Fitzpatrick, in Capel-street; but Mr. O'Connoll attended, and expressed his determination never to relinquish the great object, of which the attainment has given him an everlasting renown. The speeches of Mr. O'Connell were distinguished by that combination of eloquence and of reasoning in which he is unequalled; while the declamations of Mr. Sheil were calculated to inflame the public mind. His harangues were regarded in England as characterised by many of the faults of what is called "Irish eloquence;" but Mr. Sheil's speeches in the Catholic Association bear a much closer resemblance to the oratory of the French Revolution, which, however hyperbolical, was of a very exciting quality. His early familiarity with the French language, and his constant perusal of the most eminent French writers, had influenced his style, and contributed perhaps to create a certain mannerism in his composition. In the order of his delivery, and the vehemence with which he invited his countrymen to combine for the enfranchisement of Ireland, his exaggerations were overlooked; he became exceedingly popular, and was accounted one of the most efficient of the men by whom Mr. O'Connell was aided in his great achievement. Such, indeed, was the impres sion produced by Mr. Sheil, that he was selected in 1825, conjointly with Mr. O'Connell, to attend at the bar of the House o. Commons, to plead against the Bill for the suppression of the Catholic Association. Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Sheil, together with other deputies, proceeded to London, and heard the remarkable debate which took place in the House of Commons regarding the right of the Catholic Association to be heard by their Counsel, of which Mr. Sheil wrote an account. He thus de scribes the effect of an encounter between Mr. Brougham and Mr. Peel. "The latter," he says, "could not resist the tempta"tion of dragging Hamilton Rowan into the debate—a man "whose white hair should hide his imperfections. Putting aside all consideration of any want of generosity in the selection o "such a topic, it must be acknowledged that he pronounced a " severe invective with great and very successful force. He be 46 came heated with victory, and cheered as he was with vehement 'reiteration by his heated multitudinous partizans, he turned suddenly towards that part of the house where the deputies were "seated, and looking triumphantly at Mr. O'Connell, with whon, "he forgot for an instant that he had been, when Secretary for * Ireland, involved in a personal quarrel, shook his hand with * scornful exultation, and asked whether the house required any better evidence of the real character of the Association that .. 61 We their address tcan attainted traitor.' The effect in oratory "was powerful, and, but for the want of moral dignity, I should say that the whole passage was very finely executed. quailed for a moment under the consciousness of discomfiture. "But the success of Mr. Peel was transitory. Mr. Brougham "was supplied with several facts of great importance on the in"stant, and inflicted on Mr. Peel a terrible retribution. Hɛ "shewed that the government had granted to Hamilton Rowa a complete amnesty, and reproached Mr. Peel with his want o noble-mindedness in opening a wound which had been closea so long, and in turning the misfortunes of an honourable man, 'after the lapse of so much time, into a rhetorical resource He got hold of the good feeling of the house-their virtuous "emotions, and the good feelings which the spirit of party can"not entirely suppress, were at once marshalled upon his side. "Conscious of his advantage, he rushed on his antagonist with "an irresistible impetuosity, and laid him prostrate. The noblest "qualities of his eloquence were displayed by him-fierce sarcasm, indignant denunciation, exalted sentiment, and solemn, "but most ardent elocution. He brought his powerful memory "to his aid, and sustained his defence of Hamilton Rowan by a "most apposite quotation from Cicero, in which the orator ex"tenuates the errors of those who were engaged in Pompey's "cause." .. 66 46 The deputies were received in London with great cordiality by the leaders of the Whig party. Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Sheil dined at Mr. Brougham's house. There were four Dukes at table. Mr. O'Connell sat between the Dukes of Devonshire and Leinster. The deputies dined at several other houses where they were magnificently entertained. Mr. Sheil says: "I had now become more habituated to the display of patrician opulence; I saw the exhibition of its gorgeousness without surprise; yet, I acknowledge that at Norfolk House, where the Duke did M. "O'Connell, Lord Killeen, myself and others, the honor to invite "us, and brought together an assemblage of men of the highest **rank in England, I was dazzled with the splendour of an entertainment to which I had seen nothing to be compared. Norfolk House is one of the finest in London. It was occupied at one period by members of the royal family, and the Duke mentioned that George the Third was born in the room in which we dined. I passed through a long series of magnificent apart"ments in crimson and gold. There was no giare of excessive light in this vast mansion. The massive lamps suspended 66 66 66 "from the embossed and gilded ceilings, diffused a chequered "illumination, and left the deep distance in the dusk. The "transition to the chamber where the company were assembled "and which was glaring with light, presented a brilliant con "trast. Among the guests were the Dukes of Sussex, Devon "shire, and Leinster; Lords Grey, Fitzwilliam, Shrewsbury Donoughmore, Stourton, Clifford, Arundel, Sir Francis Burdett, Mr. Butler of Lincoln's Inn, Mr. Abercrombie, and Mr. "Denman were also there. The Duke of Norfolk came forwar "to meet us, and received us in the most cordial manner. Lora "Fitzwilliam was the person with whom I was most disposed to "be pleased. It was impossible to look on this nobleman of the "olden stamp, without a feeling of affectionate admiration. His 66 warm love of Ireland lives under the ashes of age, and requires "to be but stirred to emit its former fire. Speak to him of Ire“land, and through the dimness of his eyes a sudden illumina"tion sheds forth. He reverted with a Nestorian pride to the period of his own government, and stated that he had preserved "the addresses presented to him by the Catholics of Ireland as "the best memorials of his life: that he would live long enough "to witness their emancipation seemed to be the wish nearest to "his heart. It does one good: it