“Come, ladies, before you leave us we must have one toast; and I shall give it in order to ascertain whether we have any fair traitresses among us, or any who are secretly attached to Popery or Papists.” The proposal was a cruel one, but the squire was so utterly destitute of consideration or delicacy of feeling that we do not think he ever once reflected upon the painful position in which it placed his daughter. “Come,” he proceeded, “here is prosperity to Captain Smellpriest and priest-hunting!”* * We have been charged by an able and accomplished writer with an incapacity of describing, with truth, any state of Irish society above that of our peasantry; and the toast proposed by the eccentric old squire is, we presume, the chief ground upon which this charge is rested. We are, however, just as well aware as our critic, that to propose toasts before the female portion of the company leave the dinner-table, is altogether at variance with the usages of polite society. But we really thought we had guarded our readers against any such, inference of our own ignorance by the character which we had drawn of the squire, as well as by the words with which the toast is introduced--where we said, “from any other man would have been an extraordinary one.” I may also refer to Mrs. Brown's reply. “As a Christian minister,” replied Mr. Brown, “and an enemy to persecution in every sense, but especially to that which would punish any man for the great principle which we ourselves claim--the rights of conscience--I decline to drink the toast;” and he turned down his glass. “And I,” said Mr. Hastings, “as a Protestant and a Christian, refuse it on the same principles;” and he also turned down his glass. “But you forget, gentlemen,” proceeded the squire, “that I addressed myself principally to the ladies.” “But you know, sir,” replied Mrs. Brown, with a smile, “that it is quite unusual and out of character for ladies to drink toasts at all, especially those which involve religious or political opinions. These, I am sure, you know too well, Mr. Folliard, are matters with which ladies have, and ought to have, nothing to do. I also, therefore, on behalf of our sex, decline to drink the toast; and I trust that every lady who respects herself will turn down her glass as I do.” Mrs. Hastings and Helen immediately followed her example, whilst at the same time poor Helen's cheeks and neck were scarlet. “You see, sir,” said Mr. Brown, good-humoredly, “that the sex--at least one-half of them--are against you.” “That's because they're Papists at heart,” replied the squire, laughing. Helen felt eased at seeing her father's good humor, for she now knew that the proposal of the toast was but a jest, and did not aim at any thing calculated to distress her feelings.