O'FIHELY. 455 in Waterford, he was sent out to that island with full authority from Rome as prefect and vicar apostolic. Prior to his arrival, the great body of the natives were nearly in a state of semi-barbarism, moral and religious; their improvement, after his arrival, was rapid, progres sive, and permanent. He was soon raised to the titular dignity of Bishop of Thyatira; and, on his leaving the island, in 1807, he received, as a token of regard from a general association of the inhabitants, a beautiful silver vase, value 150l. with the following inscription:—“Pre sented to the Right Rev. Dr. O'Donel by the inhabitants of St. John's, Newfoundland, as a testimony of their esteem for his pious, patriotic, and meritorious conduct, during a residence among them of twenty-three years.” He received from government likewise a handsome life pension. His last years he spent in Waterford. During a gradual decay he retained possession of his faculties to the last; and, a short time prior to his decease, traced the following inscription for his tomb :-" Here l i e the mortal remains o f the Right Rev. James O'Donel, Bishop o f Thyatira, the first qualified Missionary who ever went t o Newfoundland, where h e spent twenty-three years a s prefect and vicar apostolic o f the said mission. He de parted this life , i n the seventy-fourth year o f his age. May h e rest i n peace. Amen.” He died April 15th, 1811. MAURICE OFIHELY, A learned, pious, and amiable prelate, who has been held i n such veneration b y some authors, that they have given him the name o f “Flos Mundi,”—the Flower o f the World. The place o f his birth i s uncertain, a s some say he was born a t Cork, some a t Down, and some i n Galway. He was for some time a student a t Oxford, where be became a Franciscan. He afterwards visited Italy, and studied philosophy and divinity a t Padua. About 1480, h e removed t o Venice, where h e was em ployed a s corrector o f the press, which was then consi
