At this time the union of Ireland with the other portions of the British kingdom was being actively agitated. The project was that each of the thirty-two Irish counties should send one representative to the British Parliament. Forty-eight Irish Peers were to be transferred to the English Upper House. One very remarkable feature in the supposed government project was, that Ireland should retain the shadow of a parliament, to be called ‘The Great Council of the Nation.’ The Great Council was to consist of members sent by the Irish boroughs, each borough to send one representative, ‘their power not to apply further than the interior policy of the kingdom.’ The courts of law were to remain undisturbed. It will be remembered that something like the above council is now asked for by those who advocate Home Rule; but as some of those advocates only wish to have the council as the means to a further end, the Irish professional patriot now, as ever, stands in the way to the real improvement and the permanent prosperity of that part of the kingdom. In many other respects the incidents of to-day are like the echoes of the events a hundred years old. We find human nature much the same, but a trifle coarser in expression. The struggle to live, then as now, took the guise of the struggle of a beaten army, retreating over a narrow and dangerous bridge, where each thought only of himself, and the stronger trampled down the weaker or pushed him over into the raging flood. With all this, blessed charity was not altogether wanting. Then, as in the present day, charity appeared on the track of the struggle, and helped many a fainting heart to achieve a success, the idea of which they had given up in despair. END OF VOL. I. LONDON: PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., KEW-STREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET RICHARD BENTLEY & SON’S LITERARY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE AUTUMN. BY MRS. KEMBLE. _A Sequel to ‘Records of My Girlhood.’_ By FRANCES (FANNY) ANN KEMBLE. In 3 vols, crown 8vo. about 31_s._ 6_d._ BY MR. SERJEANT BALLANTINE. _Some Experiences of a Barrister’s Life._ By Mr. Serjeant BALLANTINE. In 2 vols, demy 8vo. with a Portrait. BY DR. THIRLWALL. _Letters of the late Connop Thirlwall, Bishop of St. David’s._ In 2 vols, demy 8vo. 28_s._ The first volume edited by ARTHUR PENRHYN STANLEY, D.D., late Dean of Westminster. The second volume edited by J. J. STEWART PEROWNE, D.D., Dean of Peterborough, and the Rev. LOUIS STOKES, B.A. BY MR. PHILLIPPS-WOLLEY. _Sport in the Crimea and Caucasus._ By CLIVE, late British Vice-Consul at Kertch. In 1 vol. demy 8vo. 14_s._ BY H.H. PRINCE METTERNICH. _The Memoirs of Prince Metternich, 1830-1835._ Edited by his Son, Prince RICHARD METTERNICH. The papers being classified and arranged by M. A. DE KLINKOWSTRÖM. Translated by GERARD W. SMITH. In 1 vol. demy 8vo. 18_s._ BY MR. SELOUS. _A Hunter’s Wanderings in Africa._