Canning's mother was an Irishwoman of great natural ability, for
whom her gifted son entertained the greatest love and respect to
the close of his career. She was a woman of no ordinary
intellectual power. "Indeed," says Canning's biographer, "were we
not otherwise assured of the fact from direct sources, it would be
impossible to contemplate his profound and touching devotion to
her, without being led to conclude that the object of such
unchanging attachment must have been possessed of rare and
commanding qualities. She was esteemed by the circle in which she
lived, as a woman of great mental energy. Her conversation was
animated and vigorous, and marked by a distinct originality of
manner and a choice of topics fresh and striking, and out of the
commonplace routine. To persons who were but slightly acquainted
with her, the energy of her manner had even something of the air
of eccentricity." (9)
Curran speaks with great affection of his mother, as a woman of
strong original understanding, to whose wise counsel, consistent
piety, and lessons of honourable ambition, which she diligently
enforced on the minds of her children, he himself principally
attributed his success in life. "The only inheritance," he used
to say, "that I could boast of from my poor father, was the very
scanty one of an unattractive face and person; like his own; and
if the world has ever attributed to me something more valuable
than face or person, or than earthly wealth, it was that another
and a dearer parent gave her child a portion from the treasure
of her mind.
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