for a long time silent, till you would be surprised by his
bursting into a short, sudden, but very hearty laugh, when any thing had
been said which tickled his fancy; for I found out before long that he
had a great taste for the ludicrous, an exquisite perception of humour.
When he shook hands with you, he placed his cold hand into yours, like a
dead man's hand--even with his most intimate friends--instead of
greeting you with a hearty cordial grasp or pressure. How long again
this little circumstance misled me as to his supposed insensibility to
the claims of friendship or affection! whereas the very reverse was the
case; for he was a most firm and devoted friend, and of an exquisite
delicacy and sensitiveness of feeling. He did not, at first, as the
phrase is, _make way_ with his companions, nor appear desirous of doing
so. I recollect, on one occasion, that he and I remained the last at the
dinner-table; and, though he sate opposite to me for some minutes,
thoughtfully balancing his wine-glass in his hand, an empty decanter
being between us, he spoke not a syllable; and I was watching him (his
eyes being directed towards the floor) with an amused curiosity, on
account of his apparent eccentricity, when he suddenly said, "Mr.
Warren, will you take a walk with me up Regent Street, or any where
else, as it is such a fine evening?" What passed through my mind, on
being thus unexpectedly encountered, was, "Well--he's a curiosity, and
seems to know no one--so I _will_;" and, having said as much, we rose.
He walked down the hall, and we took off our gowns in the ante-room, and
quitted the building, without his having uttered a syllable! I recollect
feeling almost inclined to be offended. We then walked about the town
till nearly nine o'clock, and I think he talked a little about France,
and we compared notes together concerning Dublin and Edinburgh
Universities. I quitted him, musing upon his quaint manner, and his
solemn precision of language: but nothing that had passed between us
gave me the idea of his being a person of superior ability or
acquirements. He was, indeed, a very shy and modest man. It was not, for
instance, till after a seven years' intimacy, that I knew of the
distinction which he had obtained at college; and on my asking him, one
day, whether it was true that he had obtained the gold medal, he
blushed, slightly moved his head aside, and, after a pause, said, in a
tone rather even of displeasure than gratif