BRIEN BOIRUMHE. 118 had its time appointed for it, and he had always leisure ia store. As a chemist, be deservedly ranks high in the estimation of his brethren; his discoveries were wonderfal in them- selves, and immense in the applications which have re- sulted from them. Yet we cannot avoid regretting that his health or indolence prevented him from pursuing that glorious experimental career which he opened to the view of others, adapted as he was in every respect to have ex- tended our acquaintance with that art. His perspicuity in his writings and lectures can never be sufficiently admired; his principles are so clearly expressed, that they cannot be misunderstood even by ignorance, nor mis- represented by malice. His reputation had extended to the continent, where he was no less esteemed than in the country in which he resided; and he had latterly the honour of being appointed one of the eight Foreign Associates of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, on the recommendation of the celebrated chemist, Lavoisier, whose liberality in this respect is worthy of admiration, when we consider the mean and heartless envy which too frequently exists between distinguished literary and scien- tific characters. BRIEN BOIRUMHE. THE earlier pages of the history of Ireland teem with so many glorious instances of distinguished heroes, com bining in themselves the united characters of warriors and statesmen, that we have been desirous of passing them over in silence, lest their number should add too much to the bulk of our volume. In an undertaking, however, of this nature, it would be an unpardonable negligence to omit "Brien--the glory and grace of his age." A short sketch of whose life will no doubt be acceptable VOL. I. 29
