In one of Mr. Curran's latest efforts at the bar, we find him fondly turning aside for a moment to indulge his respect for the judge and the scholar, and his gratitude to the friend of his younger years. The following is the character that he has drawn of Lord Avonmore. To strangers it may appear overwrought, but those who were familiar with the simple antique grandeur of mind that dignified the original, recognise the fidelity of the likeness. "I am not ignorant that this extraordinary construction has received the sanction of another court, nor of the surprise and dismay with which it smote upon the general heart of the bar. I am aware that I may have the mortification of being told in another country of that unhappy decision, and I foresee in what confusion I shall hang down my head when I am told it. But I cherish, too, the consolatory hope, that I shall be able to tell them, that I had an old and learned friend, whom I would put above all the sweepings of their Hall, who was of a different opinion-who had derived his ideas of civil liberty from the purest fountains of Athens and of Rome-who had fed the youthful vigour of his studious mind with the theoretic knowledge of their wisest philosophers and statesmen-and who had refined that theory into the quick and exquisite sensibility of moral instinct, by contemplating the practice of their most illustrious examples-by dwelling on the sweet-souled piety of Cimon-on the anticipated Christianity of Socrates-on the gallant and pathetic patriotism of Epaminondas-on that pure austerity of Fabricius, whom to move John Fitzgibbon, afterwards Lord Clare, and Lord High Chancellor of Ireland, was a competitor whose ardent and energetic decision of character, whose precision of mind and legal capacity, rendered him a formidable rival. They did not uniformly run the same course of competition; Mr. Curran was not early qualified to start for the hunter's plate, nor had he ever much taste for the Olympics of a Castle chase; for such, he said, he was short by the head. Yet Mr. Curran often repeated, that had not the father of Mr. Fitzgibbon pre-occupied the ground for his son, by one stage, he never should or could have gone beyond him. But whenever these high-mettled racers started fairly, and on an equal plain, Mr. Curran was always first at the winning-post.”—M. *Speech in the case of Mr. Justice Johnson, in the Court of Exchequer, where Lord Avonmore presided.-C. [The date was February 4, 1805.]-M. from his integrity would have been more difficult than to have pushed the sun from his course. I would add, that if he had seemed to hesitate, it was but for a moment-that his hesitation was like the passing cloud that floats across the morning sun, and hides it from the view, and does so for a moment hide it, by involving the spectator without even approaching the face of the luminary." Lord Avonmore was the person under whose auspices was formed, in the year 1779, a patriotic and convivial society-"The Monks of the Order of St. Patrick,"* which was in those days *Of this society, so interesting as connected with the most splendid era of Ireland's history, Mr. Hudson has kindly supplied the following notice and list of the original members: This celebrated society was partly political and partly convivial; it consisted of two parts, professed and lay brothers. As the latter had no privileges, except that of commons in the refectory, they are unnoticed here. The professed (by the constitution) consisted of members of either house of parliament, and barristers, with the addition from the other learned professions of any number not exceeding one-third of the whole. They assembled every Saturday in Convent, during term-time; and commonly held a chapter before commons, at which the abbot presided, or in his (very rare) absence, the prior, or senior of the officers present. Upon such occasions, all the members appeared in the habit of the order, a black tabinet domino. Temperance and sobriety always prevailed. A short Latin grace, "Benedictus benedicat," and "Benedicto benedicatur" (since adopted as the grace of the King's Inns Society, in Dublin) was regularly and gravely pronounced by the præcentor or chaplain, before and after commons. It will be seen by the following list, that there were many learned men and men of genius in their number, and I may venture to say, that few productions (either in pamphlets or periodical publications) of any celebrity, during the arduous struggle for Irish emancipation, appeared, which did not proceed from the pen of one of the brethren. Nor did they forego their labours, till, by their prayers and exertions, they attained emancipation for their country. The sad change which has taken place since their dispersion need not be related. THE MONKS OF THE ORDER OF ST. PATRICK. COMMONLY CALLED THE MONKS OF THE SCREW. Assembled at their Convent in St. Kevin Street, Dublin, on and after September the 3d, 1779. Members' Names. 1. Founder-Barry Yelverton, barrister, M.P., since Lord Viscount Avonmore, Lord Chief Baron. 