CURRAN 301 excited no apprehensions while sunk at the bottom of the current; but, in process of time, they rose as they rotted, by the buoyancy of their own corruption; till, reaching the surface, they floated down the stream, infecting the very atmosphere by the stench of their putrescence, and filled the surrounding country with horror and dismay." At another time he compared them to "mummies in a calacomb, who remained fixed in their niches, until dug out to give their votes, or be told off in the dumb show of a division against their country But one of his most ludicrous and effective strokes in this way was played off upon a gentleman of the bar, named Duquery, who had a seat in parliament. He was a gentleman of distinguished talents and worth, who had long been the zealous stpporter of Mr. Curran and his friends, but he was not so fortunate as Curran in the forensic field; and felt himself advancing in years with an income very inadequate to his station in life. This gentle- man was prevailed on to accept a serjeantry-at-law, as a step preliminary to higher advancement in his professional line: but the condition, however unpalatable, was a transfer of his talents to the treasury-side of the house, and an implicit support of administration. Mr. Duquery with reluctance complied, much to the surprise and chagrin of his old colleagues; and on his first night's appearance in his new situation, he made a speech in support of a ministerial question, so very inferior to his usual style, and so feeble in the cause he had recently espoused, as greatly to disappoint the hopes of his new allies, and to gratify those whom he had so lately deserted. Such a circumstance could not escape the vigilance and wit of Curran; and in a night or two afterwards, while Mr. Duquery sat blushing amongst bis new friends, for his recent failure, and preparing for a more successful effort in the evening's debate, Mr. Curran rose, and made, as usual, a brilliant speech on the subject under discussion, towards the end of which, he " congratulated the Right Honourable Major (Hobart) on the acquisition of his new VOL, I.
