bring their children to contract them in marriage. The strictest and most becoming order was observed in this meeting. The men were placed by themselves, the women also by themselves at a considerable distance; and after the parents had treated about their marriage, and agreed upon the articles, the ceremony took place.

The king of Ulster laid claim to a tribute of an ounce of silver from every couple who were contracted and married at that fair, because of the field on which it was held being separated from the province of Ulster. It was called Tailtean in honour of a queen whose name was Tailte, the daughter of Maghmor, king of Spain.

'The Tailtean sports have been much celebrated by the Irish historians. They were a sort of warlike exercises, not unlike the Olympic games, consisting of racing, tilts, and tournaments, or something resembling them, and other exercises.

'They were held every year at Tailtean, a mountain in Meath, for fifteen days before and fifteen days after the first of August.

Their first institution is ascribed to Lughaidh Lamhfadha, the twelfth king of Ireland, who began his reign A.M. 2764.

'In gratitude to the memory of Tailte, the daughter of Maghmor, a prince of some part of Spain, who having been married to Eoegan king of Ireland, took this Lughaidh under her protection, and had the care of his education during his minority, both the sports, and the place where they were celebrated, took their name from this lady.'*

* Sir James Ware's Antiquities. This place is still called Tilton, and is part of the estate of Mr. Garnet, near Navan.

In a former letter I told you of Tuathal's royal palace of Tlachtga, and of the fire Tlachtga, which was held sacred.

Tuathal built a royal residence in each of the provinces, in which he held counsels or assemblies at stated periods of the year, and laid down certain rules and laws to be observed. He instituted a law, by the Irish called Aoineirie, supposed to be similar to that which the Romans called Lex talionis. The substance of it was, that when any offender was convicted of a misdemeanour, he was to pay an equivalent in quantity or quality. If he repeated the offence twice or thrice, and was convicted, he received the sentence of death without mercy.

Tuathal governed with such wisdom and justice, by a strict adherence to the laws, that peace and tranquillity were established throughout the kingdom. In his reign there was a general review and revision of all the annals, histories, and ancient records, according to the triennial scrutiny instituted by Ollamh Fodhla, which, because of the insurrection of the Plebeians, and the usurpation and tyranny which followed, had been neglected.

There is an interesting tradition concerning the family of Tuathal. He had two daughters, virtuous and beautiful. The king of Leinster saw and admired them both. Having obtained the eldest in marriage, he took her to his own court; but he was not content, he wished for her sister also, and contrived a stratagem to obtain her.

He invented a tale of woe, describing the fatal illness and death of his queen. Overwhelmed with grief, he appeared at Tarah, and acted his part so well as to excite the sympathy of Tuathal and his

remaining daughter. By degrees he evinced his regard for the latter, whom he persuaded to supply the place of her sister. Shortly after the arrival of the new queen at Leinster, her sister, whom she supposed to be dead, suddenly appeared before her, and the effect caused her instantly to swoon away; remedies were applied in vain-she opened her eyes no more on the guilt and treachery of man. The first queen

survived but a short time-a sudden faintness came over her also; she pined away, and the same grave received both these blooming flowers, nipped by the same rude stroke.

The heart of Tuathal was wounded in the tenderest point, and the work of revenge was determined. He marched with an army into Leinster, and laid the country waste; but on the submission of the nobility he desisted, and accepted from them the following boroime, or tribute, viz. 600 cows, 600 sheep, 600 hogs, 600 mantles, 600 ounces of silver, 600 tons of iron, yearly, which subsidy was levied for many years afterwards, and was called the Boromean tribute.

Before money was coined, the Irish bartered their commodities.

The king of Connaught received, as a tribute, a horse and arms for every lord of a manor.

EXTRACT FROM A NARRATIVE

OF A VOYAGE TO MADEIRA, TENERIFFE, AND ALONG THE SHORES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN.

IN our ride over the mountains we passed the Cork Convent, a most romantic spot, and so hidden among the rocks that you see nothing of it until you get between two large blocks of stone that form the entrance. Inside, it is completely covered with rough bark of the cork-tree. The simple friars had decorated the altar opposite the entrance with pieces of china, broken plates, shells and corals from the coast, not inaptly resembling a baby-house; but it too is abandoned to neglect, and to the ruthless hand of time. Its community consisted of only two or three capuchins, the last remaining of whom, taking the strong hint afforded by the treatment of his brethren by De Penha, decamped with the plate and the little treasure belonging to his house.

In the garden we found a full-sized figure of our Saviour lying on its face, imbedded in the soft earth, and the crown of thorns, that had bound its brow, in one of the adjoining walks! A few short years, nay almost months ago, this figure was held to be the most sacred in Portugal, and none of the peasantry ever went to their daily work without paying their devotions to it.

What then shall we say for the religion of such a

land? Religion there is none: infidelity has usurped the place of ignorance and blind devotion, and now stalks naked throughout the length and breadth of the Peninsula, but more particularly in Portugal. By the present constitution no male religious houses are permitted-all priestly orders have been abolished-the monks and friars driven from their princely establishments, to live upon the sum of oneand-sixpence a-day, and their estates and large revenues confiscated to the crown. What the French Revolution commenced, and Napoleon carried on, Don Pedro, and the glimmering of enlightenment breaking on this land, have completed. It is in contemplation to do away with the different nunneries, but it is to be hoped that ample provision will be made for the helpless inmates, before such a measure is adopted; and I have no doubt but that it is one which will be hailed with the truest gratitude by every signoreta in Portugal.

The parochial clergy, the only ones permitted here, have little influence over the people; and it is a singular fact, that so far from assisting the monks, when driven from their homes, they refused them the necessaries of life, or the shelter of a cottage roof, and this to men before whom they had so lately knelt, and who exercised over them a spiritual tyranny, tolerated or known in no other country.

What, it may be asked, has become of such a large body of men, who had no trade, and are prohibited from following their profession? It is not to be expected that persons like these, reared in luxury, and living on the bucks of Mafra and the wines of Colleres, could support themselves on two pistarines a-day; and it cannot be said of them, as of the unjust