The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 03, July 18, 1840 — John Shaqi
The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 03, July 18, 1840Various
History
The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 03, July 18, 1840
Various
Ireland -- Periodicals
But our limits will not permit us to notice any more of Mr Bartlett's
innumerable discoveries, which are equally remarkable in all his other
views; so, after making him our grateful bow, we turn to the labours of
his coadjutor, the celebrated author of "Pencillings by the Way," little
doubting that by his lucubrations we shall be equally edified and
astonished. Mr Willis does not attempt a description of the scenes
depicted by his co-labourer--it would, perhaps, be a difficult task for
him, as in the instance of the view from Cloonacartin Hill, which we have
noticed. But instead thereof, he treats us to pencillings of his own of a
very graphic character, and usually as little like nature, as we had
supposed it in Ireland, as even the drawings of Mr Bartlett. The chief
difference between them is, that while the sketches of the one are
landscape, those of the other are generally in the figure line; and after
the model of the Dutch masters, mostly consisting of hackney-car drivers,
waiters, chambermaids, and, what his principal forte lies in, beggars! In
his sketches of the latter he beats Callot himself; they are evidently
drawn for love of the thing. After witnessing "the splendid failure at
Eglintoun Castle," Mr Willis embarks at Port-Patrick, and lands at
Donaghadee. This he tells us he did in imitation of St Patrick, "who
evidently," like Mr Willis, "knew enough of geography to decide which
point of Scotland was nearest to the opposite shore." This was new to us;
but it should be noted in chronicles. He then travels on an Irish car to
Belfast, and, like more of our modern visitors who favour us with their
lucubrations, gives us a sketch of the said car, horse, and its driver,
which, of course, are all singular things in their way. The pencilling,
however, is a pleasant one enough, as it shows us that the car-driver
very soon smoked the character of the travellers he had to take care of,
and quizzed accordingly in a very proper and creditable Irish style.
After a dangerous journey Mr Willis arrives safely in Belfast, and
proceeds to give us his sketch of its inhabitants in the following
words:--
"It was market-day at Belfast, and the streets were thronged with the
country people, the most inactive crowd of human beings, it struck me,
that I had ever seen. The women were all crouching under their grey
cloaks, or squatting upon the thills of the potato-carts, or upon steps
or curb-stones; and the men were leaning where there was any thing to
lean against, or dragging their feet heavily after them, in a listless
lounge along the pavement. It was difficult to remember that this was the
most energetic and mercurial population in the world; yet a second
thought tells one that there is an analogy in this to the habits of the
most powerful of the animal creation--the lion and the leopard, when not
excited, taking their ease like the Irishman."
Men of Belfast, what think you of that? But hear him out--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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