesiastical history for that period. Several of the letters are in Spanish or Italian, and the remainder in Latin or English. Among them are some recommendatory letters and official authentications, signed by the titular Earls of Tyrone and Tirconnel, who lived in exile on the Continent during and subsequent to the reign of James I. The fourth volume is composed of political documents relating to Irish affairs chiefly during the years 1641 and 1642, the greater number being reports sent to Rome on the progress of the war in Ireland, and signed by Mathew Hartigan, Edmund Dwyer, or Hugo de Burgo. Those signed by de Burgo are the most numerous, and are in Spanish, and Father Dwyer makes frequent use of cypher in his letters. There is a letter occupying three full pages, but almost illegible, to which the signature of Roger O'More, in Irish, has been attached in an ink different from that of the body of the letter. Few, however, of the documents in this important collection will have more interest for the historian than the letters of Owen Roe O'Neill, which are very numerous and chiefly in Italian, being penned probably by his chaplain, but all having the boldly-written autograph of the illustrious Irish general himself" Don Eugn. O'Neill." Two or three of these letters are dated from Brussels, and were written before Owen Roe came to Ireland, to assume the command of the confederated Catholics, and one which found its way among the ecclesiastical documents, and is written in Latin, and dated "From our camp at Cavan, 18th May, 1649,” is the latest which we perceive from his pen. It was written some three months after the departure of

66

Rinuccini from Ireland, and its tone indicates the hopeless state in which the affairs of the Irish Catholics then were. The four volumes comprise several autograph letters of Father Luke Wadding and Father John Colgan; also rescripts of Popes, and letters of the King of Spain; some being only marked as copia vera." Baldearg O'Donnell's vindication of himself to the Spanish court for leaving Spain without permission, to join the standard of James II. in Ireland, is in MS.; and is headed "Manifiesto del Maestro de campo, D. Hugo O'Donel, Conde de Tirconel, iustificando su partencia al Reyno de Irlanda sin licencia de su Magd. Catolica." It occupies six pages of letter paper openly written; and we have no doubt that it will be found to coincide with some of the original statements given in the papers on the O'Donnell family by Dr. O'Donovan, in the early numbers of this Magazine.

But the dusty MSS. of the archivium of St. Isidore's have, we fear, too much attraction for us. We trust the time will yet come when the originals or copies of these important historical documents, will be accessible to the students of Irish history in one of our national institutions at home; for the present we must deny ourselves the pleasure of lingering any longer among them, nor shall we now delay to visit other places in Rome of national interest to us, as the Irish Augustinian college of St. Maria in Posterola; or the venerable Irish Dominican house of St. Clemente, where the learned Irish prior, Father Mullooly, has made one of the most important discoveries of our time in Roman antiquities, namely, the subterranean church of St. Clement built by Constantine the Great, in the consulship of Ursus and Polemius, (A.D. 338.) It was in this church that the heresy of Pelagius was first condemned, and on its walls is still visible a fresco of the Blessed Virgin and Child of that period. We shall conclude this brief sketch, suggested by a recent run to the Eternal City, with a sincere prayer that Rome and her sanctuaries may never be seen under the protection of Victor Emmanuel, whose power commenced, and has grown up in chicane, aggression, mean subserviency, and irreligion.

LITERARY NOTICES.

CHARLCOTE GRANGE."

ALTHOUGH there be "nothing new under the sun," still new complications of existing things constantly arise, and give every day some fresh variety to human life, which the writer of fiction, who wishes to portray nature truly, will not fail to turn to account. Thus, even in the apparent monotony of fashionable life, fresh elements will be found from time to time by the novelist; and thus it is that the work before us-which we can scarcely recognise as a fashionable novel, it is so much higher in its scope, and differs in so many material points from works of that class, but which, nevertheless, is wholly a tale of fashionable life-could not possibly *Charlcote Grange, a Tale, by LADY CHARLES THYNNE. Dublin: JAMES DUFFY, Wellington-quay, and 22, Paternoster Row, London.

