as he could find leisure from his studies; for he was remarkably fond of society, an inclination which adhered to him constantly through life. The fellows of the college, observing a crowd of students about him whenever he appeared in public, used to say to him, "Skelton, you have more acquaintances than any one in the college." In such a place, a similarity of age, dispositions, pursuits, often forms a society more agreeable than is experienced ever after. However, his fondness for society involved him in a very unhappy affair. Ranging once through the town with a number of students, they raised a riot, and a man was unfortunately killed by some of the party. This had a serious effect on him, and made him cautious of the company which he kept in future.

His temper, as may be inferred, was naturally warm and courageous, and unable to brook an affront; of this he gave a sufficient proof while at the university, according to worldly notions of honour. For he had a quarrel with one of his fellow-students, which they thought fit to determine at Stephen's Green with small swords. But when they came to the ground, the seconds interposed, and the affair was thus settled.

This quarrel made his college life very uneasy to him. For his antagonist was some way connected with Dr. Baldwin the provost, who became Skelton's enemy ever after. Baldwin was a man of a haughty temper; he carried every thing in the college by absolute sway: he nominated fellows and scholars at pleasure. The statutes indeed give the provost great authority; as they were tinged with a tyrannic complexion by the famous Archbishop Laud, a prelate of great learning and abilities, but unhappily a slave to ceremonies, and a promoter of arbitrary measures. The young man, who retained a spite against Skelton, instigated by his malice to a false accusation, told the provost he was a Jacobite, and thus, as he expected, roused his indignation against him: for Baldwin was one of the greatest whigs of his day. He was a junior fellow when James II. made a barrack of our elegant seminary. The king turning him out of his fellowship, as he did all others who refused to subscribe to Popery, he was obliged to go over to England, and teach a common English school

for his bread. King William, when he gained the victory, restored him. He was a furious enemy to Queen Anne's last ministry, and was active in forming schemes against them; suspecting they had a design of bringing in the Pretender; and who can say there was no ground for such suspicions? Indeed a dark cloud, which time has not yet wholly dispelled, seems to have been cast over this affair. His opposition to Queen Anne's last ministry caused him to be taken notice of by George I. who made him provost in 1715.

Enraged at Skelton on account of the charge imputed to him, he sent orders for him to come and appear before him. He instantly obeyed, little suspicious of the cause. The provost then told him, he was assured on the best authority, that he was a Jacobite, and of consequence a most dangerous person in the university, where he might corrupt the youth by his bad principles. Skelton, astonished at the falsity of the charge, solemnly declared that he was as strenuous for the house of Hanover as any one in Ireland. But the provost, who placed more confidence in his favourite, said he would not believe him, for he heard it from one on whose veracity he could depend. Hence all his protestations of innocence were vain. The provost then said to him, "Child, I'll ruin you for ever."-" Will you damn my soul, Sir?" Skelton replied. "No," he said, “ but I'll ruin you in the college here."-" Oh, Sir," he observed, "that's but a short for ever." By this it appears that even then he had a warm sense of religion, and did not fear the brief resentment of man. The rich and great imagine they have happiness and misery at their control, and can allot them at pleasure. Yet they are very niggard in bestowing one of them, supposing it best to keep it all to themselves, and probably they have much occasion for it. Their liberality with respect to the other, I shall not question.

The dispute, that produced the malicious charge against Skelton's character, was owing chiefly to the conduct of his fellow-student, who imagined that his intimacy with the provost gave him a right to say and do what he pleased. The minion is often more intolerable than his master. But Skelton could not bear his insolence; hence the

quarrel ensued. The provost was scrupulous in keeping his word; he strove to debar poor Skelton from a scholarship, but by a lucky mistake he was baffled in his malicious attempt. He mistook him for another of the same name, and thus Skelton received the reward of his merit, at Trinity 1726.

He piqued himself much on a cut of his (to use the college phrase) at his examination for scholarships. Dr. Delany, who examined in the odes of Horace, met with these words, carpe diem; the lad he was examining called it, seize the opportunity. This it seems did not please him, he therefore put it from one to another, till at last it came to Skelton, who said, crop the day. "Right," the Doctor replied, "Why so?"-" Because," said Skelton, "the day is a flower," preserving the beauty of the metaphor. The examiner, many in which office have strange peculiarities, gave him an additional mark for this answer. We often value ourselves more on hits of this nature than on matters of real importance.

He did not abound with money at this time, and especially before he got a scholarship, the emoluments of which are sufficiently known. His two brothers, the clergymen, contributed in some degree to support the expense of his education; but the assistance derived from these and bis mother was not sufficient to keep him out of debt and danger.

