AnobleHuguenotfamily，owningconsiderablepropertyinNormandy，theLeFanusofCaen，were，upontherevocationoftheEdictofNantes，deprivedoftheirancestralestatesofMandeville，Sequeville，andCresseron；but，owingtotheirpossessinginfluentialrelativesatthecourtofLouistheFourteenth，wereallowedtoquittheircountryforEngland，unmolested，withtheirpersonalproperty。WemeetwithJohnLeFanudeSequevilleandCharlesLeFanudeCresseron，ascavalryofficersinWilliamtheThird’sarmy；CharlesbeingsodistinguishedamemberoftheKing’sstaffthathewaspresentedwithWilliam’sportraitfromhismaster’sownhand。HeafterwardsservedasamajorofdragoonsunderMarlborough。
Atthebeginningoftheeighteenthcentury，WilliamLeFanuwasthesolesurvivorofhisfamily。HemarriedHenriettaRaboteaudePuggibaut，thelastofanothergreatandnobleHuguenotfamily，whoseescapefromFrance，asachild，bytheaidofaRomanCatholicuncleinhighpositionattheFrenchcourt，waseffectedafteradventuresofthemostromanticdanger。
JosephLeFanu，theeldestofthesonsofthismarriagewholeftissue，heldtheofficeofClerkoftheCoastinIreland。HemarriedforthesecondtimeAlicia，daughterofThomasSheridanandsisterofRichardBrinsleySheridan；hisbrother，CaptainHenryLeFanu，ofLeamington，beingunitedtotheonlyothersisterofthegreatwitandorator。
DeanThomasPhilipLeFanu，theeldestsonofJosephLeFanu，becamebyhiswifeEmma，daughterofDr。Dobbin，F。T。C。D。，thefatherofJosephSheridanLeFanu，thesubjectofthismemoir，whosenameissofamiliartoEnglishandAmericanreadersasoneofthegreatestmastersoftheweirdandtheterribleamongstourmodernnovelists。
BorninDublinonthe28thofAugust，1814，hedidnotbegintospeakuntilhewasmorethantwoyearsofage；butwhenhehadoncestarted，theboyshowedanunusualaptitudeinacquiringfreshwords，andusingthemcorrectly。
Thefirstevidenceofliterarytastewhichhegavewasinhissixthyear，whenhemadeseverallittlesketcheswithexplanatoryremarkswrittenbeneaththem，afterthemannerofDuMaurier’s，orCharlesKeene’shumorousillustrationsin’Punch。’
Oneofthese，preservedlongafterwardsbyhismother，representedaballooninmid-air，andtwoaeronauts，whohadoccupiedit，fallingheadlongtoearth，thedisasterbeingexplainedbythesewords：’SeetheeffectsoftryingtogotoHeaven。’
Asamerechild，hewasaremarkablygoodactor，bothintragicandcomicpieces，andwashardlytwelveyearsoldwhenhebegantowriteversesofsingularspiritforonesoyoung。Atfourteen，heproducedalongIrishpoem，whichheneverpermittedanyonebuthismotherandbrothertoread。Tothatbrother，Mr。WilliamLeFanu，CommissionerofPublicWorks，Ireland，towhom，asthesuggesterofSheridanLeFanu’s’PhaudrigCroohore’and’ShamusO’Brien，’Irishballadliteratureowesadelightfuldebt，andwhoserichlyhumorousandpassionatelypatheticpowersasaraconteurofthesepoemshaveonlydoubledthatobligationintheheartsofthosewhohavebeenhappyenoughtobehishearers——toMr。WilliamLeFanuweareindebtedforthefollowingextractsfromthefirstofhisworks，whichtheboy-authorseemstohavesetanystoreby：
’MuseofGreenErin，breakthineicyslumbers!
Strikeonceagainthywreathedlyre!
Burstforthoncemoreandwakethytunefulnumbers!
Kindleagainthylong-extinguishedfire!
