The life and times of Robert Emmet

Front matter

THE

LIFE AND TIMES

OF

Preface

The publisher deems it necessary to state that some liberties have been taken with the original text of Madden’s Life of Robert Em met, by leaving out some letters and other matter relating more propeny to Thomas Addis Emmet, most of which, however, has been introduced in the memoir of the latter. Other slight alterations have been found necessary in order to render the history more clear and connected.

Valuable additions have been made to the work, in the shape of notes and extracts, from all recent authorities which could throw light on either the subject of the memoir, his times, or contemporaries.

The memoir of Thomas Addis Emmet has been taken almost verbatim from Madden and Haines, with additions from other lources where they could be introduced with advantage to the work

PfLEFAClL - PAGft

CHAPTER L

Robert Emmet, his early history. — His career at College — Display at the Historical Society, (Note). — Judge Lefroy, (Note). — Moore’s opinion of Robert Emmet. — The late Judge Johnston, (Note). — Refusal to obey the Chancellor’s summons, aitd its results.— Visit to the Continent in 1800. - - - - 8

Chapter II

Robert Emmet connected with the proceedings of the United Irishmen in Paris. — His study of works on Military Science. — Dowdall, Despard’s agent, connected with Emmet. — Mr. Lewis Goldsmith’s account of Despard. — Of his own career. — Of his connection with Talleyrand. — Of Messrs. Badini, Beauvoisin, <fcc. — Despard’s trial and conviction. — His wife, (Note) — His execution.— The Secret Committee of England. — Benjamin Pemberton Binns, (Note). - - - - - - -10

Chapter III

Treaty of Amiens. — Views of the high contracting parties. — Warlike preparations in 1803. — Emmet’s unfavourable opinion of Buonaparte. — Rupture, invasion, panic. — Intercepted correspondence. - - - - - - - 22

Chapter IV

Renewed efforts of the United Irishmen in Paris, in 1803. — Thomas Addis Emmet’s interview with the First Consul. — Account of communication with Buonaparte. — Reply of the latter to T. A. Emmet. — Letters from T. A. Emmet to Dr. Macneven. - 36

Chapter V

Robert Emmet’s return to Ireland, October 1802. — Intercourse with John Keogh, <fcc. — Keogh’s papers seized. — Fitzgerald’s account of Long’s connection with Emmet. — Lord Kilwarden, (Note). — Amount of money advanced by Long. — William Putnam McCabe, (Note). - - - - 60 ir

Contents

CHAPTER VI. paok.

Government acquainted with the preparations for insurrection. — Parties of respectability engaged in the conspiracy. — Thomas Russell, (Note). — James Hope, (Note). — Robert Emmet’s plans at Milltown to elude pursuit. — Residence at Harold’s Cross. — Hope’s statement of the preparations. — Depots in Patrick street, in Winetavern street, <fcc., (Note). — Workmen in the Depots. — Cornet Brown killed by Howley. — Condon, the murderer of Mr. Darragh. — Duggan’s account of the preparations. — Clarke, of Palmerstown, wounded the 23rd of July. - - - 59

Chapter VII

Great bonfires in Dublin, the 14th of July. — Explosion in Patrick street. — Account of Military stores. — Robert Emmet’s picture of an enthusiast. — His conspiracy and that of Portugal compared.— 23rd of July, Divided councils, treachery, disconcerted plans. — Scullabogue, (Note). — Assemblages at Hevey’s, and Rourke’s, in Thomas street. — Emmet at the head of 80 men, on the 23rd of July. — Murderous attack on Mr. Leech, in Thomas street. — Lord Kilwarden’s murder, (Note). — Rout of the insurgents.— Colonel Brown killed. — Robert Emmet’s statement of his plans and objects. - - - - - 78

Chapter VIII

Account of the principal leaders and most active agents. — John Allen. — William Dowdall. — Henry Howley. — D. L. Redmond. 96

Chapter IX

Account of Michael Dwyer and his men. — Of Thomas Brangan. —Of John Hevey. - - - 107

Chapter X

Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, 29th of July, 1803. — Debate on. — Mr. Sheridan’s consistency. — Lord Castlereagh’s defence of the Irish Government. — Sir William Elliott’s charge against it, of connivance. — Lord Castlereagh’s opinion of the clemency of Government in 1798. — Lord Temple’s allusion to impeachment of ministers. — Martial Law Bill, 5th of December, 1803. — Seizure and imprisonment of members. — Irish Parliament House, Exchange, and Corn Market converted into barracks.— Mr. Houlton of the Navy, equipped by Government as a rebel officer. — Sent to the North to inveigle the people *nto sedition. - - .... llfl

Chapter XI

Anne Devlin arrested at Emmet’s house in Butterfield Lane, (Note). — Her account of the night of the 23rd of July. — The

CONTENTS.

