tude, and then back to the table to seize my pen, and when the 

 door opened I was placed in a thoughtful position, with the con- 

 templative look of a doctor of the Sorbonne, or of Lydia Languish; 

 but the apparition, which for a moment halted at the threshold, 

 and then moved on in solemn gait, actually made me start. A tall, 

 gaunt figure, wrapped from neck to heel in a dark roquelaure, with 

 a large-leafed hat flapped low over the face, presented the very 

 picture of Guy Fawkes, with nothing wanted but his dark lantern : 

 the venerable, but very singular-looking philosopher stood con- 

 fessed. The conversation soon became animated, and to me highly 

 interesting." 



After detailing the conversation, Lady Morgan describes Mr. 

 Kirwan's invitation to take tea with him, and gives his words as 

 follows : " You must take tea with me on Thursday next, it is my 

 shaving day ; I only pay visits, or receive ladies, twice a week, on 

 my shaving days. I have a good pianoforte, and a fine collection 

 of Italian music ; you shall try both. My tea-table hour is half- 

 past five." She accordingly waited on him at the hour appointed 

 and thus describes her visit : " On entering the drawing-room, the 

 heat was so excessive, that 1 was afraid I should never go through 

 the skince. Although it was a fine, mild, spring evening, an enor- 

 mous fire blazed on the hearth, and a screen of considerable di- 

 mensions, drawn closely round it, excluded every breath of air. 

 Within this enclosure, on a large, cumbrous sofa, sat the advocate 

 of phlogiston. He was dressed in the same roquelaure and slouched 

 hat in which he had visited me, with, however, the addition of a 

 shawl wrapped round his neck," This was his ordinary costume, 

 whether he received visitors or not. 



If Mr.Kirwan was gallant in the society of women, he was not 

 deficient in the allied quality of courage amongst men, a quality 

 which at that time characterized, in rather too great a degree, the 

 county from which he derived his origin : but the exercise of it 

 should be after his own manner, for he was peculiar in everything. 

 When he was a young man, happening to be in Paris, he received 

 a challenge from a hot-headed Frenchman. Mr. Kirwan at once 

 declined it, and expressed the utmost contempt for persons who 

 would decide a quarrel by such unchristian means : but he added. 



