CHAPTER VII.

Mr. Curran is invited to stand for the borough of Newry

-Speech to the electors-Letter to Sir J. Swinburne

-Letter on Irish affairs to H. R. H. the Duke of

Sussex

page 273

CHAPTER VIII.

Mr. Curran's health declines-Letters to Mr. Hether-

ington-Resignation of his judicial office-Letters

from London to Mr. Lubè-Letters from Paris to the

same-His last illness and death

316

CHAPTER IX.

Observations on Mr. Curran's eloquence-Objections to

his style considered-His habits of preparation for

public speaking-His ideas of popular eloquence-His

pathos-Variety of his powers-His imagination-Pe-

culiarity of his images-His use of ridicule-Propen-

sity to metaphor-Irish eloquence—Its origin—Mr.

Curran's and Burke's eloquence compared

386

CHAPTER X.

Mr. Curran's skill in cross-examination-His general

reading-His conversation-His wit-Manuscript

thoughts on various subjects-His manners, person—

Personal peculiarities-Conclusion

page 444

The Green Spot that blooms o'er the Desert of Life.

To Mrs. Forty, the Dispenser of the Waters at

Cheltenham

505

APPENDIX.

Account of the late Plan of Insurrection in Dublin,

and the Causes of its Failure, drawn up by Mr.

Robert Emmett

Character of Mr. Curran by Mr. Godwin

515

522

Character of Mr. Curran by the Rev. George Croly 524

LIFE

OF THE

RIGHT HONOURABLE

JOHN PHILPOT CURRAN.

CHAPTER I.

Rebellion of 1798-Its causes-Unpopular system of government-Influence of the French RevolutionIncreased intelligence in Ireland-Reform societiesUnited Irishmen-Their views and proceedings-Apply for aid to France-Anecdote of Theobald Wolfe Tone Numbers of the United Irishmen-Condition of the peasantry and conduct of the aristocracy-Measures of the government-Public alarm-General in

surrection.

THE order of this work has now brought us to the year 1798,—the year 98!—a sound that is still so full of terrible associations

to every Irishman's imagination. During the agitated period which followed the transactions of 1782, Ireland had seen the

VOL. II.

B