 Roche was also capable of humour which was both subtle and unquestionably intentional . Once , upon hearing his opponent John Philpot Curran expostulate that he could be " the guardian of his own honour " , Sir Boyle offered his " congratulations to the honourable member on his possession of a sinecure . " On another occasion , when the Opposition tried to cough him down in a debate , Sir Boyle met the interruption by producing some bullets , with the observation " I have here some excellent pills to cure a cough . " His personal courage being beyond dispute , this jest was quite sufficient in those duelling days to procure attention for the remainder of his speech . 
