1-92 ZCO 000 V v TRIP T O KILKENNY. A TRIP T O KILKENNY, FROM DURHAM. BYWAYOP WHIfEHAVEN AND DUBLIN, IN THE YEAR MDCCLXXVI. CONTAINING Remarks on the fituations and diftances of places ; the cuiloms and manners of the people* interfperfed with fiiort digreffions, and Tome obfervations on the climate, productions, and cu- riofuies of Ireland. In a SERIES of LETTERS to a FRIEND. DUBLIN: P R 1 M T K D BY J. HILLARY, FOR THECOMPANYOF BOOKSELLERS. MUCCLXX1X. Wt GILES < PREFACE. letters which gave birth to this little book, were principally in- tended to amufe a near relation : But thofe letters mi Ising confined to one hand, mr even to & jg*> hands, they in a link time fecsme nlmoft . a public mamifc'ript.>-So'(i:e requsfted. and all approved of, their publication. This was a motive power f efficient to al u-pon any booki/h machine. I therefore fet to work, reciting many pajjages retaining others in their origina l&wing out Juch z: I i^i'^incd loj^e trifling or trite, and weaving in other materials that were judged more ufeful and entertaining; and, through the A 3 whole, 2061363 -. A & t A V E. whale, I have purpofefy preferred the primitive addrefs, as well as the ori- ginal familiarity offtyle : But the de- fcription relative to Jculpture, archi- tc ft ure, and painting, are almoft en- tirety omitted, as the/e may be feen in Mr. Twifss tour in Ireland. MARK ELSTOB. , ^.7,1778, SHOTTON, ) CONTENTS. CONTENTS. LETTER I. From Durham to Wbitebawn, page 9 - IF. Whit eh awn 26 III. Front Wbittbaven to Skerries in Ire- land. 33 IV. Skerries in Inland 38 * V. Skerries continued 54 1 VI. A general account of Ireland; its divi/tonSf fubdivijuns or countitf t parijhes t meafures, coins, &c. 6 1 VII. From Skerries to Dublin 7 1 . VIII. Dublin, the capital of Ireland 76 IX. Dublin continued 89 X. Dublin continued 102 ' . XI. Kilkenny ftage-coacb 107 XII. Kilkenny Jlage-coacb continued 117 . Jilll. Kilkenny. 124 ,-. XIV. A defcription of tbe caverns near Kilkenny 138 .... XV. Farther remarks and occurrences in the county of Kilkenny, Wh'iie- boysy &c. ~. 148 LETTER viii CONTENTS. LETTER XVI. M if eel la neons cbfervathns On the peculiar cuflvms cf the Irifi, &r> 158 XVII. Wales I 2 2 A TRIP TRIP TO KILKENNY, in 1776. LETTER I. From DURHAM to WHttEHAVEN. DEAR SIR, YOU know it to be a regular and eftablifhed Maxim among Journalists, to fet out with fome in- formation of the bulinefs they went upon, or the chief delign of their travelling: I fhould have complied with the fettled form, had not pru- dence ftood in the way, and oppofed my intention. A little timidity would have been but a feeble obfta- B cle io A TRIP TO cle in the way of cuftom, could I have made an introduction of that fort either interefling or entertaining to you, and, in the account, includ- ed none but myfelf -, but neither of thefe could be done. I will therefore pafs on, with this hint to you, that, as I had but a fingle day's warning of my departure, I was, in every refpeft, unprepared for making fuch remarks as Should be the moft proper, and moft eflential matter of a journal. However you will have this agreeable confolation The labour of reading will be but fmall, and the time thrown away but very little: For I folemnly proteft I will not encum- ber my mind long with it, juft mo- del off what I can bed remember, and what I found myfelf moft enter- tained with; prefurning you, and others of the fame congeniality, wilJ find K ILK EN NT. ii find fome entertainment from the re- flexed view, which I fhall hold out to you. At my fetting out I had not the leaft defign of committing any thing to paper but my expences: But I was foon induced, by the variety of fcenes and objects which came in my way, to flep out of this narrow track. In- deed I often got too far out of it ; for, by being too attentive to the different fcenery around me, I feme- times forgot to note down my dii burfements. You will remember I mentioned to you, that I left Durham Odober the 2d, in my way to Whitehaven. You will alfo recoiled, that I told you I had made fome few remarks in the road to Whitehaven. It will B 2 now 12 A TRIP TO now, perhaps, be proper to add, that the firil memorandums I made, were the diftances and names of places through and near which we pafTed. And, as it will, I believe, be moft agreeable, as well as render what fol- lows more intelligible, if I give you a previous idea of my firfl route, I fhall therefore prefent you with the following itinerant Synopfis, where the figures fhew the pqft miles in each ftage, or from one ftage-town to another, and thofe places which have no figures affixed, are the in- termediate places between the re- fpeclive ftages. From Durham to Bijhop- Auckland i o St. Andrew- Auckland, on the left Bruffelton Folly, on the left St. Helen-Auckland Weft-Auckland Raby KILKENNY. 13 Raby Raby Caftle, on? the right Stainthorp T&Barnardcaftfe 15 Bowes To B rough 17 Brougb Hill Bondgate Appleby Caftle Appleby Kirkindrof Kirby-Fuer Temple-Sowepby" Eden-Bridge Countefs's Pillar Carlton Hall, on the right Yeoman Bridge To Penrith 23 Hutton Moor Saddle Hill, on the right Huttori To 14 A TRIP TO To Kefwick 1 8 Skiddaw, Hill, on the right Baflenthwaite Water, on the right Lorton, on the left To Cocker mouth 12 To Whitehaven 14 Poft-miles from Durham tof^bitebaven^ 1 08 The firft night after my fetting out from Durham, I flept at Barnard- caftle. This town confifts of little more than one principal ftreet, which runs North and South, nearly. The houfes are built chiefly of free-ftone, and covered with dark-blue flate. The market-crofs is remarkably large ; it was built at the fole expence of the late Thomas Breakes, Efq. Some remains KILKENNT. 15 remains of the paftle are yet to be feen. Next morning (Otober the gd) 1 fet off for Brough. In paffing over Stainmoor, which is a large, level, barren Moor, I found the air exceed- ingly cold. When I came to Brough, 1 aiked the miftrefs of the White- Swan Inn Whether fhe found the day any colder than yefterday : But {he affured me it was rather warmer. Indeed to me the day had much the fame appearance as the preceding day, only I felt the air, on the Moor, much more piercing and cold. The Moor is very extenfive, and the fitu- ation is nearly upon a level with the adjacent enclofures; from which it appears, that the exceffive cold mufl be the effed of one, or a combinati- on 16 A TRIP TO on of the three following caufe$v F/'/y?, The matter of cold, which ad- heres to the particles of the air, and is carried about with them, not meet- ing with any interpofi-tion from hedges, or other fences, is not dafh- ed off, nor diminifhed, but perhaps rather encreafed^ and, by thefc means, the floating particles become more denfe and fixt, and confequent- ly more cold. Second^ The matter of cold may be greatly encreafed by 1:he exhalations from the particular quality of the foil. Third, The rao- mentum of the air, &c. will be much greater than in inclofures, from its meeting with no obftacle to retard its motion. Thefe were the thoughts that firft occurred to me on reflecting on the phenomenon, and I have given them as entire and genuine as my KILKENNT. 17 my memory could difpenfe them. If any one of more learning and know- ledge ofthefe matters finds out other caufes, I {hall yet retain fome hope that they will not be fuch as entirely to fuperfede thofe I have fhewn above. A few miles from Barnardcaftle, quick hedges begin to decay ; the fences changing into ftone-walls without mortar. In this flage much fpring corn is grown, but moftly oats. The crop, they faid, was tolerably good ; but when compared with thofe in Durham, Yorkfhire, and fome other adjacent counties, I knew it was very great. The oats were about half downj thofe the people were reaping appeared to be green, but the feafon being late, I fuppofe they i8 A TRIP TO they did not think it proper to delay. Brough is pleafantly fituated ; the town is furrounded with trees : It has a caftle. About a mile from the town, towards Appleby, is the noted Brough-hill, where the fair is held. The fair had ended a few days be- fore, and the ground, through which the road paiTes, had much the ap- pearance of a fallow field, occafioned by the great numbers of cattle being fo lately upon it. The lower part, on the right of the road, is the fheep- market, and the higher part, on the left, is the place for Galloways, Kiloes, &c. Appleby is an agreeable fituation. It is decorated with ftately trees i and KILKENNT. 19 and the country, for fome diftance around it, is very woody. The greatefl part of the houfes are built with a copper-coloured ftone, and covered with flates. At the firft ap- pearance of the town, when I could juft diftmguifh it through the fhady woods, the primitive idea I conceiv- ed was, that the houfes had reared their arched heads in order to vie with the fhady trees j and indeed it is not uncommon for Art to vie with Nature. Between Appleby and Penrith, on the right, is a long ridge of moun- tains, which feem to terminate op- pofitc on the North-fide of Carlton- hall. Near the termination is a py- ramidal figure of flone, called Pen- rith' 20 A TRIP TO rith Fell, or (as they pronounce it) Fearth Fell. Between Eden-bridge and Carlton- hall. is a monument, in the lane, called Countefs's Pillar ; the pedeftal is a cylinder, and the top a fimare prifm, on each fide of which is a fun-dial. It was fet up by a lady, who had accompanied her daughter, then on her way to Italy, to that place : It happened the young lady died abroad, nor did they ever meet more, and this pillar was erected by the mother to commemorate the laft interview. I have not been able to colled either the lady's name, or the place of her refidence. In this ftage 1 remarked a very fingular cuftom among the farmers, that is, the fet- ting their corn-flacks in the corners of the fields wherein the corn had grown KILKENNT. 21 grown, when no barn nor houfe is near them, In travelling over Hutton-moor, about fun fetting, I viewed a beau- tiful phenomenon before me. * From the moor a fine vale appeared right before me, and only to be feen through an opening between two hills, whereof Saddle-hill is that on the right-hand. The air becoming light, the vapours defcended flowly down the fides of the adjacent hills, and in a little time feemed to over- fpread the whole valley, apparently to the diftance of feveral miles. The denfe vapours, being below my hori- zon, appeared as fhips moving on the light mift as on a fea -, and their variety of forms and motions, and C tranfient 22 A TRIP TO tranfient duration, made the profped truly pidurefque and delightful. About eight o'clock I arrived at Kefwick. Here I took up my lodg- ings. The town has a market on Saturday. At the diftance of about two miles is the famous Derwent Lake\ and a little further to the Weft is BafTenthwaite Lake : But I had not the opportunity of vrfiting either. Much people refort here in ,fummer to view the lakes, and the extenfive profped from the top of Skiddaw-hill. The next morning being cloudy, I was prevented of a iight of Skid- daw-hill, the greater part of it being covered with clouds : It is faid to be the higheft mountain in the ifland ; its K ILK EN NTs 23 its perpendicular height above the furface of the lake is 2560 feet. About three miles from Kefwick, a fine fertile vale prefents itfelf to the view ; and the landfcape is great- ly improved by the advantageous fituation of the beholder ; the road along which he is then travelling be- ing cut out of the fide of a high, bar- ren, mountain. The vale, which is level, and between three and four miles round, is on the right-hand fide of the way, and is bounded by hi^h mountains, and Derwent and Bafferi- thwaite Lake. Skiddaw is one of thefe, and is now juft on your right hand; and behind it a part of Der- went Lake may be feen. The boun- dary mountain on the farther fide of the vale, is not, I was told, near fo C 2 high 24 A TRIP TO high as Skiddaw j but that right op- pofite to Skiddaw, is nearly of the fame height with it ; and behind this oppofite mountain a part of BafTen- thwaite Lake is to be feen. This diftribution is remarkably uniform and immenfe. " T' engage the Thought, and pleafe the ra- vifh'dFye." And while variety, uniformity, and immenfity employ the fight, plea- fure and a reverend horror at once pofTefs the mind. Cockerrnouth {lands fomewhat low. The houfes are chiefly white, being rough-call, that is, dafhed with lime and fmall ftones ; and are covered with jflate. It is a pretty neat town, and has a market on Mondays. KILKENNT. 25 Mondays. A confiderable trade is carried on here with Ireland : Butter and hides are two principal articles imported and perhaps a bottle of French brandy may foinetimes find its way over. I am, dear Sir, Yours, &c. LETTER II. S I R, AT three o'clock in the after- noon I attained Whitehaven. This place has, at firft fight, a very fingular appearance ; though you are long in expectation of it before you do fee it. It ftands low, be- tween two promontories ; and, at the firft view, which is not above a hundred yards diftant from the ikirts of the town, you are prefented with nothing but the blue Hate coverings of KILKENNT. 27 of the houfes, and fmoke. Jufl as you begin to defcend the brow of the hill, ftand two fmall conical fpires, encompaffed by a wall, clofe to the road, on the right hand : They are almoft clofe together, and are of the fame height, each of about forty- five feet, and on either Apex is a neat gilt vane. They are called the Tobacco-pipes, are hollow, and are for the purpofe of burning the da- maged tobacco in. In Whitehaven are three churches, or rather chapels of eafe, the mother church being that at St. Bees. The old church, as it is ufually called, is dedicated to St. John, the other . two to the Trinity and St. James. In the old church is an organ, which ftands at the eaft-end, over the altar- table j 28 table; and againft the wall, above the table, and below the organ, is a piece of painting, reprefenting our Saviour eating the laft fupper with his Apoftles. Our Saviour is in an attitude as if juil riling off his feat, and reaching out a piece of bread to one of his difciples, uttering thefe words, as expreffed by the motto, " This do in Remembrance of me" St. James's church is the moft mo- dem, and i very beautiful. The town is very regularly built, and, as I mentioned to you before, lies low, between two ridges of mountains, which ftretch into the fea , and thefe ridges include the ha- ven. The ftreets are in general broad and ftraight, and moftly interfedl : L each other at right angles. The market- KILKENNT. 