FORBES. 151 In regard to the eloquence of Mr. Flood, we conceive the altercation and vindication of his political life, pre cludes the necessity of characterising it by the epithets usually made use of on such occasions. His wit, sarcasm, and classicallusions, were in general most happily applied; and the following illustration, we think, may fairly set criticism at defiance. When a certain English secretary was assailed by many pointed questions put to him by the leaders of opposition, he at length rose, and looking most ruefully on an empty bench behind him, where his assistants usually sat, be sought his antagonists not to urge the matter further, “for the gentlemen who usually answered questions were not yet come.” “In ancient times, (replied Flood,) the oak of Dodona spoke for itself; but the wooden oracle of our day, is content to deliver i t s responses b y deputy.” ARTHUR FORBES, First Earl o f Ghanand, was the only son o f S i r Ar thur Forbes, o f Castle Forbes, i n the county o f Longford, and was born i n the year 1623. “He was,” we are told, “a person o f great interest i n the province o f Ulster,” was during the Rebellion a n officer o f horse, and being zealously attached t o the royal cause, was a commander i n the northern parts o f Scot land, for King Charles II. “which,” Sir Philip Warwick says, “some time after Worcester fight, cost the English some pains and marches, because the commanders were choice men, such a s the Lord Glencairn, Sir Arthur Forbes, and Middleton; yet Monck a t length defeated them, and the very isles o f Orkney, the Hebrides, and Shetland, were reduced.” After this h e returned t o his native country, and when the Restoration was concerted between Lord Broghill and Sir Charles Coote, h e was sent t o Brussels by the latter, t o assure his majesty, that i f h e would come into Ireland, the whole kingdom would declare for him; but the king being well aware, that Ireland must b e guided
