Cirrus@Austlit

Appeared in the Gleaner in 1827 with the author's name given as the 'Rev. Doctor Halloran' (ie. Laurence Hynes Halloran, editor and proprietor of the Gleaner).

It is unclear when this poem was first published, however it is known to have appeared in the Morning Post (London), on 4 October, 1812, with the title 'Extempore Lines Addressed to the Right Hon. Lord Chancellor, by a Hungry Sine-Cure Parson'. Here the author's name was given as 'Humphry Banyan A.M.' The poem was also published the following year in a volume of poetry titled No Popery! George Gordon's Ghost, Catholic Emancipation...and Other Poems, written by the author 'Harry Hornet'. Notably, this volume also included the poems 'The Papists' Petition' and 'The Prince Regent's Reply to the "Papists' Petition"', works which also appeared in the Gleaner in 1827. Given what we know of Halloran's life, his conversion from Catholicism to the Church of England, and his strong anti-Catholic sentiments, it seems likely that he was in fact the author of the volume No Popery! George Gordon's Ghost, Catholic Emancipation...and Other Poems, and that 'The Curate's Petition' is therefore one of his works (as the Gleaner indicates).

Note that some nineteenth century sources attribute 'The Curate's Petition' to the son of a one time Lord Chancellor. However, given the evidence which suggests that the work was written by Halloran, this appears not to have been the case.