29 market-place is pretty large. The chief market-day is Thurfday. Bee and mutton were felling at three- pence and threepence-halfpenny a pound; Fowls, in general, cheap; Herrings, fix and feven a penny, and, I was told, they were fome- times ten or twelve a penny. Pota- toes were at twopence-halfpenny a ftone, Butter, fevenpence and eight- pence a pound, of fixteen ounces : Fruit and Nuts were in great plenty ^ Apples at fixpence a hoop, or quarter of the old peck, that is at the rate of eightpence a Winchefter peck ; Nuts were at about the fame price. There are many coal-pits near the town, and a great number of {hips are conftantly employed in carrying the coals to different ports in Ireland. The 3-o A TRIP TO The harbour is well fecured, and much improved by five piers or ram- parts, which projed into the fea. Some of thefe piers are, from morn- ing till night, crouded with coal- carts ; the two furtheft are generally lined with loaded (hips. When any perfon dies here, it is cuftomary for the common bellman to patrol the ftreets, with the follow- ing invitatory cry ; " All friends and neighbours are dejlred to attend the corps of of -fkrcet) to church this evening : The corps will be taken out at o clock" During my flay, which was about nine days, many children died of the fmall-pox : I once faw five coTrps together in the old church. Inoculation was for- merly much pradifed in this quarter, till KILKENNT. 31 till a few years ago, when three or four dying in that fatal diforder, after they had been inoculated, it was en- tirely laid afide ; and the people now choofe to fubmit to Providence ra- ther than the operation. One day I attended the corps of a very worthy gentleman to the old church, who died of a more extraordinary, and perhaps not lefs fatal, difeafe than the fmall-pox. He had been brought up to the fea, and had conftantly ad- hered to his vocation, till about fix months before his death, when a re- lation leaving him an eflate of up- wards of an hundred pounds a-year, he threw off his healthful employ- ment, and commenced a gentleman. Though it did not appear that he had, in the lea'ft, applied himfelf to the deftru&ive and fafhionable appen- dages 32 A TRIP, &c. dages of that calling; nor at all given himfelf to luxury, or any way de- voted to pleaiure, according to the frequent acceptation of that word, but only to ea^e, and eafe proved mortal. He was much lamented. I have now given you all that I noticed on this fide the Irifh fea, and, perhaps, more than is worthy your notice : but I could not well reftrain my pen from relating all that I had thought either worth my while to remark on paper, or treafure up in my mind for your entertainment. I am, Sir, Yours; &c. LETTER LETTER III. From WHITEHAVEN, to SKERRIES in IRELAND. S I R, ON Saturday the I2th of Octo- ber, in the morning, the wind became favourable, and we fet fail, in company with twenty or twenty- one others, twelve of which, includ- ing ourfelves, were bound to Dublin. The fea was very calm, and the gale very moderate. About three o'clock in the afternoon the wind changed, and became contrary, and continued D fo 34 A fo till about five the next morning. At fun-rifing I came upon deck to look about me, and a delightful look it was; particularly as the land we were then clofe in with, I fuppofed to be Ireland, not knowing that the wind had changed; but, fad illu- five fight! for the land, on in- quiry, proved to be the Ifle of Man. We came clofe up to Ramfey. The people feemed to have juft rifcn, and to be making on their fires, by the great quantity of fmoke that ifiuedfrom the chimneys. In the afternoon we patted by Douglas, the chief port in the iiland: On the eaft-fide of it is a large trad of feem- ingly good land, neatly laid out, and apparently well fenced. I could dif- cern many new inclofures all along the coait The interior part is very mountainous KILKENNY 35 mountainous and irregular, and the higher lands appear to be quite bar- ren. On Sunday night the wind blew ftrong and contrary, but on Monday morning it became more calm, though {till continued unkind. We were tugged about in this- little fpace, between the Ifle of Man and Ireland, till Wednefday the i6th in the afternoon, when, the wind blow- ing afrefh the Captain thought it beft to run into a harbour in Ireland call- ed Skerries, which is about five leagues to the North of Dublin har- bour. From Sunday till this time, I had been almoft wholly confined to my cabin, there amufmg myfelf as well as I could, or as circumftances would permit. One agreeable com- D 2 fort 36 A TRIP TO fort however often attended me, and that was a melodious fellow paffen- ger, who feemed, by his cheerful- nefs. to have nothing to dread from the elements. Whether the fea was rough or fmooth, the wind Eaft or Weil he was ftill in tune his bel- lows blew always the fame. This good company was more than a mere put-off, I aiTure you it really was entertaining to me to hear the man bellowing, as it were, at the clamor- ous ocean. His fongs I feldom knew, nor, indeed, could I always diflind- ly hear his tune, though he evident- ly endeavoured, as far as he was able, to keep up a counter-plea with the noifome waves. In fhort He was every way adapted to my wifhes, and particularly to my prefent iituation j and if I found any inconveniency in his company, I am certain it origi- nated 37 nated within my own breaft : Per- haps I might unawares covet his dif- pofition, but that was wrong in me, and no fault in my companion. He was a man for either land or water, he was any man's man, he was a man for the world. Sir, Yours, &c. D 3 LETTER LETTER IV. SKERRIES, in IRELAND. \ I S I R, AFTER we came to anchor in the harbour of Skerries my floating prifon abated its giddy moti- on, all was fteady and quiet, and we feemed as if lincerely at peace with the rugged waves. In this a- greeable fituation, I ventured to peep out, and crawl upon deck once more. I was charmed with the verdant profpecl : Had I had nothing but the appearance of terreftrial objects to eftimate the feafon by, I fhould have KILKENNT. 39 have dated my memoranda that day, April the twenty-fifth. It was beau- tiful even to a dizzy head. The view was extenfive, both up into the country, and on both fides of the bay, and included two gentlemen's houfes, which, being white, made fome addition to the landfcape. After I had done gazing at the country, I found other objects to a- mufe me, which before I had over- looked : Thefe were the fifhing- wherries (fo they call them) plying about in almoft all directions, and taking up their lines. I counted twenty-eight in motion, beildes thofe lying in the harbour, clofe by a pier that projected from the end of the town. They appeared juft like fo many Swallows fkimming over a pond, 40 A TRIP TO pond, and preying upon the flies. The bay abounds with fifh. All this time I flood I felt an emotion within me, expreiTmg a de- fire for fomething or to be fome- where, but I could not be diverted from my entertainments I could not allow myfelf time to confider what it was I would be at. How- ever, when the ecftacy was about over, and I was turning to my cabin- flairs I fighed at the thought- That I fhould be again committed to a mercilefs element, which I looked upon as a profeffed enemy, ever gap- ing to devour me, and which, from the treatment I had already met with, I could not perfuade myfelf at all to rely on. Icaft about again, and, at laft, I plainly wifhed to be on KI&RENNT. 41 on fhore. The Captain, who, I dare fay, had long before read my defire very plainly in my countenance, -was very civil, and faid he would go with me. I accepted his kind offer, and we fet fail, in a four-oar boat, for the town of Skerries. I have often heard it faid of a perfon, when in dif- ficulties, or under foine oppreffion, figuratively termed a frying-pan, in endeavouring to extricate himfelf, often falls into greater troubles, or as the figure expreffes it, leaps into the fire j this was exactly my cafe : For in the way we got entangled a- mong the fifhing-lines, which drew the Wherries about us on all fides, and fo exafperated the churlifh fel- lows, that I would not have infured our cargo for lefs than ninety-nine per Cent. In this excuriion (I for- got 42 A TRIP TO f got to tell you before) I was attend- ed by my former jovial companion - 9 he, happy man ! bore all with his ufual equanimity of difpofition, not the leaft appearance of dread was to be feen about him ; happy man, indeed ! Who w r ould not have co- veted his difpofition ? We arrived at lafl fafe along the fide of the pier, where a number of men were gather- ed together, chiefly, I fuppofe, to look about them, to fee what paffed, and how trade went on. They feem- ed to be moftly of the amphibious kind, and, upon my word, fome of them were brawny fellows. They all advanced towards us as we ftep- ped out of the boat. We inquired of them for the beft Inn in the town, but, inftead of giving any anfwer, they in turn afked of us an account of KILKENNY. 43 of our voyage ; we entreated them to attend to our inquiry, telling them, that I wanted to be at a houfe where I might be accommodated with good lodgings, and a horfe in the morning to Dublin. At laft one of them bawled out " I have a horfe." I went up to him, and afk- ed him fome queftions about his horfe, but, after a few frivolous interrogations, he very heartily told me he would not let me have his horfe, becaufe he did not know me. This made me recoiled perfectly where I was, and I could not for- bear laughing : Paddy grinn'd and I made off. By this time the Cap- tain, at a little diftance from me, had found one more kindly difpofed than many of the reft, and who could talk plainer Englifh than any Jhad 44 A TRIP TO I had converfed with ; he came up, and, in an honeft ruftic tone, faid he would go with me to an houfe where I might have any thing I xvanted. This was good hearing. We followed him. The firft houfe he ftopt at had but a very poor ap- pearance ; however we got into it. The infide afforded an old and a young woman, both were very ci- vil. We got fome ale they had nothing better it was one-penny a pint, which is the common price all over Ireland : It is feldom ftrong, yet has, in general, an agreeable tafle. The old woman was fitting by a few embers in the hearth, darn- ing her {lockings ; the young lady kept moving about the houfe, and was no mean fight only her head was rather too high for her roof. We KILKENNT. 45 We fet out in purfuit of fomething better. Our leader conducted us to another houfe worfe and worfe this would never do. We pro- ceeded, and came to a third. The Captain advifed me to heave out an- chor; I did I made it do-^-though it was no hotel, I aflure you. The firft thing I met with was the top of the door-frame, it made much too free with my forehead. The mif- trefs, however, was a good decent- looking woman. I fettled my account with the Cap- tain, and, in a few minutes, he, with the paftenger and men, returned to the fhip. I got fhaven, and a clean fhirt on, and I was as happy as a king. x E I was 46 A TRIP TO I was now left alone with my land- lady, and two barefoot children her offspring. Her hufband and two fervant- girls, fhe faid, were at the farm taking up potatoes, and a fer- vant-boy was threfhing in the barn behind the houfe. She very kindly informed me, that fhe fold Rum, Brandy, Gin* and Whilkey. I de- fired her to bring me a pot of her Whifkry : , ;fhe looked and mut- tered and ftammered I perceived {he did not underftand me j at length, by halfing, and quartering, we demonstrated, that my pot was equal to her noggin. I got a noggin of plain Whiikey j but fhe faid Gentlemen always drank currant Whilkey. This is a fpirituous li- quor made from malt: The plain fort taftes fomewhat like Gin, efpe- cially KILKENNT. 4? daily that which is made in thofe parts where Juniper-berries are to be had. The Currant-whifkey is made by infufing Currants in the plain Whifkey. Her prices were about the fame, as I afterwards found, with thofe in Dublin. i r \ \. In the evening our landlord ap- peared, with a cargo of Potatoes a good looking man indeed he was, and talked good Englifli. He cer- tainly had been a gentleman's fer- vant, he had travelled. Much company came in, but they did not in the leafl difturb me. The kitchen (if you pleafe) was fet about with a double row of forms, and on thefe the guefts fat. I was fixed on a folid log of wood, in the " E 2 nook 43 A TRIP TO nook, by (or rather in) the range for it was fair weather. Our fire con- fifted moftly of wood, with a little coal. A crane was fixed to a piece of wood in the chimney above, and turned on the hearth-ftone below, and fupplied the place of a range- crook. The miftrefs bid one of the ferVants get ftraw, and begin to pre- pare fupper. The girl obeyed, and foon had the houfe half filled with ft raw. She then filled a large iron pot with potatoes, and hanging it on the crane, turned the crane and pot about into the corner or nook oppo- fite to that wherein I was fitting. She piled up the ftraw, and drew it near the pot, and feating herfelf up- on it, pulled out a little at a time from under her, and fupplied a blaze upon the pot, till the potatoes were enough, KILKENNY. 