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 388 CARON. spring of his imagination in Mr. Stafford's parlour, at Elfin." 4" Carolan's inordinate fondness," says Walker, " for Irish Wine (as Pierre le Grand used to call whiskey) will not admit of an excuse; it was a vice of habit, and might therefore have been corrected. But let me say somethiog in extenuation. He seldom drank to excess; besides, he seemed to think nay, was coninced from experience, that the spirit of whiskey was grateful to his muse, and for that reason generally offered it when he intended to invoke her." "They Survey of the South of Ireland, " that in his (Carolan's) latter days, he never composed without the inspiration of whiskey, of which, at that critical hour, he always took care to have a bottle beside him." Nor was Carolan," continues Walker, "the only bard who drew inspiration from the bottle; there have been several planets in the poe tical hemisphere, that seldom shone, but when illuminated by the rays of rosy wine." He then proceeds to infer the advantages of a state of demi-drunkenness, as far as re- gards poetic composition, and instances Cunningham, Addison, and Homer, as three authors whose works bear ample testimony to the efficacy of so pleasing a method of procuring inspiration. That. Carolan was not indiffe- rent to advice of this description, has been sufficiently proved, and in all probability, both he and Mr. Walker thought true talent similar to those richly painted vases in the east, the most brilliant tints of which could not be discovered unless wine were poured into them*. tell me," says Dr. Campbell in bis REDMOND CARON. THis individual, celebrated both for learning and piety was descended from an ancient family near Athlone, in the county of Westmeath; at which place he was born about the year 1605. He embraced the Franciscan order in the Vide Moore's Lalla Rookh.