AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



the army, and settle on his hereditary estate in Roscommon ; 

 and there he hunted, shot, fished, and farmed, and lived just 

 as Irish gentlemen lived some thirty years ago. 



I was the only issue of the marriage. All communication 

 had ceased between my parents and Mr. Wamsley, and 

 eighteen years passed away, and no appearance of abated 

 displeasure had ever been evinced by this implacable relative. 

 I left a public school for the Dublin University, was destined 

 for the church, and had nearly completed my college course, 

 when an unforeseen event changed my prospects and profes- 

 sion. It was the death of both my parents within the brief 

 space of a month. 



My father's affairs were in great disorder his estate was 

 heavily embarrassed, and if his debts were paid, it was ascer- 

 tained that I should be left nearly destitute. The intelligence 

 reached Mr. Wamsley, and to the astonishment of all 

 acquainted with his unrelenting animosity to my deceased 

 parents, a letter was received from him, inviting me to visit 

 him at his magnificent place, Lalworth Castle. 



The invitation was of course accepted. I arrived, and 

 found him a stern, disagreeable old man. My first appearance 

 was against me for the resemblance I bore to my father was 

 most striking, and it seemed to recall my uncle's long- che- 

 rished prejudices. He abruptly asked me on the succeeding 

 morning, " What course of life 1 had selected ?" I replied, 

 " That the army appeared best adapted to my taste and 

 broken fortunes. " His only observation was, " Be it so ;" and 

 here this laconic conversation ended. 



That evening, Mr. Wamsley wrote to his neighbour, Lord 

 Ulverston. The peer was his debtor to a large amount, and 



generally trafficked with him for his borough of bury. 



My uncle's request was promptly attended to. Lord Ulverston 

 stood well at the Horse Guards ; and in a few weeks, to my 

 unfeigned satisfaction and surprise, I was gazetted to a Cor- 

 netcy in the Blues. 



But my joy at this event was but of short duration. The 

 miserly disposition of my uncle took alarm at the large outlay 

 attendant on entering an expensive corps. Each hundred was 

 doled out with painful reluctance, and the knowledge that a 

 certain annual allowance would be requisite for my support, 

 made him still more wretched. I joined the regiment ; my 

 subsidies generally drafts for a paltry fifty were "few and 



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