49 enough, which was, I obferved, juft when the ftraw was all confumed. Supper was turned out into a large tub, and they fettled themfelves orderly about it, in the middle of the floor. A little after fupper, the gentry on the forms began to be merry. Every . one fang a fong fome two but not one word could I underftand nor was I much delighted with their mufic : I know not w T hether the ingenious northern Tourifl would have been delighted with fuch me- lody. In the midfl of .this jollity I recol- leded I had not provided a horfe for my intended journey in the morning to Dublin. I fent for a perfon who E 3 had 50 A TRIP TO had horfes. He came, but not a fyllable of his anfwers did I under- ftand. He had lately come out of the North of Ireland, where the lower clafs of people know very little of the Englifh language. This fcene gave thofe about us great pleafure,. they laughed with much glee at our perpetual interrogations, and the ufeleffnefs of our tongues. The landlord came to us, and was kind enough to mediate as interpre- ter. We foon agreed on a price j but, on his hearing me name Kil- kenny, he enquired whether I was going there, on being anfwered yes, the bargain was void: No fuch thing as he would lend his horfe to one that was going beyond Dublin.' This ufage, you may be fure, nettled me not a little I could have* KILKENNT. 5 r have fwore at the old fellow. 1 applied to another, of more faith than the former, and was fortunate enough to fucceed. Now, per agreement, my nag was to be equipt with a lea- ther faddle, a bridle of the fame, and fuitable girths. You will here fay " What others couldil thou have- had?" I will tell you, a faddle, bridle, Stirrups, crupper, all of ftraw, mighthave been my portion, though indeed, for a pot extraordinary, I 1 might perhaps have procured a cord- bridle,, and cord Itirrups: and the ve- ry next day convinced me, that, with thefe accoutrements, I fhould not have been of the leaft magnitude among my brethren, however fingular I might appear in my own eyes ; for the greater number of perfons 1 met travelling onhorfeback, before j^came into 52 A TRIP TO into the poft-road, had either no bet- ter, or none at all, I prepared for bed. - After I had got into my room, and had frmt the door, I found it rather airy, and tak- ing the candle in my hand, took a furvey of my apartment. There were two openings, which, fome time or other, had been windows; for the one had two panes of glafs in it, the other one > the fpaces being ftopt up with pieces of board, clouts, &c. This was frightful indeed I could not refrain from pitying myfelf, but all was in vain it was my def- tined habitation. - 1 laid me down hi peace, in hope to find fome reft, but that was far from me. - The bed was too quick I fcratch'd I turn'd and turn'd and fcratch'd a- gain KILKENNT. 53 gain and wifhed for morning a hundred times before it came. At length bright Sol appeared through the chinks of the windows. I got up ordered my breakfaft and horfe, and then took a walk out into the town. It was a charming fine morn- ing to be the feventeenth of October. Sir, Yours, &c. LETTER V. SKERRIES, continued. S I R, THERE are many fmall Iflands in and near the Bay : I could fee four from the town. On one, which is that neareft the town, are the remains of a church, dedicated to their Patron, St. Patrick. This Ifland is faid to be the firft place on which the faint landed on his arrival in Ireland, which was near the end of the fourth century. The Church is. alfo faid to have been built under his KILKENNT. 55 his own immediate infpedtion, at which time the liland was parted from the main land by only a fmall ftream of water at fpring tides, and then paffable on foot. But the faint had not divined well, for now it is impafTable at the lowed ebb of the tide, and, on that account, the facred pile was long ago neceffarily aban r doned, and little more of it at pre- fent remains than the bare name. There is now a church in the town called St. Patrick's new church. This place fupplies the country, for more than twenty miles round, with fifh, which is caught in great abundance. Dublin is about twenty- miles hence, and is fupplied chiefly with that article from this place, which is conveyed in cars. The 5 6 A TRIP TO The houfes are low, fome of them are extremely low, which latter, in Ireland, are denominated cabi?is. They are fituated, with refpecl to each other, very irregularly : For it can hardly be faid that there is a {in- gle ftreet in the whole town, though it confijfts of upwards of a hundred houfes. Thefe cars, juft mentioned, are fmall carriages, having two low wheels of about twenty-two inches diameter ; they are drawn by a fm- gle horfe. The wheels are thin round blocks of wood, fometimes tired with iron, and are fixed fail to the axle-tree. In Dublin the wheels turn with an, iron axle-tree, which being continued out on the outfides of the wheels, the car refts on thofe continued KILKENNY 57 continued parts. But in the coun- try the wheels are moilly fixed at the extremities of a wooden axle-tree, and the body of the car lies upon it on two places between the wheels. It is to be hoped that the country- people, for the fake of both them- felves and their horfes, will, in time, come into the Dublin method of conftruding their cars, and that, per- haps, may be improved. It is very common for the lower fort of people to join and hire a car when going a journey, or taking a jaunt of pleafure, laying ftraw, a mat, or fometimes a bed on the bot- tom of it, to make their feats more comfortable and eafy. I have num- bered fix women on a car, with their legs hanging down within a few F inches 58 A TRIP TO inches of the ground, and moving no fafter than a perfon on foot. I have feen a grocer's wife mounted on one of thofe humble vehicles, and a beautiful woman fhe was, I never faw fuch condefcenfion in England. The inhabitants of Yar- mouth indeed have carriages much refembling the Irifh cars, which they generally dignify by the name of coaches. There are numbers of them employed in carrying goods about the town, in the fame manner as the cars are. ufed in Dublin. In Sum- mer, particularly during the bathing feafon, thefe coaches are let out to company who vifit the town, and choofe an excurfion, in parties, to the fort upon the Deanes, or into the country ; but then the carriages for thefe purpofes are moftly painted, fome . KILKENNT. 59 feme red, fome green, fome blue, which renders them much fuperior, in point of grandeur, to the humble Irifh car. I fhall juft give you a defcription of an Irifh cabin, and a few other particulars, and then proceed on my way to Dublin. The Irifh cabins are built of earth, or muddy clay, wrought into the confluence of mortar, and are always well thatched. Sometimes. fiakes are fixed into the ground, to fupport the wails, and as a firm foundation to the building. Round the flakes the architect fheds alternate Strata of mortar and fods, till he attains the height of five or fix feet above the floor or firft flory, then timbers, F 2 covers, 60 A TRIP, &c. covers in, and the fabric is com- pleted. Few of them have either window or ckimney, or any other aperture but that which ferves the purpofe of a common entrance- people, poultry, and pigs, often lodge and feed together under one of thefe roofs. I am, dear Sir, Yours, &c, LETTER LETTER VI. A general account of IRELAND ;- its drvifions, fubdivijlons, or coun- ties, parijhes, meafures, coins, &c. sf * - - SIR, BEFORE I advance further in my journey, I will lay before you the following tables, which I have extracted from a larger one in Doctor Trader's Chronology. Ireland is divided into four large Provinces, Ulfter, Leinfter, Mun- F 3 for, 62 A TR IP TO Jler, and Connaught. Ulfler compre- hends nine counties, Leinfter twelve, Munfter fix, and Connaught five. The number of acres, houfes, (as they were numbered in 1766) and Parifhes, in each province and coun- ty is as follows. Coim- KILKENNY. 63 Counties in Ulfter. Lift Plantation Acres. Houfes. Pa- rifh- es. ULSTER. 2836837 128983 3 6 5 I Antrim 383020 20738 56 2 Armagh 170620 13125 49 3 Cavan 274800 9268 37 4 Down 344658 26090 72 5 Donegal 630157 '2357 40 6 Fermanagh 224807 5 6 74 19 7 Londonderry 251510 14528 38 8 Monaghan 170090 10658 24 9 Tyrone 3 8 7'75 .16545 30 Coun- A TRIP TO Counties in Leinfter. Irifh Plantation Acres. Houfes. Pa rifh- es LE1NSTER. 2642958 127901 858. i Catherlough 116900 5444 42 2 Dublin 123784 23103 8? 3 Kildare 228590 3555 ICO 4 Kilkenny 287650 13231 96 5 King's County 257510 9294 56 6 Longford 134700 6057 24 7 Louth in 180 8151 50 8 Meath 326480 14000 *39 9 Queen'a County 238415 11226 3^ 10 Weftmeaih 249943 9621 62 1 1 Wexford 31593 6 11438 109 ! 12 Wicklow 252410 7781 54 Coun- KILKE NN r. Counties in Munfter. Iriili Plantation Acres. Houfes. Pa rifh- es. M U N S T E R. 3289932 117197 740 i Clare 428187 11381 7 6 2 Cork 99IOIO 47334 232 3 Kerry 636905 12112 84, 4 Limerick 3753* 19380 130 5 Tipperary 599500 18057 147 6 Waterford 259010 8933 71 Coun- 66 A TRIP TO Counties in Connaught Irifh. Plantation Acres, Houfes. 49966 rifh- es. 33 CONNAUGHT. 227291^ i Gal way 775525 15576 .36 2 Leitrim 206830 5156 21 3 Mayo 724640 15089 73 4 Rofcommon 3M37C 8216 59 5 Sligo 241550 5292 4. Total of Counties in Ireland. Total o. Acres in Ireland. Total of Houfes. Total ofPa- riflies. 32 1 1 0426.:; 2 424047 ^ Five KILKENNY: 6 7 Five acres Irifh are equal to eight acres fifteen perches and one hun- dred and five parts Englifh. The Irifh meafure withjevett, the Englifh with Jive and a half yards to the pole. In Ireland two {hillings is paid yearly for every hearth or fire-place ; but they pay no land-tax yet. An Irifh mile is fix thoufand feven hundred and twenty feet, or ten fur- longs and one hundred and twenty feet; whence eleven Irifh miles are exactly equal to fourteen Englifh miles. An Englifh fhilling is thirteen Irifli pence ; therefore a guinea is one pound two fhillings and nine- pence 68 A TRIP TO pence Irifh, at Par. And this leads me to obferve to you the great fear- city of copper coin in Ireland, which is entirely owing to the vail quanti- ty of that fpecies exported thence to England, where it is well known to be a load, at leafl, if not a nuifance to the public. Every failor, before he leaves Ireland, gleans up all the halfpence he poflibly can, for the fake of the penny in thirteen profit. And thus the public of two nations are injured by the emolument of a few individuals. The want of fmall currency, which is particularly felt on the Eafl coafl, and other places frequented by Eng- lifh fhips, has induced many tradef- men in thefe parts to flrike copper coins, which pafs very currently in their KIL KEN-NT. 69 their own neighbourhood: On the one fide, " 1 ' promife to pay the bearer (one, two, three, or four) pence en demand. P O 1771? and, on the reverfe, is the Coiner's fign, and the value, as i P. 2 P. or 3 P. &c. " The want of fmall change (in 1727) was fo great that feveral per- fons were obliged to make copper and illver tokens called Traders^^ which they palled as promiffor^ notes among their workmen, cufto- mers and neighbours, and each has the name of the perfon who hTued them, with the place of his abode. Some of thefe were flrack at Armagh, Belfaft, Dromore, Lurgan, Porta- down and Dublin." See the Account of Irijh coins, page 61. G This 70 A TRIP TO This popular grievance might eafr- ly be redreffed, and it is much to be wifhed that it were. Sir, Yours, LETTER LETTER VII. From SKERRIES to DUBLIN. S I R, I WILL now proceed on my jour- ney. Having got a pretty corn** fortable breakfaft, and part of a noggin of Whifkey, I mounted my fteed, and fet out for Dublin, The cliftance is feventeen (Irifh) miles, nearly. I had about four miles to ride before I came into the Ncrth poft-road. I had never travelled upon a finer road in England than even the former four miles were ; and the poft-road was much broader, G 2 ' and, i 72 and, in general, better. Indeed all the roads I came in, or interfered, were very good, and remarkaby firaiglit; but this North-road is al- lowed, at prefent, to be the befl in Ireland. In travelling in one direSi- on, you rccet with only one toll- gate in the fame county, and that fcldom demands more cf you than one-penny a horfe ; except indeed in what is called the Circular-road about Dublin-, of which I fhall give you a (hort account when I come to that city. In the firft four miles the inclo- furcs are moftly fmall, few exceed three acres, and are feparated by mounds of earth only; though fometimes, they are fluck, in a flight manner, with Gorfe, Willows, &c. Great KILKENNY 73 Great quantities of fine potatoes, and fome wheat and barley, are pro- duced in this quarter. The corn and hay harvefts, I obferved, were about at the fame time. Many fields of both were then Handing out. The corn they pile up in a conical form, in the manner of the Englifh flacks ; a day or two before it is led, they fpread it out, then bind it up fail in (heaves, and lead it together, and put it into ftack. I conclude, from this obkrvation, That the harveft is much later in thefe parts than it is in moft coun- ties of England ; and, from what intelligence I could colled, they reap as early in the county of Dublin as in any other in the whole Ifland. This muft render their harveft pre- carious, and the grain often not very G 3 whole- 74 A TRIP TO wholefome. As I advanced towards Dublin, agriculture began to have a better afped, induftry began to Ihew better handy-work, and improve- ments in general feemed to be better known and more praclifed. Some quickfet-hedges were now to be met with j tho' indolence here and there marred the profped: with fences of earth, and others of ftones piled up without any mortar, like thofe in Weftrnoreland, Cumberland, &c. Many of the quickfets I obferved to be in a very thriving ftate, fuch as were not fo had been negleded. The Hawthorn I know will not endure the falt-water fpray, but it maybe reared in moft foils remote from the fea. And I well remember I did not difcover one fingle acre of barren land in all the way. The KILKENNY 75 The fides of the road are well planted with houfes, many of which are cabins : What is faved in tolls may be readily difpofed of in charity, if the traveller has got a fingle fpark of humanity in his breafl. The ob- jects that came crawling to me from the cabins would have, foftened the moft ftony heart. I mufi own at leaft, I could not withftand their attacks , every feature plainly (hew- ed poverty, and humbly afked my charity : I gave them and that re- lieved both them, and me., : Sir, Yours affectionately. LETTER VIIL DUBLIN, the Capital of Ireland. S I R, A Bout two o'clock in the after- noon I arrived at Dublin. Be- ing, from my circumftances, obliged to make fome ftay here, I had an opportunity of feeing moil parts of the city ; and fuch particulars and occurrences as I judge fufficient to amufe you in a leifure hour, I will inform you of. And, if at any time I chance to run into Mr. Twifs's track, which I believe I cannot pof- fibly avoid, I hope you will forgive me, KIL'KENNT. 