PAG*.

retreat to Butterfield Lane. — Flight to the mountains — Search of the house by the military. — Barbarous treatment of Anne Devlin, tortured, and half hanged. — Her sufferings, solitary confinements, and crulties of Dr. Trevor. — Her extraordinary fortitude and fidelity. — Accompanies the author to the house in Butterfield-lane. — Trevor the Kilmainham Inquisitor, the Telles Jordao of Ireland. - - - - -131

CHAPTER XIL

Emmet’s return to Dublin. — His reason for it. — His intended communication to Government in order to stop executions. — His arrest. — Major Sirr, (Note). — Persons suspected of betraying him. — Mr. Malachy Delany. — Mr. McCarthy. — Mr. Leonard M‘Nally. — Receivers of Secret Service money in 1803. • 147

CHAPTER XIIL

Attempt to effect the escape of Robert Emmet. — Statement of Mr. Mason. — Lord Lieutenant’s Dispatch. — Acknowledgement of Emmet’s “ magnanimity.” - - ... - Igfl

CHAPTER XIY.

Trial of Robert Emmet. — Examination of witnesses. — Speech of the Right Hon. W. C. Plunket. — Extracts from a speech of his in 1800. — Robert Emmet’s Speech. — Moore’s letter to McKenzie, (Note). — Lord Norbury’s interruptions. — Emmet’s sentence to • death. — Plunket’s affidavit in 1811. — Question of his acquaintance with Emmet’s family. ..... 174

CHAPTER XY.

Emmet’s attachment to Sarah Curran. — Curran’s papers examined.— His personal examination before the Privy Council. — Emmet’s letters to Miss Curran in the hands of Major Sirr. — His letter to J. P. Curran. — To Richard Curran. — Sarah Curran, the story of the broken heart. — Her mournful fate. — Lines on her visit to the grave of her lover. — Leaves her father’s house.—

Her residence in Cork. — Her marriage. — Her death in Sicily.— Account of Major Sturgeon. ..... 204

CHAPTER XYL

Horning of the day of Emmet’s execution. — Is visited by M'Nally, (Note).— His mother’s death communicated to him. — His religious sentiments. — Is attended by Dr. Gamble. — Led to execution, (Note). — Particulars of execution, (Note). — The dogs lapping up his blood under the scaffold. — The burial of the remains in the Hospital Fields. — The removal of his remains.— The tomb “uninscribed” in Michan’s Church-yard, (Note). - • 390

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XYIL page.

The character of Robert Emmet. — His personal appearance. — Pieces of Poetry of his heretofore, unpublished. - - 282

Appendix

Manifesto of the Provisional Government, written by Emmet, - 247 Proclamation, written by Long, ----- 259

MEMOIR OF THOMAS ADDIS EMMET.

Thomas Addis Emmet, his father and brothers,

His personal appearance,

Intended for the medical profession,

Travels, and decides on going to the bar,

— — Takes the United Irish Oath in public Court,

Enters actively into Politics,

Tone’s interview with Russell and Emmet,

The United Irish System, - Emmet becomes one of the Directory,

Emmet’s opinion on foreign aid, - - -

opinion of Napoleon, -

Arrest on the 12th of March, 1798, •

Emmet’s wife, ------

Negotiations entered into by the State prisoners with the Irish Government, ------

Emmet’s statement of the transaction, - Emmet’s examination before the Secret Committee of the House of Lords, ... -

before the Secret Committee of the House of Commons, -

He receives orders to prepare for embarkation,

His sister obtains an interview with Lord Cornwallis, -

Arrival at Fort George, -

Kindness of Lieutenant Colonel Stuart, -

Mrs. Emmet refused permission to accompany her husband,

Ultimately obtains leave to share his prison,

Birth of Jane Erin Emmet in prison, -

Arrival of the list of pardoned persons at Fort George, T. A.

