Penelope's Irish ExperiencesWiggin, Kate Douglas Smith
General
Penelope's Irish Experiences
Wiggin, Kate Douglas Smith
Ireland -- Fiction
We had brought letters of introduction to a dean, a bishop, and a Rt.
Hon. Lord Justice, so there were a few delightful invitations when the
morning post came up; not so many as there might have been, perhaps,
had not the Irish capital been in a state of complete dementia over the
presence of the greatest Queen in the world. [*] Privately, I think that
those nations in the habit of having kings and queens at all should have
four, like those in a pack of cards; then they could manage to give all
their colonies and dependencies a frequent sight of royalty, and prevent
much excitement and heart-burning.
* Penelope's experiences in Scotland, given in a former
volume, ended, the meticulous proof-reader will remember,
with her marriage in the year of the Queen's Jubilee. It is
apparent in the opening chapters of this story that Penelope
came to Ireland the following spring, which, though the
matter is hardly important, was not that of the Queen's
memorable visit. The Irish experiences are probably the
fruit of several expeditions, and Penelope has chosen to
include this vivid impression of Her Majesty's welcome to
Ireland, even though it might convict her of an anachronism.
Perhaps as this is not an historical novel, but a 'chronicle
of small beer,' the trifling inaccuracy may be pardoned.--K.
D. W.
It was worth something to be one of the lunatic populace when the little
lady in black, with her parasol bordered in silver shamrocks, drove
along the gaily decorated streets, for the Irish, it seems to me, desire
nothing better than to be loyal, if any persons to whom they can be
loyal are presented to them.
“Irish disaffection is, after all, but skin-deep,” said our friend the
dean; “it is a cutaneous malady, produced by external irritants. Below
the surface there is a deep spring of personal loyalty, which needs only
a touch like that of the prophet's wand to enable it to gush forth in
healing floods. Her Majesty might drive through these crowded streets
in her donkey chaise unguarded, as secure as the lady in that poem of
Moore's which portrayed the safety of women in Brian Boru's time. The
old song has taken on a new meaning. It begins, you know,--
'Lady, dost thou not fear to stray
So lone and lonely through this dark way?'
and the Queen might answer as did the heroine,
'Sir Knight, I feel not the least alarm,
No son of Erin will offer me harm.'”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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