The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-02-18
ally to his literary labors, and having
spent some time in the Record office Of

q
which were sold all over the British Isles
It contained the life and adventures o
Francis Higgins, who was perhaps one o1
the most remarkable scoundr. lis Of any
age or country. Born in Dublin, be be.
gan life as an errand boy, shoeblack and
waiter in a porter house AT Or some
years he secured the post of clerk in an
attorneys Office, and by the aid of an oily
tongue won the heart, hand and sor,une
Of tie daughter of Mr.. Archer, one OF
Dublin's wealthiest merchants, who had
no obi sction to the match, as his son-in-
Law represented himselt as gentleman
Of property in U ster. When Archer
discovered that Higgins was only poor
devil of scrivener, he criminafly prose
cuted him for fraud, and in the course Of
| the hearing of the cass the presiding
Judge referred to the prisoner as "thie
| sham SQUIRE Higgins, however, thanks
| to his characteristic audacity, entered on
career of remarkable prosperity. He
became proprietor of the Freeman's
Journal, mixed in the best society, and
amaased considerable fortune not
only in journalism, but by his odious be-
trayal of Lord Edward Fitzgerald and
his associates. By curious irony OF
fate, he left this blood money to the
poor and to charities. He died with
popular execration on his head, but his
evil deeds were quite forgotten years at.
terward, until Mr.. Fitzpatrick unearthed
his shiny record and gave it unvarnished
to the public.
Among the other volumes that sue
ceeded each other more or less rapidly
from. Mr.. Fi5zpatrick's facile pen, 1 may
mention ..The Life of DR.. Doyle" the
we'll known s;J X. L." of the Irish news
papers Of the opening decades of this
century, and Catholic bishop of Kildare
and Leighlin; a 'Memoir of DR.. Whately,
the Protestant Archbishop OF Dublin;
"Curious Family History; or, Ireland
Befoke the Union,'' which was 9 sequel
| to the Sham Svnire;' 'Irish Wits: and
Worthless containing sketches OF DIR.
Laniean and other interesting Irish cele-
britiee of bygone times; q "Life ofCharles
Lever" the novelist, and another OF
Father Tom Burke, the famous Irish
| Dominican preacher. In 1888 Mr.. Fitz-
| patrick wrote and published ''The Cor
r.spondence and Memoir OF Daniel
OConnell," and in 1892 ''Secret Service
Under Pitt" of whith I will have occa-
sion to speak later On in this paper.
Such, in word, is the baggage litteraire
! which this prolific writer has contributed
to Irish history and bio raphy.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick's literary successes
have won him several distinguished
honors. His Holiness, Leo Kill, was SO
we'll pleased with his volume ON Daniel
O'Connell that he conferred few years
400 on the author the Grand Cross OF 9
knight of St. Gregory the Great. He le
moreover, member of various Learned
societies, such as the Royal Dublin so
ciety. He is also Professor Of History IN
the Hibernian Academy of Arts-a post
once held by the late DR.. Petrle.
Mr.. Fltzpatrick's latest volume, 'secret
Service Under Pitt" is large 400 page
! (book, published by Longmane' Green 4
Co., Of London and New York. 1t is
perhaps, the most valuable contribution
to Irish historical literature that has ap-
neared for the past twenty years. he
has spent years of the most assiduous
toll over the work, ransacking the secret
records of Dublin Castle for the valuable
material which he has been enabled to
nraaent to the public in these interesting
pages; He throws much lurid light on
the infs1nx >of the informers OF w. and
makes many important revelations con-
oa,n;no these ecoundrels. Readers OF
the book will find considerable amount
of spicy matter on Turner, one OF Lord
Edward Fitzgerald's betrayers; on Phil
Inns. the sacerdotal spy; on Leonard Nc
Na1ly. Armstrong, Reynolds and several
thers whose sinister portraits are
sketched by an impartial but a deservedly
nitiless hand. Very interesting sketches
of Fathers O'Coigly and O'Leary. Nap
mar Tandy and the Sheares brothers are
alao p;yen and contribute to render the
ro,ume quite a standard book of infor-
nation on the lives ard characters OF
most of the prominent lrishmen who
we're connected directly OF indirectly
With the revolutionary movement OF 70
Mr.. Fitzpatrick merits. and should re.
ca;ye the thanks Of all lovers OF Irish
literature for this his latest and, be-
lieye. his best portrayal of the lights and
shades, the triumphs and sorrows OF that
sad but glorious epoch OF Ireland's his
tory.
Cardinal Gibbons recently said he did
not care to see Church and State n thu
1 tEE.EFE n. kf4H