Hudy II

Chapter II - Birth, Infancy, &c., &c.

Well, in the same year with Castlereagh, Wellington and Napoleon, our hero was born and baptized - two facts - and as a third may not much retard the progress of the reader, he rejoiced in the equally classic and euphonious names of Hudy Bawn Jack Roe Phaidrig McGuigan! or, to enlighten the ignorance of the mere English reader, "White little Hugh, the son of Red Jack, the son of Patrick McGuigan" - and here, with some pride, it may be remarked that the Irish are famous for their skill in availing themselves of the facility their language affords in elegantly adapting significant affixes and prefixes to names, for the purpose of establishing cognomens, thereby distinguishing clearly between individuals of the same race bearing the same patronymic. The wisdom of the custom is easily proved. In the district here treated of, McGuigan was a plentiful name, all doubtless collaterally allied to the ancient line, but not claiming direct descent. Hence arose the necessity of bestowing upon our hero, the destined heir of his father's honors, a catalogue of sobriquets which might, in all conscience, have gratified the ancestral pride of a Spanish grandee: and was he not as well entitled to these marks of distinction as any, even the most stiff-backed don of the age - for did he not trace his dignity to the same honorable source? - did not the true Milesian blood career pure and uncontaminated through his proudly swelling veins?

But while we dwell with delight on the tenaciously preserved manners, customs, morals, and matters of still deeper vitality to our own country, we cannot avoid lamenting the degeneracy of other nations. We must, however, in the exercise of our extreme modesty, avoid drawing a contrast, as it might create painful sensations in the minds of those whose inferiority would thereby be made manifest, and who might feel little obliged by the promulgation of a truth that would tell so much in our favour, and so little in theirs; therefore, to our more immediate duty.

Well, notwithstanding our hero prided himself upon the evident superiority of his country, we must admit that during his active life he had little time and exhibited no taste for studying such punctilious and, in the end, really useless discrimination; he contented himself (and perhaps we owe this remarkable fact to the modesty of his parents) with one appellation, namely "Hudy", by which alone he is known to this day - yet (how inconsistent is human nature) he was not incurably averse to aliasses, for he felt some pride in his "Italico Anglice surnom Godwino", discovered by the profound genius and patient research of "Jack Archy O'Hagan, Esq." among the dusty tomes of the library in Trinity College, Dublin, of which ancient seat of learning he was a distinguished scholar - as well, by the way, as a Captain Cadet in the Bolivarian army, although by the intervention of some untoward circumstances he was denied the glory of active service before his splendid uniform, purchased at his own expense, had become useless by being worn out! - And then, perhaps his ardour cooled - such things have happened - perhaps his finances! - unfortunately there is no clue to his motives. We cannot account for his not being able to join his brethren in arms. Certain it is he never relinquished his title - "Captain O'Hagan" is engraven on his tombstone!

But Hudy was the fourth son of Jack Roe Phaidrig McGuigan (or as Donald, a feadthile, used to call him, McGoogan) and, through what secret spring of attachment we cannot divine, became the favourite of his tender mother - perhaps she saw in his chubby countenance the loved lineaments of the gallant O'Mores - perhaps, with a prophetic spirit it was hers to read the secrets of the skies, and to trace the proud destiny that awaited her pet; but, account for it as we may, many a time and oft she declared with rapturous exultation that "Divil a braver or purtier boy ever sinful woman dandled on her knee". Nor was the mother's partial heart singular in this feeling; for in his very infancy his bold port, his beautiful flowing flaxen locks with their graceful natural curls, his bright sparkling eye, and the clear white and red blending in a faultless face like the varied yet commingling tints of a summer sky, attracted, to his no small chagrin, the admiration of all beholders.

Full oft in his advancing boyhood, when exercise and the gradual development of a wild spirit may have added interest to naturally fine features, was he pestered with the thoughtless curiosity of strangers; and oft would he pettishly reply to their ill-timed inquiries of "Who owns you, dear?" or "Whose son are you achree?": "I'm Jack Roe's white son, and bad luck to you! does that plaise you now? Eh?" And many a time did the mother's heart beat with pride on hearing his "bould answers", and as often would she enfold him in her fond arms, and exclaim with half-delirious rapture "Mo sheacht nanum astigh thu a mhic mo mhuirnin, my own brave buaichil-in ban!!" [Seven times as dear as the soul within me, my son, my darling, my own brave fair little boy!!]

Seeing her son so promising a child, this unrivalled woman determined to second with her best energies the evident intentions of Nature, in making him a peerless man. The records of history clearly prove that all who have ever become great by their own exertions (and who by any other means have attained just celebrity?) laid down at the outset of their career one important end which they kept continually in view, and to the attainment of which every other object became secondary or subsidiary. Mrs McGuigan clearly understood this principle; and therefore was it that, departing from the custom of ordinary mothers, for three long years she nourished our hero at her maternal breast!

A descendant of the high-minded Lalors and O'Mores, she inherited all their proud spirit, and indomitable love of liberty; and therefore was it that no persuasion, no consideration, could induce her to subject her darling to the barbarous restraints inflicted on the great majority of children, in the shape of swathing-bands and other ligatures - of caps, and frocks, and petticoats - of stockings, shoes, and other such trumpery, but permitted him and encouraged him to roll about in all the glorious freedom of perfect nakedness; maintaining, with the hardy and philosophic Indians of North America and other such respectable authority, that Nature leaves nothing unfinished; and therefore the covering she bestows is amply sufficient for all her creatures.

Having no inclination to combat either the premises or conclusions of the lady, it is our simple duty to state that never did child second a mother's views or in every respect come up to her wishes more perfectly than our hero; for, whether stamped by the sovereign hand of Nature or fashioned by early discipline, there he stood, the very incarnation of the spirit of Liberty, sturdily spurning the bare idea of restraint; and ten years had rolled over his head and touched with gold his luxuriant ringlets ere (as Rob Roy said of his Highland kernes) his active limbs were consigned to "the trammels even o' guid braid claith".

Under these favorable circumstances, can it be matter of surprise that in stature, strength, and activity he far outrivalled all of his own age. At two years old, when other children are only beginning to crawl, his strength and agility were sources of wonderment to all the neighbours; nor was it by any means likely that he should become inert from the example of his early associates, - the dog, the goat and the kid being his constant and loved companions; and strange though it may appear, they in return evinced a greater partiality for his society than they had ever shown for any of their own species. From this singular reciprocity of kindness, surprising results unquestionably flowed; for it cannot be doubted that the playfulness and agility of his hairy mates gave the first bent to those tastes and habits which in after life made him singular among the sons of men, and instilled that inclination to speculate upon the good qualities of the irrational tribes, which renders him so remarkable to the present hour, - for he has never given up the ardent desire of cultivating and improving to their full extent those animal instincts which Providence in wisdom and mercy has bestowed on the brute creation, as fitting substitutes for reason.

But the first object of our hero's ambition was to rival his playmates in activity, - his next to obtain a mastery over them; and having by the magic of the mind succeeded in this point, his ardent soul urged him to fresh conquests, till by imperceptible degrees and untiring efforts he extended his influence over every irrational creature within his range, and with a tact and success that would throw in the shade the boasted powers of the lauded Van Amburgh, who, despite the prejudice of the world, has not the honor of the discovery attributed to him; Hudy McGuigan knew and practised the secret before his rival was born.

This page was last updated 8 Nov 2018