Lady

have been written twenty years ago. The gifted lady, to whose pen we are indebted for this and for many other very agreeable tales has, in fact, chosen for the groundwork of her story the religious movement towards Catholicity, which in recent years has so profoundly occupied the thoughts of persons in the highest and most educated circles of English society. She has undertaken to delineate the feelings produced by that movement in certain sensitive and intellectual natures: the first misgivings about security in the English church, the unexpected and often unaccountable ways in which suggestions and information come about these matters, the social obstacles which arise, the working of conscience in different minds-some so earnest and disinterested and generous, others so diffident and shrinking, or so much entangled by the meshes of the world-the fierce, unreasoning hatred of bigots, the soothing influence of Catholicity into the bosom of which she finally conducts all those for whom she had enlisted the sympathies of the reader in the progress of the story. No one, we believe, can be more fitted to describe all these feelings with fidelity than our accomplished author. Charles Thynne is, if we do not err, the daughter of a bishop of the established church; and her husband, the Rev. Lord Charles Thynne, son of the Marquis of Bath, together with his wife, embraced the Catholic faith some years ago, at the cost of two or three lucrative benefices which he held in the Church of England. Thus must Lady Thynne have become most intimately acquainted with the workings of the mind in the state of religious transition; and not only with those of her own mind, but with the corresponding thoughts which agitated the minds of many in her large circle of refined and intelligent acquaintances. Knowing these circumstances, we take up her book with no little interest, and although we do not presume that it contains anything of autobiography, we feel that it describes highly interesting realities. The book does not contain anything of controversy; there is not a single sentence in it which need hurt the feelings of a person of either creed. The scene always passes in the retirement of private life. There is nothing introduced to dazzle or surprise-nothing even to pain the feelings very much. There are no startling incidents, although quite sufficient to keep up the interest in the story. The dialogue is easy and graceful, free from affectation, and well adapted to the classes of society to which the interlocutors belong. Finally, the characters are extremely well drawn; several minute traits and shades of character are portrayed with singular truthfulness and delicacy; even the ways and disposition of a child are depicted with a natural tenderness of touch, which cannot fail to enlist the reader's interest, and there is a suitability in the destinies of the various persons introduced, which leaves nothing to be desired. Thus, in a word, although possessing all the propriety and a good deal of the tameness which belong to a picture of fashionable life, Charlcote Manor is a tale well calculated to interest the reader, aud to leave clevating as well as pleasing impressions on the mind.

No. 10.

CLINTON MAKES INQUIRIES ABOUT MARIA-MÀRIA MAKES DISCOVERIES NOT ONLY IN HER OWN HEART, BUT, AS SHE THINKS, IN CLINTON'S.

SUCH was the logic with which the profligate wound up his reflections.

Clinton sat down at his table, and began to think; but why was it that he began to think, especially when he found that the subject of his thoughts was the humble girl, Maria Brindsley? This was the very question he put to himself.

"Why," he asked himself, "does the knowledge of that letter sweep over my heart with such a hurricane of passion? What is it, or what ought it to be to me, what becomes of her? why should I love her? I can never make her my wife; and suppose I were placed as Doolittle is, how would I act? But still, those lightning glances at church; so modest and blushing, yet so unconsciously significant. Yes, by heavens ! that girl does love me, or there is no truth in woman, in the light of God's sun, or in the heart of any human being This day seems to be the day of her doom; but am I a man, or can I suffer it? an effort to save her from perdition? If she falls, let me have, at least, the consolation of knowing that I left nothing undone to rescue her from the gulf into which I see she is about to precipitate herself. I shall, this very hour, call upon her, and ask to see her; if she refuses me, it is then quite clear that she is hopeless, and that I should blot her out of my memory, and I fear I may add, out of my heart, for ever. Alas! why did I ever see her, and why does it appear that her fate and my happiness should be linked together."

