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 scholarship, a reward given in that Univerfity to diftinguifhed merit, and to which, befides honourable rank, certain emoluments are annexed, in addition to board, not excceding, however, on the whole, 20l. per annum.

Mr. Yelverton, before the expiration of his fcholarfhip, determined on the law as his profeffion; but to acquire knowledge therein, 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 embarraffinent, and enabled him, with fome literary exertions of his own, to keep his Terms in London, and obtain his call to the Irish Bar in 1764. When he became a barrifter, he occupied very obfcure lodgings in Effex-fireet, a part of the town which ftill continues to be unfashionable. Here he remained for fome time, and proved, in his own cafe, that even first-rate legal talents may lie long in obfcurity. The indufiry and ability of Mr. Yelverton, however, did at laft work their way; but many years clapfed between his affumption of a wig and gown, and his becoming a character known to the public in any other way than as a profeffional man, labouring fucceffully for his client and his fee.

We

We do not, indeed, hear of him in a public capacity, until the occurrence of that important crisis, 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 fhortly afterwards the establishment of a legiflative independence. Mr.

Yelverton, who had now got into * parliament, cooperated with the other patriots of the day in the pursuit of these objects, and was confpicuous for the energy and boldness of his exertions. When they were once attained, he not only ceafed to lend his talents to the popular party, but, on the contrary, he oppofed them, ranged himfelf on the fide of the Court, and refified every attempt to attain reform in the reprefentation by means of the volunteer affociations.

In 1782, he had been appointed by the Portland Adminiftration to fucceed Mr. Scott, who was dif miffed from the important and confidential place of Attorney-general, and he acquitted himself in that situation, under the fuccceding Administration, 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 to himself from this conduct were foon apparent, for in 1784, he was raised to the bench, as Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

He was returned a member of that memorable Parliament which was called in 1776.

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 fenator, the learning, the talents, and the profeffional integrity of a great lawyer. Removed from the House of Commons to the Bench, and yet not raised to the Peerage, his opportunities of rendering political services to the Administration 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 of Earlsfort in 1784, his politics appeared to be neutralised, until, in 1789, he declared himself a decided friend to the party which afferted the right of Ireland to choose her own regent, and accordingly proffered that office to the Prince of Wales. This, however, was forgotten, and he was created Baron Yelverton, of Avonmore, in the county of Cork, June 16, 1795.

No man poffèffes 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 fenates, he may be governed, mifled, or baffled by the most shallow of his domeftics. Of the convivial glafs no man is more fond, and yet flander has not charged him with intemperance.

temperance. His lordship loves, and, without the leaft inconvenience to his intellects, can bear a confiderable quantity of the enlivening grape.

STRENGTH.

As a public speaker, his leading characteristic is His voice full, deep, and fonorous, added to a pronunciation flow and folemn, gives great weight to what is dictated by a mind well ftored with legal and general knowledge; by an understanding capable of arranging, in the moft judicious manner, the excellent materials which it poffeffes; and by a fancy not deftitute of the powers of embellishment. His manner is animated, impreffive, and almoft 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 difplay all the fenfations of a good man. But on the Bench, he feems, perhaps, to poffefs too little of that ftoical apathy, which is fo effential to the ascertainment of guilt or innocence : a caufe 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 firft 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 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 fon 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 profeffions of independent and steady patriotism, rendered him in early life a favourite with the public; while eafy, polifhed manners, added to an engaging perfon, procured him the friendship of his townfmen, who, in 1776, became his confti

tuents.

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 overcharged with briefs, and became an adventurer in the field of politics.

He was not long feated in the House of Commons, when he became one of the moft warm and animated members of the then oppofition. His industry, which applied itself to every fubject that emerged in the courfe of parliamentary bufinefs, but particularly to the calculations of revenue and finance; his fluency in debate, the correctnefs and animation of his language, accompanied with a very fuccessful difplay of apparent modefty, rendered him not only a fhewy, but an ufeful partifan.·

For fome years Mr. Corry devoted himself to the popular caufe; he fcrutinized every minifterial mea

fure,