that I took him for a _frate_--"What a poor benighted creature that
young man seems to be!" she said. The grave gentleman, who I afterwards
found was known in the neighbourhood by the title of her ladyship's
"moral agent," replied, "What, madam, would you have of an
O'Gallagher--a family of the blackest Papists in the county?" My lady
shook her head, and threw up her devout eyes.--Dinner was now announced,
and the moral agent giving his hand to the lady, I was left to sleep
away the fatigue of my journey.

I awoke very hungry, and consequently disposed to be very talkative, but
was silenced by finding myself surrounded by a crowd of persons of both
sexes, who were eagerly gazing on me. A certain prostrate look of sly,
shy humility, lengthened their pale faces, to the exclusion of all
intellectual expression. They formed a sort of religious meeting, called
a tea-and-tract party; but the open door discovered preparations for a
more substantial conclusion to the _obbligato_ prayers and lectures
of the evening. My new mistress was evidently descanting on my merits,
and read that paragraph from the chaplain's letter which described my
early associations, my knowledge of the Creed, and announced me as
a source of edification to her servants. Two or three words of this
harangue operating on my memory, I put forth my profession of faith with
a clearness of articulation and fidelity really wonderful for a bird.
What exclamations! what turning-up of eyes! I was stifled with caresses,
intoxicated with praises, and crammed with sweetmeats. The moral agent
grew pale with jealousy, when Doctor Direful was announced. He rushed
into the room like a whirlwind, but stood aghast at beholding the devout
crowd that encircled me. Instead of the usual apophthegms, and serious
discourse, he heard nothing but "Pretty Poll," "Scratch a poll," "What
a dear bird," &c. The malicious moral agent chuckled, and explained
that the bird had, for the moment, usurped the attention which should