In 1786 Edmund Burke paid his last visit to Ballitore. He was accompanied by his son. On the 23rd of the Tenth month they gave us a most pleasant surprise. The great man could not, I think, possibly have appeared to more advantage than while he again reviewed the scenes of his youth. He remembered where the trees had stood which stood no longer, and greeted those that remained as old acquaintances; the alterations in the buildings were not unnoticed, and with peculiar delight he went through the apartments of the school-house, and walked in the Four-tree field. He called to see all those with whose families he had formerly been acquainted; and his finished politeness was mingled with so much good-nature and simplicity that they delighted while they flattered his friends. The village was all agape while the distinguished strangers made a tour of it, attended by the old master and most of his family.Xent. She then tells several anecdotes of his meetings with the old servants and artizans he had known as a boy, and their delight and pride at seeing him. My father and mother loved him as their steady and sincere friend....We young folks listened with pleasure to my mother's anecdotes of his assisting her to pick bogberries, and remarking how well they might be chosen by feeling, without the help of the eyes; how kindly he settled her in a car setting out to a meeting, and wondering in what carriage she could travel with most ease, recommended the bolted-down chair....Again my father told of the pursuits of their youth, when they climbed the heights of learning and picked the flowers of poetry together. He regretted the loss of his poem in praise of the Blackwater, and of a translation from Theocritus, in competition with which my father attempted one of his own. He remembered that in Burke's version of the passage in which Venus despatches her Loves in search of the Boar which had wounded Adonis, were the following lines, containing an idea not to be found in the original: "Him the Love who rules the strong 1 Leadbeater Papers, 1, p. 169. 2 There is an imitation of the nineteenth Idyllium of Theocritus in Poems on Several Occasions, Dublin, 1748 (R.I.Ac., Halliday Tracts, Box 202. There are two copies of the volume in the Bradshaw Collection, Cambridge University Library, Hib. 7, 748, 50-1). It was probably written by R. Shackleton, who wrote the dedicatory ode in the volume. Some poems of Burke's, including his translation from the second Georgic, were first published in it. See post p. 92. メ CHAPTER III IN TRINITY COLLEGE JUNIOR FRESHMAN N 14th April, 1744 A.D., Edmund Burke entered Trinity College, ON few months over fifteen years of age He had left Ballitore the day before. The examinations for entrance were not then held at any fixed dates, nor was there any prescribed course of classical authors. The examination was conducted by the tutor in the first instance, and afterwards by the senior lecturer. It was not till 1759, after Provost Baldwin's death, that Public Entrance Examinations were arranged to be held on fixed dates and in specified authors. The following is an extract from the Matriculation Register preserved in the strong room in Trinity College, showing the names of Edmund Burke and two other students who entered on the 14th April, 1744 A.D. The lists for the academic year, which commenced on 9th July, 1743, and ended 9th July, 1744, are headed: "Annus Academicus nono die Julii Milessimo Septengentessimo Quadragessimo Tertio" (1743). It will be noticed that the name is spelled Bourke. As before mentioned, it is also frequently spelled Burk, as well as Burke, in the college books. The name of Burke's father is entered by mistake as John; it was Richard. Mr Shackleton's name is also incorrectly spelled Shakelton. Burke's entrance is also recorded in the senior lecturer's book as follows. The senior lecturer's entries are for the year as beginning on 20th November, 1743, and ending 20th November, 1744. The classes changed on the 20th November in each year after the Michaelmas Term examinations, and the senior lecturer's books were then kept, having regard to the status of the student during this period. There is also a third record of Burke's matriculation, an entry made by Dr John Barrett, who was senior lecturer in 1813, in the first page of the Club Minute Book; it is as follows: Johannis Generosi-annum 16 agens-Natus Dublinii-Educatus sub ferula Mag. Shackleton-Dr Pelissier JOHN BARRETT, Sen. Lect. The date 19th April is the date upon which the entrance was noted up in the senior lecturer's book. Burke was a "jib," in college parlance, during the interval from April, 1744, to November, 1744. He describes his first impressions of Trinity College in a letter to Shackleton immediately after his entrance. E. Burke to Richard Shackleton. Dublin, April, 1744 Dear Dicky, Since I am deprived of your company that was so agreeable to me, and the sweet hours that I spent in Ballitore in your conversation, and condemned to noise, smoke and Dublin town, all I can do is to alleviate the pains of absence by an epistolary correspondence; but here I am stopped by the expiration of privilege1, which, though a bar to us, yet it may be remedied in some measure by the Carman & Co.2 Without further prologue I shall acquaint you with my adventures since I left you, which though perhaps not so entertaining nor so full of surprising events as those of Don Quixote, Josey etc.3 may serve to let you know that Dick Chidley and I arrived pretty safe at this City rather of the latest, for the paσkeε watchman had the impudence to inform the town how bad travellers we were by saying, "Past twelve o'clock"! I was however let in, went to bed, slept, and was sent in company with Jack Baily immediately after breakfast next morning (i.e. Monday morning) to Dr Pellasier 5, Fellow of Trinity College, near Dublin, a