Emmet’s name not included, - - -

Lieutenant Colonel Stuart takes the responsibility, and sets him at liberty, - - -

Proceeds to the Continent, where he meets his brother Robert,

M u

271 «

M u

M

CONTENTS.

vii

Embarks for America, and arrives at New York, - - 294

Charles Glidden Haines’s Memoir of Emmet,

Emmet purposes to go West, - - - - 4

Is dissuaded from so doing, .... 295

George and De Witt Clinton advise him to remain in New York, “ Fruitless opposition to his being allowed to practice at the bar

of New York, ..... 296

Commences his career in America, - - - “

His democratic principles, .... 297

League of the federalist lawyers against him, - - “

His great success at the bar, .... 298

Controversy with Mr. Rufus King, - • “

Emmet is appointed Attorney-general of the State of New York, 299 Haines’s opinion of T. A. Emmet’s abilities and eloquence, “

His readiness at retort, - - - - - 301

Answer to Mr. Pinckney’s attack, - - - 302

His kindness of disposition, - - - - “

Letter from Rufus King to the Irish State prisoners in 1799, 803

Emmett’s first letter to Rufus King, ... 305

second do. “ “ - - 806

Extracts of other Letters, - - • 814

Irish Exiles in America, - • • - 815

Robert Holmes, (Note), - - - • -316

Emmet’s widow, - - - - - 318

His family, - - - 819

Death of Emmet, - - - - - 820

Tablet to his memory in the Court-room, • • - “

Judge Duer’s opinion of Emmet, - * * 821

Observations of Dr. Macneven, .... 822 Extract from Magoon’s American Orators, - - 823

Monument to Emmet’s memory in St. Paul’s Church-yard, New York, - - - - *824

Inscription on monument in English, Latin and Irish. 826

MEMOIR

OP

ROBERT EMMET.

“His memory be green.”

Shakspeare.

Chapter I

It is now * forty years since Robert Emmet pronounced that memorable speech, wherein he said — “ I have but few words more to say — I am going to my cold and silent grave — my lamp of life is nearly extinguished — I have parted with every thing that was dear to me in this life, for my country’s cause ; with the idol of my soul, the object of my affections : my race is run, the grave opens to receive me, and I sink into its bosom 1

“ I have but one request to make, at my departure from this world — it is the charity of its silence. Let no man write my epitaph ; for as no man, who knows my motives, dare now vindicate them, let not prejudice nor ignorance asperse them. Let them rest in obscurity and peace ! Let my memory be left in oblivion, and my tomb remain uninscribed, until other times, and other men, can do justice to my character ; when my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then, and not till then, let my epitaph be written. I have done.”

With this solemn appeal, at his departure from this world, for “ the charity of its silence,” — till other times, and other men, could vindicate his motives, and do justice to his charao

• 1844

MEMOIR OF ROBERT EMMET.

ter, — a man must be truly insensible, and unfeeling, and inconsiderate in his conduct, who could think of approaching this subject without the fullest sense of the solemnity of the injuno tion.

Robert Emmet, the youngest son of Dr. Robert Emmet, ras born in Dublin, in the year 1778.* He was sent, at an early age, to Osw.tld school, in Dopping’s Court, off Goldenlane, near Bride-street, a rather celebrated school, at that day, for mathematics. Subsequently he was placed at the well known school of Samuel White, of Grafton-street, and was afterwards under the care of the Rev. Mr. Lewis, of Camden-street. He entered Trinity College, the 7th of October, 1798, at the age of fifteen years, according to the entry in the college book of admission. His tutor was the Rev. Mr. Graves ; his college course, like that of his brothers, was brilliant. He obtained several prizes, and went through his studies with great eclat. He showed, in early life, great aptitude for the exact sciences, and his predilection for mathematics and chemistry, continued during his life. He was in the habit of making chemical experiments in his father’s house, and, on one occasion, nearly fell a victim to his ardour in his favourite pursuit. Mr. Patten, the brother-in-law of T. A. Emmet, had been staying at his father’s, and, on the occasion referred to, had assisted Robert in his experiments. After Mr. Patten had retired, the former applied himself to the solution of a very difficult problem in Friend’s Algebra. A habit which he never relinquished, when deeply engaged in thought, that of biting his nails, was the cause of an accident which proved nearly fatal to him, on the occasion in question. He was seized with most violent inward pains, these pains were the effects of poison ; he had been manipulating corrosive sublimate, and had, unconsciously, on putting his fingers to his mouth, taken, internally, some portion of the poison. Though fully aware of the cause of his sufferings, and of the danger he was in, he abstained from disturbing his father, but proceeded to his library, and took down a volume of an Encyclopaedia, which was in the room. Having referred to the article “ poisons,” he found that chalk was recommended as a prophylactic in cases of poisoning

* In 1771 Dr. Emmet commenced practice in Moles worth-street, Dublin. In 1779 he removed to 110, Stephen’s-green, the site of the house now numbered 120.

