Note 57 — HANGING AN ATTORNEY BY ACCIDENT.

Few gentlemen in Ireland made more “Fogies” than the good and witty Sir Hercules Langrish, one of that corps, and who was said to have been the godfather of his company.

Sir Hec’s idea of “Fogies” may be collected from an anecdote Sir John Parnell, chancellor of the exchequer, used to tell of him with infinite pleasantry.

Sir John, one evening immediately after dinner, went to Sir Hercules on some official business: he found him in the midst of revenue papers, with two empty bottles and a glass standing immediately before him. “What the deuce, Sir Hec!” said Sir John, “why, have you finished these two already?”—“To be sure I have,” said Sir Hec; “they were only claret.”—“And was nobody helping you?” said Sir John. “Oh, yes, yes!” said Sir Hercules; “see there, a bottle of port came to my assistance; there’s his fogy.”