" At one side of the round room was a
sort of dais, on which was a chair of state that, I suppose, represented
a throne. Round the gallery were hung shields, containing the coats-of-
arms of the worshipful the Lords Mayor of Dublin. The chair was occupied
by the present Lord Mayor, a very fine-looking gentleman who became his
gold chain of office well.
The day before I had been taken by Mrs. Leitch to an academy of arts and
industry. For some reason of alterations and repairs there was no
admission beyond the vestibule. In this entrance hall were specimen
slabs and pillars of all the Irish marbles, which were there in as great
variety as in Shushan the palace. There was the marble of Connemara in
every shade of green, black marble of Kilkenny, red marble of Cork, blue
credited to Killarney, I think, and many, many others. I think there was
hardly a county in Ireland unrepresented. I do think that among all this
wealth of marbles the Irish people might gratify their most fastidious
taste without sending to Italy. I saw a good many productions of Irish
industry, but they seem always confined to the localities which produce
them.
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