It consisted of two
or three country squires, a Captain Dowd--seldom sober--a pair of twin
brothers, named Gumming, with a couple of half sirs--a class of persons
who bore the same relation to a gentleman that a salmon-trout does to
a salmon. The Protestant clergyman of the parish was there--a jocund,
rattling fellow, who loved his glass, his dog, his gun, and, if fame did
not belie him, paid more devotion to his own enjoyments than he did to
his Bible. He dressed in the extreme of fashion, and was a regular dandy
parson of that day. There also was! Father Magauran, the parish priest,
a rosy-faced, jovial little man, with a humorous! twinkle in his blue
eye, and an anterior rotundity of person that betokened a moderate
relish for the convivialities. Altogether it was a merry meeting; and of
the host himself it might be said that he held as conspicuous a place in
the mirth as he did in the hospitality.
"Come, gentleman," said he, after the ladies had retired to the
withdrawing-room, "come, gentlemen, fill high; fill your glasses."
"Troth," said the priest, "we'd put a heap on them, if we could.
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