Publisher's Synopsis
Dr. Finn, of Killaloe, in county Clare, was as well known in those parts, -the confines, thatis, of the counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, and Galway, -as was the bishop himself wholived in the same town, and was as much respected. Many said that the doctor was thericher man of the two, and the practice of his profession was extended over almost as widea district. Indeed the bishop whom he was privileged to attend, although a Roman Catholic, always spoke of their dioceses being conterminate. It will therefore be understood that Dr.Finn, -Malachi Finn was his full name, -had obtained a wide reputation as a countrypractitioner in the west of Ireland. And he was a man sufficiently well to do, though thatboast made by his friends, that he was as warm a man as the bishop, had but little truth tosupport it. Bishops in Ireland, if they live at home, even in these days, are very warm men;and Dr. Finn had not a penny in the world for which he had not worked hard. He had, moreover, a costly family, five daughters and one son, and, at the time of which we arespeaking, no provision in the way of marriage or profession had been made for any of them.Of the one son, Phineas, the hero of the following pages, the mother and five sisters werevery proud. The doctor was accustomed to say that his goose was as good as any otherman's goose, as far as he could see as yet; but that he should like some very strong evidencebefore he allowed himself to express an opinion that the young bird partook, in any degree, of the qualities of a swan. From which it may be gathered that Dr. Finn was a man ofcommon
