and inveterate prejudices against his client. The very appearance of a Roman Catholic clergyman, obtruding his wrongs upon a court of justice, was regarded as a presumptuous novelty. To the minds of the bigoted jurors of that day, his demand of redress was an act of rebellion against the Protestant ascendency-a daring effort to restore a deposed religion to its throne. The cause had also, from the characters of the parties, excited the greatest public interest, and the sympathy of the public, as is always the case when no epidemic passions intervene, was upon the side of the oppressed; but the general expression of such a feeling was rather detrimental to its object. The crowds that filled and surrounded the court, upon the day of trial, were Roman Catholics, and were supposed, by a very obvious construction, to have assembled, not so much to witness a triumph of justice, as to share in a triumph of their religion. Upon such an occasion, the advocate had not merely to state the fact and apply the law; before he could convince or persuade, he had to pacify to allure his hearers into a patient attention, and into a reversal of the hostile verdict, which, before they were sworn, they had tacitly pronounced. These were the difficulties against which Mr. Curran had to contend, and which he overcame. The jury granted a verdict to his client, with thirty guineas damages. So small a sun would now be deemed a very paltry remuneration for such an injury; but in Ireland, about seventy years ago, to have wrung even so much from a Protestant jury, in favour of a Catholic priest, against a Protestant nobleman, was held to be such a triumph of forensic eloquence, and to be in itself so extraordinary a circumstance, that the verdict was received by the people at large as an important political event.

In a part of his address to the jury in this case, the plaintiff's counsel animadverted, with the utmost severity of invective, upon the unworthy conduct of the defendant's relative (Mr. St. Leger), who had been present, and countenancing the outrage

upon the priest.* At length, his zeal and indignation hurrying him beyond his instructions, he proceeded to describe that gentleman (who had lately left a regiment that had been ordered on actual service), as "a renegado soldier, a drummed-out dragoon, who wanted the courage to meet the enemies of his country in battle, but had the heroism to redeem the ignominy of his flight from danger, by raising his arm against an aged and unoffending minister of religion, who had just risen from putting up before the throne of God a prayer of general intercession, in which his heartless insulter was included.

As soon as the trial was over, he was summoned to make a public apology for those expressions, or to meet Mr. St. Leger in the field. He was fully sensible that his language had not been strictly warrantable, and that a barrister had no right to take shelter under his gown from the resentment of those whose feelings and character he might have unjustifiably attacked; but perceiving that an apology would, in the eyes of his countrymen, have tarnished the lustre of his recent victory, and that it might have the effect of inviting future challenges whenever he should perform his duty with the necessary boldness, he deemed it more eligible to risk his life than his reputation. A duel

*There was another circumstance during this trial which had given equal offence, and which, whatever judgment may be passed upon it now, was well calculated to influence the jury. Mr. Curran knew that Mr. St. Leger was to be produced as one of the defendant's witnesses, and it was in order to diminish the weight of his testimony, that he had described him as above. He had, however, mentioned no name, but merely apprised the jury that such a character might be brought to impose upon them. When Mr. St. Leger came upon the table, and took the Testament in his hand, the plaintiff's counsel, in a tone of affected respect, addressed him saying, "Oh, Mr. St. Leger, the jury will, I am sure, believe you without the ceremony of swearing you; you are a man of honour, and of high moral principle; your character will justify us from insisting on your oath." The witness, deceived by this mild and complimentary language, replied with mingled surprise and irritation, "I am happy, sir, to see you have changed the opinion you entertained of me when you were describing me awhile ago." "What, sir! then you confess it was a description of yourself! Gentlemen, act as you please, but I leave it to you to say whether a thousand oaths could bind the conscience of such a man as I have just described."

+ When each had taken his ground, Mr. St. Leger called out to his adversary to fire:

accordingly followed; upon which occasion Mr. Curran not only established for himself a character for personal intrepidity (an acquisition of no small moment in a country where the point of honour has always been so sacredly observed), but afforded infinite entertainment to the bystanders, by a series of those sportive sallies, which, when the impulse was on him, no time or place could repress. He declined returning Mr. St. Leger's fire; so that the affair, after a single shot, was terminated.

A more solemn and interesting scene soon followed. The poor priest was shortly after called away to another world. When he found that the hour of death was at hand, he earnestly requested that his counsel, to whom he had something of importance to communicate, might be brought into his presence. Mr. Curran complied, and was conducted to the bed-side of his expiring client. The humble servant of God had neither gold nor silver to bestow; but what he had, and what with him was above all price, he gavethe blessing of a dying Christian upon him who had employed his talents, and risked his life, in redressing the wrongs of the minister of a proscribed religion. He caused himself to be raised, for the last time, from his pillow, and, placing his hands on the head of his young advocate, pronounced over him the formal benediction of the Roman Catholic Church, as the reward of his eloquence and intrepidity. Mr. Curran had also the satisfaction of being assured by the lower orders of his countrymen, that he might now fight as many duels as he pleased, without apprehending any danger to his person-an assurance which subsequently became a prophecy, as far as the event could render it one.

