Thefe fix pieces have been publifhed in a volume, under the title of "Mifcellaneous Tracts;" and it has reached a third, if not a fourth edition. It is dedicated to the "Monks of St. Patrick," a fociety of refpectable men in Ireland, who affociated for the fupport of the conftitution of their country.

In addition to the literary labours already alluded to, an excellent pamphlet publifhed in 1786, and entitled "A Review of fome interefting Periods in the Irish History," is alfo attributed to him; and Mr. Pratt has drawn his character in a very mafterly manner, in his late novel called "Family Secrets," one volume of which is infcribed to the Doctor.

Father O'Leary, as he is familiarly called, and who is faid to have received a penfion from government for his public fervices, has lately printed a fermon on the present fituation of affairs, which was originally preached at St. Patrick's chapel.

BARRY, LORD YELVERTON

CHIEF BARON OF THE EXCHEQUER IN IRELAND.

LIKE many other of those men whofe talents and virtues have raised them in Ireland to the higheft places in the law, Chief Baron Yelverton owes nothing to illuftrious birth, to family connexions, or to wealth accumulated by his ancestors. If report be true (and it is highly honoura→ ble to him), his lordship's immediate progenitor was nothing more than a dealer in wool, in the neighbourhood of Clonmell, far from affluent in point of circumstances, and

unable

unable to do more for Barry, his fon, than to give him the rudiments of a claffical education, which enabled him to enter the university of Dublin, as a fizer, a defcription of ftudents accustomed to receive both tuition and commons free of expence. At the ufual time he obtained a scholarhip, a reward given in that university to distinguished merit, and to which befides honourable rank, certain emoluments are annexed, in addition to board, not exceeding, however, on the whole, 20% per annum.

Mr. Yelverton, before the expiration of his scholarship, determined on the law as his profeffion; but to acquire knowledge in it, and afterwards to be called to the bar, requires," a portion of this world's wealth," which unluckily his finances were unable to afford.

His marriage, fhortly after, with a young lady poffeffed of three or four hundred pounds, removed this embarrassment, and enabled him, with fome literary exertions of his own, to keep his terms in London, and obtain his call to the Irifh bar in 1764. When he became a barrifter, he Occupied lodgings in Effex-ftreet, a part of the town which ftill continues to be unfashionable. Here he remain. ed for fome time, and proved, in his own cafe, that even first-rate legal talents may lie long in obfcurity. The industry and ability of Mr. Yelverton, however, did at last work their way, but many years elapfed between his affumption of a wig and gown, and his becoming a character known to the public in any other way than as a professional man, labouring fuccefsfully for his client and his fee.

We do not, indeed, hear of him in a public capacity, until the occurrence of that important crifis, when the calamities of the country urged its friends to ftruggle with the then weakened power of Great Britain, and to obtain for Ireland an enlargement of commercial privileges, and shortly afterwards the establishment of legiflative indepen

dence

dence. Mr. Yelverton, who had now got into parliament, co-operated with the other patriots of the day in the purfuit of these objects, and was confpicuous for the energy and boldness of his exertions. When they were once attained, he not only ceased to lend his talents to the popular party, but, on the contrary, he opposed them, ranged himself on the fide of the court, and refifted every attempt to attain reform in the representation by means of the vo→ lunteer affociations.

In 1782, he had been raised to the important and confidential place of Attorney-general; and he acquitted himself in that fituation with fuch unremitting zeal, in counteracting the attempts of the volunteers, and labouring for their difperfion, as effectually recommended him to the favour of government. The beneficial effects refulting from this conduct were foon apparent, for in 1784 he was raised to the bench, as Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

His elevation, though generally confidered as a reward for his political fervices, was yet not unwelcome to the public, which could recognise, even in the unpopular senator, the learning, the talents, and the profeffional integrity of a great lawyer. Removed from the Houfe of Commons to the bench, and yet not raised to the peerage, his opportunities of rendering political services to the adminiftration were now greatly leffened. The confequence was, that, either relaxing in his zeal from want of occafion to exert it, or finding its fervour cooled by not being raised to a title, like his competitor Scott, who was created Baron Earlsfort in 1784, his politics appeared to be neutraJifed, until, in 1789, he declared himself a decided friend to the party which afferted the right of Ireland to choofe her own regent, and accordingly proffered that office to the Prince of Wales. Notwithstanding this, he was created Lord Yelverton, Baron of Avonmore, in the county of Cork, June 16, 1795.

No

No man poffeffès a higher character in private life than Lord Yelverton. 'Simple and unaffuming in his manners, with a goodness of heart which fraud and cunning but too often make the dupe of their artifices, he is beloved by all, and impofed on, even in the most trivial occurrences of life, by many. Though enjoying a strength and comprehenfion of intellect fitted to direct and to enlighten senates, he may be governed, mifled, or baffled, by the moft fhallow of his domeftics. Of the convivial glass no man is more fond, and yet flander has not charged him with intempeHis lordship loves, and, without the leaft inconvenience to his intellects, can bear a confiderable quantity of the enlivening grape.

rance.

As a public fpeaker, his leading characteristic is STRENGTH. His voice, full, deep, and fonorous, added to a pronunciation flow and folemn, gives great weight to what is dictated by a mind well stored with legal and general knowlege; by an understanding capable of arranging in the most judicious manner, the excellent materials which it poffeffes; and by a fancy not deftitute of the powers of embellishment. His manner is annimated, impreffive, and almost overbearing. Of quick conception and feelings; often irritable, and apt to be roused to indignation by every appearance of oppreffion or of fraud, his lordship appears to display all the fenfations of a good man. But on the bench, he feems, perhaps, to poffefs too little of that stoical apathy, which is fo effential to the afcertainment of guilt or innocence; a eaufe is no fooner opened, than he catches, or fuppofes he catches, fufficient to guide his decifion; and every attempt which the pleader afterwards makes to remove this first impreffion, his lordship ftrenuously refifts as an unworthy endeavour to impofe on his understanding, and to throw the veil of eloquence around truth and juftice. This fault excepted, and to which Lord Mansfield

himfelf

himself was but too prone, Lord Yelverton is allowed to be an excellent judge, of inflexible integrity, and extenfive legal learning.

RIGHT HONOURABLE ISAAC CORRY

THIS gentleman is the son of a reputable, but not very wealthy, merchant of the town of Newry, in the county of Down. A confiderable fhew of talents, and great profeflions of independent and steady patriótism, rendered him in early life a favourite with the public; while easy, polished manners, added to an engaging perfon, procured him the friendship of his townfmen, who became his con ftituents in 1778.

Mr. Corry was bred to the law, and was actually called to the bar in the year 1779, a very remarkable period in the hiftory of Ireland. Soon difgufted, either with the labours of the profeffion, or the ill fuccefs with which thofe labours were attended, he threw away his bag, which had never been over-charged with briefs, and devoted himfelf exclufively to political purfuits.

It was not long before Mr. Corry became one of the moft warm and animated members of oppofition. His induftry, which applied itself to every subject that emerged in the courfe of parliamentary bufinefs, but para ticularly to the calculations of revenue and finance; his fluency in debate, the correctnefs and animation of his language, accompanied with a very fuccefsful difplay of apparent modefty, rendered him not only a fhewy, but am ufeful partifan.

For