7 FEBRUARY 1914, Page 14

THE ULSTER CONVERSATIONS.

[To ram Ferret or ray "Sraeraroa."1 Sin,—It has occurred to me to wonder whether Mr. Birrell in the course of his literary studies—to which we all sincerely hope he will in the near future be able to return—has ever come across the following—quoted as an "old epigram" by Miss Edgeworth in her last novel Helen, published, if I remember rightly, in 1834:—.

" Whereas the religion and fate of three nations Depend on th' importance of our conversations, Whereas some objections are thrown in our way,

And words have been construed to mean what they nay—

Be it known from henceforth to each friend and each brother, Whene'er we say one thing, we mean quite another."

It would be interesting to know its source ; or was Miss Edgeworth herself a better prophet than she knew P—I am,