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 especially distinguished himself in philosophy and Hebrew. When but fourteen he received the tonsure. The Revolution obliged him to take refuge with his relatives at Toulouse, where his foreign birth enabled him to escape proscription, and he occupied his time in incessant study. The loss of a sister decided him to seek ordination as a priest, at Chambery, 19th June 1814. This step he had put off for twenty years, principally from ill-health, and a fear that he was not competent for the office. His mind was so richly stored with well-arranged materials, that he acquired the power of speaking on almost any subject upon short preparation; it is said that he was able to arrange a sermon in his passage from the sacristy to the pulpit. His oratorical powers were something remarkable, and he would have been made Bishop of Montauban in 1818, but for his sudden determination to enter the Society of Jesus. His appeals for charitable institutions were as effective as those of his fellow-countryman, Dean Kirwan—persons who had neglected to bring money, laid watches, jewellery, or notes of hand for large amounts on the collection plate. After the Revolution of July 1830, Abbe MacCarthy retired to Italy, where most of his latter days were spent. He died of fever, at Annecy, 3rd May 1833, aged 63. In consequence of his insuperable aversion to writing, few of his sermons have been preserved. 

McClure, Sir Robert John Le Mesurier, Rear Admiral, K.C.B., was born in Wexford, 28th January 1807. His father having been killed in the naval service, Robert was brought up by his guardian, General Le Mesurier. At twelve he was sent to Sandhurst, but not fancying a military life, he ran away to France with three of his comrades. His guardian, respecting his preferences, induced him to return, and entered him in the navy as a midshipman. He sailed first in Nelson's Victory. After several years' service in American and Indian waters, he in 1836 volunteered to join the Arctic exploring expedition under Captain Back. On his return he was made Lieutenant of the Hastings, was employed as Superintendent of Quebec Dockyard, and saw some service during the Canadian rebellion. From 1842 to 1846 he commanded the Romney at the Havannah, and in 1847 served in the coast guard. When it was determined to send an expedition under Sir James Ross in search of Sir John Franklin in 1848, McClure volunteered, and was appointed First Lieutenant of the Enterprise. On the return of this expedition in the following year, it was decided to send out another—not only with the hope of relieving Sir John Franklin, but of discovering the North-west passage. Accordingly the Enterprise, under Captain Collinson, and the Investigator, under Commander McClure, were equipped. These clumsy little vessels of about 400 tons register sailed for Behring's Straits, by Cape Horn, on 20th January 1850. They were parted almost immediately, and only once met again, in the Straits of Magellan, in April. In July the Investigator reached Honolulu, and stopped for a few days to refresh the crew. Entering Behring's Straits, McClure rounded the north-west point of America, and steering between the ice and the land, discovered Prince of Wales Strait. There the vessel was frozen up on 12th September 1850. Exploring parties were pushed forward, and on 26th October, McClure ascertained that Prince of Wales Strait opened into Melville Sound, and that no land intervened between them and Melville Island, thereby proving the existence of the North-west passage. In spring, sledge parties were sent in different directions in search of the missing voyagers. On 17th July 1851 the Investigator, clear of ice, sailed southwards, and rounded Banks Land to the north. On 24th September she was again frozen up in the Bay of Mercy, in 74° north latitude and 118° west longitude. During the winter the crew were fortunately able to supplement their provisions, rapidly running short, with numbers of deer and hares. The summer of 1852 did not release them, and the third winter (1852–'3) found them in the same position, on short rations, and with scurvy making rapid progress among the ship's company. On the 6th April 1853 every preparation had been made for sending off the sick in sledges, in the almost forlorn hope of reaching white settlements, while McClure and the rest remained by the ship, when they were unexpectedly relieved by a sledge party from the Resolute and Intrepid, under Captain Kellett, which had wintered at Melville Island. McClure and his companions had been nearly three years without seeing white faces, except those of their own party. Captain McClure was still anxious to stop by his vessel and save her if possible; but a medical inquiry into the state of the crew, held by the surgeons of Kellett's expedition, placed it out of the question, and the Investigator was abandoned, 3rd June 1853, her crew being received into the Resolute and Intrepid. The summer enabled them to reach only as far as 101° west longitude in Melville Sound, where they were obliged to spend 305