gentleman (since it falls my way to give his conjectural character) accounted one of the most learned in the University, an exceedingly good humoured, cleanly, civil fellow (N.B. I judge by outward appearances). We were admitted into his rooms, and he has three very grand ones. He and Jack Baily had a good deal of chat and a couple of men were setting up a barometer in his room-so he could not for a while examine me. At last he brought out Francis's Horace, Dauphine's Virgil and Homer, with I don't know whose notes; he made me construe Scriberis Vario &c. Eheu fugaces, Postume &c. and in Virgil I began the 103rd line of the Sixth Aeneid, and in Homer with the 227th line of the Third Iliad, and the 406th of the Sixth and he was pleased to say (what I would not say after him unless to a particular friend) that I was a good Scholar, understood the Authors very well, and seemed to take pleasure in them (yet by the bye, I don't know how he could tell that) and that I was more fit for the College than three parts of my class; but he told me I must be examined again by the Senior Lecturer. He was sent for but was not at home, therefore Dr Pellasier told me I must have the trouble of calling again. He was going out and introduced me (according to custom I believe) to the Provost, who is an old sickly looking man. To be 1 Privilege, i.e. his franks for postage had expired, and he would have to send the letter by some other means. 2 "The Carman, the driver of a primitive two-wheeled vehicle drawn by one horse, was the common carrier of goods, small parcels, and frequently of letters throughout Ireland previous to the introduction of railways." Leadbeater Papers, II, p. 3. 3 Josey Delany. See letter 11th June, 1744, post p. 38. An old pupil at Ballitore School, having joined the school in 1735. He took his B.A. 1741 in Trinity College, Dublin. 5 Rev. John Pellisier, Fellow, 1727, Bursar, 1744; Professor of Divinity, 1746; Vice-provost, Rector of Ardshaw, County Tyrone, 1753; died 6th January, 1781. See the note as to the protest against his election as Fellow in Dublin University Calendar, 1912-13, vol. III, p. 585. 6 Incipit Aeneas heros: non ulla laborum 'Where Helen from the tower over the Scæan Gate points out to Priam the Greek chieftains on the plain of Troy. Andromache's appeal to Hector to stay from battle. • Richard Baldwin, D.D., admitted Provost July, 1717. Died 30th September, 1758, aged 92 years. For interesting accounts of Provost Baldwin, see Burdy's Life short, this morning I was examined very strictly with another young lad by Mr Aubins or Robbins1 (I don't know which) the Senior Lecturer, in the Odes, Sermons and Epistles of Horace, and am admitted. I cannot express, nor have I the knack of doing it, how much I am obliged to your Father for the extraordinary pains and care he has taken with me so as to merit the commendation of my tutor, and all I can do is to behave myself so as not to bring a scandal upon him or his school. I've nought more to say, but that yesterday I went to J. Fletcher's2 to invite your mother; she was not at home. I left the letters for her. Pray remember my love to all my school fellows, and to Mr Burn3 in particular. Tell Master Pearce3 for his comfort that I was examined in As in praes1 and give my service to all the girls5, and inform Nanny Morris that I have thought of her once or twice, and that if she has a mind for a coach and six let her tell what coloured horses she will have, and it shall be sent her by the first opportunity, but in the mean time give her a box, and place it to account, and this shall be sufficient warrant for so doing, and it is almost night, and I must write to the Master, so I must conclude without more ado, all-a-one-now. NED BURKE. P.S. I saw your friend Herbert at his shop door as I went to the College to-day, and I stood awhile to speak to him. I went to see Mr Brugh', but he was gone out of town. The Microcosm will leave town the 28th, so consider what to do. Send to me the next carman that goes, and I'll send you something, or send Harry Bawne. It is interesting to compare Burke's experience of the entrance examination in Trinity College with that of a Cambridge student a little later in the eighteenth century. Framingham Willis, a pensioner of Skelton (London, 1882), and "Trinity College, Dublin," by W. MacNeile Dixon in College Histories Series (London, 1902), Stubbs' History of Trinity College, Dublin, and by Mahaffy in The Book of Trinity College, Dublin. 1 John Obins, co-opted Fellow, 1739, Sen. Lecturer, resigned January, 1746, Prebendary of Raphoe. Died 1775. The "other young lad" was Richard Orpin whose tutor was also Burke's, Dr Pelissier. Orpin won a scholarship the same year as Burke, 1746. He was a member of the old family of Orpin of Ardtully, Co. Kerry. He was afterwards Rector of Kenmare. See Burke's Landed Gentry. Sir William Orpen, R.A., K.B.E., and Dr Goddard Orpen, Litt.D., the well-known historian, are members of the same family. * Formerly a pupil at Ballitore. He joined the school in 1730. 3 Undermasters at Ballitore School. As in praesenti perfectum format in avi Ut no, nas, navi, vocito, vocitas, vocitavi, etc. etc. These were the first lines of a Memoria technica for the principal parts of the Latin verbs, as given in King Edward VI's First Latin Book. There were several girls amongst the younger day pupils at Ballitore, where there seems to have been a preparatory as well as advanced classes. See post p. 34. The cry of the watchman on his rounds. 7 See post pp. 69, 70. • The Microcosm was a kind of Myriorama Show exhibited at "The Raven" on College Green. It was extensively advertised in the Dublin newspapers of the time. See Faulkner's Journal, Jan. to April, 1744. • Early Collegiate Life, by John Venn, F.R.S., Sc.D., President of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, p. 243. |