MEMOIR OF ROBERT EMMET.

from corrosive sublimate. He then called to mind that Mr Patten had been using chalk with a turning lathe in the coach-house ; he went out, broke open the coach-house door, and succeeded in finding the chalk which he made use of, and then set to work again at the puzzling question, which had before baffled his endeavours to solve. In the morning, when he presented himself at the breakfast table, his countenance, to use the language of my informant, (who was present,) “looked as small and as yellow as an orange.” He acknowledged to this gentleman that he had suffered all night excruciating tortures, and yet he employed his mind in the solution of that question, which the author of the work acknowledged was one of extraordinary difficulty, and he succeeded in his efforts.

Robert Emmet’s connection with the Historical and Debating Societies of Trinity College is well known.* I have conversed with many persons who had heard him speak in those societies, some of them of very decided Tory politics, and I

* The first Historical Society was formed in 1770, by some members of Trinity College, Dublin, who, observing the deficiencies of the academic system, and the total neglect of every useful branch of belle a lettres in the under-graduate course, devised this means of encouraging a taste for History and Elocution ; every allusion to contemporary events or persons being prohibited. The Society flourished for about twenty-two years. The names of some of the greatest men that Ireland can boast of, are to be found on the roll of its members. Temple Emmet, Bushe, Plunket, T. W. Tone, who filled the situation of Auditor; and so early as 1786, had already “ obtained three medals from the Historical Society.” The old Society having lost several of its ablest members, and amongst others, its pride and ornament, Temple Emmet, gradually declined. In 1792, it was revived under a new name, “The Junior Historical Society,” The Society in 1794, encountered the hostility of the Board of Fellows of Trinity College. Several of its members, amongst whom were Tone, Corbet, Robert Emmet, James M’Cabe, &c., were suspected by the Board of entertaining republican principles, and of making the Historical Society a theatre for the discussion of modern politics. An order for the exclusion of Extern Members was the beginning of the war, which was carried on with much vehemence for a length of time between the College Board and the Society, and enlisted in the quarrel the wit, eloquence, learning, and satirical propensities of both parties. The issue of a contest with the heads of an institution in which Lord Clare exerted authority might have been easily foreseen. The Historical Society got the character of a Jacobin club, its members were placed under the ban of the Lord Chancellor, and it finally broke down.— Madden's United Irishmen.

MEMOIR OF ROBERT EMMET.

never heard but one opinion expressed, of the transcendent oratorical powers he displayed there.

The Rev. Dr. Macartney, Vicar of Belfast, informed me that he had known Robert Emmet ; he was present in the early part of 1798, at a debate of the Historical Society, got up expressly for the debut of Robert Emmet. The question was — “ Is a complete freedom of discussion essential to the well being of a good and virtuous government.” By the rules of the Society, Dr. Macartney states, all allusion to modern politics was forbidden. Robert Emmet, in this his maiden speech, adroitly kept within the terms of the rule ; he showed the necessity and advantage of this liberty of discussion to all communities : and the encouragement it deserved from a good government. He then proceeded to pourtray the evil effects of the despotism and tyranny of the governments of antiquity, and most eloquently depicted those of the governments of Greece and Rome. He was replied to by the present Judge Lefroy,* and his argument was rebutted at considerable length. Robert Emmet delivered a speech in reply, evidently unpremeditated, and showed extraordinary ability in his answer to the objections started by his opponent. He said, in conclusion, “ If a government were vicious enough to put down the freedom of discussion, it would be the duty of the people to deliberate on the errors of their rulers, to consider well the wrongs they inflicted, and what the right course would be for their subjects to take, and having done so, it then would bt their duty to draw practical conclusions”

The substance of the passage referred to, by Dr. Macartney, he said was conveyed in the above words, but to attempt to give an idea of the eloquence, or animation of the speaker, was impossible.

Mr. Moore, in his Life and Death of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, speaks of his young friend, and fellow student, in the following terms: —

“ Were I to number, indeed, the men among all I have ever known, who appeared to me to combine in the greatest degree pure moral worth, with intellectual power, I should, among the highest of the few, place Robert Emmet. Wholly free from the follies and frailties of youth, — though how capable he was

* The same who sentenced John Mitchel to transportation in 1848.

