312 HIFFERNAN." grammar school in that county. From this seminary he was removed to one in the city of Dublin, celebrated for teaching the classics, and where he was educated sacerdo tally, being intended for a Roman catholic priest, his parents being of that persuasion. For the completion of his education, he was afterwards sent to a college in the South of France, where he became acquainted with seve ral students, many of whom were afterwards much re nowned in the republic of letters, and particularly the celebrated Rousseau and Marmontel. He remained at this college and at Paris for near seventeen years; and the greater part of the English and Irish students at this college being educated for the profession of medicine, our author took out his bachelor's degrees accordingly, and shortly afterwards returned to Dublin, in order to practise his profession; but nothing can be easier than to account for the reason why he did not fulfil his resolution on his arrival in that city. He was possessed of an unconquer able love of indolence and dissipation. The regularities of any profession were circles too confined for him, and the day that was passing over him, was generally to decide what he should do. With this disposition for seeing a little of life, and leaving h i s profession t o shift for itself, h e sought amusement amidst the convivial and social meetings o f his countrymen; and, a s h e was a good scholar, abounded i n anecdote, and might a t that time have imported some o f the agreeable manners o f the French, h e found a ready chair a t many o f the respectable tables i n Dublin. Shortly afterwards, h e was employed t o write against the celebrated patriot Dr. Lucas, and undertook a periodi cal publication, which was called “The Tickler:” this being a party paper, i t made i t s way f o r some time, and proved the highest advantage that our author prized, that o f living i n a round o f invitations a t private and a t public tables. He was also a remarkably acceptable guest t o the aldermen o f Dublin, a s those who had their great political opponent periodically abused, felt a peculiar gra
