OUGHTERARDE is termed the entrance to Connamara, but the boundaries seem somewhat undefined, like the sensations induced by the wildly beautiful scenery,
“The vague emotion of delight
Measured and mapped Connamara may be, but painted or described it never can. Those sublime2 landscapes of mountain, moor3, and mere4, are photographed on the memory for ever, but cannot be reproduced on canvas; and a great master of art, a Michael Angelo (Tilmarsh) throws down his brush, with the wise confession5, “all that we can do is to cry, Beautiful!” Who shall take it up, and paint? Not mine, a prentice hand, to daub a caricature (about as like the original, as a pastile to Vesuvius, or a “cinder-tip” to the Himalayas) of those glorious Irish Alps, of the Maum-Turk mountains, or of Bina Beola, rising, in solemn majesty6, amid a sea of golden and roseate flowers. It requires a confidence which I do not feel, to attempt the Hallelujah Chorus on my penny trumpet7, or, where Phidias distrusts his chisel8, to commence a Colossus with my knife and fork. But I shall never forget our silent happiness, a happiness like childhood's, so complete and pure, as, mile after mile, we watched the sunlight and the shadows, sweeping9 over hill, and lake, and plain, (so swiftly that every minute the whole view seemed to change), and saw the snow-white goats among the purple heath, and the kine, jet-black and glowing red, knee-deep in the silver waters.
But there are minds no scenery can delight or awe10. I remember, how, travelling by rail, one glorious morning in December, the trees all hoar with frost, and glittering against a sky blue as the turquoise11, I met a Cockney gent, who condescendingly surveyed the scene, and said that “it reminded him of Storr and Mortimers! The water was very like those plate-glass things, which were used to set off the silver, and the trees a good deal resembled the candelabra clustered above.” And he smiled as one who was pleased to approve the article which Nature humbly12 submitted to his inspection13, and seemed, out of his overflowing14 goodness, to pat Creation's head. And now, seated upon the box, a “party” from Sheffield insulted that pure delicious atmosphere with very villainous “shag,” and talked as flippantly and without restraint, as though he were in the Chair at “The Cutler's Arms,” presiding over a Free-and-Easy. No sooner did he ascertain15 from the driver that the grand Highlands before us were known as “The Twelve Pins” than he desired the company to inform him, “what degree of relationship existed between them and the Needles off the Isle16 of Wight?” a genealogical problem, which would have been received with a due and dignified17 silence, but for his own unrestrained applause and laughter. Then he favoured us with an enigma18, “Why have them pins no pints19? Because they're principally composed of quartz20!” His geology he had got from a guidebook, out of which he treated us to various extracts, appending commentaries of his own. “Miss Martineau says the hair 'ere” (of course he transplanted every h) “is very like breathing cream. Wonder whether the old gal21 meant cream of the valley, or milk-punch—ha! ha! ha!”
From this subject he passed very naturally to mountain dew, and the illegal manufacture of whiskey, shouting at the top of his voice, “I cannot help loving thee, Still;” and then singing, “Still, I love thee, Still, I love thee,”—“Fare thee well, and if for ever, Still, for ever fare thee well” (the music by Mr. Joseph Miller22), until, happily for us, his pipe went out, and playfully wondering “how he should obtain a light, when all around was matchless,” he collapsed23 into a state of quiet suction, like a gold fish in a vase.
Incidents, in a country unreclaimed and almost uninhabited, must necessarily be small and infrequent, like the currants on an Irish cake. We had a change of horses at the Half-way House (half-way between Oughterarde and Ballinahinch), and this rapid flight of horsemanship was performed something under the half-hour. I took advantage of the interval24 to recline on the green sward hard by, and commenced, in dreamy enjoyment25, a silent oration26 to the scenes around. “O Connamara,” I began, “non amarat sed amcena! let me hear and heed27 thy sermons in stones, though thine own sons be deaf to them.”
Alas28! for the sad contrast, where every prospect29 pleases, and only man is vile30! 1 Why should not fields of golden corn, and orchards31 heavy with fruit, bring plenty from thy fertile plains? Why should rank weeds, rag-wort, and loose strife32, (evil signs and sounds!) usurp33 thy untilled soil, a 'soyle most fertile,' as old Spenser saith, 'fit to yielde all kinde of fruit that shall be committed thereunto?'” And the answer which I heard, “awaking with a start” from my reverie, was a surly grunt34 close to my ear, and a loud laugh from Frank, who thus perpetuated35 the tableau36 vivant:
which God has done so much, and man so little.”
