answer which only served to sound the shallowness of the provincial sage, he would come out with a showy if not always very substantial stock of objections, difficulties, and citations of authority to which there was seldom at hand any ready answer. In all this there was no doubt much to spoil the taste and warp the habit of his mind. His father-who was fond of legal argumentation, and who unluckily for himself had acquired the reputation of possessing a very competent knowledge of law-enjoyed at heart the signs of future capabilities, as he deemed them, of winning distinction at the bar, for which his son's inclinations as well as his own desires had destined him. As was inevitable, perhaps, there would often arise points of difference between them on matters of opinion, when the eagerness and abruptness of the collegian would overpass the bounds of deference to age and to experience; and then parental authority would assert itself in a way deeply mortifying to a proud and easily depressible nature. While the cloud of discontent hung over him by which collisions of this sort were generally followed, he would betake himself to the river side or the more unfrequented paths that lay through the neighbouring fields, and busy with the images of his own prolific fancy, spend long hours

in earnest converse with the imaginary beings whom his dramatizing brain was ever ready to conjure up.

His love of the drama and dramatic representation under every form, constituted from his earliest years a prominent feature in his character. His thoughts, words, and gestures involuntarily took dramatic shape, and this characteristic was frequently more observable in the complete undress of conversation with a familiar friend than in the presence of a numerous company. It was not any craving after admiration that gave thrilling intensity to his accents, and caused them to be accompanied by vehement looks and gestures. He was by nature an actor in the true sense of the term-not a mechanician of emotion of other men's conceiving-but one whose mind was full of emotions of its own, the echoes of which rang forth unbidden in the piercing tones of his rapid but impressive articulation.

At a fancy ball given at Waterford, he appeared in the character of a French quack-doctor; and sustained his part with much éclat. He spoke the language with more volubility probably than precision. This was the case at a later period, according to the testimony of more than one who had abundant opportunities of judging. But one can readily conceive with how

many subordinate traits suitable to the occasion his recollections of school-days at Kensington may have supplied him; and in pantomimic looks and gesticulations he required no teacher.

While pursuing the course of his studies at the University, the first misfortune that was destined to darken his path suddenly broke over his hitherto cheerful home. His father's early habits of active enterprise had led him to engage in more than one commercial speculation after his return from Spain. Amongst the rest, he had embarked a considerable sum (stated variously at from 10,000%. to 15,0007.) in a mercantile house in Dublin, which was extensively engaged in the Mediterranean trade. This he did under what was termed the Anonymous Partnership Act, which was passed in 1782, by the Parliament of Ireland, with a view of encouraging mercantile enterprise, by securing to capitalists who would not risk their entire fortunes the protection of limited liability. By the provisions of this statute, the name of a partner so contributing to the capital stock was not to appear in any act of the firm; and he, on the other hand, was inhibited from taking any part in the direction or control of the business. The courts of law held any infraction

of these conditions to amount to a defeasance of the limitation of liability. As few, however, availed themselves of the privileges thus afforded them, no very precise notions seem to have generally prevailed as to what would and what would not constitute a renunciation of the limited and anonymous character of a partnership. Mr. Sheil unfortunately undertook to judge for himself on the point; and after the house with which he was connected, as above stated, had failed, the creditors sought to render him fully liable: and this they ultimately succeeded in doing, by proving that on one or two occasions he had been seen in the countinghouse, taking part in the management of the concern. The effect of this decision was almost equivalent to his ruin. He was compelled to break up his establishment, and reduce his mode of living from one of luxury to that of the most frugal expenditure. He was no longer able to afford the expenses necessary for his son's collegiate studies; and these must have been interrupted for a considerable time, if not wholly

* Every deed of partnership under the statute in question was required to be registered; and by a reference to the department in which the memorials of such deeds are enrolled, it appears that from the year 1782 to 1854, but 523 such deeds have been thus registered.

He

abandoned, but for the kindness and liberality of a relative, who spontaneously undertook to make Richard an allowance of a hundred pounds a year, until he should have been called to the bar. Doctor William Foley, by whom this generous offer was made, was a physician of eminence in Waterford, where he had acquired in his profession a considerable fortune. was connected through her mother's family with that of Mrs. Sheil, and had long been the intimate friend of her husband. In a letter dated 17th May, 1809, the young collegian warmly acknowledged the obligation thus conferred on him; and in a postscript his father added his own expressions of gratitude. He wished, however, that the allowance should not exceed eighty guineas a year, which would, he thought, suffice to enable Richard to complete his terms at the University and the Inns of court; and this sum appears to have been paid by Doctor Foley during the four following years.

In the autumn of the same year, Bellevue, together with some property which lay contiguous to it, were sold for the sum of 28,000l. to Mr. Nicholas A. Power, in whose possession they still remain. Mr. Sheil and his family removed to Dublin, where they continued to reside during the remainder of his life.