’I was’—­he picked out this incident—­’a guest at a dinner where I heard the toast “The Protestant King and confusion to Roman Catholicism.”  Just reflect on what that meant!  Think of the injustice, the intolerance, the lack of ordinary human feeling thus put into a sentiment!  A Roman Catholic gentleman was present, and, knowing what was coming, he good-naturedly rose and left the room, observing that he would join the ladies.  Yes, that was an Irish gentleman!

’Again, my heart was wrung at what I witnessed, while in command of a party of soldiers, under orders to protect a tithe-collecting expedition.  To me it appeared wrong, shameful, un-Christian, that money for a Church which preached the love of God and His Son towards mankind, should be wrung from the people by armed soldiers.  More, it seemed to me nothing less than blasphemy, a mockery of all true religion, and I thought it terrible to have to bear a part in the business.’

Yet, as ever among Celts, these shadows had edges of the lightsome.  The tithe-gatherers would be out to distrain in a particular parish, and find loads of the humble chattels, which they meant to seize, already carted over the boundary into the next parish.  That, Sir George explained, was a familiar trick to play upon the tithe-gatherer, who could not budge beyond the phrasing of his warrant.  It was a beating of the parish bounds, such as he could not always be prepared for.  The peasants would stand in sanctuary, with quick, mocking tongues, pointing the finger of scorn.  It was trying work for the soldiers of the people, since they had to forget that relationship.

On such an affair Sir George, then a subaltern, made a report to his commanding officer, and it went wider than routine.  He offered a frank account of the events attending the tithe-collecting, including the attitude of the peasantry, and the lessons that occurred to himself.  These, the commanding officer did not desire, and he returned the report to the writer, desiring it to be made formal.  ‘Sir,’ was the subaltern’s reply, ’I have stated just what happened, and I should wish, with your permission, to abide by my report.’  He awaited results with a mixed interest, but the farther history of that temerarious despatch he never learned.  It may, or may not, have reached all concerned.

Of the Irish race Sir George conceived the warmest opinion, holding them to be the owners of many virtues.  Especially they were brotherly of nature, truly generous of heart, and chivalrous of action.  He had one proof of the last quality in a curious falling-in with some Mayo smugglers.  What better evidence of the innate chivalry of a race, than to find them instinctively expect it in a stranger?

‘There were,’ he narrated, ’very stringent regulations in Ireland, in regard to the illicit distilling of spirits.  It was another disagreeable duty for soldiers that they had to accompany revenue officers in the search for stills.  Now, I was very fond of shooting, and when the opportunity arose I would start off with my gun.  The country folk might always be applied to for information as to the spots most likely to furnish a shot.  They were perfect hosts to the Saxon as an individual, though otherwise to the Saxon engine of government.