MEMOIIt OF ROBERT EMMET.

t of the most devoted passion, events afterwards proved, — the pursuit of science, in which he eminently distinguished himself, seemed at this time the only object that at all divided his thoughts, with that enthusiasm for Irish freedom, which in him was an hereditary, as well as national feeling ; — himself being the second martyr his father had given to the cause. Simple in all his habits, and with a repose of look and manner indicating but little movement within, it was only when the spring was touched, that set his feelings, and, through them, his intellect in motion, that he at all rose above the level of ordinary men. On no occasion was this more particularly striking than in those displays of oratory with which, both in the Debating and Historical Society, he so often enchained the attention and sympathy of his young audience. No two individuals, indeed, could be much more unlike to each other, than was the same youth to himself, before rising to speak and after ; — the brow that had appeared inanimate, and almost drooping, at once elevating itself to all the consciousness of power, and the whole countenance and figure of the speaker assuming a change as of one suddenly inspired. Of his oratory, it must be recollected, I speak from youthful impressions ; but I have heard little, since that appeared to me, of a loftier, or what is a far more rare quality in Irish eloquence, purer character ; and the effects it produced, as well from its own exciting power, as from the susceptibility with which his audience caught up every allusion to passing events, was such as to attract at last the serious attention of the fellows ; and, by their desire, one of the scholars, a man of advanced standing and reputation for oratory, came to attend our debates, expressly for the purpose of answering Emmet, and endeavouring to neutralize the impressions of his fervid eloquence. Such in heart and mind was another of those devoted men, who, with gifts that would have made the ornaments and supports of a well regulated community, were driven to live the lives of conspirators, and die the death of traitors, by a system of government which it would be difficult even to think of with patience, did we not gather a hope, from the present aspect of the whole civilized world that such a system of bigotry and misrule can never exist again.”*

* Life and Death of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, p. L52. Haverty’i Edition.

MEMOIR OF ROBERT EMMET.

The peculiar character of Emmet’s oratory, is well described, in a very remarkable article in the London and Dublin Magaziue of 1825, entitled Robert Emmet and his Contemporaries. That article, from the striking aualogy in many passages of it to those on the same topic, namely, the capabilities of Ireland, in a military point of view, I believe to have been written by the reputed author of Roche Fermoy’s Commentaries on Theo bald Wolf Tone’s Memoirs, the late Judge Johnston.*

“ During these harangues,” says the writer of the article referred to, “ Emmet’s fine manly countenance glowed with an enthusiastic ardour, and he delivered himself with as much animated fervour, as if he were addressing a numerous, but distracted assembly, which he wished to persuade. His words flowed with a graceful fluency, and he combined his arguments with all the ease of a man accustomed to abstract discus sions.”

Robert Emmet, in the spring of IT 98, was about twenty years of age ; his brother, in the month of March, of that year, had been arrested ; many of his fellow students were members of the Society of United Irishmen, and several of his brothers, most intimate friends and associates, were then his companions in misfortune. Whether Robert was a sworn member of the Society I have not been able to ascertain, but that he had adopted its principles early in that year, and had been freely communicated with on subjects connected with its affairs,

* Ex-Judge Johnston, the author of Colonel Roche Fermoy’s Letters on the defence of Ireland, and the subject of prosecution for a seditious libel, under the strange circumstances of his holding, at the time, a seat upon the bench, and of there being absolutely no evidence of his authorship, beyond a sort of general conviction that he was a likely person to do an act of the kind. The article alleged to be libellous was an attack upon Lord Mardwicke, in his capacity of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. It was published in Cobbett’s Register, under the signature of Juverna, and was, in fact, composed by the Judge. Nevertheless, the manuscript, although sworn by a crown witness to be in Mr. Johnston’s handwriting, was actually written by his daughter. This circumstance he might have proved ; but as he could not do so without compromising his amanuensis, the jury were obliged to return a verdict of guilty. Between the termination of the trial, however, and the time for pronouncing judgment, there was a change of ministry, as a result of which a nolle prosequi was entered, in the year 1806, and Mr. Johnston was allowed to retire from the bench with a pension. — Personal Recollections of Lord Cloncurry.