is useful in a moral view to "approach a nobleman like Lord Fitzwilliam, and to feel that "there are politicians, animated by a disinterested solicitude for "the benefit of mankind. Lord Grey was, I have mentioned, "there he was silent and reserved. There is something uncom"promising, and even stern in his aspect. He has a tone of "sadness which a placeman would interpret into discontent, but "his expression is not atrabilious or morose. He has survived “the death, and, let me add, the virtue of several illustrious men, and looks like the solitary column of a fabric, which he "had long sustained, and which fell at last, and is strewed in "ruin round him." 66 It will be seen that Mr. Sheil, some years after this interview saw Lord Grey in a different position and in a very different light. The deputation to London was not attended with success: at one moment Lord Liverpool is supposed to have hesitated, and in order to counteract the impression that he had given way delivered what was called his "ether speech." He was in the habit of taking ether on important occasions, and in declaring that his mind was unaltered, used a larger dose than usual, t which some of his vehemence was ascribed; others attributed i his communication with the Duke of York, who took his oath n the House of Lords, that he never would consent to Catholic Emancipation, in the event of his succession to the throne. That celebrated invocation was afterwards the cause of Mr. Sheil's committing what he had reason to regard as worse than n ordinary mistake. Great indignation was naturally produced in the entire Catholic body; and in that sentiment Mr. Sheil largely shared. On his return to Ireland, he took at the Catholic Association a bolder and a more denunciatory tone; but he did not, in the first instance, employ any expressions which the outrage offered to the Catholics of Ireland did not fully warrant. Having, however, attended at a public dinner at Mullingar, and the health of the Duke of York having been proposed, exasperated by what he regarded as a most unworthy proceeding in a Roman Catholic assembly, he gave utterance to phrases, as unjustifiable as Canning's unfortunate alliteration, "The revered and ruptured Ogden." Mr. Sheil's fierce assault on the Duke of York was very prejudicial to himself, but it afforded a strong evidence of the violent resentment which the conduct of the Duke of York had created in Ireland, and was, so far, of public use. When, however, the death of the Duke was hourly expected, Mr. Sheil made a speech at the Association, in which he expressed his sorrow that he had been betrayed into the use of language so reprehensible as that which he had employed: "My 'soul," he exclaimed, in the language of the Lamentations, "was "filled with bitterness, and I was drunk with wormwood. But, 66 แ now that we hear that a Prince is dying, and expect every in"stant that a voice will come upon us, to tell that a Prince is "dead"-now that death, who, while he levels the great, subdues "the animosities of the humble, and while he resolves the hearts "of princes into dust, softens the hearts of the lowly into com"miseration-now that the bell of that lofty temple that towers over the great city, and whose knell is reserved for royalty, has begun to toll...... ..It is not with affectation that I speak, "when I declare, that so far from experiencing any feeling of truculent hilarity, every emotion of anger, every vindictive "and acrimonious sentiment passes away, and the passions by "which I confess that I was recently actuated, expire within me. "It is right that the offence which the Duke of York committed against our country should be committed to forgetfulness. In"deed it is almost unnecessary to express a desire, which the "natural oblivion, that must befal the greatest as well as the "humblest of mankind, cannot fail to accomplish. In a month "hence the Duke of York will be forgotten. The pomp of death 66 66 " will for a few nights fill the gilded apartments in which his body will lie in state. The artist will endeavour to avert that decay to which even princes are doomed, and embalm him with odours, which may resist the cadaverous scent for a while. He * will be laid in a winding sheet fringed with silver and with gold "—he will be enclosed in spicy wood, and his illustrious descent "and withered hopes will be inscribed upon his glittering coffin "The bell of St. Paul's will toll, and London-rich, luxurious, "Babylonic London-will start at the recollection that even 'kings must die. The day of his solemn obsequies will arrive— "the gorgeous procession will go forth in its funereal glory-the "ancient chapel of Windsor Castle will be thrown open, and its "aisle will be thronged with the array of kindred Royalty—the "emblazoned windows will be illuminated-the notes of holy 'melody will arise—the beautiful service of the dead will be re"peated by the heads of the Church, of which he will be the "cold and senseless champion-the vaults of the dead will be "unclosed-the nobles, and the ladies, and the High Priests of "the land, will look down into those deep depositories of the "ambition and the vanities of the world. They will behold the "heir to a great empire taking possession, not of the palace, "which was raised at such an enormous and unavailing cost, "but of that 'house which lasts till doomsday.' The coffin will go sadly and slowly down; its ponderous mass will strike on "the remains of its regal kindred; the chant will be resumed, a "moment's awful pause will take place the marble vault, of "which none but the Archangel shall disturb the slumbers, will "be closed-the songs of death will cease-the procession will "wind through the aisles again, and restore them to their lone"liness. The torches will fade again in the open daylight-the "multitude of the great will gradually disperse; they will roll "back in their gilded chariots, into the din and tumult of the "great metropolis; the business, and the pursuits, and the frivo"lities of life will be resumed, and the heir to the three kingdoms "will be in a week forgotten. We, too, shall forget; but let us, before we forget, forgive him!" Mr. Sheil proceeded to expatiate upon the circumstances to extenuation, which ought ever, in the mind of an Irish Catholic, to be taken into account in extenuating the extent of the great fault committed by the Duke of York, in calling God to witness that he would never assent to the enfranchisement of the Irish people. The apology however, if apology it could be called, did not abate the feeling of deep resentment which had been |