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SEASON, 1817-18.

EAST INDIA SHIPS,

With their Managing Owners, Commanders, Principal Officers, Surgeons, Pursers, Time of coming afloat, &c.

JLondon....

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20th February, 1818.

VINNOJ TVO

UNIV. OF

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LONDON, Published for the European Magazine by J. Asperne, 32 Cornbill 2.

The Right Honourable
John Philpot Curran

Engraved by HMeyer from an original Painting by Sir Tbo. Lawrence.

2 March

1878

t

EUROPEAN MAGAZINE,

AND

LONDON REVIEW,

FOR FEBRUARY, 1818.

MEMOIR OF

THE RIGHT HON. JOHN PHILPOT CURRAN,

LATE MASTER OF THE ROLLS IN IRELAND.

[WITH A PORTRAtt, engraved bY HENRY MEYER, FROM AN ORIGINAL PAINTING BY SIH THOMAS LAURENCE.]

Εγώ μὲν δὴ κατανοῶν τῇ ἀνδρος τήν τε βοφίαν καὶ τ γενναιότητα, ὅτε μὴ μεμνήσθαι δυνάμει αυτε ετε μεμνημενός μὴ εκ ἐπαινεῖν,

ΞΕΝΟΦΩΝ. ΑΠΟΛΟΓ.

* Impressed as I am with the conviction of this man's intelligence of mind and ingenuous armness of character, it is impossible that I should ever forget him, or cease to relaguse his memory."

T

HE sentiment conveyed in the motto to this Memoir is in all its feeling acknowledged by every surviv ing friend of the excellent man who is the subject of it. The brilliancy of his talents delighted all who were so for tesate as to witoess its display, either in the public sphere of his action, or withiu the private circle of his social intercourse.-But, substantiated as it was by the most undeviating stedfastness of bosorable principle, admiration became reverence, and friendship grew iato affectionate esteem.

With a heart highly susceptible of friendly altachment, he justified by the integrity of his life, and the sincerity of bis conduct, the partiality of those who felt the gratification and acknowledged the honor of being numbered among his intimate associates. These consisted of the most celebrated political and literary characters of his time, and a Prace of the Royal Blood*, distinguished for his impartial and wise dis crimination of intrinsic genius, allowed buzeit to be called the friend of Cur

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same degree with those who equally valued and as deeply regret this highly gifted son of Erin, the above passage of the Greek historian speaks the same interesting testimony of recollection as that which the intimate conviction of their own hearts suggests.

With these friends of his living fame we acknowledge the painful record that ranks him among the departed lights of the age; but, while we trace the luminous path of his life, we feel the cheering certainty that this humble tribute to his memory will not be subjected to the stigma of undeserved eulogium,

JOHN PHILPOT CURRAN, Esq. was born at Newmarket, a village in the county of Cork, in the year 1750. His parents may be classed among that large inass of the Irish population which, without any pretensions to affluence, maintain the respectability of social life by the prudent management of incomes barely competent to meet the anxious desire of putting their children in pos session of the acquirements of educa tion. This anxiety is well known to be

H. R. H the Duke of Sussex

a national feeling of the Irish; and to this it was owing that the most celebrated orator of the senate and bar of our sister isle received, in a small provincial school, the elements of that classical instruction which is universally comprehended in the education of a gentleman. The superior promptitude of his intellect soon qualified him for the more erudite pursuits of scholastic attainment; and, at an unusually early period, he was admitted at Trinity College, Dublin, and obtained a scholarship, which, in that community is a sure mark of merit, and its certain reward. Here he took the degree of A. B. But not feeling the course of study congenial with the energetic constitution of his mind, he resolved not to proceed for a fellowship, but left college, and turned his views towards the law.

On this wide field of emulous conflict for advancement, he entered, unpro tected by alliance, and unassisted by pecuniary resource, but he knew it was a path to reputation and promotion, which was accessible to industry and genius; however unsupported he felt himself to be, by the adventitious dis tinctious of birth, or the useful facilities of wealth. Thus decided as to his choice of a profession, be prepared himself for all the difficulties and repulses which he was well aware he had to expeeti he came to London, and took his seat on the Irish side of the Bencher's table in the Middle Temple; and in the year 1775 was "called" as an UtterBarrister.

Soon after this event he returned to his native country, and practised at the sessious, on the circuit, and in the four Courts of Dublin. Under what circumstances he made bis progress towards professional eminence and emoJament we have no means of ascertaining; but this we may assume, as a warranted conclusion, that a mind like his would easily surmount whatever obstacles might lay in his way to distinction; and it is no small advantage on the side of such a man, that he feels he must be the maker of his own fortunes - the impression gives energy to genius, and in pulse to talent, and seldom fails to work out the accomplishment of the object.

About this time Mr. Curran united himself in marriage with a young Irish lady, of the name of O'Dell, of respect. able, but by no means opulent con

nexions.

To this union were attached results

which are, alas! sometimes found to act with an adverse influence upon the happiness of the married state. They may be lamented, but ought not to be recorded.

At this period Mr. Curran began to emerge from the embarrassinents of a scanty income into the more promising condition of celebrity. His character developed itself in all its superior endowments, and the day of prosperity dawned upon his prospects. He proclaimed himself the advocate of his country, and, under the banner of patriotism, avowed himself the independent defender of her political rights.By a manly exertion of his talents as one of the counsel at an election contest; and, by a spirited resistance to the personal reflections, as weil as the relative pretensions of the candidate on the other side, he convinced his adversary that Curran the barrister was not an antagonist to be despised, whatever gifts of Nature or of fortune had been denied to his person or his purse. The contention between them terminated without recourse to that fallacious test of a factitious honour, a duel. The candidate who began it with sarcastic personalities, admitted the unwarrantable nature of his attack, and, with that good sense which is always open to the conviction of mature reflection, became the friend and patron of him whom he had so unjustifiably assailed with allusions which weakened his own cause, and gave to that of their object an accession of strength in the indignant sympathies of those who were the witnesses of the altercation.

A short time after this, Mr. Curran became a member of the Irish House of Commons; in which he signalized himself among the most eloquent patriots of that day. During the administration of 1782, under the auspices of the then Lord Lieutenant, William Henry Cavendish, Duke of Portland, he accepted a silk gown. He was elected member for the borough of Kilbeggin, in the county of Westmeath; and, from 1783 to the dissolution which took place in 1799, he was conspicuous among the Irish Whigs for the zeal and oratory with which he engaged in the debates of the house.

In the new Parliament of 1790, Mr. Curran was returned for the borough of Rathcormuck in the county of Cork; which seat be held with the highest honour to the principles that he es

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