doubt of the sincerity of the speaker. Some of his speeches produced a great impression on the house. His greatest service as a senator was, however, the institution, in the last session, of the inquiry into the state of Ireland. For this, the country is indebted solely to the wisdom, courage, and temper of the noble subject of this sketch. Unsupported by the influence of party-discouraged session after session, by those who, on other points, took the same views with himself, it needed the courage which can only arise from strong principle to persevere. It is not to be wondered at that the discouragements which he met with should have induced the noble earl to postpone his promised motion for inquiry. He felt, perhaps, that he stood alone; at length, however, he fully redeemed his pledge, and in spite of every discouragement, made his promised motion early in last session. He introduced it in a very temperate speech, which, fortunately for the country, had the happy effect of gaining for the motion the support of the Duke of Wellington, and, on a division, the appointment of a select committee to inquire into the state of Ireland, was carried by a majority of five.

The results of this inquiry belong not to a sketch like the present. Every member of the committee expressed their high sense of the mild, temperate, and if we may use the word, un-factious course which the noble mover pursued in his prosecution of the inquiry, and several of his political opponents bore a full, and to both parties, an honourable testimony to his conduct in the anxious and exciting investigation in which they had been engaged.

Late in the same session, the noble earl divided the House of Lords against the second reading of the Irish Municipal Reform Bill. Unfortunately, upon this occasion, he was not supported as on the former. Only five peers agreed with him in his opposition to the principle of that fatal measure—a minority, small, indeed, in numbers, but whose names will yet be held in honor by posterity.

Of late years, he has mingled but little in politics out of doors. The dissolution of the Orange lodges unquestionably severed a tie which bound him with many others of high rank, to the wishes, the feelings, and the movements of the Protestant people. With a growing influence in the House of Lords, he feels perhaps, that to take an active part elsewhere, would be to risk the impairing of that influence, by which he can most effectually serve the cause he has at heart. For some time past, it is certain that he has appeared but seldom in public, except in his place in the House of Lords.

As a speaker, he has not much claim to the higher attributes of the orator, unless we are to class among these, clearness and force. His style is clear, simple, and unambitious. He never attempts any deep or philosophic argument; nor are there any of those bursts of passion, or strains of lofty sentiment which move the feelings, and exalt the thoughts of men. But there is a nervous, rapid, and sustained vehemence, and a solemn earnestness of manner which arrests the attention, and engages it. You can never doubt that he is in earnest that he feels what he says with a depth, if not of passion, yet of sincerity, and there is that indescribable something in the manner which conveys the impression that he is a thoroughly honest man. With these qualities of style and manner, combined with his high station, and higher character, it is not surprising that either in the House of Lords or in the popular assembly, he should be, on the whole, one of the most effective speakers of the day.

We happen to have now before us one of the published speeches of the noble

lord; a speech delivered in the House of Lords, on the 7th of March, 1836, on the subject of the Orange societies. At this time, the memorable address of the House of Commons had been presented to the late king. His majesty, in his reply, had promised to discourage the Orange Associations. In an incidental debate in the House of Lords, Lord Roden, after stating that a meeting of the Grand Lodge had been summoned for the 14th of April, continued, evidently under the influence of deep emotion—

"It is impossible for you to sympathize with those uoble and honourable men, in the sacrifice they have made to their country's cause, by the letter which they haye addressed to the Orangmen of Ireland, and by their secession from the ranks of that institution. They were cut to the heart's core in pursuing the course which their sense of duty directed. Your lordships cannot possibly understand the nature of the union which exists between the members of the Orange Society. It is an union of affection and brotherhood which I cannot undertake to describe. That brotherhood may cease, but, I trust, the spirit which influences it will never cease to occupy our breasts; it springs from the noblest affection of the mind of man; it has for its object the welfare of all, in the maintenance of the Protestant faith-the only basis upon which the happiness and prosperity of England can stand. It is well for those who can look beyond the politics of time, to see a master hand over all these transactions in troublesome days, causing all things to work for good, according to the counsel of his sovereign will. I trust the Protestants of Ireland will never forget the source of all their former deliverances, or the strength of that gracious Providence who has so often delivered them for the sake of his own righteous cause. Were I in the midst of them on the present occasion, I could not say more than I have said to your lordships. I shall anxiously await the day of meeting them on the 14th of April; the humblest of their body is not more alive to, or more interested in the subject than I am. I know their affection for me-I owe them a debt of gratitude I can never repay; but I trust my love and regard for them and their cause will never cease but with life itself."