We lunched at “The Recess,” a pleasant little inn (with a cheerful landlady39 and civil waitress), but somewhat damp withal; for Ireland is “the Niobe of nations,” 1 and, as the beautiful bride of the Atlantic, ofttimes weeps in her western home, when her husband is at low water, or subject to lunar influence. But there is no time for metaphor40 or meteorology, the cutler having already scooped41 the interior from the heads of both the lobsters43, and it being quite necessary to propose some saving clause to this sweeping Act of shellfishness. “I am no gastronomer,” as the old lady observed, when they asked her to go out and see the comet, but I do acknowledge, in unison44 with the majority of my fellowmen, the powerful fascinations45 of lobster42; and I shall not shrink from the confession, that our feelings, as we witnessed this gross monopoly, were hot and acid as the pepper and the vinegar, which was almost all he left us.
1 “If,” writes Mr. Young, in his Tour in Ireland, “as much
rain fell upon the clays of England as upon the rocks of the
sister country, they could not be cultivated.” I should
doubt this, taking into account our modern improvements as to
drainage; but, at all events, it is evident that “the
humidity of the climate renders Ireland decidedly better
fitted for a grazing than for an agricultural country.”—
See M'Culloch's Statistical46 Account of the British Empire,
ed. 2, vol. ii., p. 367.
At the same time, it may be said, in mitigation of his ill-taste and our ill-temper, that the love of the lobster has ere now troubled the equanimity47 of greater and better men; and I have seen a noble Duke scowl48 malignantly49 at an unconscious Earl, whose plate preceded his own. But all ended well, for our greedy knife-grinder having finished his lobster, two bottles of Guinness, one ditto Bass50, and a go of whiskey “for luck,” had scarcely ascended51 the box, and favoured us with that assurance of plethory, which the Chinese expect as a compliment from all well-bred (and well-fed) guests, than his head began slowly to fall and rise, like a large float, lazily influenced by some undecided fish; and he only intruded52 himself upon our silent admiration53 of that magnificent scenery with occasional imitations of swine asleep.
There was a time when the Martins ruled in Connamara, and Ballinahinch, which we now pass, was the palace of Richardus Rex; when Lord Lieutenants54 were told plainly, that the excellent claret they were drinking had done its duty, without discharging it; and gaugers, bailiffs, writ-servers, and the like, were as rare upon the mountains as the Irish elk55. The estate extended to Oughterarde, some six and twenty miles away, and “Martins Gate-house” is shown there still; but extravagance and neglect brought all to the hammer at last, and the very name of Martin will soon only survive, in its association with the humane56 Act for the prevention of cruelty to animals, which was originated by the Lord of Ballinahinch. The Law Life Insurance Company are now the owners of this property, and are making, we were informed, very great improvements. There can scarcely be an estate more capable thereof. The immense extent of bog-land presents an excellent “fall” for the drainer; and a large quantity of it, lying upon limestone57, would grow any amount of pasture or of cereal produce. (The monosyllable corn would be equally expressive58, but it looks “mean and poky,” as Martha Penny said of the Protestant religion, when compared with “cereal produce”) Then there is abundance of manure59 close by, in the sea-weed and coral-sand; and under the soil lie rich veins60 of marble, rose-colour, and yellow, and, white, and green; and of which you may purchase specimens61 from the little merchants who come round the car. But where, it may well be asked, are the hands to ply62 the mattock and pick? For famine, and ejection, and the Exodus63, have swept away the working men; and though it is evident, from the number of children, that great efforts are being made to repopulate the country, there seems to be no staff on the spot for any large undertakings64. 1 But men are to be found when they are wanted by master-minds; and the Irish and English labourers, instead of deserting for America and Australia a land so full of promise, 2 would readily be induced, by leaders of energy and capital, to appropriate advantages nearer home. The sale of encumbered65 estates (one of the cleverest, cleanest cuts, that surgeon ever made, to save his patient from mortification) amply justifies66 the healthful hope that English and Scotch67 farmers 3 will soon be numerous upon Irish soil, not to become, like the Norman visitors of yore, “ipsis Hibernis Hiberniores,” but to inoculate68 Paddy with their own activity and earnestness, and to persuade him, just for once and by way of a change, to work in his own land, as he can and will in any other.
1 According to the Report of the Registrar-General, the
population has decreased to the number of half a million
2 See Letters from The Times' Commissioner70, ed. 2, p. 271,
and The Saxon in Ireland, chapter x.
3 “Why are there so many more Scotch than English? It
appears that there are 756 'Britishers' agriculturally
settled in Ireland, and of these 660 are natives of
Scotland.”—Agricultural and Social State of Ireland in
1858, by Thomas Miller.
