Such is a faint outline of the style and manner peculiar to the narratives of Tom Grassiey. Indeed, it has frequently surprised not only us, but all who knew him, to think how and where and when he got together such an incredible number of hard and difficult words. Be this as it may, one thing was perfectly clear, that they cost him little trouble and no study in their application. His pride was to speak as learnedly as possible, and of course he imagined that the most successful method of doing this was to use as many sesquipedalian expressions as he could crowd into his language, without any regard whatsoever as to their propriety. Immediately after the relation of this legend, he passed at once into a different spirit. He and Frank Magaveen marshalled their forces, and in a few minutes two or three dozen young fellows were hotly engaged in the humorous game of “Boxing the Connaughtman.” Boxing the Connaughtman was followed by “the Standing Brogue” and “the Sitting Brogue,” two other sports practised only at wakes. And here we may observe generally, that the amusements resorted to on such occasions are never to be found elsewhere, but are exclusively peculiar to the house of mourning, where they are benevolently introduced for the purpose of alleviating sorrow. Having gone through a few more such sports, Tom took a seat and addressed a neighbouring farmer, named Gordon, as follows:--“Jack Gordon, do you know the history of your own name and its original fluency?” “Indeed no, Tom, I cannot say I do.” “Well, boys, if you derogate your noise a little, I’ll tell you the origin of the name of Gordon; it’s a story about ould Oliver Crummle, whose tongue is on the look-out for a drop of wather ever since he went to the lower story.” This legend, however, is too long and interesting to be related here: we are therefore forced to defer it until another opportunity. SEALS OF IRISH CHIEFS. By George Petrie, R.H.A., M.R.I.A. (Concluded from No. 45.) The next seal which I have to exhibit, belongs to a chief of another and nobler family of Thomond, the O’Briens, kings of the country, and descendants of the celebrated monarch Brian Boru. This seal is also from the collection of the Dean of St Patrick’s, and was purchased a few years since in Roscrea. Its type is unlike the preceding, as, instead of the armed warrior, it presents in the field the figure of a griffin. The inscription reads, _Sigillum: Brian: I Brian_. [Illustration] In the genealogies of this illustrious family, which are remarkable for their minuteness and historical truth, two or three chiefs bearing the Christian name of Brian occur. But from the character of the letters on this seal, I have little hesitation in assigning it to Brian O’Brian, who, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, succeeded to the lordship of Thomond in 1343, and was killed in 1350.