420 Recollections, from the Portfolio of [APRIL, 



Classical quotations are sometimes among the most dextrous modes of 

 pleasantry, by their covering the natural coarseness of humour under 

 the drapery of learning. 



At a dinner of the late Lord Redesdale's, there happened to be some 

 fault found with the batch of claret on the table. When the wine came 

 to Jekyll, he stopped the bottle, and some one called him Fabius 

 Cunctator. At last the point was explained to the noble host, who 

 ordered a new experiment on his cellar, which produced some first- 

 rate wine. " Aye," said Jekyll, 



" Cunctando restituit rem 

 Ergo magisque magisque viri nunc gloria claret" 



Dundas, the father of the present Lord Melville, sometimes enlivened 

 even the privy council by his quotations. Hardy and Tooke's affair had 

 involved many stirring people, who, however, when the government 

 laid its grasp upon the ringleaders, were glad to make terms as well 

 as they could. Among the rest, Felix Vaughan, a barrister of consi- 

 derable ability, but urged by ill-success in his profession into attempting 

 shorter ways to fortune, suddenly retracted ; " Ah," said Dundas, on the 

 matters being stated at the council, 



" Felix, quern faciunt aliena pericula cautum." 



John Warton gave for epitaph on John the painter, who was hanged 

 on board the Arethusa frigate, 



" Extremum hunc, Arethusa, mihi concede laborem." 



Malone was a trifler, as any man may believe from his notes on 

 Shakspeare, but what could be better than his motto on the pamphlet 

 against Ireland's forgeries ? It was from VirgiFs description of Sal- 

 moneus imitating the might of Jove : 



<e Demens, qui nimbos et non imitabile fulmen, 

 ^Ere, et corni-pedum sonitu simularat equorum." 



Cardinal Pole's quotation in answer to Sandolet, who praised the 

 ancient philosophy, is beautiful. - " Pagan philosophy was good for its 

 day," said the Cardinal, " but the scriptures are now our light. Your 

 philosophy past and present reminds me of Virgil's Tenedos : 



" ' Notissima fama, 



Insula, dives opum, Priami dum regna manebant, 

 Nunc, tautum sinus, et static malefida carinis.' " 



Moore's words to the Irish melodies are sometimes tender and poeti- 

 cal ; though they are generally too full of concetti, and too fond of ram- 

 bling into obscure allusions, to touch the heart. But the original poetry 

 of Ireland is sometimes tender and natural in the highest degree. 

 Nothing can be finer in the poetry of passion, than some of the love- 

 verses of Edmond Ryan, better known in the old remembrances of 

 Ireland, as Edmond of the Hills, from his unhappy and wandering life. 

 Ryan had fought for James II. ; and his estate was confiscated after the 

 defeat of that most worthless of kings. His remaining life was spent at 

 the head of bands of outlaws, struggling for subistence, and sometimes 

 desperately avenging his wrongs on the heads of the possessors of the 



