Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/66

 62 DE LA COUR. A gentleman one day meeting the doctor in a bookseller's shop, during the siege of the Havannah, asked him, whe ther he could tell him when the garrison would surrender? “O yes,” says De la Cour, very confidently, “I’ll tell you the precise day; it will be on the 14th of August next.” “Do you pledge yourself for that day f" So much so,” replied the doctor, “that I will stake my character as a prophet on i t, and therefore I beg you will take a memorandum o f it.” The gentleman immediately noted i t i n his pocket-book; and i t s o happened, that o n that very day we had a n account o f i t s surrender t o the British arms. A public event thus predicted six weeks before i t happened, and falling i n s o accurately according t o the prediction, o f course made a great noise i n a little place. The common people wondered a t , and even philosophers could not resist pausing o n the coincidence o f circum stances; but the doctor was elated beyond measure. He now claimed the diploma o f a prophet, and expected t o b e consulted o n the issue o f all important circumstances. He continued thus many years, prophesying and poetising; and though i n the first h e made many mistakes, i n the latter h e i n a great measure preserved the c i s poetica; particularly i n his satires o n individuals, which sometimes exposed and restrained those too cunning for the law, and too callous for the pulpit. He had originally a little estate o f about 80l. per year left him b y his father, which, with the hospitality o f his friends, enabled him t o live independently. Towards the latter end o f his life, h e sold this t o his brother-in-law, for a certain sum yearly, and his board and lodging; but a t the same time re strained himself from staying out after twelve o'clock a t night, under the penalty o f one shilling. I n consequence o f this, the doctor's balance a t the end o f the year was very inconsiderable. He died about the year 1781, leaving behind him se veral specimens o f poetical talent, and proving t o pos terity the uselessness o f ability when connected with a course o f imprudence, and a contempt for character.