While I was, in my own mind, anticipating this interview, on the same evening, I was interrupted by the entrance of a decent looking countryman. As he was an entire stranger, I asked his busines. He said, it was only to speak a few words with me in private. On my retiring with him, to a corner of the room, he told me, that he lived near Saintfield-that he had called on his neighbour, Nicholas Magin and that Magin had told him of the information he had given against several people, and me, in particular-That, in the detail of information against, me, he mentioned my being at the fairs of Killinchy and Saintfield, in the month of May-that, on this, he asked Magin what information he could give about Killinchy fair, as he was at home, all that day, getting his barley sown. Here, I interrupted my informant, by asking how, and what he knew about the barley. He answered, that "Magin's barley ground was a bog-field-that if rain should come before it was so'vn, he was in danger of losing the benefit of the seasonthat, to prevent this, as the weather was then dry, he had got some neighbours to assist himand, that he himself was with him from morning till night." He told me many other particulars; among others that Magin said, " he had given his information, on positive assurance he would not be brought forward to prosecute;

that

and

and that, at any rate, it could take no lives, as a great part of it was made up, to gain credit, and save himself

Of the truth of this intelligence, in part, I had satisfactory proof, in my second interview with Mr. Pollock, a very few days after. On entering his audience chamber, instead of a supernatural floridity of countenance and wandering eyes, I thought I perceived something like settled malignity, as well as chagrin, in his looks. This idea was not removed by the language and tone in which he addressed me. "You know, sir" said he, with a ferocious air, "what government expects from you; and, if you do not comply, by g-d I will hang you, before 12 o'clock to-morrow." This, I alleged, was yet impossible, as he would not venture on such a step without some sort of trial; which I was sure his then master would not dare to grant me; though it was what I most ardently

* Let this declaration be taken in connexion with those of the celebrated Newel and Bird, agents and correspondents of lord Castlereagh, as published by themselves, and its truth will not be doubted. The latter charges all the villainies he committed to such assurance; and the former, not only does the same, but declares from the bed of sickness, and, with the fear of death before his eyes, that he made out his deadly list, as the price of his pardon, to impose upon lord Camden and the Irish government, to whom he was introduced by lord Castlereagh, on the recommendation of Mr. Edward Cooke, hereafter to be mentioned.

ardently wished and intreated, and what I challenged him to institute. Whether provoked by the suggestion that he had a master, or from what other cause, I know not; but, for a moment, he seemed half-choaked by a paroxysm of rage; and, on recovering breath sufficient, exclaimed: "You are dd confident.-By

I have information against you,

sufficient to hang twenty men." Then, setting his arms a kimbo, he said, in the most insulting manner: Pray, do you know a Nicholas Magin, sir? I suppose you never met him, at any committees, or other seditious meetings?" To this I answered, with all the composure of countenance, which I could command, that, "I did know a Magin, but not that his name was Nicholas, till I saw him in prison; and that I never had been in his company, to my knowledge, at any meeting seditious, or not seditious, previous to his confinement." On this, he threw open a large book, which lay before him, in which the corners of many leaves were turned down; after inspecting which, he mentioned several places, and days, and demanded to know, whether I had not, there and then, attended seditious meetings. To this I answered, that, in some of these places, I had not been for several years, and that I had never attended any meeting of any kind, at any time, in any one of them-But that I had certainly been in Killinchy and Saintfield, on the days specified

specified by him; and that Magin was sent, from the latter place, with a message about a horse; as I have before related. The sound of the word "HORSE" seemed, for a moment, very much to affect him. But, recovering, he exclaimed: "a horse! a horse! What the devil sort of a horse." "A horse" answered I," able to carry my weight safely, either on the road, or across the country." "Ay! Ay!" replied he, "a charger for a general, I suppose! Now, pray, sir, will you presume to say that you did not receive your commission, as a rebel general, at Killinchy, in presence of Magin?" To this I answered, that "whether I did, or did not, receive such commission, it could not be in presence of Magin, as he was not in Killineby on that day, or within several miles of it. He was at home sowing barley, and several of his neighbours were assisting him, from morning till night." After strutting, once or twice, across the room, he once more inspected his book, then swore, in great agitation, (half aside) "that cannot be." Seeing him. thus agitated, I told him coolly, "that it was so;" and begged him to send for Magin; and, "if he did not acknowledge the fact, on allowing me twenty-four hours, I would prove it to his face." On his declining this, I added, "if you will give me a memorandum of the places and times you have mentioned, I will expose Magin's villainy, in more instances than this,

that

that government may see how they are imposed on by such scoundrels, and cease, from their severities, and irritation of the public mind, by acting on his information." This he passionately refused, swearing, "that he saw through my flimsy pretexts-that he knew us all, too well, to be taken in by such subterfuges-that we, presbyterian ministers, were a set of d-d ungrateful scoundrels-that, though supported by government, we were, to a man, rebels, and fomenters of rebellion, while we thought ourselves safe; but that, on the approach of danger, we abandoned the people, whom we had seduced, and skulked like cowards." Having proceeded thus far, he paused, seemingly out of breath, and then added, but not with an approving smile, "By- -you were not. of the number-you were taken at your post, but rather too soon.-Had you been left to yourself a few days longer, by the

government would have been sure of you."

However I might have relished this rought compliment to my own consistency and courage, I retorted the attack on my rev. fathers and brethren, with pointed personality, and in such manner, as provoked his fury beyond all bounds. He raged, damned my impudence, swore that he was a man of fortune and a gentleman; and that, if I would dare to utter another word, he would put me in irons. In his fury,