lished (in 1743) "Truth in a Mask," with a dedication to this nobleman. At the beginning of it he says, "It was for many and weighty reasons, which in charity he forbears to mention, that he chose to quit him so soon." He acknowledges that no blame could be laid to his lordship. It is easy indeed to observe by the dedication, that he looked on lord Charlemont in his juvenile years to be far superior to the generality of our young Irish lords; nor has the maturer age of this venerable nobleman disappointed the expectations formed of him in his youth. The advantages derived to this kingdom from his exertions, and from those of the illustrious armed patriots, who chose him for their commander, men who sacrificed private ease and profit to the public good, are too well known to be dwelt upon here.

His reason for writing "Truth in a Mask," which consists of thirteen allusions, is thus expressed in the dedication; "I have found by experience, that the naked truth is displeasing to most people, and even shocking to many. I have therefore in the following allusions given religious truth such a dress and mask as may perhaps procure it admittance to a conference with some of its opposers and contemners," He mentions also the example of our blessed Saviour, who gained an admission to the human heart by his parables. His allusions, however, he says, "cannot be understood without a competent knowledge of church history, and a near acquaintance with the present reigning controversies in religion; so that, as they are calculated for the perusal of the learned and judicious alone, it is not to be hoped they will please many." Yet I doubt if they ever proved as agreeable even to the learned and judicious reader, as the author expected. Their meaning is often too dark; the things to which they allude are not shewn with sufficient clearness. In compositions of this sort, which proceed wholly out of an author's own brain, it requires great art to make them palatable. Their intent is to expose the absurdities of Popery, and false principles of Arianism. Yet the dedication prefixed, which contains some admirable advice in very forcible language, is more worthy of being preserved than any of the allusions.

On leaving the tuition of lord Charlemont, he returned, as already mentioned, to his cure, which was kept open for

him by his indulgent rector, Mr. Hawkshaw, and he began to apply busily, as before, to reading and composition. While he was a curate, and engaged thus at close study, he was offered a school worth 500l. a year arising from the benefit of the scholars. But he refused it, as the acceptance of this office must have obstructed him in his literary progress. He had marked out for himself several useful compositions which he intended to publish, few or none of which could ever have been completed, had he embarked in the tumult of a public school. The noise and hurry of such a place are, it is well known, adverse to study, which requires silence, quiet, and calmness. How could we settle ourselves to composition, if a parcel of clamourous boys were vociferating around us?

I nunc et tecum versus meditare canoros.

It was remarked to him by some of his friends, that he might sit in a private room at his studies, and leave to his ushers the chief trouble of the school, which he might visit occasionally, as it would suit his convenience. But he said, he could not in conscience take the money, without giving up his whole time and attention to his scholars; which would prevent him from executing the plans he had formed.

About this time he was walking on the road near Monaghan, when a fine dressed servant came riding up to him, and asked him if he knew a Mr. Skelton? He said he had a right to know him a little for he was the man himself. The servant then gave him a letter he had for him, signed **** a lady of good fortune, who told him that her dear husband was just dead, and as she had more dependence on him than on any other man alive, she begged he would come to her family to teach her children for which she would allow him an ample salary, also sufficient leisure to pursue his studies. The offer appearing advantageous required some consideration. He therefore informed the lady by the servant, he would give her a positive answer in a day or two. The rest of the day he passed in anxious thought; at night he lay sleepless in his bed, without forming a fixed resolution; towards morning he fell into a doze, and saw clearly, he said, a vision which determined his choice.* He saw, he assured

This is something of the marvellous, but I give it as I received it.

us, the appearance of a wig-block rising by degrees out of the floor of his room, which continued thus to rise till it got above the floor, and then moving back and forward, said in a solemn voice, "Beware of what you are about," and sunk gradually down. He was thus warned by the awful vision. Instantly he went to the lady, and told her he could not leave his cure. She expressed her sorrow at his determination, but requested he would look out for some one, who, he thought, would suit her purpose. He promised to do so, and in a short time brought her a gentleman every way qualified. When she saw him, she took Mr. Skelton aside, and told him, she had no objection to the gentleman but one; and that was, he was too handsome, which would probably cause ill-natured people to throw reflections on her character, as she was a young widow. She therefore requested he would get her some other one more ordinary. Accordingly he procured her one who answered her description. But, as Skelton remarked," she married him in two years, in half a year after she cuckhold him, and then I saw her with my eyes a beastly drunkard." Thus the wig-block warned him of his danger.

