Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 06.djvu/438

In 1754 Brooke, in a publication entitled 'The Spirit of Party,' wrote once more against the Irish catholics, and was in return severely criticised by Charles O'Conor in a pamphlet styled 'The Cottager.' To aid the project of obtaining parliamentary grants for promoting inland navigation, Brooke in 1759 published a work entitled 'The Interests of Ireland.' This he dedicated to James, viscount Charlemont, whom he panegyrised also in a poem entitled 'The Temple of Hymen.' In 1760 Brooke became secretary to an association of peers and others at Dublin for registering proposals of national utility, with a view to having them presented to parliament. At this period he entered into negotiations with some of the influential Roman catholics in Ireland, and was employed by them to write publicly in advocacy of their claims for a relaxation of the penal laws. Under this arrangement, and with the materials supplied by them to him, Brooke produced a volume published in 1761 at Dublin, with the following title: 'The Tryal of the Cause of the Roman Catholics; on a special Commission directed to Lord Chief Justice Reason, Lord Chief Baron Interest, and Mr. Justice Clemency. Wednesday, August 5th, 1761. Mr. Clodworthy Common-sense, Foreman of the Jury; Mr. Serjeant Statute, Council for the Crown; Constantine Candour, Esq., Council for the Accused.' It advocated an alleviation of the penal laws. Brooke, in connection with this subject, published 'A proposal for the restoration of public wealth and credit by means of a loan from the Roman catholics of Ireland, in consideration of enlarging their privileges.' He also wrote a treatise on the constitutional rights and interests of the people of Ireland, and again contemplated the production of a history of that country. Brooke appears to have been the first conductor of the 'Freeman's Journal,' established at Dublin in 1763. Perpetually 'duped in friendship as well as in charity,' Brooke was necessitated to mortgage his property in Cavan, and became a resident in Kildare, where he rented a house and demesne. In 1766 he commenced the publication of his remarkable novel entitled 'The Fool of Quality; or, the History of Henry, Earl of Moreland.' The first volume was dedicated 'to the right respectable my ancient and well-beloved patron, the public,' with a reply to the question, 'Why don't you dedicate to Mr. Pitt? The 'Fool of Quality' extended to five volumes, and passed through several editions. The main story and its many episodes are distinguished by simplicity of style, close observation of human nature, high sense of humour, and a profoundly religious and philanthropic temper. The idea of the 'Fool of Quality' was said to have been derived by Brooke from a narrative orally communicated to him by his uncle, Robert Brooke, in the course of a journey on horseback from Kildare to Dublin. In 1772 Brooke published a poem entitled 'Redemption.' His last work was 'Juliet Grenville; or, the History of the Human Heart,' a novel in three volumes, issued in 1774. Garrick, who entertained a high esteem for Brooke, pressed him earnestly to write for the stage, ind offered to enter into articles with him for 1s. a line for all he should write during life, provided that he wrote for him alone. This proposal, however, we are told, was reected by Brooke with some degree of haughiness, for which Garrick never forgave him. From Kildare Brooke removed to a residence in Cavan, near his former habitation, and, as expressed in his own words, continued there 'dreaming life away.' A visitor to Brooke in 1775 described him as 'dressed in a long blue cloak, with a wig that fell down his shoulders. He was a little man, neat as wax-work, with an oval face, ruddy complexion, and large eyes full of fire.' Brooke sank into a state of mental depression on the deaths of his wife and of his children, of whom the sole survivor (out of a family of twenty-two) was his daughter Charlotte [q. v.], who devoted herself entirely to him. Disease and grief rendered him at times incapable of mental or physical exertion. With a view to his pecuniary advantage, some friends undertook, with his assent, to publish a collection of his poetical and dramatic works. Four volumes of these were issued at London in 1778, but in them, through mismanagement, some of the pieces were printed from unrevised copies, others were omitted, and productions of which Brooke was not the author were included in the collection. John Wesley, who had some relations with Brooke's friends, published in 1780 an abridged edition of the 'Fool of Quality.' In his prefatory observations Wesley recommended the work as the most excellent, in its kind, of any that he had seen either in English or in any other language. Charlotte, Brooke's daughter, considered that the failure of her father's mental powers was apparent in the latter portions of the 'Fool of Quality,' and that three volumes would amply contain all that ought to remain in the five. As to his other and last work, 'Juliet Grenville,' 'it is,' she wrote, 'I fear, scarcely worthy of revision, and should be finally consigned to oblivion.' Brooke died in a state of mental debility at Dublin on 10 Oct. 1783. Several portraits of Brooke have been engraved. The