77 me, as you may be aiTured I will cauti- ouily (hun that, as well as every other beaten path which I know of, or which I can by any means clearly difcern. But this I beg you will re- member, that to write nothing but what is new, efpecially in giving the geographical defcription of this capi- tal, fituated but a few ftrides from us, cannot be done, I dare fay you will not expect ; yet novelty, or new de- fcriplions, or new objects, ought to be our chief aim, I acknowledge, and then the better we fucceed in fuch defiderata, the more will our labours be regarded and read, and their merit o will be meafured by the fcale of ge- neral importance, or by the line of public entertainment. But to leave this digreffion ; -- Dublin ftands on a. pretty extenfive plain. The laft eiht 78 A TRIP TO eight miles I had travelled were near- ly on a level with the city ; and the country, for fix or feven miles to the fouth, is exceedingly even, at which diftance are a ridge of mountains extending about twelve miles, from the mouth of the bay into the coun- try. The whole of this plain is very fertile, and the fituation of the city is generally efteemed falubrious. The city is divided into two aU moft equal parts by the river LifFey, which forms itfelf into a bay about a mile below the town. A few fine clofes have been lately acquired from the fouth-fide of the bay, clofe by Irifh-Town ; and it was then in agi- tation to proceed in like manner further down the bay, on the fame fide, to dyke off a much larger tract. A KILKENNT. 79 A little below Irifh-Town, and nearly two miles from the city, in the bay, {lands the Light-houfe or Pigeon- houfe, as it is commonly called. The entrance into this harbour is ex- tremely beautiful, and is faid to be exceeded in grandeur by the har- bour of Naples only. But the bar, which is near the Pigeon-houfe, ren- ders the pafTage very incommodious, ib that {hips of any burthen dare not venture in. The city is nearly circular, and is about eight miles in circumference. Each part, on either fide of the river, is encompaffed by a broad walk, named the Circular- road. This road is much frequented by the better fort of people, on foot, on horfeback, and in carriages. It was made for the purpofe So A TRIP TO purpofe of furnifhing a convenient airing. The money that is collected at the feverai toll-gates on the road is applied totally to keeping it in re- pair. It undoubtedly affords an agreeable jaunt, but the account of fo many robberies committed on it, rather allays the pleafure which it , would otherwife give. The north and fouth parts of the town are con- nected by five bridges. EiTex-bridge is the principal ; it is fituated to the eaft of the others, or is next towards the bay. An application was lately made to parliament for lea ve to build another, to the eafl of Effex-bridge j where it is thought by many ano- ther is much wanted j but the bill was thrown out, on the fuppofition that it would be more an obftacle to trade than a convenience to the publics KILKENNT. 81 public. There are two or three fer- ry-boats conftantly pafling below EiTex-bridge. There are two cathedrals, and eighteen parifh-churches, befides fe* veral chapels, and meeting-houfes, for the Dutch proteftants, prefbyte- rians, quakers, and methodifls, in this city j there are alfo fixteen Ro- man-catholic chapels. The cathe- drals are St. Patrick's church, and Chrift's church. Both refemble the cathedrals in England , but neither are near fo beautiful nor fo large as thofe of York or Durham. Swift was Dean of St. Patrick's, and was buried in it. I was but once in it, and that was at the time of divine fervice. The very firft moment I entered the choir, I fixed my eye on H the Sa A TRIP TO the prieft " Dearly beloved Roger" leaped inftantly into my head. Poor Swift! thought I, that was once thy place j 1 caft fteadily about for Roger,^ but, in a little time, I recollected my miftake 11 " |Y> the beloved Roger did not belong here. The firfl Sunday after my arrival, I attended divine fervice, in the evening, at Chrift's church ; it was performed in candle-light. This ca- thedral is more beautiful than St. Patrick's. The choir is narrow ; there are three rows of pews on each fide, and the diftance, or ifle, be- tween them is not more than ten feet. It has galleries on both fides. The organ is placed in a gallery on the one fide of the choir near the altar- table. KILKENNY 83 table. The principal fingers go up into this gallery when the anthem is given out j this was much the beft chorus I heard in Ireland. Both thefe cathedrals are on the South-fide of the river. The Round- church (one fo called) is on the fame fide. It is, as the name expreffes it, really round, and is very conveni- ent for performing their oratorios in. The modern built churches have neither fpires nor fteeples, and fome of the old ones have had their fpires pulled down. The Irifh feem to be terribly afraid of thunder. The palace of St. 'Sepulchre, the univerfity, and the parliamerit-houfe, are in the South part of the town. H 2 The 4 A TRIP TO The univerfity confifts of a llngle college, dedicated to the Trinity. The front has a grand appearance. Indeed its iituatjon adds much to its grandeur. The ftreet leading to its front is named College-green. This ftreet regularly widens as you ap- proach the college, and, at laft, ter- minates in a triangular opening ; the college, which is now right facing you, being one of the three fides, a row of very genteel houfes forms the fide on the right hand, and the par- liament-houfe takes up the greater part of the fide on the left 5 and an eqr.eflrian ftatue of King William III. is placed nearly in the middle of the fpace. The parliament-houfe is very beau- tiful, and is looked upon as one of the KILKZNNT. 85 tfie chiefeft ornaments of the city. Its front is of the Ionic Order, and, in general, is well executed. Its portico is of a fingular conftrudion, and is affirmed to be the moft elegant in Europe. But the fineft and moft elegant piece of architecture in Dublin, is the Lying-in-hofpital. Strangers are ufually led here to view the city from the towers, which appears in- deed very beautiful ; but the profpecl: takes in the bay, and a great part of the adjacent country, along with the city, which together form a very fine landfcape. The fquare called St. Stephen's- green, is fituated a little to the fouth of the college. It is the largeft fquare H 3 in &6 A TRIP TO in Europe, the four fides together make nearly a mile. The interior part is furrounded by a low wall, be- tween which and the houfes, about thirty feet are left for a coach-road. On the infide of the wall is a broad gravel-walk, planted on either fide with trees, called beaus-walk > the name is exceedingly pertinent and expreflive. Beaux and belles, and their peculiar ftratagems, are here frequently difplaycd. I have feen the walk fo thick with thefe toys frifking about, that a man could hardly pa-fs along for them.: You'll fay A man has no bufinefs on their premises, True, but there can he little harm in his taking a look at things prorefiedty defigned for fhow, and, generally fpeaking, there can- not be any great crime in his peeping into KILKENNT. 87 into any other fpecies of folly, pro- vided he is fecured from dipping iru- to it. The wifeft, and perhaps the beft, of men, are at certain times agreeably relaxed and entertained with mere trifles, with a harlequin with a merry- Andrew with punch and his wife and why not with a beau aad a belle I. There are twa theatres-royal, and many hofpitals, befides that already mentioned, as St. Patrick's hofpital, for lunatics and ideots, the Old-man's hofpital, and feme others. St. Pa- trick's was founded by the celebrated Dean Swift. There is alfo a new exchange building, which, from the plan, the fuperb manner of execu- tion, and the pleafant fituation, pro- mifes fair to become, in a little time, the 88 A TRTP TO the fineft building, and the chief bellifhment in the city of Dublin. The barracks are in the North part of the city, and at the Weftern extremity, near to the fide of the river. They confift of three fquares, or rather imperfect fquares, each wanting its South fide. They are capable of containing fix TJhoufand men. To the Weft of the barracks is Phoenix park, a place of great refbrt in fine weather. In this park is a fort. Sir, Yours, &c. LETTER LETTER IX. D U B L/iV, continued. S I R, f"TT"*HE out-fkirts of Dublin con- JL fift moftly of cabins. Each cabin has generally a fmall piece of ground belonging to it, which- pro- duces a few potatoes, cabbages, and onions, the conftant food of the Irifh poor all the year round. Flefli fel- dom enters their miferable dwel- lings, and bread not often. But whifkey they will have they think it almoft impoflible to fubfift with- out it : It is their darling, and their 90 A TRIP TO their ruin, it contributes much to their prefent deplorable ftate of ftu- pidity and poverty. Their faculties- are benumbed by the extravagant ufe of it, and their families are there- by plunged to the very bottom of difirefs. It is the parent of that fa- vage, brutal temper, fo confpicious in the common Irifh, and is certainly the foundation of all their peculiar calamities and misfortunes. In fhort It renders their minds unapt for ferious thinking, and their bodies in- active in ufeful labour ^ reduces them far below the dignity of their nature, and, but too often, urges to fuch offences as juftly open the folding arms of the avenging laws to hug them into endlefs eternity. In the year 1749 it was computed, that KILKENNT. 91 that in the city and liberties of Dub- lin there were two thoufand ale- houfes, three hundred taverns, and twelve hundred brandy-fhops. In 1776 the number of houfes in Dublin was thirteen thoufand one hundred and ninety-four. I was informed, that, in Ulfter, and fome parts of Connaught, where whifkey is remarkably cheap, it was very common for the people to fup whifkey to their potatoes, in the manner the Englifh eat bread and milkj but that the children, while young, had water in it, and, as they grew up, the water was gradually leflened, and, at laft, wholly left off. This, if it be true; is a practice greatly to be lamented j and, con- fidering it as a cuftom, the people themfelves 92 A TR IP TO themfelves are much to be pitied. The better fort of people in Dub- lin have much civility in them, which they bellow very lavifhly on Englifh- men, I experienced their kindnefs, and, with much gratitude, now recall it to my mind. They are generally free, or rather forward, in their talk- ing, and 'are utter Grangers to thofe helitations and apologies which are obtruded fo often upon us in com- panies in England. Referve they feem not to have any idea of; nor does the Irifhman fufFer much by opening the window of his breaft. He is generally acute in argument and common cbnverfation. A Bull to be fure, is a large animal, apt to produce a bellow, eafily, and often too critically, obferved - y and KILKENNY 93 and always largely applied. But there is a kind ofreadinefs in his conception, and an eafy viva- city in his turn, which elevate him far above a fulky maflifF, or a bufy cur. The trading part of the people feem to pique themfelves much upon the fairnefs of their dealing. I al- was obferved them offended when I bid them lefs than they had fet upon any goods, the leaft hint of over-charging will cloud their eyes. 1 went into a fhop in Leighlin- bridge, and defired to look at fome pocket handkerchiefs the mifirefs of the fhop did not talk over plain Englifh, nor did fhe underftand every word J faid : She perceived I was a foreigner, and, very familiarly, in- quired 94 quired my country ; I told, her. She pointed to another fort, which (he faid would fuit me better, -the price of thefe was fo much I bid her fomething lefs for four or five. This puckered her brow a little j fhe would not take any lefs if I took ever fo many, did I think fhe meant to cheat me ? She would affure me fhe praclifed no fuch mean methods ! and thus fhe went on for fome time, not a word could I get in with her, at laft however I drew up an excufe fqueezing in all the reafon I could mufter (which then, by the by, was not over favoury; ) It had a good effect it produced a calm. She then very cooly informed me That if it had been that woman, nodding to one going out of the (hop KILKENNY 95 {hop- door, fhe would have afked more by fo much ; - that fhe be- Iteved the Englifh to be generally fmcere and upright, and fo conclu- ded that they would be greatly dif- pleafed, and not lefs furprized at being impofed upon by fo near a neighbour. 