’WhyshouldIbidthee，MuseofErin，waken？
WhyshouldIbidtheestrikethyharponcemore？
BettertoleavetheesilentandforsakenThanwaketheebutthygloriestodeplore。
’HowcouldIbidtheetellofTara’sTowers，WhereoncethysceptredPrincessateinstate——
Whererosethymusic，atthefestivehours，Throughtheproudhallswherelisteningthousandssate？
’Fallenarethyfairpalaces，thycountry’sglory，Thytunefulbardswerebanishedorwereslain，Somerestingloryontheirdeathbedsgory，Andsomehavelivedtofeelafoeman’schain。
’Yetforthesakeofthyunhappynation，YetforthesakeofFreedom’sspiritfled，Letthywildharpstrings，thrilledwithindignation，Pealadeeprequiemo’erthysonsthatbled。
’Oyes!likethelastbreathofeveningsighing，Sweepthycoldhandthesilentstringsalong，Flashlikethelampbesidetheherodying，Thenhushedforeverbethyplaintivesong。’
ToMr。WilliamLeFanuwearefurtherindebtedfortheaccompanyingspecimensofhisbrother’sseriousandhumorouspowersinverse，writtenwhenhewasquitealad，asvalentinestoaMissG。K。：
’LifeweretoolongformetobearIfbanishedfromthyview；
Lifeweretooshort，athousandyear，Iflifewerepassedwithyou。
’Wisemenhavesaid“Man’slotonearthIsgriefandmelancholy，“
Butwherethouart，therejoyousmirthProvesalltheirwisdomfolly。
’Iffatewithholdthylovefromme，Allelseinvainweregiven；
Heavenwereimperfectwantingthee，Andwiththeeearthwereheaven。’
Afewdaysafter，hesentthefollowingsequel：
’MydeargoodMadam，Youcan’tthinkhowverysadI’m。
Isentyou，orImistakemyselffoully，AveryexcellentimitationofthepoetCowley，Containingthreeveryfairstanzas，WhichnumberLonginus，averycriticalman，says，AndAristotle，whowasacritictentimesmorecaustic，Toanicetyfitsavalentineoranacrostic。
Andyetforallmypainstothismovingepistle，Ihavegotnoanswer，soIsupposeImaygowhistle。
Perhapsyou’dhavepreferredthatlikeanoldmonkIhadpatteredonInthestyleandafterthemanneroftheunfortunateChatterton；
Orthat，unlikemyreverenddaddy’sson，Ihadattemptedtheclassicalitiesofthedull，thoughimmortalAddison。
Ican’tendurethissilenceanotherweek；
WhatshallIdoinordertomakeyouspeak？
ShallIgiveyouatropeInthemannerofPope，OrhammermybrainslikeanoldsmithTogetoutsomethinglikeGoldsmith？
OrshallIaspireonTotunemypoeticlyreonThesamekeytouchedbyByron，Andlayingmyhanditswireon，WithitsmusicyoursoulsetfireonBythemesyoune’ercouldtireon？
Orsay，Ipray，WouldalayLikeGayBemoreinyourway？
Ileaveittoyou，WhichamItodo？
ItplainonthesurfaceisThatanymetamorphosis，ToaffectyourstudyYoumayworkonmysoulorbody。
YourfrownoryoursmilemakesmeSavageorGayInaction，aswellasinsong；
Andif’tisdecreedIatlengthbecomeGray，ExpressbutthewordandI’mYoung；
AndifintheChurchIshouldeveraspireWithfriarsandabbotstocope，Byanod，ifyouplease，youcanmakemeaPrior——
ByawordyourendermePope。
Ifyou’deat，I’maCrab；ifyou’dcut，I’myourSteel，Assharpasyou’dgetfromthecutler；
I’myourCottonwhene’eryou’reinwantofareel，Andyourliverycarry，asButler。
I’lleverrestyourdebtorIfyou’llanswermyfirstletter；
Ormust，alas，eternityWitnessyourtaciturnity？
Speak——andoh!speakquicklyOrelseIshallgrowsickly，Andpine，Andwhine，AndgrowyellowandbrownAse’erwasmahogany，AndliemedownAnddieinagony。
P。S——You’llallowIhavethegiftTowriteliketheimmortalSwift。’
Butbesidesthepoeticalpowerswithwhichhewasendowed，incommonwiththegreatBrinsley，LadyDufferin，andtheHon。Mrs。Norton，youngSheridanLeFanualsopossessedanirresistiblehumourandoratoricalgiftthat，asastudentofOldTrinity，madehimaformidablerivalofthebestoftheyoungdebatersofhistimeatthe’CollegeHistorical，’notafewofwhomhavesincereachedthehighesteminenceattheIrishBar，afterhavinglongenlivenedandcharmedSt。Stephen’sbytheirwitandoratory。
