LETTER XIII.
TO J. D. ESQ., M. P.
The conduct of this girl is inexplicable. Since the unfortunate picturescene three days back, she has excused herself twice from the drawingdesk; and to-day appeared at it with the priest by her side. Her playfulfamiliarity is vanished, and a chill reserve, uncongenial to the nativeardour of her manner has succeeded. Surely she cannot be so vain, soweak, as to mistake my attentions to her as a young and lovely woman,my admiration of her talents, and my surprise at the originality of hercharacter, for a serious passion. And supposing me to be a wanderer anda hireling, affect to reprove my temerity by haughtiness and disdain.
Would you credit it! by Heavens, I am sometimes weak enough to be onthe very point of telling her who and what I am, when she plays off herlittle airs of Milesian pride and female superciliousness. You perceive,therefore, by the conduct of this little Irish recluse, that onthe subject of love and vanity, woman is everywhere, and inall situations the same. For what coquette reared in the purlieus ofSt. James’s, could be more a _portée_ to those effects which denote thepassion, or more apt to suspect she had awakened it into existence, thanthis inexperienced, unsophisticated being! who I suppose never spoke toten men in her life, save the superanuated inhabitants of her paternalruins. Perhaps, however, she only means to check the growing familiarityof my manner, and to teach me the disparity of rank which existsbetween us; for, with all her native strength of mind, the influence ofinvariable example and precept has been too strong for her, and shehas unconsciously imbibed many of her father’s prejudices respectingantiquity of descent and nobility of birth. She will frequently say,“O! such a one is a true Milesian!”--or, “he is a descendant of the_English_ Irish;” or, “they are new people--we hear nothing of them tillthe wars of Cromwell,” and so on. Yet at other times, when reasonlords it over prejudice, she will laugh at that weakness in others, shesometimes betrays in herself.
The other day, as we stood chatting at a window together, pointing toan elderly man who passed by, she said, “there goes a poor Connaughtgentleman, who would rather starve than work--he is a _follower_ of thefamily and has been just entertaining my father with an account of ourancient splendour. We have too many instances of this species of _mania_among us.
“The celebrated Bishop of Cloyne relates an anecdote of a kitchen-maid,who refused to carry out cinders, because she was of Milesian descent.And Father John tells a story of a young gentleman in Limerick, who,being received under the patronage of a nobleman going out as governorgeneral of India, sacrificed his interest to his _national pride_; forhaving accompanied his lordship on board of the vessel which was toconvey them to the East, and finding himself placed at the foot of thedining table, he instantly arose, and went on shore, declaring that ‘asa _true Milesian_, he would not submit to any indignity, to purchase theriches of the East India Company.
“All this,” continued Glorvina, “is ridiculous, nay, it is worse, forit is highly dangerous and fatal to the community at large. It is thesource of innumerable disorders, by promoting idleness, and consequentlyvice. It frequently checks the industry of the poor, and limits theexertions of the rich, and perhaps is not among the least of thosesources whence our national miseries flow. At the same time, I must own,I have a very high idea of the virtues which exalted birth does or oughtto bring with it. Marmontel elegantly observes, ‘nobility of birth isa letter of credit given us on our country, upon the security of ourancestors, in the conviction that at a proper period of life we shallacquit ourselves with honour to those who stand engaged for us.’”
Observe, that this passage was quoted in the first person, but not, asin the original, in the second, and with an air of dignity that elevatedher pretty little head some inches.
“Since,” she continued, “we are all the beings of education, and thatits most material branch, example, lies vested in our parents, it isnatural to suppose that those superior talents or virtues which inearly stages of society are the purchase of worldly elevation, becomehereditary, and that the noble principles of our ancestors shoulddescend to us with their titles and estates.”
“Ah,” said I, smiling, “these are the ideas of an Irish Princess, rearedin the palace of her ancestors on the shores of the Atlantic ocean.”
“They may be,” she returned, “the ideas of an inexperienced recluse,but I think they are not less the result of rational supposition,strengthened by the evidence of internal feeling; for though I possessednot that innate dignity of mind which instinctively spurned at the lowsuggestion of vicious dictates, yet the consciousness of the virtuesof those from whom I am descended, would prevent me from sullying by anunworthy action of mine, the unpolluted name I had the honour to bear.”
She then repeated several anecdotes of the heroism, rectitude, andvirtue of her ancestors of both sexes, adding, “this was once thebusiness of our Bards, Fileas, and Seanachps; but we are now obliged tohave recourse to our own memories, in order to support our own dignity.But do not suppose I am so weak as to be dazzled by a _sound_, or toconsider mere title in any other light than as a golden toy judiciouslyworn to secure the respect of the vulgar, who are incapable ofappreciating that ‘which surpassed show,’ * which, as my father says,is sometimes given to him who saves, and sometimes bestowed on him whobetrays his country. O! no; for I would rather possess _one_ beam ofthat genius which elevates _your_ mind above all worldly distinction,and those principles of integrity which breathe in your sentiments andennoble your soul, than----”
* “He feels no ennobling principles in his own heart, who wishes to level all the artificial institutes which have been adopted for giving body to opinion, and per manence to future esteem.”--Burke.
Thus hurried away by the usual impetuosity of her feelings, she abruptlystopped, fearful, perhaps, that she had gone too far. And then, aftera moment added--“but who will dare to bring the soul’s nobility incompetition with the shortlived elevation which man bestows on man!”
This was the first direct compliment she ever paid me; and I received itwith a silent bow, a throbbing heart, and a colouring cheek.
Is she not an extraordinary creature! I meant to have given you anunfavourable opinion of her prejudices; and in transcribing my documentsof accusation, I have actually confirmed myself in a better opinion ofher heart and understanding than I ever before indulged in. For to thinkwell of _her_, is a positive indulgence to my philanthropy, after havingthought so ill of all her sex.
But her virtues and her genius have nothing to do with the ice whichcrystalizes round her heart; and which renders her as coldly indifferentto the talents and virtues with which her fancy has invested me, asthough they were in possession of a hermit of fourscore. Yet, God knows,nothing less than cold does her character appear. That mutability ofcomplexion which seems to flow perpetually to the influence of herevident feelings and vivid imagination, that ethereal warmth whichanimates her manners; the force and energy of her expressions, theenthusiasm of her disposition, the uncontrollable smile, the involuntarytear, the spontaneous sigh!--Are these indications of an icy heart? Andyet, shut up as we are together, thus closely associated, the sympathyof our tastes, our pursuits! But the fact is, I begin to fear that Ihave imported into the shades of Inismore some of my London presumption:and that, after all, I know as little of this charming _sport ofNature_, as when I first beheld her--possibly my perceptions havebecome as sophisticated as the objects to whom they have hithertobeen directed; and want refinement and subtilty to enter into all thedelicate _minutiae_ of her superior and original character, which is atonce both _natural_ and _national_. Adieu!
H. M.