We have selected this passage, not because it is superior to many others in the addresses of the noble lord; but it happened, as we wrote, to recur to our recollection. It is a fair specimen of his style-perhaps, a good illustration of the character which we have attempted to give of his speaking. It is all from the heart; all simple, earnest, and honest, and flows in a continuous and uninterrupted course, as if the speaker were anxious for nothing but to express his convictions, and give utterance to his feelings.

In private life, Lord Roden is universally esteemed and beloved. Naturally, perhaps, with something of aristocratic pride, this is tempered by the influence of religion, so that its traces are scarcely perceptible, seldom, indeed, when there is not just occasion for its manifestation. As a landlord, he is universally beloved by his tenantry; and all classes in his neighbourhood, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, look up to him with equal affection and regard. No man was ever held in higher estimation by the aristocracy and gentry around him, and no man, perhaps, ever exercised the same influence over their feelings and opinions. His private worth, his known and deep attachment to religion, and the perfect confidence that all repose in his integrity, give him an influence which nothing else could give.

It is said, and, perhaps with truth, that he has the common fault of generous minds, an absence of suspicion, even where suspicion would be fully justified. Those who are conscious of perfect purity of intention in themselves, find it difficult to conceive opposite motives in others, and it often happens, that not even the experience of years can teach such a mind the lesson which, after all, is an essential one, not to give its confidence lightly to those who have an object in

gaining it. Where a generous disposition is united with a deep sense of religion, we believe this fault to be the most common.

The noble earl is said, by those who know him, to devote much of his time and his talents to the religious instruction of those about him. In his own house he acts each day as chaplain—or, rather, to recur to the patriarchial days —as priest at the altar of his own household, in a little chapel, where every one is permitted to join the household at family prayer. At Sunday-schools, too, and on such occasions, we have heard that he is in the habit of addressing his tenantry and neighbours upon religious subjects.

Of the personal appearance of Lord Roden, the sketch of our artist conveys a very adequate idea. He is considerably above the ordinary size, out-topping even very tall men by several inches, and his whole frame is proportioned to his height. The expression of his countenance is one of mingled dignity and benevolence; the forehead is good; and there is in his fine and large eye, a sober and chastened indication of feeling, which is in exact accordance with his character. Openness and candour are, perhaps, the prevailing character of the features. Good-humour mingled with something of a grave and serious sadness, as if solemn thoughts were now and then passing across his mind, without, however, interrupting the habitual benevolence of his disposition.

We believe the sketch is intended to represent the noble earl in the act of presenting the great Protestant petition in the House of Lords; this immense scroll lies before him. The genius of the artist has placed along with it a book -what it is, we cannot exactly say, unless it be meant to represent the Bible. What brings it there, we cannot tell, unless it is intended expressively to say, that in every act of his life, as the private individual and the peer, in private and in politics, he takes the precepts of the Bible as his guide.

His lordship is now in his 51st year. He is represented in the engraving as wearing the badge of the illustrious order of St. Patrick.

We have inadequately attempted to describe a man whose position and character are alike memorable in the history of our country. We feel fully how imperfect is our account; but, in the brief space assigned to this sketch, we have attempted to throw together hints, which, however poor and inaccurate, have been coloured neither by flattery nor its opposite, If our pencil has failed to delineate the character of the noble lord, it is not that it has been dipped in any false colours. Our estimate has been formed at a distance, and from imperfect observation; it has, however, been unbiassed by prejudice, except, indeed, that prejudice in which it would be no honour not to share the prejudice of an honest mind for virtue, of a Christian for religion, of a patriot for integrity, of a Protestant for the fearless and consistent advocate of the cause of pure Christianity in these realms.