nce, and in 1814 he took
the degree of Bachelor of Arts. His friends, seeing the talents he
evinced for scientific pursuits, urged him to read for a fellowship, and
for some time he prosecuted his studies with marked effect; but the want
of the power of continuous application, and intense concentration, made
him the sport of every trifling interruption, and the habit he had of
throwing aside books partly read, and dwelling upon striking passages
and disputable theories, impeded his progress. It is probable, however,
that with his great mental facilities, a less amount of exertion would
have sufficed than with less gifted students, and that despite his want
of industrial energy, and his unfavorable habits of mind, he would have
succeeded, but he was doomed to be disappointed in a manner which must
have had a very depressing effect on a mind constituted as his was. He
had formed an intimacy with a family in the vicinity of Dublin, and
while his visits to the beautiful scenery in which their dwelling was
situated, stimulated his poetical faculties, the charms of a daughter of
the house touched the sensitive heart of the young scholar. The
attachment was mutual, and ripened apace, but his want of "prospects"
induced the prudent parents to break off the intimacy. The expectant
fellowship indeed would have afforded him sufficient means, but a
barbarous statute was in force which imposed celibacy upon the fellows,
and barred his hopes. If this disappointment had happened to a man of
strong resolute will it would, in all likelihood, after the first shock
was over, have thrown him back upon his studies more determinedly than
ever, but on a nature like that of our hero, it had the contrary effect.
It damped his ardor, he lost both his mistress and the chance of
preferment; and, turning to religion for consolation, he was ordained in
November, 1817, and shortly after was engaged in temporary duty in the
North of Ireland, and finally settled as curate of Donoughmore, where he
continued the greater part of the remainder of his life.

For the occupation of the ministry, Mr. Wolfe, notwithstanding his
youthful military tendency and love of society, was eminently fitted.
His mind was naturally of a devotional cast, and fitted peculiarly for
his new position. He was thoroughly in earnest--the strong impulse
supplied by intense devotional feeling served to counteract his want of
application. The kindness of his heart, and the desire to se