Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/135

 f31 - PHILIP FITZGIBBON, Was a native of Ireland, and ranked high in the mathe matical world. He is likewise celebrated for “a b i t o f a blunder” that h e once committed, arising from the following Circumstance. He was supposed t o possess a more accurate and exten sive knowledge o f the Irish language than any person living; and his latter years were industriously employed i n compiling a n English and Irish dictionary, which h e left completed, with the exception o f the letter S , and that h e appeared t o have totally Forgott E.N. The dictionary i s contained i n about four hundred quarto pages, and i t i s a remarkable instance o f patient and indefatigable perseverance, a s every word i s written i n Roman o r Italic characters, t o imitate printing. This with many other curious manuscripts, a l l i n the Irish language, h e bequeathed t o his friend, the Rev. Mr. O'Donnell. - During what year h e was born i s not known, but he died a t his lodgings i n Chapel-lane, Kilkenny, i n April 1792, JOHN FITZGIBBON, EARL or CLA Re, and Lord High Chancellor o f Ireland, was born i n Dublin, i n the year 1749. His ancestors (not far back removed) were o f the Roman Catholic persuasion, his grandfather having been brought u p i n those tenets. His eldest son, the father o f the late Lord Clare, was, according t o report, originally intended for the Catholic priesthood; but the fact however was otherwise; for o n his introduction into life he was well known to have been not only a decided, but a zealous protestant. He was a t a n early age called t o the Irish bar, from which Catholics, a t that period, were excluded. I n that situation h e became a highly esteemed and successful pleader. I n those days, the forensic profession i n the sister kingdom was i n a great