2. Abbot.-William Doyle, barrister, Master in Chancery. sufficiently celebrated, and composed of men such as Ireland could not easily assemble now. It was a collection of the wit, the 3. Prior.-John Philpot Curran, barrister, since M.P., Privy Counsellor and Master of the Rolls. 4. Præcentor.-Rev. Wm. Day, S. F. T. C. D. 5. Bursar.--Edward Hudson, M.D.* 6. Sacristan.-Robert Johnson, barr. M.P., and since a Judge.* 7. Arran, the Earl of. 8. Barry, James (painter), elected an honorary member, never joined. 9. Brown, Arthur, barr. M.P., and F. T. C. D. 10. Burgh, Walter Hussey, barr., Rt. Hon. and M.P., and since Chief Baron. 11. Burston, Beresford, barr., and K. C.* 12. Carhampton, Earl of. 13. Caldbeck, William, barr., and K. C. 14. Chamberlayne, W. Tankerville, barr. M.P., and since a Judge. 15. Charlemont, Earl of. 16. Corry, Rt. Hon. Isaac, M.P., and since Chancellor of the Exchequer. 17. Daly, Rt. Hon. Denis, M.P. 18. Day, Robert, barr. M.P., and since a Judge.* 19. Dodds, Robert, barr. 20. Doyle, John, M.P., and since a General in the army, and Bart.* 21. Dunkin, James, barr. 22. Duquery, Henry, barr., and M.P. 23. Emmett, Temple, barr. 24. Finucane, Matthew, barr., and since a Judge. 25. Fitton, Richard, barr. 26. Forbes, Jolin, barr., M.P. 27. Frankland, Richard, barr., and K.C. 28. Grattan, Rt. Hon. Henry, barr., and M.P. 29. Hacket, Thomas, barr. 30. Hardy, Francis, barr., and M.P. (Lord Charlemont's biographer.) 31. Harstonge, Sir Henry, Bart. and M.P. 82. Herbert, Richard, barr., and M.P. 33. Hunt, John, barr. 34. Hussey, Dudley, barr., M.P., and Recorder of Dublin. 35. Jebb, Frederic, M.D. 36. Kingsborough, Lord Viscount, M.P. [afterwards Earl of Kingston.] 87. Mocawen, - barr. 38. Martin, Richard, barr., and M.P. 39. Metge, Peter, barr., M.P., and since a Judge. 40. Mornington, Earl of [the late Marquis Wellesley.] 41. Muloch, Thomas, barr. 42. Newenham, Sir Edward, M.P. 43. Ogle, Rt. Hon. George, M.P. * Surviving.-C. [In 1819].-M. genius, and public virtue of the country; and though the name of the society itself is not embodied in any of the national records, 44. O'Leary, Rev. Arthur, honorary. 45. O'Neal, Charles, barr., K.C., and M.P. 46. Palliser, the Rev. Doctor, chaplain. 47. Pollock Joseph, barr. 48. Ponsonby, Rt. Hon. George, barr., M.P., and since Chancellor of Ireland. 49. Preston, William, barr. 50. Ross, Lieut. Col. M.P. 51. Sheridan, Charles Francis, barr., M.P., and Secretary at War. 52. Smith, Sir Michael, Bart, barr., M.P., and since Master of the Rolls. 53. Stawel, William, barr. 54. Stack, Rev. Richard, F.T.C.D. 55. Townshend, Marquis of.* 56. Woolfe, Arthur, barr., M.P., and since Lord Viscount Kilwarden, Chief Justice King's Bench. The society dwindled away towards the end of the year 1795. Shortly after the formation of this club, Mr. Curran, having been one evening called upon for a song, gave one of his own composition, which was immediately adopted as the charter song of the order. The following are all the verses of it that have been recollected. WHEN St. Patrick this order established, To guide us in what we should do. Each year, when your octaves approach, In full chapter convened let me find you; And, when to the convent you come, Leave your favorite temptation behind you. - Unless on a festival, found; And, this rule to enforce, I ordain it My brethren, be chaste, till you're tempted; And humble your bodies with fasting, Elected, professed, and joined on his visit to Dublin, after his vice-royalty. the names of of its members are to be found in every page, many and will be remembered, while Ireland has a memory, with gratitude and pride. The primary object of their association was to give her a Constitution, and to nourish and diffuse among her people the spirit and intelligence which should render them worthy of the gift; and when the day arrived, as it shortly did, when the rights to which they aspired were not to be gained without a struggle, the leading members of the "Order of St. Patrick” may be seen conspicuous in the post of honour and of danger. Mr. Curran always bore a distinguished part in their meetings; it was to them, and to the many happy and instructive hours he had passed there, that he so pathetically alluded in the fine burst of social enthusiasm which immediately follows the passage above cited. "And this soothing hope I draw from the dearest and tenderest recollections of my life-from the remembrance of those Attic nights, and those refections of the gods, which we have spent with those admired, and respected, and beloved companions, who have gone before us; over whose ashes the most precious tears of Ireland have been shed. [Here Lord Avonmore could not refrain from bursting into tears.] Yes, my good Lord, I see you do not forget them. I see their sacred forms passing in sad review before your memory. I see your pained and softened fancy recalling those happy meetings, where the innocent enjoyment of social Mr. Doyle, the Abbot, had a remarkably large full face; Mr. Curran's was the very reverse. |