The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-19
SOME NEW BOOKS.


hcr library work entitled The Irish Bar;
Comprising AaecdOtes. B0h M0ts. and BiOGroph-
icol Stttchcs Of he Bench and Bar Of hcirud by
G. l. BRoDERIcK OFLANAGAN, and most appro-
printcly dedicated to Baron Fitzgerald an old
and learned Judge Of the Irish Court Of Ex-
,heduer. but one into whose brain it would ro-
unire surgical operation TO introduce n ioKo.
Mr. OFhnagan. who holds a small place in one
Of the courts OF law in Dublin had previously,
in imitation Of Lord Campbell attempted to take
The lives Of tho Irish Ohanccllors. On the per-
pclration OF his crime it was wittily said in his
defence that bad books often made good reviews,
as bad wine makes good vinegar. We cannot
say Of his work. as Cicero did of u similar one.
that II SURPRISES the material" for the con-
ocpiion is better than the execution. and the
materials than the arrangement and style
There Is not fresh blossom on the baro old
trunk. Age, which brings wisdom 10 the philo-
sophie mind. has brought to Mr. O'Fanagan
simply senite garrullty. One-third of tho book
Is taken up with history OF his appoint
mcnt TO his little place and his correspond
enco on this question with his appointer
Mr. Henry Baldwin. n second -class lawyer
Tho remainder Of the book IL mado up Of old
Stories of n ploasantnoss in themselves which
neither age nor bad treatment can dim. but
most meanly served up. 1t was an act Of pre-
sumption in Mr.. OFlanagan to undertake n
Nl7h Nnltu nfNnfI HIS ihltNt'luh tuUuIt nor
his opportunities in Dublin society fitted him TO
nlh. The subject il laden with rich fruits. and
az we read we cannot help feeling how full Of
dclight might be a banquet ~ them II dressed
BY the muse Of such q man as the late Thomas
Francis Meagher, or as Richard OGorman. men
ofcloluence and wit themselves. and possessed
with u keen sense Of Irish eoquence and wit in
all its most delicate shades. As 1t il. the
best and brightest books on this themc are
the American edition Of " Shells Sketches Of
the Irish Bar edited by Dr. Shelton Mackcn-
1ic and enriched by him with notes Of remark
Rblo accuracy and Of an interest equal to tho
text: the similar Sketches" Of the lata Chief
Justice Whtcside Of the Irish Queens Bench;
and the 1.iio OF Grattan.' by his son, which.
though. like the author. full OF wild ecccn-
tricity and confusion. contains many in
terestinR anecdotes and pictures Of his
fathers contemporaries which possess the vir-
tue of being taken from his papers or
romembraneos Of his graphic conversation.
Mrs. Howard OF Corby Castle. who was at
tached for some time TO the Irish court has
MISC contributed some charming gossip In
journal edited for private circulation by her
son. Philip II. Howard. who was for many
years member for Carlisle In the British
Parliament. where he was known rs "Frill
Howard" from his constant carrying Of that
graceful but rather efIeminate parachute to the
shirt. He is uncle 10 Mr. Henry Howard. IN
attiche TO the British Legation in Mashington
married to the daughter OF Mr. George
Riggs. the banker Of that city. From these
works We shall draw freely but our principal
purpose Is TO disturb the dust which has COW
cred many anecdotes and brilliant bits Of
wit Of the time. long since published. and to
display some never before published. which
have been treasured. like precious old family
1.
ton Of a society which even yet claims the pres
tge Of being the gayest and wittlost in Europe.
The quarter Of century which immediately
preceded the rebellion Of '9S presents the most
nlustrious page In the history Of Ireland. IL
was rich in eloquence. and richer in wit Wit
ruled tho epoch. II had as in France about
the same period. eiaced all without destroying
anything. 1t had rendered authority mild I;
the Roman Catholic clergy. who were them
selves men OF wit and refined culture. mostly
educated at ST. Omer and Douay in France. aud
the universities Of Saragossa and Pampeluna
IN Spain. tolerant aud content; and the nobility
and gentry familiar. 1t had brought different
classes nearer to each other without coniound-
Ing them. How happy aud confident 10 man
in those times when revolutions as yet
infect only tho mind; when II s merely
Ideas and beliefs which change. and
change without causing suffering or pain.
II was an epoch. too. most satisfying to the yani-
ty OF Ireland-a vanity il felt in It's very veins.
The national Parliament was sitting in III full
splendor unsurpassed by any in It's wealth Of
eoquence and wit The chronicers OF the time
exhaust the vocabulary Of description la depict
lug the magniAcence Of the scenes which the
Old House Of Parliament ia College Green pre-
scented on great occasions. An English spr
itual peer, the Bishop Of Derry Tor the bishop
RIGS chiefly and the CHARACTERISTIC always
were then bestowed on INSTRUMENTATION
the trial Of "A peer, writes; never beheld a
sight 80 awful and majestic and dreAdtuy
beautiful in my life. and nothing was over per-
formed with such sOlcmnity. silence. aud dig
nifty before In any country. The finest room in
The world was filled with nobility and gentry
Of both sexes unequa.ed by any other In dig
nifty and beauty Of presence"
The pcerthen tried was found guilty Of murder
committed in ono ~ those debauchcs which dis
ngured the character OF nearly every man ofhirh
standing at the time Great sympathy WAS in
consequence expressed for him. aud great in
forest cAcrted to obtain a remission Of his sem
tencc. Tho Bishop Of Derry, who was among
tho most active in his behalf made tho point
that death had boon caused by tho nenlciencY Of
lho surgeon. George Bennett. who was Crown
Prosecutor Tor many years on the Munster Cir
suit. and whose name has found place
In history because he was the counsel
opposed 10 O'Connel in some Of the cee-
brltei cas- $ in which that giant Of advocates
obtained his trumphs -Crabba Robinson in his
diary dwclls with delight on the oasy strength
with which O'Connell used b seize aud Il AZ
Bennett down 10 a huge mastn might a cur
WAS fond Of raising laugh in court by asking a
medical witness in cases Of death: We'll, Doc
Tor. you attended the licensed" Il did"
And he died accordingly r But Lord SantrY's