Memoirs of the Legal, Literary, and Political Life of the Late the Right Honourable John Philpot Curran, Once Master of the Rolls in Ireland; Comprising Copious Anecdotes of His Wit and Humour and a Selection of His Poetry. Interspersed with Occasional B (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1817 Excerpt: ... was but inferior to himself. Without these adventitious aids in his study, he became, comparatively with himself, tame and languid; and though his poetry affords some proofs of taste and marks of genius, it is feared his immortality must rest on some more solid basis. It was in conversation when he was properly in his own climate; when in high tone, and harmonised by fit accompaniments, that he " discoursed most excellent music." Often happiest when his subject was gravest, or when letters, men, taste, past, or passing events were touched. On these topics he entered with a curious felicity, so as to swell the listener's mind to participate in the proud consciousness of human superiority, of which he could be scarcely apprized till he heard him. And whether he courted the mournful muse, or were his even the sallies of gaiety and mirth, such was the sombre of his pencil, or such the playfulness and airiness of his imagery; and so surprising were the rapid transitions to the most exquisite comedy, that days and nights passed thus with him were truly in his own phrase (on some other occasion) " the refections of the gods." His quotations, though frequent, were never pedantic: he melted down the classic sentiment, and it became more pure, and you felt the allusion or illustration in all the freshness of its original force.: It was on these occasions his soul resembled a finely-toned instrument, which a rude or clumsy touch flung into disorder: it was the harp which played to the zephyr, and whose wildest were its sweetest notes To make a comparison with the ancients, --to presume to say that modern wit or oratory equalled or surpassed that of Athens or of Rome, would be beyond the purpose of this narrative. To assert that all which Congreve wrote, --which Sheridan...