fearfully convinced that he might be somewhat more, he seemed to have been born many centuries too late; and would have figured with far more effect as a general of the Kilkenny confederacy, than as the chairman of a small committee, meeting in a back room in Dublin. The very look and gesture of the man were proofs that there was hardly room enough in the existing state of the country and the laws for a full developement of his energies, others talked of reasoning, he seemed to think of nothing but of action. In the age in which he lived, people gazed on him with a sort of stupor as an anomaly in accord with no class or with no feeling of their body. He had but little influence with any; they heard him for his rank and his oddity, and when absent, they turned round, and willingly forgot that he had ever been amongst them. The latter trait was in direct opposition to that displayed by Mr. O'Connell amidst his fiercest assertion of the rights and claims of his catholic brethren and his most zealous and determined efforts to achieve for them the concession of government, he discovered from the commencement of this service, a cheerful and humourous temper, which no disappointment could abate, and which won the hearts of his hearers to an affection for his person, quite as strong as their admiration of his talents, and their confidence in the justice and success of his exertions. All were pleased with him, whilst he was present; all respected him when he was gone.

perfectly opposed to Lord The early years of his life

Nothing can be imagined more Ffrench than Lord Trimbleston. had been passed in feudal France; his opinions; his feelings, his whole maniere d'etre had been characteristically and indelibly affected by this sinister circumstance. The French revolution had burst on him in the middle of a circle of polished and chosen friends. Blinded by their sufferings and wrongs, he condemned every attempt, however limited or wise, for the attainment of their unquestionable rights on the part of the people. He saw nothing in that awful regeneration, but revolt against the best of institutions, insolent rebellion against the

most sacred of titles, outrageous and detestable principles, unjustified by a single grievance, unredeemed by a single good. His person, his manners, his accent were disagreeably and extravagantly French. All that he said or did, belonged to a class unknown and unfelt in Ireland. It was an emigrant from the army of Conde you listened to, and not to an indignant Catholic peer: the natural protector of an aggrieved people, rousing and directing on the just principles of constitutional freedom the combined exertions of his Catholic countrymen. If he addressed an assembly of rich merchants, or turbulent and enthusiastic tradesmen; if he stood in face of a crouding and anxious peasantry, it was of "the patrician blood of the Barnwells" only that he deigned to speak, and not of the broad and embracing slavery of an entire country. Such a man had

no clue to the popular mind; he had little in common with Irishmen. They spoke different idioms; they could not understand each other. He occasionally appeared at public meetings, but his name, more than his presence was sought after. Till the period of the total secession resulting from the veto quarrel, he appeared to have something like an influence over the aristocratic portion of the body; but this was an imaginary power, a sort of title of courtesy, conceded good naturedly to the mere vanity of the individual; the real authority resided in the committee and the sub-committee, and both were under the immediate control and direction of men of business, the barristers.

With the latter gentlemen are indissolubly associated the names of O'Connell, Scully, Hussey, Clinch, Grattan, Shiell, &c., some of whom did not indeed live to witness the glory of the accomplishment of their great endeavours, but who will never die in the memory of a grateful country. Such men have become the property of the historian, who is the transcript of the deeds of the age in which they lived, who will point to their names as the great and potent instruments, by which, to a certain degree, their country became regenerated, and the chains of oppression, which had long bound their compatriots, Loken for ever.

Of all these celebrated men, Mr. Scully formed perhaps the greatest contrast to Mr. O'Connell. He had received from nature far more of the statesman, than of the orator. He was grave, cautious, secret, profound; no ebullition of vanity appeared upon the surface; no involuntary revealings of feeling detected or even hinted the inward man. No person could more maturely weigh all the advantages of an arrangement, before he submitted it to the passions of the multitude for adoption, or when once thoroughly penetrated with its utility, in despite of aristocratic sneer, or popular clamour, no man was more unlikely to recede. Yet he seldom, like Mr. O'Connell, ever ventured into the enemy's camp, and when he did risk an attack, it was in those slight flank movements, those offskirmishings of resolution or debate, which were intended to produce little more than the momentary annoyance of an antagonist. Not so with O'Connell. He never hovers about the enemy's camp, prying about for some loop-hole, by which he can effect an entrance-he dashes boldly into the midst of it, flings about with masculine energy, his invincible weapons, and as long as opposition is manifested towards him, he presents his daring front to the foe, and never leaves him until he sees him abashed, discomfited and humiliated. All the measures of O'Connell have a bold and comprehensive character about them, he stops not half way to consider by what means he shall accomplish the remainder of his undertaking, he has set out with the determination to effect a particular purpose; obstacles only operate as a greater incitement to his courage and perseverance; he contents himself not with that wavring, Fabian system of tactics, he temporises not with the object which impels him forward; however distant his goal may be, it is the mark of his high emprise, and like the camel in the sand storm of the desert, he undauntedly faces the tempest, and glories in the blast which threatens to immolate him.

