memory; his mother used to sing the old Irish songs with wonderful sweetness and pathos. "From the one," we are told, "he gleaned his inexhaustible store of legendary lore, from the other that sympathy and innerness which have thrown a magic spell round the creations of his brilliant and fruitful fancy." He attended a hedge school, travelled as a "poor scholar," and fed his literary taste by reading all the books he could lay hands on. He was destined for the Catholic priesthood; but was prevented from entering it by his father's death and by some conscientious difficulties, that led, we are told, to his joining the Established Church. He gained some classical knowledge at the school of Dr. Keenan, a parish priest in the diocese of Down, and became tutor in a farmer's family in Louth. A perusal of Gil Bias roused within him the desire of seeing more of the world; and throwing up his situation, he found himself in Dublin with only a few pence in his pocket. Without any definite plan, he sought everywhere for employment, even of a bird-stuffer, of whose art he was obliged to confess complete ignorance. Driven to extremities, he contemplated enlisting, and addressed a Latin letter to the Colonel of a regiment, who dissuaded him from his intention, and gave him assistance. Chance threw him in the way of the Rev. Caesar Otway, who, recognizing his abilities, persuaded him to try authorship. He contributed a tale, "The Lough Derg Pilgrimage," to the Christian Examiner. This was favourably received, and soon by his writings and tutorship he attained a respectable position and married. When about thirty, Carleton published a collected edition of his Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, by far the most brilliant of his works. Fardarougha the Miser, his first novel, followed. The facility with which he wrote was exemplified in 1845 , when on the death of Thomas Davis, who was to have supplied Mr. Duffy with a number for his series of monthly publications, Carleton filled the gap on six days' notice with Paddy Go-easy. In the Black Prophet, a tale of the Famine, he has portrayed the Irish female character with matchless strength and pathos. The latter part of his life was clouded by poverty resulting from irregular habits. He enjoyed a Civil List pension of £200, and latterly lived at Woodville, Sandford, near Dublin, where he died, 30th January 1869, aged 70. He was buried at Mount Jerome. In his delineations of Irish peasant life he stands perhaps unrivalled. What he may have wanted in literary power was made up by that actual experience of the scenes and incidents he Writes about; and he was enabled to catch a certain raciness in the Irish character, since almost obliterated by famine, emigration, and by wider knowledge of the world, and book-learning. His later publications were in no degree equal to the Traits and Stories. His tales are spoken of in Blackwood as "Admirable truly, intensely Irish. Never were that wild, imaginative people better described; and amongst all the fun, frolic, and folly, there is no want of poetry, pathos, and passion." 16 233 241
Carmichael, Richard, an eminent surgeon, was born in Bishop-street, Dublin, 6th February 1779. After serving with the Wexford militia, and graduating at the College of Surgeons, he settled down in
1803 as a practitioner in his native city. He soon became distinguished by his researches concerning scrofula, cancer, and syphilis—tending considerably to lessen the use of mercury by the medical profession. He was more or less connected with all the medical and literary institutions of the city; and it was mainly through his exertions that in 1826 the Richmond (now the Carmichael) School of Medicine was founded. This institution he munificently aided during his lifetime, and endowed by will with £10,000. He also bequeathed £3,000 to the College of Surgeons, and £4,500 to the Medical Association of Ireland. Mr. Carmichael's published medical writings number about thirty-one. His honourable and useful career was brought to a melancholy close on 8th June 1849, in his 71st year. He was drowned while crossing on horseback Sutton strand, near Dublin, on his way to his marine residence at Howth. 39 115(9) 233
Caron, Redmond, a writer, was born in the County of Westmeath, near Athlone, about 1605. When sixteen he entered the Order of St. Francis. Eventually he retired to the Continent, and studied at Saltzburg, and at Lou vain, where he occupied the chair of theology. After some time he returned to Ireland as " Commissaiy-General of the Recollects." He sided with the Anglo-Catholic party, writing in favour of, and promoting the "Loyal Remonstrance." At one time, between the different factions, he would probably have lost his life but for the intervention of Lord Castlehaven; and during Cromwell's Irish campaign he thought it safer to visit England. Caron died in Dublin, in May 1666, and was buried in St. James's Churchyard. Ware enumerates seven works in Latin from his pen, and says: "He was esteemed a very pious and learned man, and of honest and loyal principles." 339