MEMOIR OF ROBERT EMMET.

by persons implicated in the latter, there is no doubt. In the month of February, the Lord Chancellor’s visitation at the College, which terminated in the expulsion of several students charged with treasonable practices in the College, took place.*

When several of the students had been called before the Chancellor, and examined upon oath ; Robert Emmet, on being summoned, wrote a letter to the members of the board of fellows, denouncing the act of demanding, on oath, information from the students ; tending to inculpate their fellow students, and requiring of them to disclose the names of such of their associates as were members of the Society of United Irishmen, and desiring to have his name taken off the books of College. Before the letter was forwarded to the board, he showed it to his father, and it met with his father’s entire approbation. This circumstance has not been referred to in any account that has been given of the transaction ; it is now stated on the

authority of Mr. P , the friend of Robert Emmet, and

previously an inmate of his father’s house. The name of Robert Emmet, however, without any reference to this pro ceeding, appeared, I believe, in the list of expelled students.

Whatever the nature of the plans were into which some of the imprisoned leaders had been entrapped, who were confined in Newgate, when the faith of government was broken with them, Robert Emmet was cognizant of them, and had been employed as a messenger on some occasions, when the affairs in hand were deemed of importance. After the removal of the state prisoners to Scotland, he visited his brother at Fort George, in 1800, and, immediately after this interview, it is stated that he set out for the Continent. It is by no means

* In the month of February, 1798, Lord Chancellor Clare held a Visitation which lasted three days, and terminated in the expulsion of 19 students and the reprimand of four; amongst the former were William Corbet, Messrs. Power, Ardagh, Robinson, Slattery, Carroll, Russell, Emmet, <fcc. The Chancellor was assisted by the ferocious bigot, Dr. Patrick Duigenan, Judge of the Prerogative Court. The suspected students were called before the Chancellor, and such as attended were examined on oath. Many declined to submit to any arrangement or examination, amongst which number was William Corbet. The names of those students, however, were called over, morning after morning, but, not appearing, they ^vere declared contumacious, we are told by Mr. Moore, and sentence of expulsion wa« pronounced against them. — Life of Corbet.

MEMOIR OF ROBERT EMMET.

probable that amusement was the main object of his visit , whatever the nature of it was, he remained on the Continent, made a tour in Switzerland, Holland, and several parts of France, and, subsequently, I have been informed, he visited Cadiz, under the name of Captain Brown, in company with Mr. J ohn Allen, who had been tried at Maidstone, along with Arthur O’Connor and Coigly, and was acquitted, and with Dowdall, one of the liberated state prisoners, who had refused to sign the compact with government, and was not precluded, like the other, from returning to Great Britain, or his own country.

Chapter II

Thomas Addis Emmet passed the winter of 1802 at Brussels. He was visited at Amsterdam by his brother Robert, accompanied by Hugh Wilson, about the month of August, the same year, and did not go to Paris until the spring of 1803. A part of the autumn of 1802, was passed in Paris by Robert Emmet, and there is evidence, in letters of his brother, that his proceedings there, and his intentions, were fully known to the latter. In the month of November, 1802, when Robert was in Ireland, his brother directed Robert’s books and some part of his baggage, which had been left by him, in charge of Lawless, at Paris, to be sent to Brussels, from which place they were to be forwarded to him by his brother. One of those books is now in my possession, for which I am indebted to the friend of his in Dublin, to whom I have already referred, and to whom I feel under many obligations for valuable information on the subject of this volume. The title of the work is “Extracts from Colonel Templehoff’s History of the Seven Years’ War his remarks on General Lloyd, on the subsistence of armies ; and, also, a “Treatise on Winter Posts, by the Hon. Colonel Lindsay, in two vols. London, 1*193.”

The margin, throughout a large portion of this volome, is filled with pencil*notes, in the hand-writing of Robert Emmet, which one might suppose written by a person whose most in

MEMOIR OF ROBERT EMMET.

ii tense application had been given to the subject" of the work, and whose closest attention had been bestowed on every line. The marginal notings, under-scoring of passages, interlining of words, bracketting of sentences, are, in fact, such as are to b& found in the books of students “ reading up” for some important examiuation. The notes have chiefly reference to operations in mountainous countries ; placing of post ; defending of approaches ; sending out of patroles ; objects to be accomplished ; and conduct to be observed by patroles ; disposition of troops ; rendering-quarters defensible ; and, particularly, the great advantages in the general system of defensive war, which, in a position in a mountainous country, may be derived from an experienced eye, a quick perception of the nature of surrounding obstacles, and favourable local circumstances,, in the placing of every particular post. This volume has evidently been pored over by one who had bestowed anxious days and sleepless nights on its perusal.