The Saxon says that the Celt (how one despises those malicious71 nicknames, stereotyping72 hate, and perpetuating73 a lie, as if there were a true Celt or Saxon extant!) that the Celt will shoot him; and, perhaps, he may if nothing is done to conciliate, but everything to offend his prejudices. Those prejudices are the growth of ages, and will not vanish before slang and compulsion, but only before goodness, teaching by example a better and a happier way. If I wish to propitiate74 a high-spirited unbroken steed, not warranted free from vice75, and can do so by checking him sharply with the curb76, and by sticking in both spurs, without ruining the horse, and finding myself in a position to take an uninterrupted view of the firmament77, Mr. Rarey and reason plead in vain. John Bull is a magnificent fellow, but his mere repetition of “curse the Pope” will do no more to evangelise mankind than Grip the Raven's “I'm a Protestant kettle;” nor can we specify78 any signal blessings79 as likely to accrue80 to the human race, when “Sawney, with his Calvinistic creed81 in the one hand, and allaying82 irritation83 with the other,” denounces smiling on Sunday as a deadly sin, or goes
“Bellowing, and breathing fire and smoke,
Were I desirous to impress upon the people of Connaught the advantages of protecting their feet with leather, I should scarcely proceed to demonstrate my proposition by kicking them with hobnailed boots; and although bread as an article of food is vastly superior to potatoes, few men would essay to enforce this argument by pelting87 the peasantry with quartern loaves.
The Saxon says that the Celt will shoot him; and nothing can be more vile and despicable than those cowardly murders which disgrace Ireland. But we must not forget, in our righteous horror, that our own capital convictions are thrice as numerous, according to population, as those in the sister-country; and, though this does not denote the exact proportion of crime, because conviction in Ireland is far more difficult than with us, it may still suggest a wholesome88 restraint, when we are minded to sit in judgment89 upon others.
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1
alpine
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| adj.高山的；n.高山植物 | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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7
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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8
chisel
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| n.凿子；v.用凿子刻，雕，凿 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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turquoise
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| n.绿宝石；adj.蓝绿色的 | |
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12
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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13
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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14
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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15
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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16
isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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18
enigma
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| n.谜，谜一样的人或事 | |
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19
pints
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| n.品脱( pint的名词复数 )；一品脱啤酒 | |
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20
quartz
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| n.石英 | |
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gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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miller
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| n.磨坊主 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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25
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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26
oration
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| n.演说，致辞，叙述法 | |
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27
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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28
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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30
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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31
orchards
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| （通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 ) | |
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32
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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33
usurp
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| vt.篡夺，霸占；vi.篡位 | |
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34
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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35
perpetuated
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| vt.使永存（perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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36
tableau
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| n.画面，活人画（舞台上活人扮的静态画面） | |
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37
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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38
poke
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| n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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39
landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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40
metaphor
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| n.隐喻，暗喻 | |
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41
scooped
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| v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等） | |
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42
lobster
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| n.龙虾，龙虾肉 | |
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43
lobsters
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| 龙虾( lobster的名词复数 )； 龙虾肉 | |
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44
unison
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| n.步调一致，行动一致 | |
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45
fascinations
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| n.魅力( fascination的名词复数 )；有魅力的东西；迷恋；陶醉 | |
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46
statistical
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| adj.统计的，统计学的 | |
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47
equanimity
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| n.沉着，镇定 | |
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48
scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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49
malignantly
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| 怀恶意地； 恶毒地； 有害地； 恶性地 | |
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50
bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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51
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
intruded
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| n.侵入的，推进的v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 )；把…强加于 | |
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53
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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54
lieutenants
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| n.陆军中尉( lieutenant的名词复数 )；副职官员；空军；仅低于…官阶的官员 | |
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55
elk
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| n.麋鹿 | |
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56
humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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57
limestone
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| n.石灰石 | |
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58
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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59
manure
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| n.粪，肥，肥粒；vt.施肥 | |
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60
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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61
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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62
ply
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| v.(搬运工等)等候顾客，弯曲 | |
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63
exodus
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| v.大批离去，成群外出 | |
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64
undertakings
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| 企业( undertaking的名词复数 )； 保证； 殡仪业； 任务 | |
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65
encumbered
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
justifies
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| 证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护） | |
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67
scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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68
inoculate
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| v.给...接种，给...注射疫苗 | |
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69
census
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| n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查 | |
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70
commissioner
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| n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员 | |
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71
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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72
stereotyping
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| v.把…模式化，使成陈规( stereotype的现在分词 ) | |
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73
perpetuating
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| perpetuate的现在进行式 | |
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74
propitiate
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| v.慰解，劝解 | |
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75
vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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76
curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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77
firmament
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| n.苍穹；最高层 | |
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78
specify
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| vt.指定，详细说明 | |
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79
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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80
accrue
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| v.(利息等)增大，增多 | |
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81
creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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82
allaying
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| v.减轻，缓和( allay的现在分词 ) | |
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83
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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84
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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85
skittish
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| adj.易激动的，轻佻的 | |
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86
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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87
pelting
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| 微不足道的，无价值的，盛怒的 | |
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88
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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89
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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