Shall I not make

When Miss Travers, Betty M'Clean, and Maria, reached home, the latter, as usual, repaired to her own room to read, but the others went into the parlour, where there chanced to be no person present, for the purpose of unbosoming themselves to each other, and discussing the cause of Maria's extraordinary emotion in church.

"Well Betty," said Miss Travers, "I think I can give a guess at Mrs. Clinton's anxiety to get Maria ont of her own neighbourhood."

VOL. II.

1861.

"Whatever caused it, I'll stand to it that it was no blame of Maria's," said her staunch friend; "de'il a bit ; she's just as proper a girl as ever stepped; so if you're going to say any thing agane her, don't let me hear it ;" and she gathered herself for a conflict.

"I am not going to say any thing against her, Betty; it is no harm to fall in love; and it is no harm to blush either. Indeed I remember when I used to blush myself; I could feel it like a heat all over my face, and always did whenever he came to visit me-heigh-ho! How full of sorrows and disappointments, calamities, and sudden deaths, this unfortunate world is! Poor dear man, to be snatched away-cut down like a flower→→ when I had every reason to know that he was about to make a proposal. It was only the evening before, that he borrowed his last loan of five guineas from me, and he said, with a smile and a wink, which there was no misunderstanding, that when he saw me again he would have another request to make, which he hoped I would not refuse. Poor dear Thady, I never saw him, nor did he ever see me again."

There was a strong effort at the pathetic here, but it was a failure, and the pocket-handkerchief which she applied to her eyes came away unmoistened.

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'No, it's not a crime to blush, and poor Maria today only felt as I always did when I met him. He promised that upon our marriage he would give up liquor." "Well, but about Maria ?"

"Why, don't you see it's a clear case that she's fond of Clinton? Don't you recollect how she blushed the other day when I only asked her if she knew him; and with what spirit she defended him? but above all things, did you see her in church to-day? Poor unfortunate girl, of course she's fond of him."

"De'il a doubt of that," replied Betty, "and small blame to her, if she disn't let it get the betther of her, which am sure she wont, for she has too much sense."

"Well, at all events we must keep an eye upon her, and prevent her and him from meeting. That Mrs. Clinton had some particular reason for sending her here, and that that reason was in some way connected with her and her son, all the water in the Atlantic wont wash out of me. Still, Betty, I neither say nor insinuate any thing against her. Mrs. Clinton is a woman of honour, but she is also a woman of prudence; and I have no doubt but she acted right in separating them. If Miss Bennet had witnessed what we witnessed this day, there would be no end to it."

N

"Oh, do you never mind Miss Bennet," replied Betty, "leave her to me. As it is, we could do without her. Maria could fill her place rightly."

"Indeed I have often thought of that, Betty; she is quite equal to her in everything, and in some things superior; for instance, as an accountant, and then I could expect a saving, for Maria would not expect such a liberal salary as I pay Miss Bennet."

"De'il a penny less than Miss Bennet gets ever you'll give her. If she's as well worth it as Miss Bennet— and she's better worth it-why shouldn't she get it? Answer me that?"

"Well, well," replied the proprietress, 66 we can talk about it afterwards. If our suspicions are correct, there is little doubt but Clinton will be coming after her, and that, you know, would be discreditable to the house."

"Never mind, ma'am, a'd lay my life on her prudence." And thus closed their dialogue.

Clinton felt himself in a state of perfect distraction. To think that such a creature as Maria was, or at least had been, should fall into the licentious grasp of such a vain and outspoken debauchee as Doolittle, drove him to fury, almost to despair. Was it some frightful dream? could such a thing be? Did he not witness her emotion on seeing himself unexpectedly that very day? Yes, and unless she was one of the most accomplished hypocrites that ever existed, he felt from her conduct in church that she loved him. Does hypocrisy blush, he asked himself, as she did Was there no intelligence in the rapid glance or two which she bestowed him; but yet with such timidity and modesty, as if she felt it was wrong to look at him, and a crime to think of him; yes, precisely as if she knew the distance that separated them. Could that artless, innocent, and most lovely face, be nothing more than a mask for wantonness and hypocrisy ? Well, he would endeavour to unravel this mystery-for a mystery it most assuredly was.