1 here leave the in- ference to your own judgment, you will eafily determine the bounds of this partial uprightnefs, though I am perfuaded a fmall allowance was due to a foothing politenefs, which they have borrowed from another neighbouring nation. The Irilh feem to be very atten- tive to the education of their fe- males. In the mercantile clafs, we frequently find the women keeping the books, while the men are em- I 2 ployed 96 A 'TRIP TO ployed in the other ordinary bu- finefs of the fhop. This is alfo common in France, and probably the Irifh have had the cuilom thence. Being three or four times in a printer's office, I found him one day at work printing Eliza's Letters t;o Yorick, for many of the boofellers in Dublin, on a .tolerable good paper, and with a pretty neat type. A cor- rector attended the prefs. On inquiry, I found Triftram- Shandy met with great fale in Ire- land ; but Yorick's Sermons were not near fo well known, nor was the Sentimental Journey in great eftimation among them. Thus we find the moft valuable productions do KILKENNT. roi " plebeian females." This {he con- tended, was aimed obliquely at the ladies, or at leaft they were included, ( I believe they might ) but fhe could not fupport her opinion with any tolerable arguments, fo it dropt. It is more than probable, that the lady, though very fenfibie, was re- folved to take part with her own dear country, and fo had laid hold of thofe few innocent lines whereby to defend her caufe, I am, dear Sir, Yours, &c. LETTER LETTER X. DUEL IN, - continued: SI R, lower fort of people in the outer ftreets of Dublin, are feldom loaded with fhoes and flock- ings, efpecially the females and Chil- dren. I have noticed more than one young woman, with a head-drefs imitative of the ton -- four or five rings on one hand and not in the X meaneft gown with one hand be- hind tucking up her petticoat with- out either flocking or fhoe. I have alfo often noticed boys in ruffled fhirts, KILKENN'^. 103 fhirts, and otherwife neatly clad, going barefoot. There are many goats kept in Dublin, particularly in thofe remote parts of the town. They are of great ufe to the poor owners, in fupplying them with milk and the young they moftly fell to the matters of fhips, who likewife keep them on board their veffels for the fake of their milk. Labour is generally low, and fo are provifions ; but thofe they have moftly within themfelves, and of deaths they require but few T . The wife and girls mufl fpin for their own, or want them, fo the man has only to provide for his own wants and a few articles will ferve him fometimes io4 A TRIP TO fometimes one will fuflice and that is whifkev. This I believe to be the * moft common way of life yet it muft give place to many ( I heartily vvifh there were more) exceptions. Onions are plentiful in Dublin. The Irifli feem to be extremely fond of that wholefome root, as well as of potatoes ; which is the reafon of their being fo univerfally propagated in Ireland. The conftant cry- '* Cheap onions ! three pints a pen- ny!" was fo often rung in my ears, that whenever I dream of being in Dublin whatever purfuits my idle fancy may fuggeft, I am fure of meet- ing with that falute. Tripes, with onion-fauce, is a beloved diih at moil tables, at leaft once a week but par- ticularly on Saturdays. Walking KILKENNT. 105 Walking one day along the north- fide of the river pafTed the barracks through Phoenix park croffed the river at Bridge town, a little before I came into the circular-road in a large field adjacent to the out-ikirts of the town, I faw a man digging : I went towards him when I came near to him I perceived he was mak- ing a grave. I began to look about me for a church, I could fee none nor any thing like one, neither a chapel, nor any houfe like a cha- pel I then enquired of the honefl man to what church or meeting the burying ground belonged; he told me, it belonged to no church or meeting in particular. To what feet did it belong? To any fed. Who then were they who buried there ? The poor. Did a prieft attend the K corps io6 A TRIP, &c. corps to or at the grave? Sometimes thofe who could afford it had one. -Did any fing before the corps, or at the grave ? No, but they howled. '^This howling is the ancient man- ner of 'lamenting the dead, and is yet retained among the lower people. The howlers are ufually hired, ef- pecially thofe who attend the grave at certain hours for fome days after the corps has been interred. There are eight newfpapers pub- lifhed in Dublin. The Weekly jour- nal is three halfpence, the other fe- ven are fold at one penny each. The advertifements in moft of thefe pa- pers are printed verbatim from the MSS. and therefore it is no wonder if they are literary curiofities. Sir, Yours, &c. LETTER LETTER X. KILKENNT STAGE-COACH. S I R, >TT*HERE are two Kilkenny ftage- JL coaches; the one fets out from Dublin every Monday, the other every Thurfday. The diftance be- tween the two places i s fifty-fix Irifh, or feventy-one Englifh, miles, which, in Summer, is travelled in one day ; in Winter, in two days. The places I noted in the way were the follow- ing : K 2 Iriih A TRIP TO Irifli miles. From Dublin to Rathcool 7 Thence to Johnftown 5 Naas 2 Timolin 14 Caftle-Dermot 5 Carlow 6 Leighlin-bridge 4 Kilkenny 13 From Dublin to Kilkenny 56 On Thurfday, October the 31 ft, I fet out from George-ftreet, in com- pany with a {ingle lady. As foon as we were well awaked, and day- light had broke into our crazy vehi- cle, a little fmall-talk prefaced a ge- neral converfation, and introduced a better acquaintance. As the lady had KILKENNT. 109 had been but a fhort time in Dublin, no more than I, both were taken up with alternately relating the moft finking incidents we had there* met with. The play-houfe furnifned a laree ftore for difcuiTion. America O fupplied us with much matter and, both being but lukewarm, our poli- tical opinions happily coincided. And thus we agreeably paiTed the morn- ing, and I thought I was well pro- vided for the day ; for the lady, though inclined fomewhat to the mafcuiine, was yet of an obliging difpoution, and not unenteitaining. About eleven o'clock we came in- to Johnftown, where we got break- faft and very acceptable it was, as I well remember to have been ex- tremely hungry; light wigs, and K 3 iio A TRIP TO frefh eggs to our tea, with a craving vacuum ready to receive them not the leaft invitation was required. We fat down without ceremony, and rofe up perfedly fatisfied. I was now in raptures with Ireland; I could not reftrain the acclamation " I was in love with Ireland." This I perceived founded rather ftrange in my companion's ears as (he had not before underftood me to be a fo- reigner: however our friendfhip was not abated. We mounted our car- riage again, and drove off. We had not gone far when fomething fmgu- lar catched my eye (my companion all the while eying me) It was a flick, with a white rag at the end of it, ftuck in the thatch over the door of a cabin, by the "fide of the road. I inquired the meaning of it : The lady, KILKENNY in lady, very obligingly, told me it was the fymbol of-' 4 Milk fold here/' In turn I was aiked a queftion " Did I know Mr. Twifs ?" But, for the fake of preferving a good un- derftanding between us, I avoided as much as I could entering into any difcourfe about Mr. Twifs ; yet, I muft own, I did not relifh very well many of her afperfions, and I foon found I had faid enough to awaken her fufpicion of my opinion. I am fenfible that fhe now looked on me with no better face than fhe would have put on to Mr. Twifs himfelf, had he been in the coach.---How changed the fcene ! How vigilant is jealoufy ! Nothing efcapes it, Little will produce it, yet the world itfelf cannot contain it. It is readily generated from the feeds of interro- gation, 112 A TRIP TO gation, and feldom fails of meeting with ample nourishment even in the moft barren imagination. A fallen afped now mantled my lady's cheek and not a word dropped from her lipsj nor did I once diflurb her quiet. She had her humour, and I had mine. A gloomy fleep next clofed her eye-lids I opened the fafh and looked about me. The peafants and cottagers, both men and women, were bufy in the fields taking up their potatoes. I more than once counted upwards of a fcore in one field, at that employment. Some of the wo- men had their children tied on their backs, others were laid on the ground. KILKENNY 115 ground, at a little diflance from them, while they followed their work. The inftrument they life at this work refembles the com- mon fpade in England, but its mouth is narrower, and rather longer. When we came near any of them, I always obferved they left off working and, refting their arms upon their fpades, gazed at us almoft as far as they could fee us : They never in- deed appear in a hafle they work gently, and I am perfuaded an Eng- lifli farmer would be but ill pleafed with their days-works. A fudden jolt wakened Mrs. O' , and I was extremely glad to find her fhort nap had metamor- phofed her features. She ftretch- ed ii4 A TRIP TO ed herfelf out yawned a heig- ho ! fet her hands on her fides, and put on a {mile. Her looks told me " She was forry if fhe had given ofTence but hoped we would be friends again." 1 was not far behind in fignifying to her in like manner, that " If I had faid any thing amifs, I humbly afked her pardon." However this was done without ever a fyllable from either fide, and we flit without many words for fome time, and I believe, would have continued longer fo, if another curious fign had not introduced us to each other ; Introduced ? you will fay, yes, introduced j for it happened when her good mood was predo- minant fhe turned her beft fide towards KILKENNT. 115 towards it (he faw it with her naked eye clearly, and not through me darkly. The object was no con- ftellation, though I named it a fign nor was it indeed a wonder or mi- racle, but only thefe four plain words., on a board, at the fide of a cabin-door ( or chimney, which you will) " Dry Lodgings and to- bacco" (both fold here, I fup- pofe ). They were profoundly humble lodgings but whether they were altogether dry, I cannot fay. I noticed many fuch figns before I came to Kilkenny : Some had " Good dry Lodgings" only; others, " Good dry Lodgings and Snuff." In the whole road from Dub- lin to Kilkenny, univerfal accommo- dations are to be met with. The beft n6 A TRIP TO bed inns are fit for the reception of? the greatefl gentlemen, and the worfl cabins will furnifh good dry lodg- ings for the poorefl beggar. 1 am, Sir, Yours, &c. LETTER LETTER XII. KILKENNT STAGE-COACH, continued. S I R, A Bout fix o'clock in the even- ing we came to Timolin, where we dined, fupped, and lodged that night. I found nothing here that attracted my notice, nor do I recoiled: any thing I faw, or any circumftance that happened, worth relating to you. Between five and fix o'clock next morning we fet forward on our way L to nS A TRIP TO to Kilkenny. We ftopt a few mi- nutes at Carlow, which is a pretty neat town, fituated on the river Barrow. It is the chief town in the county of the fame name. The ale that is brewed here, is reputed to be the beft in Ire- land : It is pale very good, and at a penny a pint, the ufual price. It is fold in Dublin in bot- tles. Here are a jail and feflions- houfe-, they are both under one roof, near the middle of the town. Before the front is a court-yard, encompaffed by a Low wall, and within this fpace are other prifons, as flocks, a whip- ping-pott, a pillory, and fome others I could not make out the particular ufe of.' Near this town js a quarry of Granite, and, at a little KILKENNT. 119 a little diftance, one of black marble. Between Carlow and Leighlin- bridge, you have the river Bar- row all the way on your right hand ; in forne places it comes clofe by the fide of the road, and adds much to the pleafantnefl of the country, and completes an agreeable profpect. There arc many hills on both fides, which, by their beautiful verdure appear to be good foil, and have great numbers of cattle feeding upon them. This was the fined coun- try I faw in Ireland , the land is naturally good, and the labour of the- peafant cannot be over- looked. * -* L 2 We 120 A TRIP TO We breakfafted at Leighlin- bridge. The name of this place is generally pronounced Loughlon- bridge, and is fometimes written fo. We were fhewn into a cold room, but a fervant-girl foon followed us with materials for a fire. She had in either hand a baiket. I afked her what (he had got there; l< This, fir, faid fhe, turning up one of the bafkets towards me is what we call turf and this'' holding afide the other baiket is what we call wood." The turf was of that kind they call hand turf, which is wrought by hand, or with an instrument refembling a brake, af- ter it is dug out of the earth ; and then it is cut into fquare pieces like pricks; This fort is faid to be as good KIJLKENNT. < 121 good as the Dutch turf. The thing fhe called wood in her other bafket was chips. In going oat of Leighlin-bridge we crofTed the river Barrow on a plain bridge. The river is now on your left hand, and continues with- in fight for about half a mile, and then vanifhes between two hills. In many fields the corn was yet Handing out, and in others were haycocks. One field of hay I no- ticed was not all mown. Two neat gentlemen's feats pre- fented themfelves on the right, the one about four, the other fix mile's from Leighlin-bridge. Within two miles of Kilkenny 5 on the left, is L 3 the 122 A TRIP TJ* *the moil antique, whimfical build- ing my eyes ever beheld. Some- times I fancied it to be a church- at other times a fort at laft, the number of chimneys convinced me that it was a dwelling-houfe. It co- vers much ground is only one ftory high has large gothick windows, with flone cafes and pillars ^-is whited on the outfide and, to crown all is covered with ftraw. Who 4 was the architect I know not but, if I may hazard a conjedure per- haps it has been Nimre, Noah's grandfon, who built Babylon and Ninevah. On the right, a little before you efRer Kilkenny, is a fmall building, on a hill, called the Gazabo, or Hel- fham's Folly. It commands an exten- five KILKENNT. 