LEI IER OF AN IRISH PRIEST TO AN IRISH GENTLEMAN.
"Sir—I have been considering the propriety of treating you as a gentleman ought to be treated, and have come to the determination of affording you an opportunity of proving which of the two qualities of COWARD or RUFFIAN you excel in. I will, for your plenary chastisement, be with my friend in the Holy Island, at seven o'clock A.M., on to-morrow; and have the honour to be, This letter was preceded by a message to the same gentleman, whose uncle had just died. The Reverend MACNAMARA sent word to the nephew, that if he removed his uncle's body, he would horsewhip him, and that he should attend at six in the morning and say mass over it—of course whip in hand. The Irish are a strange people, and the MACNAMARAS a fearful race ! What a truly Irish confusion is there in this business !- horsewhipping—mass—the dead body—coward—ruffian plenarychastisement—Holy Island—and the Reverend FINUCANE, all in a breath.
Some of the Irish novels have taught us that it is not an unu- sual thing for the Father FINUCANES of Munster and Connaught to be armed with the horsewhip, which they find as efficient in castigation. as more ecclesiastical penance; consequently we were nofisurprised to hear of horsewhipping and mass in the same sen- tence : but the Reverend MACNAMARA. has whips for chapel, and pistols for Holy Island ; and, if both fail, excommunication and anathema.- "Thrice is he armed who has his quarrel just ;" but in treland, a. shaven crown is more formidable than even a good.
cause., •
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