In this state of mind he proceeded at a rapid pace to Miss Travers's house, and arrived there a few minutes after the close of the dialogue we have just reported. Becky opened the door when he knocked, and he immediately asked if there was a young woman living there named Brindsley.

"There's a Miss Brindsley here," replied Becky, speaking up for the credit of the establishment; "yes— Miss Brindsley-you are right."

"Would you be good enough to let Miss Brindsley know that a person from her neighbourhood would feel very much favoured by a few minutes' conversation with her. Here is my card; she will then know who I am. Say, she will oblige me very much, as the affair on which I wish to see her is one of the greatest importance to

herself."

"Well sir, a'll give yer message; but as you're an officer from the barracks, a know she wont see you. Still a'll deliver yer message."

She was absent for about three or four minutes, when she came down with a corroboration of her own sur

mise, bearing back his card, which she returned to him.

"A knowed it, sir; de'il a man's coat, either red, black, or blue, she has seen und her this roof since she came here. A think myself it's a Papish nun she ought to be; she sees nobody sir, and that's just the truth, and never goes out unless when Miss Travers and some o' the other girls go wi' her. Lord, a think the poor thing's afeard of her own shadow. She has returned you that bit o' paper, sir," she added, handing him back his card.

"She has refused to see me, then? but what did she say?"

"She said, sir, it would be very imprudent and improper for her to see you, and begged you wouldn't caall here again, as she had made up her mind not to see you. She says, it might be the means of injuring her carracther, and she hopes, as you are a gentleman, you wont call a second time, not being aware, she says, of any possible business yon can have wi' her.”

"Go and tell her again, that it is of the utmost importance to herself that I should see her-that I come as a sincere and honourable friend, anxious to save her from danger, and say that, if she regards her own welfare, she will and ought to see me."

"Lord," replied Beckey, with a knowing look, “but you officers are quare men; there's no puttin' you off; well, a'll go up again."

She returned still with a more peremptory refusal.

"She says, sir, she will not see you, and that she knows of no business you can have wi' her, and that you ought to know it is wrong for a gentle.nan in your condition of life to attempt to caall upon an humble girl like her; and she says, wanst for aall, that you need never come, for that she will never see you; and feth she'll keep her word, for she's the very girl that can do that."

"She is lost," thought Clinton," and the blushes which I this day attributed to another motive, were the blashes of shame and guilt. Great heaven! even so. I shall make another effort."

"Pray, who is the mistress of this establishment?" "Miss Travers, sir."

"Is she within ?"

"She is, sir."

"Would you give her Lieutenant Clinton's compli ments-she knows my mother, I think-and say, I shall feel glad if she will favour me with a short interview."

Now, it is necessary to state here, that four female ears were expanded as far, at least, as mere volition could expand them, in drinking in every syllable of the preceding dialogue, and that Miss Travers's heart-for she was an old maid, and consequently a scandal hunter-beat with perfect delight when she heard Clinton's request for an interview with herself. She motioned to Betty to go up stairs, that they might be alone; and the latter said in a whisper,

"Well, but wont you tell me everything-maybe I know more than you think."

Clinton was a gentleman in the best and highest sense

of that much-mistaken word. On entering the parlour, he treated Miss Travers with every mark of respect. "Miss Travers, I presume?" said he, bowing. "Yes, sir; and I believe I have the honour of addressing Lieutenant Clinton."

"I am Lieutenant Clinton, madam."

"And your mother, Lieutenant Clinton, has been a kind friend and a liberal patroness to me, sir; and, of course, I am bound to treat every person connected with her, and in whom she feels an interest, with every respect. Pray, be seated, sir."

Mr. Clinton sat down, and proceeded :- 66 I believe, Miss Travers, you have a very interesting young woman in your establishment, who happens to be from my neighbourhood."

"I have, sir, and I suppose you are aware that she is a protégée of your mother's."

