W. Fraser.
Tor Mohun.
Oliver Cromwell's Portrait (Vol. vi. passim).—In reference to this Query, the best portrait of Oliver Cromwell is in the Baptist College here, and 500 guineas have been refused for it.
I am not aware if it is the one alluded to by your correspondents. The picture is small, and depicts the Protector without armour: it is by Cooper, and was left to its present possessors by the Rev. Andrew Gifford, a Baptist minister, in 1784.
Two copies have been made of it, but the original has never been engraved; from one of the copies, however, an engraving is in process of execution, after the picture by Mr. Newenham, of "Cromwell dictating to Milton his letter to the Duke of Savoy." The likeness of Cromwell in this picture is taken from one of the copies.
The original is not allowed to be taken from off the premises on any consideration, in consequence of a dishonest attempt having been made, some time ago, to substitute a copy for it.
Bristoliensis.
Manners of the Irish (Vol. viii., pp. 5. 111.)—A slight knowledge of Gaelic enables me to supply the meaning of some of the words that have puzzled your Irish correspondents. Molchan (Gaelic, Mulachan) means "cheese."
"Deo gracias, is smar in Doieagh."
I take to mean "Thanks to God, God is good." In Gaelic the spelling would be—"is math in Dia." A Roman Catholic Celt would often hear his priest say "Deo Gratias."