31 MARCH 1888, Page 14

"OH, THE WILD CHARGE HE MADE r FRAGMENTS OF A

CONVERSATION IN A COUNTRY HOUSE. COMMUNICATED BY MR. THOMAS EAVES.

[" Three parts, and in many ways the most interesting parts politically, of the conversation have been left unpublished by me."—Ms. BLustr's Letter, Times, March 26th, 1883.]

And when already wasted by tubercular complaints, Their chiefs have gone to swell the sweet societies of saints,' I'll ran amuck from Malin Head to Ballinskelligs Bay, Feasting my eyes with fire by night and massacre by day ; I'll re-enact the penal laws, I'll resurrect the Pale, And with your aid obliterate the Irish Bull wholesale. Against the pig, the unclean beast,' I'll resolutely tilt, And I'll force the population to adopt the Highland kilt. I'll introduce the haggis, I'll abolish Irish stew, And I'll scalp each rogue who dares to brogue or drink of

mountain-dew.

I'll root the shamrock from the sod, I'll re-import the snake, I'll rase the peaks from off the Reeks, and drain Killarney's lake. I'll pulverise the Blarney Stone, I'll gouge out Ireland's Eye, And ship the Giant's Causeway off to grace the Isle of Skye. And when I've worked my wicked will, 'mid shrieks of ghoulish glee, I'll blast the island from its base, I'll tow it out to sea ; And, acting on a gorgeous hint I've had from Mr. Goschen, Appropriate the sinking fund to drown it in mid-ocean ; That Erin's exiles, homeward bound, across the surging main For Innisfairs familiar shores, may look and look in vain."