“Sir,
“Is Debrett’s Peerage the most accurate record we have of the present state of the nobility of the kingdom? If it be, the peerage, I must say is most miserably recorded. I have just been looking over his list of the Irish peers (in the eleventh edition, considerably improved, printed in 1817), and I do not think I overstep the modesty of calculation, when I assert that it contains at least as many errors as there are articles. It would take a little too much room to prove this assertion at length; but I shall give a couple of examples, selected almost at random.
“Vol. II. p. 989. We are informed that
Thomas, 27th baron Howth,
married in 1750, Isabella, the Earl of
Kingston’s sister, who died in 1794: and that his
second son, Thomas, was born in 1795. This, is I
think, an important fact in midwifery. But let that pass. This son
Thomas is at present bishop of Cork and Ross; and
if the above date of his birth be correct, he must have made good use of
his time. A bishop and doctor of divinity long before twenty, he may almost
rival the most striking examples of precocity or nepotism; but when we find
(p. 990) that he has eight children, one married in 1805, con-
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“Let us turn to Lord Clarina. There we learn (p. 1267) that Nathaniel William, the 2nd Lord, was born in 1796, married Penelope, daughter of M. R. Nertropp, Esq., had a daughter in 1797, and a son, (the present Lord Clarina) in 1798, beside other children, and died a Lieutenant-General in 1810, aged of course fourteen years. This is rapid promotion, and beats the old story of the captain crying for his pap. Besides, he thinks fit to inform us that Penelope, Baroness Clarina, died in 1815. This I am happy to contradict; her ladyship is still in the precincts of this world, and if health, good humour, and good looks, give any reason to expect a long life, I know nobody more likely to bid fair for it.
“Is not this scandalous carelessness? I have taken but two cases; but I could increase the list a hundred-fold with ease. It certainly is treating the purchasers very cavalierly, and I hope that the editors will take a little more pains with the next edition.
“I am, Sir, yours, &c,