12$ five profpeft, and. feems to have been defigned for a Summer OF ban- quetting houfe. It was built by a nephew of the late ingenious Dr. Helfham, who is alfo dead. I am, Sir, Yours, c. LETTER LETTER XIII. SI R, 1 ROM this road the town of Kil- kenny appears to be fituated in a valley, and. is not feen till you are very near it. The only object that at- tracts your eye, at thefirft fight, is the caftle, which Hands on a rifing ground, on the fouth-fide of the town. It con- fifts of two circular buildings, con- nected By an arch, or large coach-way. The circular parts have conical roofs; and on the top of each is a vane and gilt ball. Some other neat buildings may be diftinguifhed on the flopes, which, on recollecling the common phrafe KILKENNT. 125 phrafe " Kilkenny flreets are paved with marble" ferve to fill the travel- ler's head with great expectations he looks for little lefs than a paradife, - bnthe finds hi mfelf wretchedly difap- pointed on entering the town, where he ftill fees Good dry lodgings many times repeated in palling a long, narrow, dirty, ftreet built moftly of morter or mud, fods, ftraw, and fuch- like materials. However he is a little brightened when he advances as far as the new bridge, where is a grand open- ing, decorated with fome neat build- ings. The town is interfered, in two places, by the river Noer , over which are two neat bridges. Between the river and canal is a pleafant walk or- namented with trees. The canal is not completed, nor perhaps never will, as 126 A TRIP TO as it has, for fome years, been entirely neglected. While they weie carrying it on with much fpirit, an. inundation unfortunately fwept away one of the bridges, and, money not being over- plentiful, the cafh already fubfcribed for making the canal was applied to the building of a new bridge. There is but one parifh-church, be- iides the cathedral, in Kilkenny ; and thefc feem to be fufficient, as the greater part of the inhabitants arc Roman-catholics. On Sunday morning (November 3d) I was defirous of going to church. I was at a private lodging-houfe, in a very decent family I refpeded them much. I enquired if any lodger, or any of the family, were going to church O yes: many Mifs F for one was KILKENNT. 127 was going very well (lie was ready fo much the better : I foon got rea- dy, and we fet forward tete-a-tete. Af- ter we had gone a little way together, I inquired of my fair companion to which of the churches fhe was going fhe ftartled and looked as if I had frighted her Nay! was I not going to mafs? p-x on your mafs, thought I, and you too ! This is the confequence of being led by a w r oman I wifhed myfelf back, and overhead in bed a- gain a hundred times. Here we flood in the public flreet each gazed at the other and both looked like you will eafily guefs what. After we had recovered a little from our embarraff- ment,and our features had pretty well reaffumed their natural form, I defired the lady to direct me the way to the cathedral fhe did, very civilly, fo we exchanged^ good morning and parted. The 128 A TRIP TO The cathedral, in the whole, is not beautiful ; it has neatnefs, but is deftitute of grandeur. The fervice began at eleven o'clock, and ended at one. The organ is a pretty good one ; on the fide of it, in the fame gallery, fix or eight boys were fitting with furplices on fome of them had neither flocking nor fhoe on they fung Sternhold and Hopkins to the Magdalen-chapel tunes. The congre- gation was remarkably fmall, and, in general, paltry. I noticed fome han- dicrafts with their aprons tied about them, and others that had them tuck- ed up by a corner- In returning home, I could not, without fome diffi- culty, pafs along a part of the High- ftreet, near the Tholfel, for a croud of men and women affembled there, dreffed in their working habits, and each K1LKENNT. 129 each with a tool like a fpade. On inquiry, I was told, they were ftanding there to be hired by the Peafants, for the Week, to take up potatoes : And this it feems is the pradice every Sunday during the reaping feafon, Neceffaries, of almoft every kind, are cheap here. Fine wheat-flour was then fold at feven-pence and eight-pence a ftone; Beef and Mutton at two-pence a pound; Fowls both wild and tame, are in great plenty, and generally fold at moderate prices ; and the Country abounds with Hares. " The horned cattle referable thofe of Cheshire. The fneep are of a middle fize, and the Mutton is M of i 3 o A TRIP TO of an exceeding fine flavour. It is common in England to fee a pudding within a roaft Hare, but here it is quite the reverfe; they roafl the Hare within a pud- ding, much in the fame manner as we do other Venifon. Near the town are many Coal- pits, and fome Marble-quarries. The Coal is of a very extra- ordinary quality: It produces no fmoke, or very little, in burn- ing, but fends out a ftrong ful- phurine vapour, which is often prejudicial, when their funnels do not draw well. But perhaps this may not be wholly an eifeft of the peniicious matter given out by the Coal, but partly a nfe- quence of the aduft air in the ,room } KILKENNT. 131 roomj and I often thought the mouth of their chimnies were but ill-contrived for carrying off the light air and vapours. It is not fo inflammable as Newcaftle Coal, but it is more durable. The firft or morning fire, as they call it,, lafls till about two o'clock in the afternoon, when it is- made up- again, by fixing in frefh coals be- tween the bars, and laying the finall on the top, and that with- out any affiftance or ftirring, will ferve till about ten at night. Some have funnels of tin fixed on the tops of their chimneys. Thefe are of two parts, the whole forming a kind of an inverted L, which having a joint in the angle, the upper or horizontal part turns round like a vane, and by that M 2 means 132 A TRIP TO means avoids fudden gufts of wind, and more freely emits the vapours, which other wife might be forced down again. A contrivance of this kind would probably be of good ufe for curing fmoky Houfes, and, as it is recommended by Mr. Emmerfon, in his Mifcellaneous Traces, I fuppofe it has been tried, and has anfwered the pur- pofe, elfe, I am perfuaded r it had never appeared in any Work of that celebrated Author's.- i The Coals are fold in Kilkenny at nine pence or ten-pence a hun- dred weight, which is nearly e- qual to four-pence a bufhel. I have read fomewhere, that Kilkenny enjoys the four Ele- ments KILKENNT. 133 ments in perfection, which is ver- ified thus: Fire without Smoke, and Earth without Bog, Water without Mud, and Air without Fog. Ireland abounds in Bogs, Lakes,- Rivulets, and Springs, all which together with the beautiful Ver- dure of the furface, proceed per- haps entirely from the moifture of the Climate, and the Tempe- .rature of the Air. But the coun- ty of Kilkenny is one of the few that is exempt from Bogs, at leaft. they are not fo numerous there as in moft others, and near the town in particular no fuch thing as a real Bog is to be found, which is owing to a ftratum of Gravel M 3 and 134 A T R IP TO and Stones, lying next under a, thin covering of Soil on the Sur- face. And this difpofition I like- wife take to be at leaft one caufe of the pellucidity of the Water. But I had all along, from my firft fetting foot in the ifland, obferved, That the Waters if- fuing from the Springs were ge- nerally not fo clear as the Spring- water is commonly feen in Eng- land 5 and therefore, this like the former, being a rare Phenomenon in Ireland, has been particularly remarked, and far too univerfally underftood. I was afTured positively, That in and about Kilkenny they ne- ver have any Fogs. Yet, I do not at all doubt, but that, in every KILKENNY 135 every Seafon of the Year, efpe- cially in Winter, the clouds are at different heights, from different Caufes; but then I un- derftand, they are never difco- vered to be fo low as in many other places, nor to be conned- ed with any vifible exhalations afcending from the furface of the Earth. If this be true, as I believe it is, the quality of the exhalations, and the fituation of the place, will be the principal, if not the only Caufes. The narrow Vale along which the river runs, opening wide juft by the fide of the town, muft contribute much to the clearing away of moift Vapours, and to rendering the Air more pure and whole fome. The 136 A r R IP TO The Marble which is in great plenty here is black ftreaked with white. It bears an exceeding fine Polifh, and is the common material for chimney pieces. The Pillars (inftead of Pofts which guard the fide, or foot, Walks, in the Streets, are of Marble ; and, for ought I know the Stones in the pavements are rough Marble. The ftreets are generally well paved, but are pof- feft of no peculiar ele t nee that I could fee. Moft of trie com- mon (or cobble) flones or thofe dug out of the Earth for common ufe, are cither a fpecies of, o r near- ly refemble, Marble. Out of a ftone-wall, which feparaies in one place the River and Canal, I numbered at random feveral par- cels K I L K R N NT. 137 eels of {tones, and found the proportion of thofe of Marble to thofe of other forts, as thirteen to one. I am, dear Sir, Yours, &c. LETTER LETTER XIV. A Defer ipt ion of the CAPER N& near KILKENNY SI R, AT a little diftance from the town are a number of ca- verns, which, by the inhabitants, are efteemed the greateft curiofities of the kind in the world. But whether they who gave me this information of them had either feen or read of thofe at Antiparos, and fome others, I know not I fuppofe they never had. They are A TRIP TO, &?r. 139 are near the Park-houfe of Don- more, and are" defcribed by an in- genious Gentleman, who lately vifited them, in the following words : " After a difficult defcent of about one hundred feet, the en- trance into this fubterraneous world is gained. The appearance of the firft Cavern is uncommonly awful, and gives rife to an idea of a grand Gothick Structure in ruins. The folemnity of this place is not a little encreafed by the gaiety of thofe fcenes which prefent them- felves on every fide, previous to our entering it. The floor is un- .even, and ftones of various fizes ,are promifcuoufly difperfcd upon it. The fides are compofed of rag- ged 140 A TRIP TO ged work in fome places covered with mofs, and in others curioufly frofted -, and from the roof, which is a kind of arch, feveral huge rocks pro] eel: be- yond each other in fuch a manner that they feem to threaten inftant ruin. The circumference of this Cave is not lefs than two hundred feet, and its height above fifty. Here is a fmall but continually dropping water from the cieling, and a few petre- faclions refembling iiicles. This place is not deftitute of inhabi- tants ; for immediately on entering into into it you are furprized with a confufed noife, which is occa- iioned by a multitude of wild pi- geons. Hence there is a paiTage towards the left, where, by a fmall afcent, a kind of hole is gained, much larger, but in form greatly refem- K ILK EN NT. 141 refembling the mouth of an oven, which introduces the fpeclator to a place, where, by the help of can- dles, (day-light being entirely ex- cluded) a broken and furprizing fcene of monftrous ftones heaped on each other, chequered with va- rious colours, inequality of rocks overhead, and an infinity of ftalac- tical ftones, prefents itfelf. Nature, one would imagine, defigned the firft Cave as a preparative for what remains to be feen ; by it the eye is familiarized to uncommon and awful objeds, and the mind tole- rably fortified againft thofe ideas which refult from a combination of appearances, unthought of, furpriz- ing and menacing. The fpedator flatters himfelf that he has nothing to behold more awful, nor any N thing A TRIP TO thing more dangerous to meet, than what he finds in the firft ca- vern but he foon difcovers his miftake ; for the bare want of that light which dreffes nature with gaiety, is alone fufficient to render the fecond far more dreadful. In the firft he fancies ruin frowns upon him from feveral Parts ; but in this it is threatened from a thou- fand vaft rocks rudely piled on each other, that compofe the fides, which feem bending in \ and a multitude, of no fmaller fize, are pendant from the Roof, in the moft extraordinary manner : Add to this, that, by one falfe ftep, he would be dafhed from precipice to precipice. Indeed it would be a Matter of much diffi- culty, or rather impracticable, to walk over this apartment, had not nature, K1LKENNT. 143 nature, as if ftudious for the fafety of the curious, caufed Branches, as it were, to fhoot from the furface of the rocks, which are remarkably fmooth, very unequal, and always damp. Thefe branches are from four to fix inches in length, and nearly as thick. They are ufeful on the fummits of the rocks to pre- vent Hipping, and in the fides are ladders, whereby to defcend and afcend with tolerable facility. This aftonifhing amfracluous paffage leads to a place far more curious than the reft. On entering into it, one is almoft induced to believe onefelf fituated in an ancient tem- ple, decorated with all the expence of art j yet, notwithstanding the beauty and fplendor that catches the eye on every fide, there is fome- N 2 thing 144 A TRIP TO thing of folemnity in the fafhion of the place, which muft be felt by the moft inattentive fpeclator. The floor, in fome parts, is covered with a cryftalline fubftance $ the fides, in many places, are incrufted with the fame, wrought in a tafte not unlike the Gothick ftyle of ornament, and the top is almoft entirely covered with inverted pyramids of the fame elegantly white and lucid matter. At the points of thefe ftalaclical ftreets are perpetually hanging drops of pellucid water, for when one falls another fucceeds. Thefe pendant gems contribute not a little to the glory of the roof, which, when the place is properly illumi- nated, appears as if formed of the pureft cryftal. Here are three ex- traordinary and beautiful congela- tions, K1LKENNT. 