leases of the M’Loughlins and the Harmans, and others, have dropped, what can I do but study Lord Cumber’s interest, in the first instance?  Not but I would serve them if I could, and will if I can.  I bear them no ill-feeling; and if they have joined in the calumnies and threats that are so unjustly uttered against me, what can I do, and what ought I do, but return good for evil?  You, as a truly religious and pious man, will feel delighted to support me in this principle, and also to aid me in bearing it practically out.  Any services of a similar kind that I can honestly and conscientiously render you—­and none other would you accept—­I shall be on my part delighted to offer.  In the meantime, let me have your excellent advice as to the most efficient means of stifling the unreasonable murmurs that are rising among the people—­and as touching M’Loughlin’s and Harman’s properties, I should be glad to see you, in order to consult upon what may or can be done for them, always compatibly with Lord Cumber’s interests.

“The pair of turkies which I send you are the result of my reviving one of his lordship’s rights.  They are duty-turkies, and I do not think they will eat the worse for the blessings which Darby O’Drive tells me accompanied them; at least I don’t find they do.

“All that I have yet written, however, is only preliminary; but now to business.  I have received the letter which Lord Cumber transmitted to me, under your frank, in which I am appointed his head agent.  He also is willing to accept the two thousand pounds on my own terms—­that is, of course, as a loan, at the usual rate of interest.  But don’t you think, my dear M’Slime, that with respect to this large sum, an understanding might be entered into—­or rather an arrangement made, in a quiet way, that would, I flatter myself, turn out of great ultimate advantage to his lordship.  The truth is, that Lord Cumber, like most generous men, is very negligent of his own interests—­at least much more so than he ought to be; and it would be most beneficial to him, in every sense, to have a person managing his estates, in the best possible condition to serve him.  His property, in fact, is not represented in the grand jury panel of the county.  This is a great loss to him—­a serious loss.  In the first place, it is wretchedly, shamefully deficient in roads—­both public and private.  In the next place, there are many rents left unpaid, through the inability of the people, which we could get paid by the making of these roads, and other county arrangements, which the ill-thinking call jobs.  In the third and last place, he has on his property no magistrate friendly to his aforesaid interests, and who would devote himself to them with suitable energy and zeal.  Indeed, with regard to the murmurings and heart-burnings alluded to, I fear that such a magistrate will soon become a matter of necessity.  There is a bad spirit rising and getting abroad, wherever it came from—­and