In 1744, he published the "Candid Reader, addressed to his terraqueous Majesty, the World." This production is among the best of his short occasional pieces. In his attempts at wit he is tolerably successful. The objects of his ridicule are Hill the mathematician, who proposes making verses by an arithmetical table, lord Shaftesbury, and Mr. Johnson, the author of a play called Hurlothrumbo. The parallel he draws between the rhapsody of lord Shaftesbury and the Hurlothrumbo of Johnson appears somewhat pleasant and judicious.

In the same year, he also published "A Letter to the Authors of Divine Analogy and the minute Philosopher; from an old officer." This is a plain sensible letter. The veteran, in a military style, advises the two polemics to turn their arms from one another against the common enemies of the Christian faith.

The year 1745 was remarkable, it is well known, for an attempt made on the religion and liberty of these kingdoms. At this season of general commotion, Mr. Skelton published his short piece entitled, "Chevalier's Hopes." It is a bold

animated production, fraught with excellent advice; but, appears by its style to have been written in a hurry, as the times were too confused to afford leisure for a polished composition. It shews, that the Pretender had no real hope of success but one-the horrible wickedness of these kingdoms, which might justly bring down on them the divine vengeance.

The people, he said, in many parts of the north were possessed then with a terrible dread of the Highlanders, whom they expected every day to come over on them. At that time he told us, a doughty captain of militia and his men were parading and exercising on a rainy day to prepare for combat, and when they had finished their manœuvres, went to a public house to regale themselves, and dry their clothes, and were sitting at the fire burning their shins and boasting of what feats they would do, when the woman of the house, who happened to be out, opening the back door, shouted to her husband, "Johnny, Johnny, here are the Highlanders at the back door." On this the captain and his men all started up, and ran out of the other door in dread of their lives, leaving their arms behind them. They ran near a mile across the country, without looking back, until at last, hearing no shots, nor any one pursuing, they ventured to look back, and all was quiet. Their fears, it seems, put a wrong interpretation on the good woman's words. Her husband had lately got from the Highlanders, two Scotch ponies, which to distinguish them they called Highlanders. These having a few days before strayed to the adjacent mountains, could not be found until the rain brought them home; and the woman, rejoiced to see them, shouted to her husband, "Johnny, here are the Highlanders at the back door;" which the militia-men supposing to be the real Highlanders took to their heels to save themselves, and thus were frightened away by two Scotch ponies.

Bishop Sterne having about this time finished his earthly career, the see of Clogher was conferred on Dr. Clayton, the notorious author of the "Essay on Spirit." His lordship being a professed Arian in principle, it could not be expected that there would be a close coincidence of opinion between him and Mr. Skelton. Whenever they happened

to

to come into contact, they generally began to dispute. The bishop, as it may be supposed, always gave the first blow, and Skelton stood resolutely on the defensive. The polemic weapons were handled on both sides with sufficient skill; probably to the amusement of the by-standers. But the bishop in dignity of character and station had the advantage over poor Skelton, whose only dependence was upon the strength of his arguments. He told me, the bishop once made a speech to him a whole hour long against the Trinity, to which he was forced to listen with respectful attention. "I was then on the watch," he observed, see if I could catch hold of any thing the bishop said, for I knew I would not be allowed to speak five minutes in my turn, as I was but a poor curate." Accordingly, he perceived some flaw in the bishop's arguments, and when he had finished his oration, asked his lordship how he reconciled that with the rest of what he said, for he appeared to contradict himself? His lordship, who never suspected the weakness of his own reasoning, seemed startled at Skelton's objection; but when he pressed him, according to the Socratic mode, with the absurdity of his own arguments, his lordship was perplexed, and had nothing to say. Mr. Skelton told me all the particulars of this dispute with the bishop, which I cannot now recollect, but I know, I was convinced at the time, that Skelton had gained a complete victory. Yet, however honourable all this might be to Mr. Skelton, or consistent with his duty, it could not at all be conducive to his private interest. Every victory of this sort gained by a curate over a bishop, like that of Pyrrhus over the Romans, tends only to lessen his power, and may probably defeat him at last. The livings, as usual, were given away to others, and no notice taken of Skelton, who had then sufficiently distinguished himself by lite

rature.

His constitution, he imagined, was impaired by the unlucky accident he met with at the long-bullets, and hence he became subject to hypochondriac complaints. Once, while curate of Monaghan, he was strangely affected by this malady. Mr. Hawkshaw and his lady going to Manorwater-house took him in their carriage along with him; but he had got only a short way on the road when he told him