far better founded, than that, with which they now show to the enquiring stranger, the birth-place of unhappy Sterne!' Surely, not to love such a man, was altogether impossible. young The at first, not very definite: certainly, they were any thing but hopeful. student's views for the future, were, His poor parents had made a great struggle, to procure him the advantages which he already enjoyed and to think of the University, seemed little less than preposterous. But Mr. Carey was a vigilant, and ardent friend. He smoothed all difficulties; surmounted every scruple; and, from his own scanty income, advanced a sufficient yearly allowance to cover all ordinary college expenses. Nor was this assistance discontinued, but in consequence of Phelan's own earnest request; when, on his election to a scholarship, it ceased to be strictly necessary. And, to bring his school-boy days to a close, he was, after having remained three years under Mr. Carey, admitted a sizer of Trinity College, Dublin, in June, 1806, and in the eighteenth year of his age. Before his removal, however, to this wider sphere of action, an important change had taken place, in his theological opinions. The commencement of this change, I have the advantage of stating in the words of Dr. Phelan himself, as re lated by him to an early friend. I was walking home with *****, (member of a lay fraternity of Roman Catholics,) to translate for him some portion of the Breviary, when Mr. Carey rode by on his mule, at his usual quiet pace :.. 'What a pity,' said *****, that that good man cannot be saved!' ..I started: the doctrine of exclusive salvation never appeared so prodigious; and I warmly denied its truth, and authority. was stubborn in its defence; and we each cited testimonies, in behalf of our respective opinions. I withdrew to bed; occupied by thoughts which this incident awakened; went over, again, all the arguments, pro and con., which my memory could supply; weighed all the evidence, which, in my judgment, might throw light on the subject; questioned, whether any evidence could induce me to acquiesce, in a dogma so revolting; and fell asleep, in no good disposition to the creed, which could pronounce Mr. Carey's reprobation. In the morning when I awoke, it appeared, that I had insensibly reasoned myself into the belief of the right of private judgment; and, thus, I virtually reasoned myself out of the Church of Rome.' The impression thus happily made, was not suf fered long to remain dormant, or inactive. Even in his boyish days, he had a most sagacious, pene * The Reverend Mortimer O'Sullivan. trating mind. With him, religion was never a matter of compromise, or convention. He regarded it, as the main concern of life; on which was suspended his everlasting happiness or misery. It became, therefore, the object of his very serious thoughts; and his anxious researches produced a thorough conviction, that the Church of England is the soundest portion of the church of Christ. Accordingly, on entering college, he gave in his name, as a Protestant. * While any lingering doubts, (those fond misgivings of the finest and the firmest minds,) which might, perhaps, at first, have somewhat obscured his intellectual vision, were entirely dissipated, by a judicious course of reading; in which he was accompanied, and assisted, by his able and affectionate tutor, at that time preparing for holy orders. Nor should it be omitted, * In the University of Dublin, Roman-Catholics are admissible. A fact, which I have learned since writing the above paragraph, should, by no means, be omitted. Before Dr. Phelan's entrance into Trinity College, it had been the wish of his father, (a very natural one surely,) that he should become a student at Maynooth, with a view to the priesthood of the Church of Rome. He was induced, accordingly, to attend an examination, held at Waterford, for one or more vacancies in that seminary. Though much younger than the other candidates, his literary superiority was evident; and a vacancy was, in consequence, placed at his option. He, however, declined it. The fact is, his former opinions, had been already shaken; and he soon became irrevocably attached to the Church of England. — J. L. + Dr. Wall. for, in him, it was quite characteristic, that the clear convictions of his judgment were unaccompanied by the least acerbity of feeling. Indeed, he never ceased to bear the tenderest affection towards his Roman-Catholic brethren; he, continually, and most earnestly, looked to their spiritual improvement; and, a very short time before his death, he thus writes to a confidential friend: .. My heart yearns to go to the south: I would revive my Irish; and acquire enough of it, for expounding the Irish Bible.' He was now (1806), fairly launched in academic life; and his progress may be not unfitly described, as an unbroken career of successful application. His competitors were the most distinguished men, who, for many years, had appeared in the University. But, among the very foremost, he honourably maintained his ground; and, it is little to say, that he obtained a scholarship, and the highest honours, both classical and scientific, which could be conferred; for, in truth, he rated such things at their proper value; trifling in themselves, and chiefly to be prized, as indicating studious habits, and a healthful, manly mind. One great object, indeed, he had, of what may be termed a holy ambition; it was, that, under Providence, he might become the support and stay of his aged parents. It should be mentioned, that, during his under every graduate course, he obtained several prizes, for compositions, in English verse, and Latin prose. Such, however, was his fastidiousness, or his modesty, that, in no single instance, did he keep a copy not a line of those carly productions has been found amongst his papers; and there is likelihood, that they have altogether perished. But the recollection of them is still vivid, among his contemporaries. And it is worthy of being recorded, that an Englishman, Dr. Hall*, then Provost of Trinity College Dublin, and afterwards (for one short week!) Bishop of Dromore, . . one of the most accomplished scholars of his day, was often heard to express his admiration, at the skill and power evinced, in the composition of Latin prose, by this extraordinary young man. One Essay, in particular, he used to say, was so purely classical, that whole passages might have been taken from it, and, without risk of detection, inserted in the works of Cicero.† In English verse, too, his union of metaphysical and poetical expression, was truly remarkable. And it has been observed, by one well acquainted with the early movements of his mind, that, if he had chosen to concentrate his powers, in one great poem, on Mental Philosophy, * George Hall, D. D.: educated at the celebrated grammar-school of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. + From the information of a contemporary. |