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CURRAN 355 was a field perfectly new to him, and though he discharged its duties with efficieney and honour, and gave him what was deemed the otium cum diguitate, the office of attorney- general, with its chances of elevation to the king's bench, would have much more gratified his taste and his ambition. In the arrangements for Mr. Curran's appointment to this office, Sir Michael Smith, his predecessor, retired upon the usual pension; but he stipulated also for the con- tinuance of his chief officer, Mr. Ridgeway, in his post, on a provision for him of 500l, a year from the emoluments of his successor. Mr. Ponsonby, to facilitate the success of his friend, had promised this matter should be adjusted, met Mr. Curran, who had designed his eldest son for the place, which was worth 1000i. a-year, considered himself as no party to the arrangement for Mr. Ridgeway, and refused to comply. This led to an unfortunate misunder- standing, which continued for life, between him and Mr. Ponsonby. The latter gentleman felt hiuself bound to make good the stipulation to Mr. Ridgeway, which he did most honourably from his own purse. Mr. Curran, junior, did the duties by proxy until the resignation of his father, which took place in a very few years afterwards. The father vindicated his own conduct in a letter circulated in manuscript for some time amongst his friends, which ultimately found its way into print, and which by Do means tended to heal the breach. This unfortunate chasm in his political friendship, added to a domestic occurrence of a much earlier date, greatly embiutered the happiness of his latter years. This was the infidelity of a wife, whom he had married for love, by whom he had, at the time, several grown children, who had shared with him his ele- vation and prosperity, and became a vietim to the seduc- tive artifices of a clergyman, who had for years shared hi intimate friendship, and was a constant participator in his hospitalities. He suçceeded in an action for damages against the man, but never exacted the penalty; and h separated from bis unfortunate wife, but without suing for a divorce. His domestic happiness, however, was gone for