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4 (1855)
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172
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172

nlSTOHY OF EK-GLAKT.

chap. Protestants; and even Londonderry would not, in his judgment,—— hold out many days.

Journey At length James was able to leave Cork for the capital. Onr/omcork the road, the shrewd and observant Avaux made many remarks.toDubhn. ^he g rst p art 0 f the journey was through wild highlands, whereit was not strange that there should be few traces of art andindustry. But, from Kilkenny to the gates of Dublin, the pathof the travellers lay over gently undulating ground rich with na-tural verdure. That fertile district should have been coveredwith flocks and herds, orchards and cornfields: but it was anuntilled and unpeopled desert. Even in the towns the artisanswere very few. Manufactured articles were hardly to be found,and if found could be procured only at immense prices.* Thetruth was that most of the English inhabitants had fled, andthat art, industry, and capital had fled with them.

James received on his progress numerousmarks of the good-will of the peasantry; but marks such as, to men bred in thecourts of France and England, had an uncouth and ominousappearance. Though very few labourers were seen at work inthe fields, the road was lined by Rapparees armed with skeans,stakes, and half pikes, who crowded to look upon the delivererof their race. The highway along which he travelled presentedthe aspect of a street in which a fair is held. Pipers came forthto play before him in a style which was not exactly that of theFrench opera; and the villagers danced w-ildly to the music.Long frieze mantles, resembling those which Spenser had, acentury before, described as meet beds for rebels and apt cloaksfor thieves, were spread along the path which the cavalcade wasto tread; and garlands, in which cabbage stalks supplied theplace of lam-els, were offered to the royal hand. The womeninsisted on kissing his Majesty; but it should seem that they

* Avaux,

March 25April 1.

■ 1689.