Different, indeed from this was Mr. Scully; it is true however that the period for a more energetic description of warfare had not yet arrived, but it depended after all far more on the temper of the man, than on the circumstances of the time or place,

There was a surly and sometimes a clumsy kind of Machiavelism about him which more or less tinctured his entire policy. He hated the direct line, and preferred coming at the most obvious consequences by a circuit. He would have tortured a problem of Euclid to pieces, and it was said of him, that he could not drink his tea without a stratagem, nor could he be persuaded to make a people free or happy, without first deceiving them. His whole being was lawyer like; he special pleaded great rights, and would not have disdained to slip through the half open gates of the constitution on the back of a quibble. He was an admirable parrier; made a few thrusts, but seldom received a blow. During his administration, for such it may be called, the Catholic body erred little, retrogaded little, but advanced little also. He tacked about, he curvetted, he made zig-zag movements, but he never lost ground. He was singularly adapted to its then position, when prudence was far more essential than enthusiasm, there were times later, when enthusiasm was far more necessary than prudence, and these will particularly apply to Mr. O'Connell, who with an unbounded, an inexhaustible stock of enthusiasm, shewed himself sometimes not exactly under the guidance of prudence.

It would be in vain to deny that Mr. Scully was gifted with qualities of a far higher order. His power was not only distinguished by the first rate logical acumen, but were by no means inconsiderable in the lower regions of popular eloquence; yet Mr. Scully was no orator; his person was unfavourable, low, squat, clumsy; it could only be redeemed from those physical defects by the general cut of his countenance. Yet, even there was little, which was not of a very secondary order. The prominent nose, the broad forehead were forgotten, in the small, weak and almost inexpressive eye. The general contour has been likened to Napoleon's, but two faces in their real character, could not be imagined more absolutely opposed. One was stout, coarse, bluff, common sense, with tones here and there of shrewdness or cunning; the other had all the delicate refinements, with all the substantial qualities of the highest order of human mind. His action was irregular, rude, but often emphatic, his enunciation measured, yet ur

polished: he employed public speaking as the means only; the carrying of the measure was the end. No man was less ostensibly before the Catholic public, yet no man with the exception afterwards of Mr. O'Connell more thoroughly governed it. He was felt only in consequence: the main de maitre was known only, when the event had taken place. This is the direct reverse of Mr. O'Connell, the hand of the master is seen before the consequences exhibit themselves: the lightning of O'Connell is long seen before his thunder is heard. It was only when the event had taken place, that the close observer of Mr. Scully might notice a relaxation from his habitual reserve, and the sardonic smiles of triumph which shot over his countenance at a success, which he had so patiently and perfectly ensured, were the best evidences how anxiously he sought, and how deeply he valued the enjoyment and retention of political power. During the whole period of his rule, he was absolute, and in whatever manner he chose to shew himself, either through others or in his own person, seldom or ever did he meet with anything like a steady or effectual opposition to his measures or any essential falling off of that habitual respect, which men contracted even for his faults.

Co-oprating with Mr. Scully, or in more precise terms, carrying into effect in public, what Mr.. Scully had resolved to do in private, were men of unquestionable, though perhaps not of commanding talents. The extraordinary abilities of Mr. O'Connell, had not then had time to develope themselves; but the influence of the talent which was around him possessed no doubt a preponderating effect in drawing forth those energies, by which he now rules the destinies of his country. The Irish Bar was certainly not the place, where the graces of oratory could be learned. There was a native coarseness attached to the Irish Barrister, which would not be tolerated in a British one, and the polish of the Gentleman was frequently cast off to effect by downright invective and scurrility what in other courts would have been acquired by force of argument, or which applied to the finer feelings of our nature. Mr O'Connell saw few examples

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