190 



Monthly Review nf Literature, 



Memoirs of Theobald Wolfe Tone, writ- 

 ten by himself; comprising a complete 

 Journal of his Negotiations to procure 

 the Aid of the French for the Libera- 

 tion of Ireland, with Selections from his 

 Diary ivhilst Agent to the Irish Catho- 

 lics, Edited by 'his son W . T. W. Tone. 

 2 volf. Svo.; 1827. Rebel and traitor as 

 the failure or his attempts has gtampt on 

 the name of Tone, among' Irishmen he has 

 still all the merits and splendour of the 

 victim of patriotism-, and unquestionably 

 the facts were these the land of his 

 birth was confessedly ill-governed, and 

 three-fourths of his countrymen deprived 

 of the rights of citizens ; he attempted to 

 rescue them from the galling thraldom ; 

 and perished in the enterprize. Before 

 he entered upon the bold undertaking, he 

 seized the opportunity of telling his own 

 story. He had a right to do so; his 

 family had the same right to publish it ; 

 and the story well deserves the attention 

 of every considerate Englishman. Ire- 

 laud is where she was not worse go- 

 verned perhaps, but certainly not better 

 satisfied; similar causes produce similar 

 effects, and Ireland is full of inflammable 

 spirit. 



Theobald Wolfe Tone was born in Dub- 

 lin in the year 1763, the son of a coach- 

 maker. Both father and mother were 

 pretty much like other people, but they 

 were the parents of four sons and a daugh- 

 ter, not one of whom, according to his 

 account, were like other people all of 

 them possessed by a wild spirit of adven- 

 ture, which, though it now and then 

 governs an individual, rarely rules a 

 whole family, women and all. Of the 

 boys, two fell in asserting the indepen- 

 dence of their country; another rose into 

 command among the native powers of In- 

 dia, and the youngest, before he was six- 

 teen, had voyaged twice to Portugal, and 

 several times crossed the Atlantic ; and 

 the girl was the zealous promoter of 

 Wolfe's most perilous resolves. Wolfe 

 proving a sharp lad, his parents left no 

 stone unturned to give him an education. 

 Trinity College and a fellowship were in 

 their eyes the summit of glory, aud a fel- 

 low accordingly Theobald was to be made. 

 He had a different bent ; he had been 

 dazzled by the reviews and parades of 

 the park, and panted for a red-coat. To 

 college, however, he was compelled to 

 go, and in spite of sundry outbreaks, and 

 frequent interruptions, he took his de- 

 gree with some distinction ; but unluckily 

 disqualified for his fellowship, by marry- 

 ing, just before his degree, a beautiful 

 girl, without casting one thought appa- 

 rently upon how they were to live. The 

 friends of the youog lady were quickly 

 reconciled to what could not be remedied ;. 



and he was despatched to London to the 

 Temple, to be Lord Chancellor in due 

 time. The law, however, was liis detes- 

 tation. Without knowing any thing of 

 the matter, he determined it to be an il- 

 liberal and intolerable pursuit. The crazy 

 state of his finances besides, instead of 

 rouzing him to extraordinary exertion, 

 disabled him. He could not control or 

 concentrate his thoughts to dogged study, 

 and nothing but dogged study he knew 

 would make a lawyer. But though law 

 books disgusted him, others seduced him ; 

 and were at once a source of amusement, 

 and sometimes of profit. In the course of 

 two years he actually made 50 by re- 

 viewing ; and in conjunction with two 

 friends wrote a burlesque novel, which 

 nobody read. 



While waiting for his "call" to the 

 bar, a scheme suggested itself to his ac- 

 tive mind for founding military colonies 

 in the South Sea Islands, to put a bridle 

 on Spain in time of peace, and to annoy 

 her in time of war. He drew up a me- 

 morial of his plan for Mr. Pitt, and with 

 his own hands presented it to the porter 

 in Downing-street. Of this plan, how- 

 ever, nor of subsequent applications, did 

 Mr .Pitt take any notice; and the disappoint- 

 ment in this Wolfe's first essay in politics, 

 sunk deep in him ; he made a sort of vow, 

 that if ever he had the opportunity, he 

 would make Mr. Pitt repent of the con- 

 tumely ; and recording the fact in his 

 Memoirs, when he was contemplating the 

 actual iuvas.ion of Ireland with a foreign 

 force, he adds, "fortune may yet enable 

 me to fulfil that resolution." 



At the end of two years he returned to 

 Dublin, with about as much knowledge of 

 law as of necromancy ; assumed the fool- 

 ish gown and wig, as he foolishly calls 

 them, went the circuit, and almost cleared 

 his expences. But encouraging as the 

 prospect unexpectedly seemed, politics 

 had got close hold of him, and politics of a 

 pretty vehement character too. He longed 

 for distinction, and looked about him for 

 matter for a pamphlet. The year before 

 had been established the Whig Club; and 

 though the sentiments of its members fell 

 far short of his views, yet as far as they 

 went he approved of them, and a pamphlet 

 accordingly was put forth, " reviewing the 

 last session of parliament." This drew 

 some compliments from the club, and ad- 

 mission ; and moreover led to some inter- 

 course with the underlings of the party, 

 and an occasional recognition from the 

 leaders. Promises of employment were 

 made, and hints were given that the Pon- 

 sonbys were potent people though then, 

 out of power, they might one day be in, 

 and wiih two and twenty seats at their 

 control, one of them might by chance 



