Educated-1839 to 1842

at Christ College, Cambridge University and graduated B.A.

FitzGerald intended at first to adopt the military profession and was preparing to qualify for service in the Royal Engineers, but was prevented by a temporary failure of eyesight from following up this intention.

During the idleness enforced by this misfortune he undertook one or two walking tours in England and Ireland, as a result of which [unclear: water] colour and sepia sketches of considerable merit dating from 1838 to 1843; on the back of one is a note: "Remember to call to-morrow and pay for the bread and cheese; "and upon another is recorded the opinion of an old Irish ferryman who affirmed that the happenings surrounding the terrestrial visit of a well known saint of the locality had taken place "at laste eighty years gone, your Honour"!