Shortly after this trial, the successful orator was given to understand that his late triumph should cost him dear. As he was

"No, sir," replied he, “I am here by your invitation, and you must open the ball." A little after, Mr. Curran, observing the other's pistol to be aimed wide of its mark, called out in a loud voice, "Fire!" St. Leger, who was a nervous man, started, and fired: and having died not long after, was reputed in Munster to have been killed by the report of his own pistol.-C.

standing amidst a circle of his friends in one of the public streets of Cork, he was called aside by a person who brought him an intimation from Lord Doneraile, that in consequence of his late unprecedented conduct, he might expect never to be employed in future in any cause where his lordship, or his extensive connections, should have the power to exclude him. The young barrister answered, with contemptuous playfulness, and in a voice to be overheard by every one: "My good sir, you may tell his lordship that it is vain for him to be proposing terms of accommodation; for, after what has happened, I protest I think, while I live, I shall never hold a brief for him or one of his family." The introduction of these particulars may almost demand an apology; yet it is often by little things that the characters of times and individuals are best displayed, as (according to an eminent English writer) "throwing up little straws best shows which way the wind lies."

*

Previous to this trial, Mr. Curran's fame and practice had been unusual for his standing; but after his display of eloquence and conduct upon this occasion, they increased with unprecedented rapidity. It was probably, too, with this event that originated his great popularity among the lower orders of the Irish—a feeling which a little time matured into an abounded veneration for his capacity, combined with a most devoted attachment to his person. Their enthusiasm in this instance can be scarcely conceived by such as have only witnessed the common marks of

* The motto to the first carriage he set up on the strength of his fees was, "PER VARIOS CASUS," on which some person observed that he prudently omitted the latter part of the sentence, "per tot discrimina rerum," which gave him, he said, a better opinion of his judgment than he was otherwise inclined to entertain. It being remarked to him that he might have still something more appropriate; he answered, "Why, yes, to be sure, 'Ore tenus,' but the herald painter dissuaded me; he did not like the brevity of wit; and being then engaged about discovering, amidst the bones of the crusaders, armorial bearings suitable to the motto, I left to him the profit of two syllables, and he counted out the letters a course since, very wisely, I assure you, adopted in Chancery: nay, I rather think also by the common law courts; and thus you perceive, my friend, from what small sources great rivers begin to flow. God knows they sometimes do inundate without fertilizing; but things being so, who can force back those noxious streams?"-M.

respect paid to ordinary favourites of the people. So much of his life, and so many of its proudest moments were passed in their presence, in the courts of Dublin, and on the circuit towns, his manners were so unaffectedly familiar and accessible, his genius and habits were so purely national, that the humblest of his countrymen, forgetting the difference of rank in their many common sympathies, fondly considered him as one of themselves, and cherished his reputation not more as a debt of gratitude to him than as a kind of peculiar triumph of their own. These sentiments, which he never descended to any artifices to cultivate, continued unimpaired to his death, and will probably survive him many years.

In relating the steps by which Mr. Curran advanced to professional distinction, it would be an injustice to omit the support which he found in the friendship of the late learned and respected Lord Avonmore, then Mr. Yelverton, a leading counsel at the Irish bar. This excellent and rarely gifted man had himself risen from an humble station, and knowing, by experience, "how hard it is to climb," was ever most prompt in encouraging and assisting those whom he saw imitating his own honorable example. His friendship for Mr. Curran commenced in 1775 (through the fatherin-law of the latter, Dr. Creagh, between whom and Mr. Yelverton an old and tender intimacy had subsisted ;) and, with the exception of a few intervals of temporary alienation from political differences, continued unimpaired to his death.*

*Mr. O'Regan says, "Barry Yelverton, afterwards Lord Avonmore, probably possessed more of the vehemence of masculine intellect than most others of his countrymen. Comprehensive and luminous, of a copious wit and extensive erudition, he was among the order of talent which Mr. Curran was to succeed. Lord Clonmel had a coarse jocularity, which was received as an useful talent. Mr. Burgh had the majesty of Virgil, and Duquery the elegance of Addison. Temple Emmett possessed the vigour of a great and original mind; he was certainly a person of singular natural and acquired endowments; a man who read Coke on Littleton in his bed, as others do Tom Jones or the Persian Tales. Of the chaste, accomplished and classic Duquery, it is related on his own authority, that he read Robertson on the day before his best displays, to catch his unrivalled style, and to harmonize his composition by that of the master of historic eloquence. He had also to contend with the wit of Mr. Keller, and the unbending stubbornness of Hoare.