145 j which, without the afliftance of a ftrong imagination, may be taken for an organ, altar, and crofs. The former, except when ftriclly examined, appears to be a regular work of art, and is of a confiderable lize ; the fecond is of a fimple form, rather long than fquare ; and the third reaches from the floor to the roof, which muft be about twenty feet. Thefe curious figures are owing to water that falls from the upper parts of the cave to the ground, which coagulated into ftone from time to time, till it acquired thofe forms which are now fo pleating ; or to an exiuda- tion or extillation of petrefying juices out of the earth j or perhaps they partake of the nature of fpar, which is a kind of rock-plant. N 3 The 146 A TRIP TO The former feems the moft proba- ble fuppofition, as thefe figures, in colour and confiftence, appear exactly like the ificles on the top, which are only feen from the wet parts of the caverns -, and, in this place, there is a greater oozing of water, and a much larger number of petrefaclions, than in any other. When you quit this curious apart- ment, the guides lead you for a confiderable way through winding places, until a glimmering light a- greeably furprizes. Here the jour- ney, of above a quarter of a mile, through thofe parts is ended: But, upon returning into the firft ca- vern, the entrance into other apart- ments, lefs curious indeed, but as extenfive as thofe we have defcri- bed, offers itfelf. The paffages into KILKENNT. 147 into fome of thefe are fo very low, that there is a neceility of creeping through them ^ by thefe we proceed until the noife of a fubterraneous river is heard, but farther none have ventured." Sir, Yours, &c. LETTER LETTER XV. Further Remarks and Occurrences In the County of K1LKE N NT. S I R, THIS County fupplies Dublin with a great quantity of wheat, or rather wheat-flour, which is packed up in facks, and con- veyed on cars. Walking one Day by the fide of the river, near fome corn-mills, I was met by a flour-car j the driver, who was feated on the thill, was a mean- looking, ragged youth. Juft as I had pa{fed him, he accidently drop- ped A TRIP TO, &c. 149 ped his rod out of his hand; when another youth, of nearly the fame complexion with himfelf, coming along the Road, readily ftepped afide, tcok up the rod, and, very politely, prefenred it to its owner. This occafioned many compliments. Monfieur himfelf could not have made a better leg than the pre- fenter. Each w r aved his hat bowed recovered turned then parted- and covered. Inftances of this fort may be obferved hourly in the flreets of Kilkenny ; which {hew that they are before-hand with their neighbours, the Englifh, in the fine art of politenefs, how far foever they may fall behind in other arts and fciences. Learning, 150 A TRIP TO Learning, I believe, is much ne- glecled in moil parts of Ireland ; at leaft it is not purfued with fo much ardor as in England. There are indeed fome good fchools in the ifland, and it is well known they have fent out fcholars that yield not the palm to any in Europe. At Kilkenny is a flourishing fchool, eftablifhed upon a Plan fimilar to that at Weflminfter. Many diftin- guifhed perfons now living receiv- ed the rudiments of their education at this fchool. One of the beft orators perhaps in the Britifh par- liament was educated here. And it was here I was firft informed of the Longitude being found out in Ireland ; that the gentleman who had difcovered (or rather compleat- ed) it, re{ided moflly, and was then in KILKENNT. 151 in Dublin that he wrote to Lord Sandwich about a year ago, informing him of the important invention, and had received an an- fwer, requefting his attendance at the board of Longitude in Lon- don, at the next meeting but that he refufed to comply with the propofal, on account of no, or at leail inadequate, premium offered him in hand. The method of per- forming this great work was hit upon many years ago by a gentle- man in Dublin, he purfued it with fingular application, till re- morfelefs Time difqualified him for the celeftial tafk ; Death foon after clofed the fcene and the common terreftrial portion was his lot at laft. But fortunately his la- bours were not buried with him. The 152 A TRIP TO The whole affair was communicat- ed to a friend the gentleman now pofTefled of the fecret, who has, by a like affiduity, completed the work the principal defideratum in the whole circle of human learning. But I am much afraid that this, like many other attempts which have vanifhed long before it, will at lafl prove but a phantom : For it is a lamentable truth that in matters of fo important and difficult a na- ture, men are often pufhed for- ward, and even blinded, by a kind of prefumptive and felf-conceited zeal, which demonOration itfelf can hardly flop the career of. And, in the cafe before us, one would think that the premiums propofed in the ad were alone fufficient, without any other provifion, to incite K 1 L K E N NT. 15 incite folid merit to unfold its con- tents. Rational truth will not feek for more, and it is fure of meeting with no lefs. But the vain imagi- ner is terrified with the very thoughts of an open examination he then finds a doubt where before he looked for no fuch thing and his chimerical fabrick is fhaken to the very foundation, even in his own bread, before it is af- failed, But I do not fay, that this of which I am fpeaking is a chi- mera ; nor do I pofitively affirm it is not 1 only hope it is not. The author, who is in great reputation in Dublin for his learning, feems to be thoroughly convinced of its truth and utility and if it proves fo eafy and practicable as he announces it to be, his name will be remembered O and i 5 4 A T R IP TO and revered as long as the world endures. I have now nothing more to add from this quarter. But as you may reafonably fuppofe that I have heard fomething about thefe feditious people commonly known by the name of Whiteboys^ who infeft this and forne of the neighbouring coun- ties, 1 will therefore give you an account of them, from Mr. Twifs's Tour, which I always found to correfpond with the refults of my own inquiries about them. " The Counties of Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford and Carlow, are over-run with ruffians called Whiteboys. Thefe are peafants, who do not choofe to pay tythes or KILKENNY. 155 or taxes, and who in the night- time ailemble, fometime to the number of many hundreds, on horfe- back, and on foot, well armed, and with Hurts over their cloaths, from whence their denomination is de- rived, when they ftroll about the country, firing houfes and barns, burying people alive in the ground, cutting their nofes and ears off, and committing other barbarities on their perfons. The objects of their revenge and cruelty are chiefly tythe and tax gatherers, and ^land- lords who attempt to raife their rents ; they never rob j neither do they molefl travellers. Rewards of forty and fifty pounds are continu- ally advertifed in the papers for ap- prehending any one of them j and from time to time a few of thefe O 2 deluded 156 A TRIP TO deluded Wretches (as the advertife- ments term them) are hanged, and cfcorted to the gallows by a regi- ment of foldiers. Excommunica- tions are likewife read againft them by their prieils from the pulpit ; but as they are fo numerous it is not likely that they will be foon extir- pated." -Fie adds further" A few years ago, a like fet of infur- gents, who wore oak-leaves in their hats, and called themfelves Oakboys, rofe in the No:th of Ireland. Thofe gentry refufed paying the tythe of their potatoes, telling their priefts that they ought to be fitis- fied with their tythe of what grew above ground. The difturbances which they caufed are now at an end ; as I was informed that they carried their point by being fo nu- merous, KILKENNY. 157 merous, and that at prefent their potatoes are tythe-free." On Monday, November 4th, I left Kilkenny, and reached Dublin the evening of the next Day. Sir, Your, &c. j i O 3 LETTER LETTER XIV. t Mijcellaneous Obfervations- on the peculiar CUSTOMS, Gfc. of the IRISH. S I R, IWill now (frlofe my account of Ireland with informing you of fuch iingular cuftoms of the peo- ple, as came to my knowledge from the people themfelves, with- out paying any regard to what o- thers have, or might have, written on the fubjedts. I. The A T R IP TO, &c. 159 I. The extravagant and univerfal ufe of potatoes is fo well known, that I might very well pafs it over without ever a word, and without much impropriety ; but as I was fo often ferved with them, in their na- tive'hue, and in fuch huge quantities, which far exceeded all that I had fuggefted from previous intelli- gence, you muft permit me to add a little to the current Account. Thefe are always ferved up un- peeled each Perfon at the ta- ble peeling his own, if he choofes them fo, but fome do not take that trouble, but only cut them into Quarters, and lay them by the fides of their plates in the place of bread. The ladies ( to be fure ! . ) always peel their potatoes 160 A T R IP TO potatoes and, moft politely, depofitr them (fmoaking hot) on the cloth, by their plates. The firft time I was treated in this manner, I confefs I could hardly keep my temper daubing one's fingers -feeing the Table ftrewed all over with peelings -which often catch you by the arm or hand In fhort, I looked upon myfelf as a partner in a fcene of genuine fluttery. But a little further experience taught me to expect no better : The di- appointment indeed was foon taken off, but the difagreeablenefs ftill remained the fame. There is no- thing to be met in the whole iftand, I will venture to affirm, in which an Enghfhman cuts fo bad a figure, as in this of peeling KILKENNT. 161 his potatoes. If he be an entire Granger in the country, and not of a very cool, harmlefs nature he is certainly difguited \vhile he has his potatoe on his fork ;, but if he is inclined in the leaft to a wag ten to one but he burfls out into open laughter dur- ing the operation. The. v apo- logy made for this filthy' cuftom, which they very know is not a- grceable to moft foreigners, is ex- tremely delicate and convincing They tell you, that they do not think it proper to let their potatoes go through the fervants' dirty fin- gers ; and befides, by keeping them in the peeling, they retain their heat longer. II. Boiled 162 A T R IP TO II. Boiled eggs to tea in the morning, is a cuftom almoft as uni- . verfalas potatoes at dinner - and to this I give my moft cordial approbation. An egg or two, or fometimes three or four, are eaten to toafr, or bread and butter, or faffron wigs ; after which they drink their tea. They feem to be ex- ceedingly careful (and they are in the right) in choofmg their eggs freih. Egg s are ver y plenti- ful in Ireland, even in Dublin. In fome places, in the fpring, they are fo cheap as ten or twelve a penny. III. I never faw but one pudding while I was in the country. They cenfure, and even affect to deride the Englifh for reftraining flefh from their children, and feeding them. KILKENNT. 163 them with pudding. I do not know whether this language is a- greeable to the doctrine of their phyficians but I believe it will concord with the general opi- nion of the people. They hold it facred to keep their children to their athletic ftate, and to be fure they have fenfe enough to love themfelves. What avails felf-denial or pale faced tem- perance? Nothing but to re- duce a man (an Iriihman) to a child to an afs to worfe, to a fkeleton. A vaunt, fuch ghaft- ly fpeclres ! - fuch meagre deities! Give Hibernia's fons plenty - a folid round of beef, and a big-bellied bottle thefe are the gods for them ! But, feri- cuily, as long as this way of think- ing 164 A TRIP TO ing prevails in Ireland, or indeed in any other country, that country in my Opinion never will make any figure in the more fubftantial and feriouspart of the world. IV. The peafants' houfes are, in general, but little better than the cabins. The difference confifts in the former having a chknney, or a hole in the roof 'a window of about a foot fquare, in \he front, and a whited outfide, in imitation of their tyrannic lord's. And this cuftom of whiting the outfides of their houfes, to me feems to be well fuited to the fine verdure fo pecu- liarly diftmguifhed in this ifland. But, better would it be for thofe poor, laborious, and, permit me to fay, honourable^ fet of people,, and the K1LKENNT. 