Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/450

446 MURPHY. Jeffery French, in whose eounting-house he was employed till April 1749; after this his uncle destined him to go to Jamaica to overlook a large estate which he possessed in that island; but his inclination was averse to business of every kind, and he returned to his mother in London in 1751. Here he either first contracted, or began at least to indulge his predominant passion for the theatre, although placed in the counting-house of Ironside and Belchier, bankers. In October 1752, he published the first number of the “Gray's-Inn Journal,” a weekly paper, which he continued for two years, and which served to connect him much with dramatic performers and writers, as well as to make him known to the public as a wit and a critic. On the death of his uncle, he was much disappointed in not finding his name mentioned in his will, and the more so, as he had contracted debts, in hopes of a good legacy, to the amount of three hundred pounds. In this embar rassed state, by the advice of the celebrated Foote, he went on the stage, and appeared, for the first time, in the character of Othello. In one season, by the help of strict economy, he paid off his debts, and had, at the end of the year, 400l. in his pocket. With this sum he determined to quit the stage, on which, as a performer, notwithstanding the advantages of a fine person and good judgment, he made no very distinguished figure, and never used to be more offended than when reminded of this part of his career. He now determined to study the law; but on his first application to the Society of the Middle Temple, he had the mortification to be refused admission, on the ground of his having acted on the stage; but was soon after, in 1757, received as a member of Lincoln's Inn. In this year he was engaged in a weekly paper, called “The Test,” undertaken chiefly in favour of Mr. Fox, afterwards Lord Holland, which ceased on the overthrow of the administration to which his lordship was attached. This paper was answered by Owen Ruffhead in the “Contest.” During his study of the law, the stage was either, from