At this

had no dinner, a landlady for whom he had no rent, and he fell into one of those gloomy fits that, with him, were constitutional. crisis he received his first brief, with a fee of twenty guineas. His foot was now on the first step of the professional ladder, and henceforth his ascent was rapid and unceasing. Every one in a short time was anxious to retain an advocate who was generally successful, and who, when defeated, was to be dreaded; for, in the worst case, he was sure to do no little damage to the character of his client's adversary. His humour was inexhaustible; his skill in cross-questioning left no hope of concealment to the most obstinate or the most wary. Jests and sarcasms he never spared, if by so doing he could excite the laughter of his audience, and so confound the unlucky witness. For the retorts of the opposing counsel he had always a ready and severe answer. Thus, one day he addressed a witness, whose name was Halfpenny, with "Halfpenny, I see you're a rap, and for that reason you shall be nailed to the counter."—" Halfpenny is sterling,” exclaimed the opposite counsel.-" No, no," retorted Curran, "he's exactly like his own conscience, only copper-washed." Even the judge, who gave him cause of office, was no less subject than the witnesses to his pungent raillery. Thus, when a

learned judge ventured to shake his head, as if in doubt of Curran's argument for the prisoner, he suddenly broke off the thread of his discourse, and said, "I see the motion of his lordship's head; common observers might imagine that it implied a difference of opinion, but they would be mistaken; it is merely accidental; believe me, gentlemen, if you remain here many days, you will yourselves perceive that when his lordship shakes his head, there is nothing in it."

Curran, of course, had his full share of duels, for what Irishman of any character would in those days go through life without them? no man was a gentleman till he had been shot at, once at least, but the oftener the better. A defeated adversary in a court of law or in parliament, would often think himself entitled to satisfaction, leaden arguments being a natural recourse with those who had none of a lighter kind to offer.

Curran's parliamentary career, though brilliant, will hardly bear a comparison with his achievements at his proper profession of the bar. But this subject can be nowhere so well studied and comprehended as in the exquisitely written work from which we have derived our details -Charles Phillips' "Recollections of Curran," whether as regards the brilliance of the style or the vivid painting of human character. The

many illustrious persons of Curran's age, the stars of the bar and of the senate, pass be fore the reader in all the reality of life. We at once feel and acknowledge the truth of their resemblance to originals we may not have seen, just as we perceive the truth of certain portraits, by their perfect harmony with nature in general, by their life-like outlines, the vividness and purity of their colouring. Above all, the work bears the impress of genius, honesty, and candour. It is the production of one-himself an orator and a poet, who knew well, and could fully appreciate the gifted mind and brilliant intellect of the illustrious man, whose chosen friend he was. Mr. Phillips' Life of Curran, is, indeed, a perfect specimen of what biography should ever be. But to return to our subject.

The long and glorious exertions of Curran were at last rewarded by the appointment of Master of the Rolls, if that could be called reward which was so much below his merits and expectations. Yet even this poor advancement, it was attempted to clog with conditions that would have diminished half its value.

After having held his office about six years, he resigned it on account of ill health, and that tendency to hypochondria which, an intermittent visitor only in his early youth, became more and

more frequent as he advanced in life, till, at length, it well nigh took complete possession of him, breaking down both mind and body. Like the Care of Horace, it followed him wherever he fled for refuge.

"Post equitem sedet atra cura."

It followed him to London, where he had once been wont to find so much to gratify him; it followed him to the baths of Cheltenham; it followed him back again to Brompton, where finally he died, at nine o'clock at night, on the 13th of October, 1817. His body was deposited in the vault below Paddington Church, the funeral having been conducted in a very private manner. The chief mourners were his family, the Poet Moore, Godwin, Mr. Charles Phillips, the Reverend George Croly, Mr. Finnerty, Mr. Lyne, an Irish Barrister, and a few other of his surviving friends.

299

SIR JOHN HARINGTON'S FAMOUS DOG.

The following letter, descriptive of the wonderful sagacity of a dog, was written by Sir John Harington of Kelstone, in Somersetshire :

"Kelstone, June, 14, 1608.

"MAY it please your Highnesse to accept in as goode sorte what I now offer as it hath done aforetime and I may saie I pede fausto; but having good reason to thinke your highnesse had goode will and likinge to reade what others have tolde of my rare dogge, I will even give a brief historie of his goode deedes and straunge feats; and herein will I not plaie the curr myselfe, but in goode soothe relate what is no more nor lesse than bare verity. Although I mean not to disparage the deedes of Alexander's horse, I will match my dogge against him for good carriage, for