Page:A Compendium of Irish Biography.djvu/451

OUL The Athenceum says: " He was the centre' of the young literature of the Irish capital, and he laboured to prevent its assuming that sectarian character in the hands of others which unfortunately was too mani- fest in his own." Mr. Otway died 16th March 1842, aged about 63. His porti-ait will be found in the University Magazine for October 1839.

Otilton, Walley Chamberlain, the author of some twenty-three pieces, chiefly dramatic, published between 1784 and 1 8 17, was a native of Dublin. His most important writing were,: A History of the Theatres of London, 2 vols. (1796), and The Traveller's Ouide, or English Itine- rary, 2 vols. (1805). Little is known con- cerning his life : he appears to have been living in 1820. We are told that "his miscellaneous writings enjoyed consider- able repute during a reasonable period of popularity; and on the whole we must repute him to have been a man of taste, judgment, and extensive reading,"

Ouseley, Gideon, a distinguished Methodist preacher, was born at Dunmore, in the County of Galway, 24th February 1762. He was second cousin of Sir Gore and Sir William Ouseley, and received much of his education in their company. At first intended for the Church, he was eventually settled by his father on an ex- tensive farm; he married early, and threw himself into the rollicking Life of a Con- naught squireen. In May 1791, through the ministi-ations of some Methodist soldiers of the 4th Dragoon Guards at Dunmore, he was converted (much to the amazement of his old associates, and greatly to the joy of his devoted wife). He entered on a career of incessant itinerary preach- ing, terminated only by his death at an advanced age. Having a perfect command of the Irish language, he preached for the most part in the west and south ; but indeed there was scarcely a barony in Ire- land in which he did not make converts to Methodism. Charles Graham, William Hamilton, and John Neilson were among his earlier fellow-labourers. Travelling on horseback, they preached in season and out of season — at fairs and markets; in barns and private houses; to workmen in the fields, at the loom, and the scutch-mill. They endured with unfailing good temper and serenity bufietings and insults, stone- throwing, and derision: at times they drew audiences by singing hymns to old Irish tunes. Mr. Ouseley died in Dublin, 14th May 1839, aged 77, and was buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery. His widow survived him fourteen years. [His younger

brother, Sir Ralph, distinguished himself under Lake and Wellington, became a major-general in the army of Portugal, and besides being a British knight, bore four foreign orders and eight medals. He died at Lisbon in 1842, and was buried with his brother in Mount Jerome.] The Life of Gideon Ouseley, by William Arthur, from which these particulars are taken, contains much interesting matter illustra- tive of the condition of Ireland between 1762 and 1839.

Ouseley, Sir Gore, Bart., diplomatist, was born in Limerick, 24th June 1770. Early in 1787 he visited the United States, and proceeded thence to China and the East Indies, where his amiable manners, abilities, and accomplishments secured him a situation and rapid advancement. He was created a baronet in 1808. In 1810 he was sent as Ambassador Extraordinary to Persia. At Shiraz, in 181 i-'i2, he pro- tected Henry Martyn, the missionary, who had gone to Persia to revise and complete his Persian translation of the New Testa- ment. He was decorated by the Emperor of Russia in 18 19, for his successful eflForts to prevent war between Persia and Russia. Sir Gore was a member of the Royal So- ciety and other learned and scientific bodies. He died at Beaconsfield, near Lon- don, 18th November 1844, aged 74.

Oaseley, Sir William, a voluminous writer, brother of preceding, was born in Limerick, in 1771. He was knighted in 1800, and in 1810 accompanied his bro- ther, Sir Gore, to Persia, as his private secretary. He wrote several works upon that country: Persian Miscellanies (1795); Oriental Collections, 3 vols, (1797-1800); Ancient History of Persia (1799); Oriental Geography (1804) ; Travels in Various Countries of the East, 3 vols. ( 1 8 1 o-' 1 2). He died in 1842. [His son, Sir William (born in London in 1797, died there 6th March 1866) was attache at Stockholm and at Washington, and wrote Statistics and Political Institutioyu of the United States (1832), and Views of South America (1852). His other sons, John, Richard, Ralph, and Joseph, rose to high rank in the army, and served chiefly in India.]

Falladins, the earliest-named Chris- tian missionary to Ireland, in the beginning of the 5 th century. Commissioned by Pope Celestine, and accompanied by Sylvester, Solonius, Augustin, and other clerics, he landed near Wexford, and founded three churches in the district comprised in the present County of Wicklow ; but 427