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326 CURRAN any, that rest ought not to be lavished on the guil spiri. When he had concluded his speech, the attorney-gene ral, having replied to his arguments, coneluded by desiring that "no puny babbler should attempt, with vile, un foindee calumny to blast the venerable character of the judges o the land." Mr. Curran immediately rose, and retorted-"The gen tleman has called me a puny babbler-I do not indee recollect that there were sponsors at the baptismal font nor was there any occasion-es the infant had promised and vowed so many things in his own name. Indeed, Sir I find it difficult to reply, for I am not accustomed to panegyrise imyself. I do not well know how to do so, bu since I cannot tell the house what I am, I will tell them what I am not am not a young man whose respect in person and character depends upon the importance of his office;- I am not a man who thrusts himself into the fore ground of a picture which ought to be occupied by a better figure 1 am not a man who replies by invective when sinking under the weight of argument 1 am not a man who denied the necessity of parliamentary reform, at the time he proved the expediency of it by reviling his own constituents, the parish clerk, the sexton, and the grave-digger (Mr. F. was member for a rotten borough) and if there be any man here who can apply what I am not to himself, I leave him to think of it in the committee, and contemplate it when he goes home." The consequence of this altercation was a message from Mr. Fitzgibbon. The parties met, and exchanged shots without injury; and thus the afair ended, without apology or explanation. He once had an affair with his friend Mr. Egan; but meither were hurt. Now that we are on the subject of duels, Mr. Curran, long subsequent to this incident, was involved in another duel, perhaps not so creditable to his spirit. A gentleman, who held a place in the customs, was one of the parlia- mentary reporters employed at the charge of government,