MacCarthy more, or, The fortunes of an Irish chief in the reign of ...

ft PREFACE.
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In presenting this historical sketch to the
reader, the author has a full consciousness of
the objections that may bo raised against it.
No work less artistic was ever offered to a
criticising public. It is neither story, nor bi-
ography, neither all truth, nor all fiction, but
a mixture of all. It will be seen that the
commencement has more of the character of
an ordinary tale, and that is because the earlier
life of Florence MacCarthy and his wife pre-
sents more of the romantic element than the
long, weary years of care and turmoil and
ceaseless disquietude that came after.
The subject may seem badly chosen for a
tale, but such as it is, I would not willingly
have changed it for another, were it even of a
more dramatic character. This was chosen with
due deliberation, for the purpose of bringing
before the new generation the half-forgotten
name and fame of one of the most remarkable