Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/646

 642 YELVERTON. tutor, felt his pride so much hurt at this piece of degrada tion, that he immediately quitted the school, and directed a l l his exertions thenceforth t o find his way t o the bar; t o which, after the requisite studies, h e was called i n the year 1764: but Mr. Curran did not attain that honour till 1775, eleven years afterwards. Mr. Yelverton had t o perform a briefless quarantine o f some years i n the Four Courts.-But talents like his were sure, sooner o r later, t o rise t o the proper level; and accordingly, i n the space o f eleven years from his call, we find him, after struggling through the brambles o f embarrassment, and beating the tide o f adversity, intro duced t o a seat i n the Irish parliament, which was always considered a n important ticket i n that fortunate lottery for lawyers. Mr. Curran was only called t o the bar i n the year preceding; and this advancement o f his townsman t o the political stage, probably afforded n o weak stimulus t o his ambition and his hopes, especially a s the mountain o f improbabilities o'erclimbed b y the man whom h e now regarded a s a prototype, was quite a s high a s that which he had himself to clamber. Although the senatorial rank and comparatively veteran standing o f Mr. Yelverton, i f h e had been a man o f less generous mind, might have taught him t o look down with proud superiority o n the newness and unfriended obscurity of his townsman, Curran; still there i s a mutual attraction between planets o f kindred genius, which ever inclines the minor t o converge t o the major body; and b y a n influence somewhat analogical, the wit and classic acquirements o f Curran had attained a celebrity, i n spite o f that worst o f a l l bad diseases, poverty, that could not long escape the notice, o r fail t o attract the regard, o f his townsman, Mr. Yelver ton, who was through life, the warm admirer and patron o f literature, wit, and talents, wherever h e found them. But had Mr. Yelverton been able and inclined t o confer pecuniary favours, the spirit o f young Curran was too independent t o seek o r accept them. He had that which he esteemed much higher—the friendship, the counte