Amongsthiscompeershewasremarkableforhissuddenfieryeloquenceofattack，andreadyandrapidpowersofreparteewhenonhisdefence。ButLeFanu，whoseunderstandingwaselevatedbyadeeploveoftheclassics，inwhichhetookuniversityhonours，andfurtherheightenedbyanadmirableknowledgeofourowngreatauthors，wasnottobetemptedawaybyoratoryfromliterature，hisfirstand，asitproved，hislastlove。
Verysoonafterleavingcollege，andjustwhenhewascalledtotheBar，abouttheyear1838，heboughtthe’Warder，’aDublinnewspaper，ofwhichhewaseditor，andtookwhatmanyofhisbestfriendsandadmirers，lookingtohishighprospectsasabarrister，regardedatthetimeasafatalstepinhiscareertofame。
Justbeforethisperiod，LeFanuhadtakentowritinghumorousIrishstories，afterwardspublishedinthe’DublinUniversityMagazine，’
suchasthe’QuareGander，’’JimSulivan’sAdventure，’’TheGhostandtheBone-setter，’etc。
ThesestorieshisbrotherWilliamLeFanuwasinthehabitofrepeatingforhisfriends’
amusement，andabouttheyear1837，whenhewasabouttwenty-threeyearsofage，JosephLeFanusaidtohimthathethoughtanIrishstoryinversewouldtellwell，andthatifhewouldchoosehimasubjectsuitableforrecitation，hewouldwritehimone。
’WritemeanIrish“YoungLochinvar，“’
saidhisbrother；andinafewdayshehandedhim’PhaudrigCroohore’——Anglice，’PatrickCrohore。’
Ofcoursethispoemhasthedisadvantagenotonlyofbeingwrittenafter’YoungLochinvar，’
butalsothatofhavingbeendirectlyinspiredbyit；andyet，althoughwantingintherareandgracefulfinishoftheoriginal，theIrishcopyhas，wefeel，somuchfireandfeelingthatitatleasttemptsustoregretthatScott’spoemwasnotwritteninthatheart-stirringNortherndialectwithoutwhichthenoblestofourBritishballadswouldlosehalftheirspirit。Indeed，wemaysafelysaythatsomeofLeFanu’slinesarefinerthananyin’YoungLochinvar，’
simplybecausetheyseemtospeakstraightfromapeople’sheart，nottobethemereechoesofmedievalromance。
’PhaudrigCroohore’didnotappearinprintinthe’DublinUniversityMagazine’
till1844，twelveyearsafteritscomposition，whenitwasincludedamongstthePurcellPapers。
Toreturntotheyear1837。Mr。WilliamLeFanu，thesuggesterofthisballad，whowasfromhomeatthetime，nowreceiveddailyinstalmentsofthesecondandmoreremarkableofhisbrother’sIrishpoems——’ShamusO’Brien’JamesO’Brien——
learningthembyheartastheyreachedhim，and，fortunately，neverforgettingthem，forhisbrotherJosephkeptnocopyoftheballad，andhehadhimselftowriteitoutfrommemorytenyearsafter，whenthepoemappearedinthe’UniversityMagazine。’
Fewwilldenythatthispoemcontainspassagesmostfaithfully，iffearfully，picturesque，andthatitischaracterisedthroughoutbyaprofoundpathos，andanabundantthoughattimesatoogrotesquelyincongruoushumour。
Canwewonder，then，attheimmensepopularitywithwhichSamuelLoverreciteditintheUnitedStates？FortoLover’sadmirationofthepoem，andhisadditionofittohisentertainment，’ShamusO’Brien’owesitsintroductionintoAmerica，whereitisnowsopopular。Loveraddedsomelinesofhisowntothepoem，madeShamusemigratetotheStates，andsetupapublic-house。Theseaddedlinesappearedinmostofthepublishedversionsofthepoem。Buttheyareindifferentasverse，andcertainlyinjurethedramaticeffectofthepoem。
’ShamusO’Brien’issogenerallyattributedtoLoverindeedwerememberseeingitadvertisedforrecitationontheoccasionofabenefitataleadingLondontheatreas’bySamuelLover’
thatitisasatisfactiontobeabletoreproducethefollowingletteruponthesubjectfromLovertoWilliamleFanu：
’AstorHouse，’NewYork，U。S。America。
’Sept。30，1846。