of the wits and wags who abound in all such places, and upon all such
occasions. I was not sorry, when, after a few days, Lord Glenfallen's
carriage appeared at the door to convey us both from Ashtown; for any
change would have been a relief from the irksomeness of ceremonial
and formality which the visits received in honour of my newly acquired
titles hourly entailed upon me. It was arranged that we were to
proceed to Cahergillagh, one of the Glenfallen estates, lying,
however, in a southern county, so that a tedious journey (then owing
to the impracticability of the roads,) of three days intervened. I set
forth with my noble companion, followed by the regrets of some, and by
the envy of many, though God knows I little deserved the latter; the
three days of travel were now almost spent, when passing the brow of a
wild heathy hill, the domain of Cahergillagh opened suddenly upon
our view. It formed a striking and a beautiful scene. A lake of
considerable extent stretching away towards the west, and reflecting
from its broad, smooth waters, the rich glow of the setting sun, was
overhung by steep hills, covered by a rich mantle of velvet sward,
broken here and there by the grey front of some old rock, and
exhibiting on their shelving sides, their slopes and hollows, every
variety of light and shade; a thick wood of dwarf oak, birch, and
hazel skirted these hills, and clothed the shores of the lake, running
out in rich luxuriance upon every promontory, and spreading upward
considerably upon the side of the hills.

"There lies the enchanted castle," said Lord Glenfallen, pointing
towards a considerable level space intervening between two of the
picturesque hills, which rose dimly around the lake. This little plain
was chiefly occupied by the same low, wild wood which covered the
other parts of the domain; but towards the centre a mass of taller and
statelier forest trees stood darkly grouped together, and among them