He was once forced to confine himself some weeks within the college for fear of bailiffs, who were prowling about the gates in search of him; for the students would not allow these harpies to come within the walls; if any were so imprudent, they met with very harsh usage, which served as an example to terrify others. The testimony of his friend Mr. Hawkshaw, to whom he was a long time curate in Monaghan, partly confirms the account I have given. For he assured me, that, for some time after he got the cure of that place, he paid Dr. Delany a certain sum every year to discharge a debt contracted while in the college.

The narrowness of his circumstances made him apply more diligently to his books. He had but few temptations to go abroad; he wished to gain that distinction by literature, which he could not by fortune. The rich may slum

ber away their time, as they usually do, but the calls of nature often rouse the poor, and force them to their studies. Hunger is a most powerful spur to genius. Magister artis ingenique largitor venter. It is this, Skelton used to remark, that chiefly stimulates the Scotch professors to distinguish themselves in literature. Accustomed, he said, to encounter poverty in their youth, and living in a barren country, and keen sharp air, like that of Attica, they easily overcome many literary difficulties, which appear invincible to those who have been bred up in sloth, softness, and plenty.

Baldwin, who was, if possible, still more enraged at Skelton for obtaining a scholarship, strove to vex him by all means in his power. In a short time he found it necessary to call him before him, on a very different occasion from the former.

On the death of Coghil, the great civilian, there was a vacancy for a member of parliament to represent the university. Two candidates were proposed, one of them Dr. Helsham, the noted fellow, and a tory; the other Mr. Palliseer, a moderate man, whose father, the Archbishop of Cashel, had built Palliseer's building in the college, and made a present of a large collection of books for the library. Provost Baldwin, who required humble submission in every thing, being averse to Helsham on account of his principles, sent for the scholars of the house (who with the fellows are the electors), and ordered them to vote for Mr. Palliseer.

Skelton promised, as the rest did, to obey his command. Helsham's party finding now that their candidate would be unable to succeed, set up in his room Dr. Elwood, a senior fellow and a whig, who, on account of his principles, and by making large offers and promises, brought over the provost to his side. He then sent for the scholars again, and bade them not vote for Mr. Palliseer, but for Dr. Elwood. When he delivered his injunctions to Skelton,* he replied thus, "Sir, you ordered me to support Mr. Palliseer, and in obedience to your command, I waited on him, and told

Dr. Palliseer of Rathsarnam told me, that Dr. Baldwin assured him he was not an enemy to Mr. Palliseer on that election. On the contrary, Mr. Skelton assured me that the provost, on summoning him the second time, positively ordered him to vote for Dr. Elwood.

him I would vote for him; how then can I, consistently with honour, retract my promise?"-" Skelton," said the provost, "you must do as I desire you, or mark the consequence."-"Let it be as it may," he rejoined, "I will not break my word, but I will vote for Mr. Palliseer."—" Sirrah," he replied in a passion, “you are an obstinate impudent fellow, and I never can get any good of you; but I'll make you repent of it yet." On the day of the election, Mr. Palliseer found himself deserted by the majority of his friends, who, through fear of the provost, whose power it was dangerous to oppose, were forced to declare against him. Skelton previously to the election, received an injury on his leg, which lamed him, and made him use a staff. On account of this accident, he came limping into the hall with a huge club in his hand, and a gown about his shoulders; a figure somewhat odd and terrific; for he was a large-sized man, of a majestic appearance. When the provost, who was returning officer, asked him whom he would vote for? he replied, with an intrepid countenance, that he would vote for Mr. Palliseer, and said openly before them all, that it was very ungrateful in them to reject the son of a man, who had done so much for the college; yet the father's liberality to it could not secure for the son the honour of being one of its representatives. The provost's interest inclining to the opposite side, was sufficient to turn the scale against him.

Skelton's conduct at this election was most honourable. No threats of a tyrannical superior could prevail on him to break his word, and desert, at the hour of trial, the man to whom he had promised support. He would not follow a multitude to do evil. The whole tenor of his life was exactly consistent with the instance I have given, as he was always too strict an observer of virtue to yield to the fashionable current of the times.

It appears from Dr. Baldwin's influence at the election, that the university in those times was a mere borough of the provost. If the candidate secured his favour, he was chosen; if not, he was surely rejected. For the honour of modern times, we can boast, that the case is quite altered, and that the freedom of election is fully restored. He that is acquainted with the nature of college politics for these