Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. WITNESSES FROM 1727 TO 1896. 44. In 1727, Dean Swift wrote, " The Irish were generally esteemed the best forces in the French service, and they have always behaved themselves as such in the late wars; their officers are of approved courage, great skill, and experience in military affairs. The gentlemen of Ireland, with all the disadvantages of being exiles and strangers, have been able to distinguish themselves by their valour and conduct in so many parts of Europe, I think above all other nations. . . . I do assert, from several experiments I have made in travelling over both kingdoms, I have found the poor cottagers here, who could speak our language, to have a much better natural taste for good sense, humour and raillery, than ever I observed among people of the like sort in England. I have seen the grossest suppositions passed upon the English with regard to Irishmen. I have known crowds of English coming about an Irishman in a country town, and wondering to see him look so much better than themselves." Swift's statement is confirmed by Mr. Lecky, whosays : —" The Catholics had been completely prostrated by the battle of the Boyne and by the surrender of Limerick. They had stipulated, indeed, for religious liberty, but the Treaty of Limerick was soon shamefully violated, and it found no avengers. Sarsfield and his brave companions had abandoned a country where defeat left no opening for their talents, and had joined the Irish Brigade which had been formed in the service of France. They carried with them something of the religious fervour of the old covenanters, combined with the military enthusiasm so characteristic of Ireland, and they repaid the hospitality of the French by an unflinching and devoted zeal. In the campaign of Savoy, on the walls of Cr...