1827.] 



Domestic and Foreign. 



by the authority, open or covert, of the 

 government. This report, it seems, as it 

 \vas probable indeed it would, proves to 

 be unfounded; the sole cause rests with 

 the booksellers. Sir Jonah has been sin- 

 gularly unfortunate ; three publishers, 

 who undertook to produce his perform- 

 ance, have successively failed ; and he 

 has had some difficulty, first in discovering 

 his lost or forgotten labours, and next, 

 in recovering them. At last, however, 

 they have been rescued from oblivion or 

 peril, and are safely deposited in the hands 

 of the most enterprising aud successful 

 publisher of the day we need not add 

 Mr. Colburn's. They are of considerable 

 busk, and will appear quickly in parts. 

 We look forward to them with some im- 

 patience. We have much to learn about 

 the Union the author had singular op- 

 portunities; and being himself hostile to 

 the measure, and suffering from it, and 

 garrulous and indiscreet withal beyond 

 all repression, he will tell all he knows, 

 without sparing- the contrivers or the exe- 

 cutors of that disastrous scheme. 

 The sketches before us are of a gossipping 

 rambling description, but frequently very 

 amusing better at all events, and more 

 bearable than the theatrical memoirs with 

 which we have of late been deluged. The 

 author, though aiming at a dashing, off- 

 haud, careless, rattling kind of manner 

 very unbecoming the dignity of any bench 

 but the Irish has more the air than the 

 reality of the coxcomb, and is essentially 

 of a serious and thoughtful turn suscep- 

 tible of grave impressions, and capable of 

 observing the distinctions of human cha- 

 racter, and of tracing the effects of poli- 

 tical changes. He has some very decided 

 opinions many of them of a liberal and 

 benevolent cast with some, the mere re- 

 sult of unlicked prejudice. The Union, 

 he thinks, and justly thinks, the ruin of 

 Ireland the fruitful parent of Abseii- 

 -teeism, and all its wide-spreading and de- 

 pressing consequences. Before that fatal 

 event Ireland was an Irishman's home; he 

 lived on his estate, and knew his tenants, 

 and his tenants knew him, respected him, 

 loved him, and mutual kindness and inter- 

 course prevailed. Coarse and intempe-r 

 rate indeed was the Irish landlord of old, 

 but he was kind and a countryman; now 

 he is refined, and careless, and a foreigner 

 and the poor are without their natural 

 friends or protectors. Sir Jonah is no 

 advocate for emancipation ; but neither is 

 he a partisan of orange violence. The 

 book however is a hook of anecdotes not 

 intended to inculcate opinions it is full 

 of persons, once more or less, for good or 

 for ill, generally known in the political and 

 legal world most of them have long since 

 quitted the scene ; but some survive ; and 

 with respect to the survivors, Sir Jonah's 



indiscretion, to say the best of if, is very 

 remarkable. His account of Sir Richard 

 Musgrave-the orange fanatic of the days 

 of the Union but particularly the tale of 

 Lady Musgrave. whatever an Irish court 

 might think of it, would at least by an 

 English one, be deemed a libel. We do 

 not think it safe to quote. 



Sir Jonah has been a duellist in his day, 

 and duels seem to occupy much of the 

 thoughts of his old age. We know not 

 how many duels remarkable ones too he 

 has detailed. They seem to fill at least a 

 tenth of the pages. He gives the particu- 

 lars of one especially between his younger 

 brother and Captain Gillespie, afterwards 

 General Gillespie, wlio was killed at the 

 storming of Bengalore, and to whom a 

 monument was built in Westminster Ab- 

 bey. He tells the story with much indig- 

 nation. His brother, not twenty years of 

 age, and a Mr. McKenzie had quarrel- 

 led, and, as usual in Ireland, ' went out.' 

 After firing four shots, young Barrington 

 offered his hand to his antagonist. Gil- 

 lespie, McKenzie's second, interfered, 

 and said his friend should not be satisfied. 

 Barrington persisted in his pacific inten- 

 tions ; Gillespie grew warm, and suddenly 

 throwing his handkerchief towards Bar- 

 rington, asked him if he dared take the 

 other corner. The unhappy but high- 

 spirited boy snatched the handkerchief, 

 and at the same moment received Gilles- 

 pie's ball through his heart. Gillespie 

 was tried for the murder, but acquitted. 

 His death in India, Sir Jonah regards as 

 retributive. The cooler reader will see 

 noihing but the results of the same im- 

 petuosity. He led the storming party at 

 Bengalore, contrary to orders ; he was re- 

 pulsed ; he knew the consequences of dis- 

 obedience; he renewed the attack in des- 

 peration, took the fort, and fell. "Requies- 

 cat in pace," says Sir Jonah ; " but never 

 will I set my foot in Westminster Abbey !" 

 But more agreeable scenes abound in 

 the volumes. One of Lord Redesdale's 

 first dinners to the Irish bar may serve as 

 a specimen. It is introduced by some 

 anecdotes of Lord Norbury. Of him, the 

 author says : 



He had more readiness of repartee than any 

 man I ever knew, who possessed neither classical 

 wit nor genuine sentiment to make it valuable. 

 But he had a fling at every thing ; and failing in 

 one attempt, made another sure of carrying his 

 point before he relinquished. his efforts. His ex- 

 treme good temper was a great advantage. The 

 present Lord Redesd ale was much (though unin- 

 tentionally) annoyed by Mr. Toler (afterwards 

 Lord Norbary) at one of the first dinners he gave 

 to the judges and king's counsel. Having heard 

 that the members of the Irish bar (of whom he was 

 then quite ignorant) were considered extremely 

 witty, and being desirous, if possible, to adapt him- 

 self to their habits, his lordship had obviously got 



