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 806 CURRAN. The learned tell us, that all the seeds of genuine eloquence are most vigorous amongst savage nations, and that the vigorous mind, crampt by the paucity of a limited language, finds vent for its feelings in figures and epithets infinitely more forcible and expressive than the copious dialects of polished nations can furnish. But with the peasantry of Ireland, where their native language is luently spoken, and particularly in Munster, the extreme copious- ness of their mother tongue has by no means diluted the strength of expression; for when once their passions are roused or interested, their whole dialect becomes a torrent of thoughts "that flow, and words that burn," accompa- nied by the most forcible expression of the countenance, and action of the whole frame: all the wild flowers of rhetorie, unformed indeed by the hand of criticism, seem wholly at the speaker's command; and whether joy or grief, love or hatred, rage or kindness, pity or revenge be the predominant passion of the moment, all the facul- ties of mind and body are in unison to give it the most natural and strenuous expression. Every thing marks the strength of mind and depth of feeling, and the wildest language of hyperbole seems searcely adequate to vent the labouring thought. Shrewd in their observation, keen and humorous in their ridicule, caustic in their sarcasms, generous to their friends, fierce with their enemies, quick of irritation, and easy of recon- cilement; vengeful to oppression, faithful and affectionate to lenity and justice. In their joy, extravagant; n their grief, tender and pathetic. Their kindness, honey; their maledictions, gall. Their hospitality, proverbial; their courage, graven upon the annals of every nation, needs no panegyric; and their patience, almost miraculous under sufferings and privations, unparalleled in any other civi- lized country, are perfectly inconceivable to the majority of the people of England, who are, perhaps, better acquainted with the state of their fellow subjects in Canada or China-Tartary, than of those in the Irish braneh of the United Kingdom.