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  attention. George Petrie says: "It is a difficult and rather unpleasant task to follow a writer so rambling in his reasonings and so obscure in his style; his hypotheses are of a visionary nature." The Quarterly Review declares that: "General Vallancey, though a man of learning, wrote more nonsense than any man of his time, and has unfortunately been the occasion of much more than he wrote. The Edinburgh Review says: "To expose the continual error of his theory will not cure his inveterate disease. It can only excite hopes of preventing infection by showing that he has reduced that kind of writing to absurdity, and raised a warning monument to all antiquaries and philologians that may succeed him."   

Vereker, Charles, Viscount Gort, was born in Ireland in 1768. He served a short time in the navy, and was afterwards appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Limerick militia. In 1790 he entered Parliament as a member for Limerick. During the Insurrection of 1798 he distinguished himself in several encounters with the insurgents; and upon the news of General Humbert's landing at Killala, he was ordered to join the army of Lord Cornwallis and General Lake. With a small force he encountered the French at Collooney on 5th September, effectually checked their advance, and contributed largely to their defeat at Ballinamuck, where he was wounded. The thanks of Parliament were voted to him, and by royal proclamation he was permitted to adopt "Collooney" as the motto of his family. He was amongst the most active opponents of the Union—"his name was found in every division and his voice in every debate;" and in answer to Lord Castlereagh's overtures he declared: "I have defended my country with my blood, and there is nothing in the gift of the Crown that would tempt me to betray her by my vote." After the Union he represented Limerick until 1817, when by the death of his uncle he became Viscount Gort. He was a firm adherent of the Conservative party. He died, greatly beloved, 11th November 1842, aged 74. (19)

Vigors, Nicholas Aylward, an eminent zoologist, was born at Old Leighlin, near Carlow, in 1787. He was educated at Oxford, where he published, in 1810, An Enquiry into the Nature and Extent of Poetic Licence. In 1809 he entered the Guards as an ensign, and was present at the action of Barossa in 1811. On his return home, he quitted the army, and devoted himself to the study of zoology, and, in particular, ornithology. In 1832 he entered Parliament for Carlow, and sat either for the town or county, with slight intervals, until his death in 1840. He contributed many valuable papers to the scientific societies of which he was a member. Mr. Vigors was one of the founders of the Royal Zoological Society, and acted as secretary from 1826 to 1833, when he resigned, finding a due attention to the cares of the position incompatible with his parliamentary duties. In politics he was a liberal; he rarely spoke, but was a diligent and efficient member of committees. 

Wadding, Luke, Rev., an historian, and a prominent Franciscan monk, was born in Waterford, 16th October 1588. After receiving his early education, he was placed at the Irish College in Lisbon, received the Franciscan habit in September 1605, and completed his studies at Liria and Coimbra. In 1618 he went to Rome in the train of the Spanish Ambassador, and there passed the remainder of his life. Ware says: "He grew unto such authority, and the world had conceived such an opinion of his wisdom, dexterity, and industry, and his good fortune in transacting business, that every person was fond of courting his advice and aid in the most difficult matters." In June 1625 he founded and endowed, out of money he had collected for the purpose, the great College of St. Isidore, which for many after generations afforded a refuge to Irish ecclesiastics of his order. In January 1628 he founded another college, for Irish youths, and shortly afterwards a seminary for Irish novices at Capranica, twenty-eight miles from Rome. He was Procurator of the Franciscans at Rome from 1630 to 1634; and Vice-Commissary of the order from 1645 to 1648. Wadding warmly seconded the cause of the Irish Catholics in the struggle of 1641-'52. He engaged officers, and raised supplies of money, arms, and munitions in France and Flanders. In 1642 he was appointed agent of the Irish Catholics, and it was at his instance that Urban VIII. sent Father Scarampi to Ireland with his benediction and large supplies of money. Through his influence, also, Leo X. sent Rinuccini as his apostolic Nuncio to Ireland. Several pages of Harris's Ware are devoted to a consideration of Luke Wadding's writings. The most important of these is Annales Minorum Ordinum Franciscanorum, published in 8 vols. between 1625 and 1654. He was an ardent admirer of Duns Scotus, an edition of whose works in twelve folio volumes he prepared for the press in 1639. He died in Rome, 18th November 1657, aged 69, and was buried at St. Isidore's,  541