Life
1780-1851; b. Derry, cousin of Sir Henry Torrens, soldier (1779-1828)
MP & FRS; 1780-1804; royal marine captain, defended Isle of Anholts
against Dutch, 1811; FRS, 1818; col. of Spanish legion in Peninsular War,
1837; wrote An Essay on the External Corn Trade (1815), and an
essay on the Reduction of Wealth (1821), attributing its production to
land, labour and capital; influenced Peel and Ricardo; MP Ashburton, 1831-35;
publish a book advocating colonisation of S. Australia; ed. The Traveller
and Globe; other discursive works; also two novels, Celebia
Choosing a Husband (1809); The Victim of Intolerance, or the Hermit
of Killarney, A Catholic Tale (1814). DNB IF DIW DIB
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Works
An Essay on the External Corn Trade (1815), and an essay on the
Reduction of Wealth (1821), attributing its production to land, labour
and capital; influenced Peel and Ricardo; MP Ashburton, 1831-35; publish
a book advocating colonisation of S. Australia; ed. The Traveller and
Globe; other discursive works; also two novels, Celebia Choosing
a Husband (1809); The Victim of Intolerance, or the Hermit of Killarney,
A Catholic Tale, 3 vols. ([London: Gale, Curtis & Fenner 1814)
(1814).
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Notes
Stephen Brown, Ireland in Fiction (Dublin: Maunsel 1919), notes
that he served in the Royal Marines to 1834, retired; MP English constituencies,
1826-34; Govt. business connected with Australia; Lake Torrens named after
him; economic works and a novel, Celebia choosing a Husband (1809);
Protestant family, perhaps Catholic convert [inference from novel title,
infra]; The Victim of Intolerance, or the Hermits of Killarney,
3 vols. (Gale, Curtis & Fenner 1814) [title-page, ‘Catholic tale’;
hermit living in ruins of Muckross Abbey dies; papers found recording
his story; Penal laws closed avenues of advancement, retired from world;
politico-religious purpose dominates; beauties of Killarney at outset].
James Cahalan, The Irish Novel (1988); gives bio-dates 1780-1864 and calls him an economist and novelist (op. cit., p.25).
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Princess Grace Irish Library (Monaco)