equity and law, that its most intricate principles or insignificant rules were equally familiar to him. A natural and nervous eloquence enforced each commentary on this profound assemblage with such dignity, fluency and ease, that ordinary hearers felt surprise when sentiments classically delivered, and clearly understood, thus flowed from a legal code ignorantly represented as destitute of lettered ornament or historic strength. Providence added to such professional perfection a figure peculiariy expressive of judicial dignity, Singleton then filled the office of Master of the Rolls; had passed through the profession with merited success, and continued such excellence of character in a judicial station. Here was an opportunity of justifying Carter's removal, by assimilating the duty to English practice, and dispensing that blessing to Ireland, but no such salutary principle influenced public councils.
Thus, when the Irish Master of the Rolls died, in 1759, the nation felt the usual neglect of English administration, and the arrogance of its deputed government; that high office was given to a known absentee, Mr. Rigby, and by a tenure for life in defiance of an unrepealed statute, and without even the assumption of a dispensing power; yet in 34 Henry VIII a non-absentee clause was inserted in Sir Thomas Cusake's patent for the same office.
The reader must be curious to know what honours or emoluments accompanied or followed Malone*s unrivalled fame, especially as tides and collateral places or reversions have attached in modern times to doubtfol talents and tainted character. That great man (then Chancellor of the Exchequer) was dismissed from the exercise of judicial duty for parliamentary integrity. The rapacious secretary was for a moment awed, and did not immediately invest himself with the office. But a sufficient insult was offered to this denaded country by the intervening successor; he was a superannuated Judge, who had nothing legal about him but the name. The Exchequer Bench was not cursed with his attendance; its legal management was left to the guidance of another Englishman of equal imbecility, but whom
