329 THE ATHENEUM. OCTOBER 1, 18 S2. GALLERY OF LITERARY CHARACTERS, NO. XV. REVEREND DOCTOR LARDNER. LARDNER, called at his baptism by the name of Dennis, amplified by his own classical taste to that of Dionysius, but by his compatriots generally pronounced as Dinnish, stands before you, gentle reader, cloaked and hatted in his usual guise. His chin is perked up a l'ordinaire, and his spectacled eyes beam forth wisdom. In order, we suppose, to illustrate some of the principles of his own treatise on mechanics, as published in the Cab., he generally takes the position of standing toes in, heels out, according to the cavalry regulations; and therefore so is he depicted in the opposite engraving. What bulk it is he carries under his cloak we know not, nor have we any grounds whereon to offer a conjecture. Bred in the Irish University, which is now so much abused and belabored by the Whigs and Radicals, as the silent sister,―more unjustly, indeed, in one point of view, for a more spouting university never existed, as Mr. Shiel can testify,-Lardner early obtained there great fame and eminence as a grinder; and published a work on differential calculous, which he wrote avowedly for the purpose of learning the science,—a pleasant process, which we opine is oftener practised than confessed. Not satisfied with this modicum of renown, he migrated, as his countrymen are fond of doing, one fine morning, to London. Perhaps he was annoyed at the superior airs assumed by the fellows of the college-a dignity which, we know not why, he never obtained—over all inferior grades. It is a saying of Tom Browne, that there is no greater man than a fellow in his college, and none smaller out of it; and even Thomas himself never sported a more veritable dictum. Certainly, the fellows of Trinity, Dublin, do not lose an inch of their height while parading in courts, presiding in commons, or dealing forth premiums or cautions at examinations; and we are the more confirmed in our opinion, that it was some slight on the part of some of these functionaries that has |