165 the country in general, were the in- ficres of their huts more ferioufly attended to: Hunger and flarv- ation are too often to be found within. The Polifh peafants, I verily believe, live better, and are more looked upon, than thofe ne- gleded, miferable beings. The primary caufe of this wretchednefs lies in the owners of the lands- in their not redding in the country, who therefore find it more agree- able to let out their eftates in large parcels or farms to other gentlemen of lefs fortune, who are thence ufually diftinguifhed by the appel- lation of Lecife-holders . Thefe gen- tlemen ^ terrible gentlemen !) let out the lands in fmall farms, to poor tenants, who are, by con- trad, obliged to build their own P houfes, 1 66 A TRIP TO houfes, and fit up fuch other conveniences as they find want- ing and neceflary. But thefe con- veniences are only temporary > contrived to endure juft the length of their term, and no longer i and by this means each fucceeding tenant enters on the premifes as his predecefTor did be- fore 'him. After this narra- tion, I will not prefume to draw you out of the evident inferen- ces the confequence of the want of food, it is plain, is real hunger, and that of cloths is literal ftarvation but let thefe fufnce the refledion is pain- ful to me. One thing, however, I cannot forbear to lament That thofe non-refidents are not tixed. It has been agitated, I know, KILKENNY 167 know, and I hope it will go for- ward. That would be finking at the very root of many dif- orders and calamities now rag- ing amongft them, and would conduce much to improvements of every kind. V. There is a very rude, and not lefs extraordinary ufage, yet praclifed iu Ireland, which, one mijht fuppofe would feem too prepoflerous even to a Iviufail- rnan in this age of the World. It is this When a Man is in love with a Woman, but is re- pulfed by her relations, he often has rccourfe to the foil wing ftra- tagem : He caufes a report to be fpread in the neighbourhood, that he intends to carry her off P 2 ( not 168 A TRIP TO ( not to Gretna-green- but to where he pleafes ). This feldom fails of gaining the point. He is now permitted to pay his ' addrefies without interruption, and is generally looked on by the whole family as a true and imcere lover. When this is the cafe, matters are foon fettled, ;:n i all ends in peace and unity: But if he falls Ihort by this me-, nace, a fet of ruffians are em- ployed to execute the wicked project, who watch an opportu- nity of laying hold of the young woman' fhe is forcibly car-- ried off, fhe knows not whither and the brutal ufage afterwards met with, (he perhaps never re- turns to relate. I knew not of any fuch cuftom till I came into Dublin, K ILK EN NT. 169 Dublin, nor did I pay much re- gard to the ftory, till I became acquainted with one who unfortu- nately knew it too well. VI. Of all the peculiarities to be found in Ireland, the mod furpriz- ing is that of the country being freed from venomous animals of every kind. The truth of this ex- emption has been queftioned, and by fome flatly denied ; but it is a fad beyond all doubt. The reafon re- mains yet a fecret ; -it has hitherto fallen without the reach of all the writers who have mentioned it and it has yet eluded all my befl endeavours, though I ftill retain fome hope, that, with a few hints from any gentleman acquainted with moft parts of the ifland, and who P 3 has 170 A TRIP TO has turned his thoughts that way, the matter may be expounded, and the whole perhaps clearly account- ed for. There are five packets which fail between Dublin and Holyhead. This is the commoneft track from Dublin to London, as well as to moft other places in England, and I believe it is one of the fafeftj but to or from the fouthmoft coun- ties, the beft way is in one of the yachts which fail between Milford and Waterford j and from any part of Scotland, or the county of Northumberland, the Donaghadee and Portpatrick Sloop will be moft convenient, as well as thefpeedieft and fafeft paflage, the time on the fea, at this place, is feldom more K ILK EN NT. 171 > more than three hours, and I could not hear of one fingle misfortune that had ever happened to any paf- fenger. On the tenth of November I em- barked in the Befborough packet, and in ten or eleven hours arrived fafe at Holyhead. Sir, Yours, affectionately. LETTER LETTER XVII. IP A L E S> viz. The I/land of Angle fey, Carnarvon/hire., Den- bighjbire, Flint/hire, to Chefter. S I R, T Holyhead are two genteel Inns, at either of which a ftage- coach is always ready to take up PafTengers from the packets. In thefe coaches you are conveyed to Chefter in two days, and for thirty fhillings ; - thediftance is ninety- three miles. From Chefter you have to make out your own parti- cular road, and are at liberty to choofe A TRIP TO, &c. 173 chcofe your carriage, or any other mode of travelling. This Ifland (Anglefcy) is twenty-five miles over, rneafured along the road from Ho- lyheacl to Bangor Ferry. The o- ther particular places and diflances I remarked were the following : Miles. From Holyhead to Bangor Ferry 25 Thence to Bangor 2 Penmaen Maur 1 1 Conway 8 Burtree-hill 3 Penmaen Rofs 5 Abergely 4 Rilland Marfti 2 St. Afaph 5 Holy well 10 Chefter 18 From Holyhead to Chefter 93 On '74 On coming to the Inn, in Holy- head, on Sunday night, whither we were conducted by the Boatmen who fet us afhore, we were faluted by mufic and dancing. As I couid not make out what kind of an in- ftrument it could be, having never heard fucb muflc before, I intimat- ed adefire of being introduced into the room, but, on being informed by the Waiter, that it was a felei company of gentlemen and ladies, who hnd come m the flarre that i > day, and were intending to proceed in the packet to Dublin the next day, I returned to my own compa- nions, and took no further thought about them. 1 he inftrument, I was told, was a Welfh Harp ; an in- ftrument peculiar to the country, and agreeable enough to the ear. ^ <~> Next K ILK EN NT. 175 Next morning^ after Ircakfaft, we proceeded on our joiirnej^^ We had not got far before we were tnet by three of Sir John Fielding's Men, and on inquiry it ap- , peared, that they were purfuing thofe very gentry who, the night before, had been fo exceedingly happy Good God ! of what a texture are the minds of fome people! Compofed and eafy in the very lap of wickednefs. Where was confcience? Con- fcience had not been within. But alas ! if he had what could he have done, when fuperannuat- ed feeble forlorn nay, in all probability, turned quite out of doors? Alas, poor confcience! When this is the cafe when that fine perception, plant- ed 176 A TRIP TO ed by the wife author of our na- ture, is loft, when religion morality, and calm reaibn, are not permitted to fit in the judgment- feat of the heart, that is, when confcience is not allowed to reiim O in full majefty, then is the lit- tle republic completely overturned, and the man is loft to all focicty, as well as to himfelf perhaps for ever and for ever . In travelling over this ifland, no- thing material prefented itfelf. The only thing I noticed was on our right-hand, four or five miles from Holyhead. The tide was flowing, and the wind at fouth-weft. The breakers ftriking with great force a^ainft the large rocks, flew high up in the air, fo that the whole fhore Kl L K E N N r. 177 iliore appeared as if decked with foaming pyramids of the refllefs Ocean. But to underftand this the better, we muft confider, That, at moft places on the Englifh fide of the channel, the tides rife very ra- pidly, and very high to a much greater height than they do on the Irifh lide. For inftance, at Holy- head the tide flows nearly twenty feet, at Conway, in Denbighfhire, it flows eighteen feet : but on the oppofite fide it feldom rifes more ten feet in any harbour. And therefore when the tide is flowing, and the wind blows on the land, the percuffion againft the rocks is then great, and the refinance being equal ,to it, that is, equal to the momen- tum of the wave, the water is there- by dafhed violently into the air, and the 178 A r R IP TO the fpray appears in fuch variety of fhapes and colours, that the fcene is very entertaining and beautiful. The ifland, as far as I could view it, feems to be of a remarkably duf- ky complexion. There are num- bers of barren, rocky, mountains, always in fight from the road, and fometimes marfhes. But it is alrea- dy well known, and I can add but little to the defcriptions, or to your entertainment. We came to the Boathoufe, which is on the Anglefey fide, in little more than five hours. The annual rent of the privilege of this boat, is four hundred pounds. Whence we may conclude, as each paiTenger pays one (hilling, and allowing fif- ty KILKENNT. 179 ty pounds for the fubfiftence of the tenant, and the number of people who pafs and repafs this way every year is about nine thoufand. After ferrying over, another carriage was ready for our reception at the Inn on the other fide, which con- veyed us to Conway, where we took up our lodgings. The new road a- long Penmaen Maur was then com- pleted, and is every way much pre- ferable to the old road. It coil two thoufand pounds, and was made in purfuance of an a6t which was ob- tained ia the year 1769. The next morning, pretty early, we proceeded on our journey. FroGQ Burtree-hill is an extenfive profped ; but the Air was fo ex- ceiRvely cold on it, that I could 0,2 find find but little pleafure in looking about me. Penmaen Rofs is a mountain confifting of one entire rock. Juft after riling up a hill, from the pleafant village of A- bergely, Rilland Marfh appeared on the left hand. It is about four miles from Eaft to Weft, and upwards of two from the Sea to the foot of the Hill along which we were palTing. It is very even, and the eye takes in the whole at one view. St. Afaph is a very pleafant fi- tuation, on a fine plain ; there is a fmall river, over which is a plain bridge of five arches. Between K I L K E N NT. 181 Between St. Afaph and Holy- well are many Lead-mines on both {ides of the road. Holy well confifts of three prin- cipal ftreets, which branch out from the market-place, as from a center. We entered the town at the Weft ftreet; turned a little to the right out of the market-place into the South-weft ftreet leaving the North-ftreet on our left hand. At the foot, or extreme, of the North ftreet, is the celebrated Spring known by the name of St. frinefrefls Well. As this is the place where.. dinner is commonly provided for the paf- fengers, I employed a few 7 leifure minutes in vifiting the Well. I had no need of making much in- quiry for the road to it there 0,3 are i8a A r R 1 P TO are generally people ftanding rea- dy about the Inn to guide you in the way, if you are a ftranger and have no idea of its fituation ; but thefe Conductors are not eafily fatistied for their trouble though the labour might be abridged to ten words, and a flight motion with the right hand :, ,. but that is a fpecies of wit incom- patible with avarice the means would fubvert the ends. Avarice is always officious, and profufely lavifh in words and little compli- mental actions, thefe are its pe- culiar characterises and by thefe it is always known, and eafily detected. But to return, many attendants are likewife conftantly Rationed at the Well One with a beaker glafs pre- fents K ILK EN NT. 183 fents you with a draught of the water. Another expatiates on its virtues gives you a long detail of the many wonderful Cures performed by the ufe of it, and concludes with a cata- logue of the annual and cafual Vifitants who come thither to bathe, and drink the water, and, in this account, you are fure of hearing the names of Dr. Solander and Mr. Banks per- haps more than once mentioned. A third perfon has papers explain- ing the origin, &c. of the Spring, and thefe they fell at fixpence (if poffible) or three-pence (if you pleafe.) The following account is the fubftance of one of thofe de- fcriptive papers which are fold at the place. The 1 84 A T R I P TO " The rife of St. Winefred's well is by fome accounted a miracle, and related as follows :- That in the year 700 lived H 7 inefred > a virgin of extraordinary fantity, who made a vow of chaftity during life, and dedicated herfelf to the fervice of God. A Heathen prince named Cradoc, having often attempted Wi- nefred's chaflity in vain, met her fome time after upon the top of the hill near Holy well church, and ftruck off her head, which, rolling down the hill, was taken up by the prieft of Holywell, who being a favourite of the Almighty's, did by divine aififtance, replace the head on Winefred's fhoulders, who was thereby reftored to life, and lived fifteen years afterwards. the prefent loofe and degenerate age, many K I L K E N NT. i8c ' f many may reckon this relation fa- bulous; but, if it be confidered, that tne Old and New Teflaments furnifh us with many furprizing and miraculous things, done by the power of God and Chrift, there can be no difpute at leaft as to the poflibility of it. That, at the very inftant Winefred was rcftored to life, this Spring arofe, in that ^fery place, no doubt in Border to .perpetuate the memory of fo great a miracle, which can fed the chrif- tian religion to incrcafe in a very extraordinary manner, and Wine- fred being made a faint, the holy prieft of Holywell named the Spring St. Winefretfs Wett-^ and indeed the waters feem to be of a fingular na- ture, and not to be excelled; for, fiom the original rife of this Spring to i i86 A T R IP TO to this day, the water, by bathing therein, performs wonderful cures: It heals thofe troubled with the Leprofy, and many other difeafes; reflores the lame to the ufe of their limbs, as well as the blind to their fight, and ftrengthens fuch as are recovered of the fmall-pox. The phyficians are of opinion the water is of that excellent nature as not to be equalled in the univerfej which has caufed fo great re fort, that, from a few houfes. Holy well is increafed to a large Market-town of fine buildings, fufficient to enter- tain the greateft number of people, and the bathing is every way ren- dered as agreeable as at any other Wells or Baths. ." Here K I L K E N N T. 187 " Here it may not be improper to take notice of what to fome people may feem incredible, but the truth of what is offered will at any time be demonftrated to the curi- ous; that is, that by the gauge the Bafon and Well hold about two hundred and forty tons of water, which, when let out, fill again in lefs than two minutes. The expe- riment was tried for a wager, on Tuefday the i 2th of July, 1731 ; Mr. Price, the rector of Holy well, Mr. Williams, Mr. Wynne, Dr. Taylor, and many other gentlemen of Holy well, as well as Grangers, and the writer of this relation, be- ing prefent; when, to the furprize of the company, the Well and Ba- fon filled in lefs than two minutes j which plainly fhews that this fpring raifes 188 A T R IP TO raifes more than one hundred turn of water every minute. And al- though the water in the bafon is more than four feet deep, it is fo tranfparentthat a fmall piece of mo- ney, or a pin, may be feen at the bottom. The water rifes up in the Well as if it were in a Brewer's boiler and violently agitated by heat. " In the bottom of the bafon are feveral large pebble ftones, which, to the eye, appear as if befprinkled or befmeared with blood ; one of thefe ftones has fometimes the refemblance of a flower-pot when bedecked with the choiceft flow- ers. " The Water iffuing from the Well turns three Mill a-breaft, in View, KILKENNT. 179 view, and feveral other mills below them never want water. We attained Chefter before feven o'clock, and the next morning pro- ceeded to Manchester j the next day we attained Leeds, the follow- ing day Boroughbridge, and the next following, being the Sixteenth of November, we arrived in Durham. I am, dear Uncle, Yours, &c. M. E, HE N IX * University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. A\\E-UNIVERS/A I % v/HHAfl IVEW/A IVEI% v^lOSANGElfr-