304 CURRAN. by an impervious croud, horse and foot, sometimes to the number of several thousands, especially if the deceased be a person in ordinary respect or esteem with his neighbours. The bards before-mentioned form the procession, and, at intervals, renew the hymn of grief, which is chorussed by the whole croud, with shouts of " Ululo," that rend the skies. Scenes of this sort were peculiarly germaine to the eccentric taste of young Curran; his whole mind and heart entered into the spirit of them; he saw in them all the varieties of whim, and humour, and passion in the national character, and here he felt the first impulse of those transports whieh seized on his imagination, and induced him to cultivate the pursuit of eloquence. While he attended the wake of a wealtby person, who, by his last will, had distributed amongst his favourite kindred, his fortune and effects, the legatees were con- spicuous in their sorrows, and lavish in their praises to his merits; they measured their eulogies by his bounties, and their funeral orations kept pace with the value of his bequests: but the last who came forward on this occasion was a woman of portly stature and elegant shape; her long black hair flowed loosely down her shoulders; her dark eyes teemed with expression, and her whole manner was sedate, but austere and majestic. She had married with- out the consent of the deceased, who was her uncle; she had been his favourite niece, but she had followed the impulse of love in the choice of a husband: she was novw a widow with many children: her offended kinsman carried his resentment to the grave, and left her poor and unpro- vided. She had sat long in silence; and at length rose, and with slow and measured pace approached her dead uncle. She calmly laid her hand upon his forehead, and paused; whilst all present expected a passionate display of her anger and disappointment, she addressed herself to the dead in these few words; "Those of my kindred who have uttered praises, and poured them forth with their tears to the memory of the deceased, did only what they owed him
