A Hundred Years Ago
THE "SPECTATOR," JUNE 23Rn, 1832.
THE DUKE OF WELIANOTON.—Tho Duke of Wellington havisig occasion to pay an early visit to the Mint on Monday (the anni- versary of Waterloo), proceeded thither on horseback, accompanied by a single servant. He was recognized by a parcel of ragamuffin. on Tower Hill, who followed him, hooting at a great rate. On quitting the Mint, he was again followed up the Minories, and along Leadenhall Street, Comhill, and Cheapside, and as far as Chancery Lane, by a mob of several hundred persons, hooting and groaning. The Duke had business at Lincoln's Inn, where he entered, and stopped for some time. The alarm had now reached the Police-offices ; and a party of Police immediately mustered in his Grace's defence, and enabled the Duke to reacts Apsley House in safety. The Tory journals have, in the dearth of more interesting topitst, made a great deal of this, but to little purpose—it is not vivacious enough.
• • • • A Dublin paper of last week stated, that many of the country people were seen running and riding all over the midland counties of Ireland, carrying with them a piece of burning turf, a small piece of which they leave at every house, with the following ex. hortation :—" The plague has broken out ; take this, and while it burns offer up seven Paters. three Ayes, and a Credo, in the name of God and the holy St. John, that the plague may be stopped." The person leaving it lays each householder undez art " obligation " to set time to his piece of turf, and run to seven other houses, where no holy fire has been left, and leave it in each, under the penalty of falling a victim to the cholera himself ! Men, women, and children were seen scouring the country with this ('harmed turf in every direction, each endeavouring to be foremost in finding houses where none has been left, . One mats had to rtm thirty miles before he could perform his task. The stories of its origin are various : one is, that the holy fire was first blessed by a priest ; another, that it was kindled by lightning. The priests, however, profess entire ignorance of the whole matter.
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