immediately dismissed from his various offices, although still left in the enjoyment of his salary. Lord Fitzwilliam afterwards gave the following reasons for this step: " When, on my arrival here, I found all those apprehensions of his dangerous power … were fully justified, when he was filling a situation greater than that of the Lord-Lieutenant himself, and when I clearly saw that if I had connected myself with him, it would have been connecting myself with a person labouring under heavy suspicions, and subjecting my government to all the opprobrium and unpopularity attendant upon his maladministration—what was then my choice? … I decided at once not to cloud the dawn of my administration by leaving in such power and authority so much imputed malversation; but in doing this, I determined, whilst I determined to curtail him of his power, and to show to the nation that he did not belong to my administration, to let him remain in point of income as well to the full as he had ever been. I did not touch, and he knew that I did not intend to touch, a hair of the head of any of his family or friends, and they are still left in the full enjoyment of more emoluments than ever was accumulated in any country upon any one family." Mr. Beresford immediately proceeded to London, where his influence with the Ministry was so great that within a few weeks Lord Fitzwilliam was recalled. The illness of Mrs. Beresford, who expired near London on 19th May, deferred until 28th June a hostile meeting with Lord Fitzwilliam, provoked by strictures made by the latter in letters to Lord Carlisle. The duel was interrupted by a peace officer. Mr. Beresford, in a letter to a friend about this time, gives the following account of the sequel: "Lord Fitzwilliam then turned to me and said, 'Now, Mr. Beresford, that we have been prevented from finishing this business in the manner I wished, I have no scruple to make an apology,' which he did, and hoped it would be satisfactory to me. … He then hoped that I would give him my hand, which I did, and he said, ' Now, thank God, there is a complete end to my Irish administration.'" Next month Mr. Beresford returned to Dublin, and was restored to all his offices. In the events that soon followed—the Rebellion and the Union—he sided with Lords Castlereagh and Clare; and few contributed more than he to the successful carrying through of the Union, or had more to do with the fiscal arrangements consequent thereupon. It was a bitter mortification to him that his son John C, Beresford threw up a good government appointment, and voted against the measure. Before many years were over, however,—in November 1804—in a letter to a friend, we find him deploring many of the results of the change. He entered the Imperial Parliament for Waterford. In 1802 he was, at his own request, relieved from official duties; and the three remaining years of his life were spent between his London residence, and Walworth, his seat in the County of Londonderry. He was all through life devoted to gardening and agriculture. He died after a short illness, on 5th November 1805, aged 67. A portion of his correspondence, edited by a grandson, and published in two volumes in 1854, is replete with valuable information on current events, and remarks upon public characters. His brother became Marquis of Waterford in 1789, and his grand-nephew, the 3rd Marquis, killed out hunting in 1859, was a nobleman of great sporting notoriety. The influence of the Beresfords is further shown by the fact that among his descendants, within fifty years after his decease, may be counted an archbishop, a bishop, a governor of a colony, a colonial secretary, an M.P., a colonel, a lieutenant-colonel, a knight of the Legion of Honour, a privy-councillor, and several officers of rank; while he had one brother an earl, another an archbishop and a baron; one nephew an archbishop and primate, and another a lieutenant-general, 30 54 281
Beresford, Lord John George, Archbishop of Armagh, nephew of preceding, son of the first Marquis of Waterford, was born at Tyrone House, Dublin, 22nd November 1773. Educated at Eton and Oxford, he entered the Church, and his preferment was rapid—Bishop of Cork and Ross, 1805; translated to Raphoe, 1807; Clogher, 18 19; to the archbishopric of Dublin, 1820; and to Armagh in 1822. Although his published works were confined to four sermons, he was a distinguished prelate, and devoted the best energies of his life to the service of his Church. He restored the Cathedral of Armagh, and Trinity College is indebted to him for the erection of the beautiful campanile in the Library-square. He died 19th July 1862, aged 88, and was succeeded in the primacy by his cousin, Marcus G. Beresford, Bishop of Kilmore. 54 181
Berkeley, George, Bishop of Cloyne, was born at Dysert Castle, on the river Nore, two miles below Thomastown, 12th March 1683-'4; he received his early education at Kilkenny School, and entered Trinity College, 21st March 1699-
