310 CURRAN. nature, which even the gravity of a silk gown and a serjeant's coif cannot always conceal s but when such a feeling betrays itself on the bench, it merits a much harsher name than mere illiberality. There was an Honourable Judge Robinson at this time on the Irish bench, as remarkable for the peevishness of his temper as the pitifalness of his person, who had more than once elicited sparks of just resentment from gentle men of the bar, that might bave taught him better caution. Current rumours stated that this learned judge attained his promotion to the judgment seat, not by his eminent virtues or his legal learning, but his literary services in the publication of some political pamphlets, remarkable only for their senseless, slavish, and venomous scurrility. This goodly sage, at a time when Mr. Curran was struggling with adversity, and straining every nerve in one of his early forensic pursuits, made an unfeeling effort to extin- guish him. Mr. Curran, in combating some opinion, urged by the opposite counsel, said, that he had consulted all his law books, and could not find a single case to esta- blish the opinion contended for; " I suspect, Sir," said the heartless judge with a sneer, "that your law library is rather contracted." Such a remark from the bench, applied to a young man of ordinary pretensions would have infal- libly crushed him. But Mr. Curran, whose practical motto was "nemo me impunè lacessit," rose from the pres- sure of this stroke with increased elasticity. For a moment he eyed the judge with a pause of contemptuous silence, and then replied,-" It is true, my lord, that I am poor; and that circumstance has rather curtailed my library; but, if my books are not numerous, they are select; and, I hope, have been perused with proper dispositions; I have pre- pared myself for this high profession, rather by the study of a few good books, than the composition of many bad ones. I am not ashamed of my poverty, but I should of my wealth, could I stoop to acquire it by servility and corrup- tion. 1f I rise not to rank, I shall at least be honest; and should I ever cease to be so, many examples shew me,