"No, I was not aware of that fact; but now that you have mentioned it to me, I feel it an additional justification on my part to hold some confidential conversation with you concerning this young woman."

"It is coming now," thought Miss Travers; "but my handsome young gentleman, don't imagine that you shall make me your agent in any design you may have upon her." In the meantime, she looked at him with a good deal of surprise, and waited until he should state the purport of his visit more distinctly.

"In the first place," said he," and before I proceed any further in what I am about to say, I beg you to understand, that I am here in the character of a true and honourable friend to this young female; be assured of this, before we proceed another step."

"At the present stage of our conversation, sir," she replied, "I know not what to say to you. You must speak more plainly."

"It is right and proper that I should," said Clinton. "Will you allow me to ask, what has been the conduct of Maria Brindsley since she came under your roof? and whether you have yet had an opportunity of thoroughly understanding her character ?""

"Oh now, sir,” replied Miss Travers, "you can be understood. Well, then, I shall reply to you. In the first place, her conduct has been without spot or stain— admirable in every point; she is an example of modesty, virtue, and industry to my whole establishment."

"Does she go out much? Is she often from under your eye?"

"No, sir, unless to church, or to walk with myself, she never goes out. Indeed I have often pressed her to take more exercise, and to go out oftener, but she prefers reading and improving herself at home, whenever she has a spare hour, which indeed is very rare, unless upon a Sunday."

Clinton paused, and felt himself very much embarrassed by this account of Maria, delivered, as it was, with all the earnestness and confidence of truth.

"This, Miss Travers, is very strange," said he; "you appear to feel the truth of what you assert respecting her, but might it not be possible that she could combine to deceive you?"

"No," replied Miss Travers, "such a fact is not possible; but I really do not understand, although I am very much surprised at, the drift of your questions. What is their object, and upon what grounds do you make them ?"

"You now place me, Miss Travers, in a position of great difficulty, as regards myself, and of great delicacy with respect to her. I may be mistaken, and I hope in God I am, and on that account-I mean for that reason-I-I—would not wish to utter a single sentiment calculated to weaken the confidence you place in her, and the respect you seem to entertain for her. Still I fear"

"Pray, sir, what do you fear?" asked Miss Travers, with a slight breeze of temper. "So far as she is concerned, you have nothing to fear upon her account; but really, Lieutenant Clinton, I am very much surprised, indeed, at the warmth of the interest you seem to feel in the conduct of Miss Brindsley. Were you and she acquainted before, may I ask ?"

"Never, madam, we never exchanged a syllable; but may I beg to know, if she has expressed a wish to go out this evening?"

"Not the slightest."

"Are you quite certain of that fact ?"

"No, not quite certain," replied Miss Travers; "the thing may be possible, but I have heard nothing of it, and she never goes out alone. If you remain here, however, for a few minutes, I shall soon be able to determine that matter."

"Before you go, Miss Travers, let me say, in order that you may the better understand the subject of your conversation with her, and such replies as she may make to you, that I have very strong reasons for apprehending that great danger may result to her reputationgreat danger, Miss Travers, in its worst sense-should she go out this evening; and what I fear is, that she is a willing party to

"To nothing improper or wrong, sir," replied Miss Travers, with energy; "of that I am satisfied; but really, sir, this is all very mysterious. However, I shall now see her, and, in a few minutes, will let you know the result."

We need not detail the subject of Miss Travers's conversation with Maria, who stated candidly and truly that not the slightest intention of going out that evening had ever entered her mind.

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"No, sir," said Miss Travers, on her return to the parlour, the poor girl has no notion of going out this evening. I found her in tears when I entered her room; and indeed, to tell you the truth, sir, I fear that her heart is not exactly in her own keeping. I suspect as much; and I suspect, besides, that a certain handsome young officer-but I may be wrong-and God forbid that I should render her an injustice."

"What handsome young officer?" asked Clinton, with an earnestness of manner which he could not conceal.

Women, in their management of love, or love affairs, are the originators of more mischief and unhappiness