Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar15700
BIOGRAPHICAL REGISTER FOR THEYEAR 1797 .
I N addition to the various biographical sketches of distinguished persons who died in the year 1197 , already inserted in our Obituary , we conceive that our readers will he gratified with giving in this place some of those which have been omitted in our preceding Magazines
. AT Hampstead , in his 87 th vear , Ignatius Genh . igam Esq . of Soho Square . This gentleman was the son of Geohagan , Esq . of Castletown , in the county of Westmeath , in the kingdom of Ireland ' ,, where he was born April 20 , 1711 . Having received the rudiments of his education' in his
own country , hewas sent to the College du Plessis at Paris , whence he returned to Ireland , and became for a short time a merchant in Dublin : but Succeeding , by the death of his elder brother ; to his paternal estate , he relinquished business . Some time about the year 1746 he married Amonina
Corbet , daughter of Dr . C . of Shropshire , and grand-daughter by the mother ' s side , of Sir Anthony Auche ' r , of Bourn-place , nearCanterbury ; bywhom he had one son , who died in 1792 , and one daughter , who was married , first , to Thomas Northey , Esq . and , 2 d ( y , to Baron de Montesquieu , grandson to
the celebrated author of' The Spirit of Laws , ' and who survives him . The early part of his life was passed in Ireland ; but , soon after his marriage , he settled in East Kent , where , about 1768 , he built the handsome seat , adjoining to Barhamdown , called Highamplace , in which he resided for some time .
This house he afterwards sold to James Hallett , fisq . and , removing to London , resided there till his death . The vivacity of his character , and his power of pleasing in conversation , introduced him to the acquaintance ofthe most celebrated wits both of Ireland and of England . His humour was pointed and
original . Raillery and ridicule were his peculiar forte . By a word , a gesture , ora look , he rendered whatever he chose ridiculous . Too volatile for patient research , he had not penetrated far into the depths of science ; but his reading , though desultory , was various and extensive ; and a retentive memory
enabled him at all times to produce it . He was well versed in the Latin and English Poets , whose works he readily quoted , and happily applied ; and he had made himself well acquainted tvith the state of parties at the most interesting periods of British history . His conversation was as irregular ashisreading ,
and his transitions from one topic to another were so frequent and so sudden as sometimes to bewilder his hearers ; but the strokes of pleasantry which he incessantly introduced made ample amends for want of connexion . The subject on which he was most inclined to - dwell was dramatic excellence 01
, which he was a constant spectator , and a competent judge . Hewas one ofthe few who retained any admiration of the old school of acting , which he considered as having been depreciated far below its real s . ' andard . To this partiality his intimacy with Quin might perhaps in some degree contribute . He abounded
in anecdotes , and he had the happiest mode of communicating them ; for , he never digressed , but crime at once ta the point . He had much skill in discriminating characters , and dretv able sketches of several of his contemporaries ; He was fond of the acquaintance of public men , and had a particular partiality to rank ; a foible which ha
was studious to conceal . In his intercourse with society he was rather punctilious ; and an omission of customaty forms would offend htm as much as a serious injury : but he was not more mortified by neglect than he was susceptible of attention ; and a small token of civility would almost
have reconciled him toan inveterate foe . To those whom he distinguished as his friends his attachment was cordial and sincere ; and , ' though he would freely 1 satirize their foibles , he was equally disposed to magnify their virtues . He was a man of the strictest probity ; and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar15700
BIOGRAPHICAL REGISTER FOR THEYEAR 1797 .
I N addition to the various biographical sketches of distinguished persons who died in the year 1197 , already inserted in our Obituary , we conceive that our readers will he gratified with giving in this place some of those which have been omitted in our preceding Magazines
. AT Hampstead , in his 87 th vear , Ignatius Genh . igam Esq . of Soho Square . This gentleman was the son of Geohagan , Esq . of Castletown , in the county of Westmeath , in the kingdom of Ireland ' ,, where he was born April 20 , 1711 . Having received the rudiments of his education' in his
own country , hewas sent to the College du Plessis at Paris , whence he returned to Ireland , and became for a short time a merchant in Dublin : but Succeeding , by the death of his elder brother ; to his paternal estate , he relinquished business . Some time about the year 1746 he married Amonina
Corbet , daughter of Dr . C . of Shropshire , and grand-daughter by the mother ' s side , of Sir Anthony Auche ' r , of Bourn-place , nearCanterbury ; bywhom he had one son , who died in 1792 , and one daughter , who was married , first , to Thomas Northey , Esq . and , 2 d ( y , to Baron de Montesquieu , grandson to
the celebrated author of' The Spirit of Laws , ' and who survives him . The early part of his life was passed in Ireland ; but , soon after his marriage , he settled in East Kent , where , about 1768 , he built the handsome seat , adjoining to Barhamdown , called Highamplace , in which he resided for some time .
This house he afterwards sold to James Hallett , fisq . and , removing to London , resided there till his death . The vivacity of his character , and his power of pleasing in conversation , introduced him to the acquaintance ofthe most celebrated wits both of Ireland and of England . His humour was pointed and
original . Raillery and ridicule were his peculiar forte . By a word , a gesture , ora look , he rendered whatever he chose ridiculous . Too volatile for patient research , he had not penetrated far into the depths of science ; but his reading , though desultory , was various and extensive ; and a retentive memory
enabled him at all times to produce it . He was well versed in the Latin and English Poets , whose works he readily quoted , and happily applied ; and he had made himself well acquainted tvith the state of parties at the most interesting periods of British history . His conversation was as irregular ashisreading ,
and his transitions from one topic to another were so frequent and so sudden as sometimes to bewilder his hearers ; but the strokes of pleasantry which he incessantly introduced made ample amends for want of connexion . The subject on which he was most inclined to - dwell was dramatic excellence 01
, which he was a constant spectator , and a competent judge . Hewas one ofthe few who retained any admiration of the old school of acting , which he considered as having been depreciated far below its real s . ' andard . To this partiality his intimacy with Quin might perhaps in some degree contribute . He abounded
in anecdotes , and he had the happiest mode of communicating them ; for , he never digressed , but crime at once ta the point . He had much skill in discriminating characters , and dretv able sketches of several of his contemporaries ; He was fond of the acquaintance of public men , and had a particular partiality to rank ; a foible which ha
was studious to conceal . In his intercourse with society he was rather punctilious ; and an omission of customaty forms would offend htm as much as a serious injury : but he was not more mortified by neglect than he was susceptible of attention ; and a small token of civility would almost
have reconciled him toan inveterate foe . To those whom he distinguished as his friends his attachment was cordial and sincere ; and , ' though he would freely 1 satirize their foibles , he was equally disposed to magnify their virtues . He was a man of the strictest probity ; and