4 MAY 1895, Page 3

On Friday week there died at Brighton Sir Patrick O'Brien,

at one time a Home-rule Member of Parliament, but a Home- ruler of the old-fashioned type—i.e, a follower of Mr. Butt, rather than of Mr. Parnell. In Sir Patrick O'Brien may be said to have died the last of the Charles O'Malley Irishmen,— an attractive type, of whom it might be said that you were certain either to be laughing with them or at them. Sir Patrick, as an orator, was essentially national, and never made a. speech without sacrificing at least one bull on the altar of patriotism. It was he who refused to be interrupted by "the young sea-serpent from the County Clare." Sir Patrick was a well-known figure at the Reform Club. It was a liberal education in things Irish to hear him order a glass of sherry from the waiter. It is greatly to be hoped that Sir Patrick's voice and manner have been preserved by means of the phono- graph. He was one of the last men of education and cultiva- tion who spoke with a brogue pure and undefiled. If his kindly voice has been preserved for posterity, the next genera- tion may learn how "The Mulligan" and Thackerars other. Irishmen really talked.