William Hamilton Maxwell — Irish Novelist born on December 30, 1792,

William Hamilton Maxwell was a Scots-Irish novelist... (wikipedia)

I am naturally taciturn, and became a silent and attentive listener.
Never were two people more opposite in sentiment than my companions.
Billing and cooing to me is worse to witness an execution.
The country is in an extraordinary ferment.
Irishmen are not reserved, and the company appeared dying to be intimately acquainted.