11 September 1848 – 17 September 1848

Donegal. To Inver. Cranny by field-path. The MacMunn family friendly and cheerful, both old and young, a pleasure to see. The freshness and innocence of the country on every- thing in such a household. Drive back, to Donegal ; slanting sunrays and shadows on the blue hills. Pastoral vale of Killymard, some barley still green, some in stocks, oats mostly ripe, little wheat. I like to think of the Cranny family. Great the boon of a sweet face ! Immense the benefit of a good matron — doing, helping, encouraging, check- ing, soothing, suggesting, guiding everything and everywhere, without fuss, almost unnoticed. Watching every wheel and pivot, every movement of the little commonwealth's mechanism, and with a soft feather and light touch applying the oil of gentleness wherever needed, so that the whole runs smoothly, without grate or jar, and with only the soft hum of happy employ- ment, as of bees among blossoms. O the beauty of a household rich in innocence, industry, and mutual love ! Ultonians, in whom Scotch and English order and decency are blended with Irish heartiness, are a good kind of people, and the peculiar wild fun and tender fancy belonging to the Kelts are, not seldom, transfused among those who have lived so long in the midst of Irish customs, traditions, music, and scenery, — not to speak of intermarriages. MacMunn is doubtless a Scotch name, in spite of the saying, ' Per O atque Mac veros cognoscis Hibernos.' Perhaps Hiberni stands for Kelts. A question : if Scotch Kelts be taken as descended from Irish (Scotic) ancestors, how comes there to be such a crowd of Macs amonor the Low- landers, and many of them with emphatically Lowland characteristics ^ Glimpse of happy domestic life at Cranny to-dav delightful. Delightful also to drive back at evening to the certainty of rest, retirement, books, and perhaps something good from the Post Office — which may this moment be on our table waiting to greet us.