he entered into communication with the head of the family of Montmorency in France with a view to his recognition as a descendant of the Irish branch of the same house. His overtures were not favourably received, and in justification of his claim he compiled an exhaustive genealogical memoir of the family of Montmorency; but, though absolutely conclusive on the point, it failed to remove the objections of the Duc de Montmorency. He continued to reside in Paris, occupied chiefly in literary researches, receiving the half-pay of a staff-colonel till his death, which took place at St. Germain-en-Laye on 9 May 1839. According to Miles Byrne, who knew him personally, 'he was brave and honourable, and much liked by his countrymen in France.' He left children by both his wives. His eldest daughter, Louise, born at Knockalton on 20 Sept. 1795, was for a time maid of honour to Queen Caroline of Bavaria. Three of his sons, Herve, Geoffroy, and Mathieu, became officers in the Austrian service. He was much interested in Irish topography, and was regarded as an authority on the subject.
He published:
- 'Nomenclatura Hibernica,' Dublin, 1810.
- 'Reflections on the Veto.'
- 'A Historical Inquiry into the Origin and Primitive Use of the Irish Pillar Tower,' London, 1821.
- 'A Genealogical Memoir of the Family of Montmorency, styled De Marisco or Morres,' Paris, 1817.
- 'Les Montmorency de France et les Montmorency d'Irlande,' Paris, 1825.
He assisted in a new edition of Archdall's 'Monasticum Hibernicum,' and in a 'Topographical Dictionary of Ireland,' neither of which apparently was published; and contributed much valuable information to Brewer's 'Beauties of Ireland.'
[Biographie Nouvelle des Contemporains; Biographie Universelle des Contemporains (a very complete article, probably furnished by Morres himself, glossing over his career as a United Irishman, of which he appears to have become ashamed); Castlereagh's Corresp. ii. 93-100, containing his intercepted memoir to the French government in 1798; Fitzpatrick's Secret Service under Pitt; Madden's United Irishmen, i. 212; Miles Byrne's Memoirs, iii. 95; K. W. Harder's Die Auslieferung der vier politischen Flüchtlinge … im Jahre 1799, Leipzig, 1857; Morres's Les Mortmorency de France et les Montmorency d'Irlande, especially the Introduction.]
MORRES, HERVEY REDMOND, second Viscount Mountmorris (1746?–1797), eldest son of Hervey Morres, baron Mountmorres, of Castle Morres in co. Kilkenny, who was created viscount Mountmorres in 1763, and Letitia, his first wife, daughter of Brabazon Ponsonby, first earl of Bessborough, was born about 1746. He matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford, on 27 April 1763, graduated B.A. on 8 Feb. 1766, was created M.A. on 3 July 1766, and D.C.L. on 8 July 1773. At college he was regarded as a man of considerable ability, but of singular habits. On the death of his. father in April 1766 he succeeded to a very small encumbered estate, but by his prudent and even parsimonious manner of life he not only succeeded before his death in creating an easy fortune of 5,000l. a year, but was able to make a liberal allowance to the children of his father's second wife. In Dublin he resided for some time in the same board- ing-house in Frederick Street as Sir Jonah Barrington [q. v.], who regarded him as 'a very clever and well informed, but eccentric man,' and records one or two curious anecdotes about him (Personal Sketches, i. 118). He took a profound interest in all questions affecting the privileges of the Irish House of Lords. On one occasion he furnished some amusement by publishing in the Dublin newspapers and, Barrington maliciously adds, 'with all the supposititious cheerings, &c. duly interspersed' a speech on the appellant jurisdiction of the House of Lords which he intended to deliver, but the debate never took place. His opinions on these subjects were always worth listening to, and still possess a certain historical value. On the regency question in 1788 he dissented from the view generally taken in Ireland, and argued strongly in support of the course pursued by Pitt and the English parliament. Latterly he resided much in London. He was greatly distressed by the news that reached him of the disturbed state of Ireland, and his mind, never very strong, giving way finally under the strain, he shot himself in a fit of temporary insanity at his lodgings, 6 York Street, St. James's Square, on 18 Aug. 1797. He was buried in St. James's Chapel, Hampstead Road, and never having married, was succeeded by his half-brother, Francis Hervey Morres. By all accounts he was a man of amiable and gentle manners, extremely polite, upright, and generous, fond of talking, but less from vanity than from the prevalence of strong; animal spirits.
His more important publications are:
- 'A Speech intended to have been spoken … on the Appellant Jurisdiction of the House of Lords of Ireland,' 1782.
- 'Impartial Reflections upon the question of Equalising the duties upon the Trade between Great Britain and Ireland,' 1785.
- 'A Speech delivered, 19 Feb. 1789, in the House of Lords, Ire-
