Prof. Boole^s 'Account of the late John Walsh of Cork, 355 



removed into the Union at Kanturk. Shortly after he was again 

 admitted into the Cork Union. Dr. O^Connor, physician to the 

 Unionj has thus described to me his appearance on that occasion, 

 ^' I remember Mr. Walsh when brought to me for examination/' 

 Dr. 0^ Connor says, " as a little neat-looking man, with a very 

 thoughtful and pleasing expression of countenance, and appa- 

 rently not at all depressed by the unhappy circumstances in 

 which he was placed. He had a slate, a black board, and a little 

 roll of paper under his arm. I said to him, ^ I am sorry, Mr. 

 Walsh, to see you reduced to your present necessity.^ ' Oh, by 

 no means,' replied Walsh, ' it is the turn of the wheel of life. I 

 must bear it like a philosopher.' ' Well, Mr. Walsh,' replied 

 the good doctor, ' is there anything that I can do to make you 

 more comfortable here ? ' ^ Oh,' said Walsh, ' if you could 

 get me a quiet place to put up my board, and allow a pupil of 

 mine to visit me occasionally, that is all that I shall desire.' " 

 Thinking to procure for his patient a greater measure of indul- 

 gence than could otherwise be conceded to him consistently with 

 the rules of the house. Dr. O'Connor ordered his admission into 

 the hospital, although medical treatment did not, from the nature 

 of his malady, appear to be required. There poor Walsh spent 

 the remainder of his days. After a time, his debility having 

 greatly increased, he was entirely confined to his bed, but even 

 then his faithful pupil K. continued to visit him, indulgently 

 listened to his projects for the reformation of science, and con- 

 soled him by the tribute of a generous sympathy for the loss of 

 health, the loss of home and station, and for that which, to the 

 poor dying enthusiast must have been far harder to bear, the 

 world's imagined neglect and ingratitude. 



Since the period when Mr. Walsh was an inmate of the North 

 Infirmary some change for the better had passed over his mind. 

 He was now more docile and tractable, and attended to the 

 wishes of his physician and of those who were appointed to take 

 charge of him, nor did he again endeavour to engage his fellow- 

 patients in religious disputes. In reference to this improvement 

 of character, the consequence perhaps of a remission of the acti- 

 vity of disease, or perhaps also of self-reflection under the sobering 

 influence of adversity. Dr. O'Connor has told me the following 

 anecdote -.r-^'^ On one of my visits to Walsh's bedside he inquired 

 of me if he had ever since his admission into the Union endea- 

 voured to disturb the religious opinions of those around him. 

 The doctor admitting that he had not, and commending him for 

 his moderation, Walsh replied, ^ And yet, doctor, I could say a 

 few words, a very few words, that would make you and the chap- 

 lain and everybody here abandon your present convictions for 

 ever.' ^ Well,' said Dr. O'Connor, 'say them, and then see whether 



