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VI II SOME NOTICE OF THE
But William having died just six months after his mar-
riage without issue, Mr. A'der ottered, if Charles Haliday
would come over, to give him up the business. He acceded
to this proposal, and bidding adieu to his literary friends in
London, he returned to Dublin in the year 1813, and soon
afterwards commenced business as a merchant principally
in the bark trade. He took up his residence at a very good
house formerly occupied by his father on Arran-quay, at
one time a fashionable quarter and inhabited by persons of
rank. 1
He was thus launched into a life of business, and became
todj together, fully engaged in commerce, that career most inimical to
letters; yet with characteristic energy he determined to
carry on trade and study together. With this view it was
his habit, he told me, to go to bed at eight o'clock in the
evening and to be wakened up at half-past eleven, when his
t';unily were going to bed. He would then rise and study
till five, and then returning to bed would sleep till half-past
eight, and commence business at the usual hour.
:iw One night as he went to lock the hall-door according to
his custom before sitting down to study, he was surprised
and alarmed at seeing a robber in the hall. Grasping the
large key to defend himself, he called loudly for his family,
and on their coming pointed to the robber. They saw none.
It was an illusion of the overtaxed brain. On his next visit
to London he waited on Sir Astley Cooper, the eminent
surgeon, and on telling him the occurrence Sir Astley said,
" You must either go there," pointing downwards, to indicate
the grave, " or there," pointing to a madhouse, " or give up
your night studies."
' Kdmund Burke's father at one Henry Viscount Clifden, who died
time lived on Arran-quay, next in 1836, has often told old Tom
door to Haliday's, and a little Whelan, the bailiff of the estate,
further off stood in former times bow he slept in the garrets of Agar
A?ar House, the town abode House, and saw the rats about his
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