Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/283

 BURKE 272 with various and abundant knowledge. We are not aware that he at any time distinguished himself in the literary world, his only published remains which we are acquainted with, being two letters to Barry, inserted in the works of that artist; and which, though on common-place subjects, bear evident testimony to the justice of that character which declares his disposition to have been generous, humane, and friendly.lo The following lines, forming a part of the humorous retaliation of Goldsmith, contains so whimsical a character of Richard Burke, that we cannot refrain inserting them:- “ Here lies honest Richard, whose fate I must sigh at ; Alas ! that such frolic should now be so quiet! What spirits were his! what wit, and what whim! Now breaking a jest, and now breaking a limb! Now wrangling and grumbling to keep up the ball ! Now teazing and vexing, yet langhing at all! In short, so provoking a devil was Djek, That we wished him full ten times a day at old Nick; But, missing his mirth and agreeable vein, As often we wished to have Dick back again." od WALTER BURKE WAs a native of Limerick, and at the time of his death was one of the oldest pursers in the navy, which profession he entered under the protection of his kinsman, the late Edmund Burke, and served upwards of thirty years, during which period he was present at the most decisive engage ments, and closed his naval career on the memorable 21st of October, 1805, when he had the honour to support his much-loved commander, the immortal Nelson, in his dying moments... He was then purser of the Victory, and was much esteemed, by his lordship, and so great was his veneration for his admiral, that he would never serve afloat after that day. To him, almost the last words of his lordship previous to the battle were addressed: Burke, said he, "I expect