COSBY. 2P and reciting genealogies at rural wakes, or in the hospi table halls of country squires. He has been often heard to recite some of those Irish tales which Macpherson has so artfully interwoven with the texture of the Epic poems, which he does Ossian the honour to attribute to him. En dowed with a sweet voice and a good ear, his narrations were generally graced with the charms of melody. He did not, like the Tale-teller mentioned by Sir William Temple, chaunt his tales in an uninterrupted even tone: the monotony of his modulation was frequently broken, by cadences introduced with taste at the close of each stanza. In rehearsing any of Ossian's poems, or any composition in verse, it was much in the manner of cathedral service; but in singing some of his native airs, he displayed the power of h i s voice—and o n those occa sions his auditors were always enraptured. I t i s asserted that n o singer ever did Carolan's airs, o r Ossian's cele brated Hunting Song, more justice than Cormac. But i t was i n poetry Cormac delighted t o exercise his genius. He composed several songs and elegies, which obtained general applause. His muse, tender and affectionate, was awakened b y the call o f gratitude, and h i s poetical pro ductions are mostly panegyrical, o r elegiac. He some times indulged i n satire, but not often, though endued with a rich vein o f that dangerous gift. Cormac lived, much respected and beloved b y a l l classes; h e was twice married, and had children b y each wife; h e died about the age o f eighty-five. PHILLIPS COSBY, A Bhave and skilful admiral, was descended from an Irish family o f some distinction, long settled a t Strad bally Hall, i n the Queen's county. A t the commencement o f the year 1745, a t a n early period o f life, h e entered the navy o n board o f the Comet bomb, commanded b y the late Admiral S i r Richard Spring. O n the 12th o f February i n the same year, h e was i n a severe engage
