Page:A Compendium of Irish Biography.djvu/472

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learned world is greatly indebted to both the Earls of Dunraven and to Miss Stokes for producing and publishing so noble a record of antiquity." Opening with views of Dun Aengus, and other rude stone erections, we are given exquisite repre- sentations of the principal early churches in Ireland, and are then led, by the round towers, to the more ornate churches of the loth century. The whole field of Irish architectural archaeology is covered. The introduction is by Miss Stokes ; the his- torical notes mainly by Dr. Eeeves. Fer- guson, Hennessy, and Graves have also given assistance ; and there are many ex- tracts from Petrie's notes and published writings. Not the least important fea- tures — indeed the most interesting to many archaeologists — are the views of Con- tinental buildings of types similar to the round towers, the tabular list of the Irish round towers, with the names of the sup- posed builders and the probable dates of erection, and the map of the tracks of Norse invasions. What may be called the spirit of ancient Irish architecture is brought out in this book in a style never previously attempted in pictorial represen- tations. 54 184J

Quiu, James, a distinguished actor, was born in London, 24th February 1693, of Irish parents, who almost immediately afterwards returned with him to Ireland. After his father's death in 1710 he was shown to be illegitimate, it being proved that a former husband of his mother was alive after her marriage to his father. He was therefore obliged to shift for himself, and to give up the idea of studying for the Bar. He first appeared on the stage in 1 7 1 4, at Smock-alley Theatre, Dublin. He had many of the requisites of a good actor — an expressive countenance, speaking eyes, a clear and melodious voice, a reten- tive memorv, a majestic figure ; and he was an enthusiastic admirer of Shakspere. In August 1 71 7 we find him in London at Drury-lane Theatre, where he almost im- mediately took a leading position. He had the misfortune to kill two fellow-actors — Bowen in a duel in 1 7 1 7, and "Williams in a quarrel growing out of a dispute concern- ing the pronvmciation of the name " Cato," in 1 718. On both occasions he was tried and acquitted. He attained the summit of success in 173 1, and was considered one of the first British actors until all were eclipsed by Garrick. Quin did not, how- ever, yield the palm without a struggle; and he afterwards became one of Garrick's most ardent admirers. He was a tender- hearted man, befriending Mrs. Bellamy and other aspirants for the stage at the 448

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commencement of their career, and forcing upon James Thomson, the poet, when in reduced circumstances, the sum of £100, which he said was a debt due for the plea- sure he had experienced in reading his works. Thomson afterwards immortalized him in his " Castle of Indolence" : —

" With double force the enlivened scene he wakes, Tet quits not nature's bounds. He knows to keep Each due decorum : now the heart he shakes,

And now with well urged sense th' enlightened judg- ment takes."

His standing as an actor gained him ad- mittance to what was considered the best society of the day. A critic has said that " to his various paiis in comedy may be added no mean list of dignified characters in tragedy, where sentiment and gravity of action, and not passion, predominated." In after-dinner conversation he was a coarse but capital story-teller, and many of his jokes have survived. Nothing can place in a stronger light the manners of the times than the character of the anec- dotes, meant to be funny, which are related of him. He died at Bath, 21st January 1766, aged 72. 3 "° '^5* '^

naleigh, Sir Walter, the celebrated statesman, author, and adventurer, was born at Hayes, in Devonshire, in 1552. His connexion with Ireland commenced in 1 5 80, as a captain in the Munster wars. A month after lauding he was joined in commission with Sir Warham St. Leger, for the trial of Sir James, brother of the Earl of Desmond. He took a promi- nent part in the capture and massacre of the Spanish invading force at Smerwick in November 1580. His services upon several occasions in the Desmond war are specially commended in despatches, and in the forfeitures which followed its con- clusion he was allotted about 1 2,000 acres in the Counties of Cork, Waterford, and Tipperary. With characteristic prompti- tude he settled his grant with colonists from Devonshire and Somersetshire, and for some years it was noticed that his estates were better tenanted, tilled, and pastured than those of many other grantees. In 1587 Archbishop Miler Magrath and his chapter demised to him the castle and manor of Lismore, with the lands adjacent, at the annual rent of £1 3 6s. 8d. He had besides a manor house at Youghal, still standing, in which he occasionally resided during his visits to Ireland. (Mr. Ed- wards, his biographer, doubts the com- monly-received statement that he was Mayor of Youghal.) His estates were thickly wooded, and not long after his oc- cupation he had one hundred and fifty