PREFACE. ON adding one more to the numerous topographical works which are already before the public, some apology might be deemed necessary, were not the following pages descriptive of a part of the united kingdom, which, though confessedly interesting, has hitherto remained very imperfectly known. The lake of Killarney, however, has not wholly escaped notice: in every general account of Ireland its extraordinary beauty has been dwelt on; it has been the theme of the poet; and has afforded subjects for a great variety of engravings. But as language unaided by the pencil is insufficient to convey distinct ideas of visible objects; so the productions of art, unaccompanied by a detailed verbal explanation, can communicate little knowledge of a place, beyond what may be collected from the mere glance of the eye; and accurate even as the representations of particular views may be, they commonly leave the mind ignorant, both of the con a nection of the component parts and their relative situation in respect to the surrounding scenery: some account of the lake in which the description was assisted by a series of plates appeared to be much wanting, and it is humbly hoped that the work now offered to the public, will be found, in some measure, to supply this deficiency. The views contained in it have been selected by the author out of a great many which lay in his portfolio, as those best calculated to elucidate the subject : others, more interesting and pleasing in themselves might have been chosen; but it was his object to render them subservient to general information rather than to the mere embellishment of his book. It was also his original intention to have inserted several more; but the great cost of engravings, finished as these have been, made it expedient to limit the number; for though profit has formed no part of the object of this work, the expenses which have been incurred in its execution, have necessarily swelled the price to an amount above what some persons may perhaps think the subject deserves. No pains have been spared to render the plates deserving of attention; the best engravers that could be found disengaged were employed on their own terms; and the names of the late Mr. Byrne, and of Messrs. Landseer, Middiman, J. C. Smith, Storer and Greig, appear amongst the number. The author has also availed himself of the friendly assistance of Mr. F. Nicholson, who supervised the engravings during his absence ; and by whose intimate knowledge of the charming art he professes several of the subjects have been materially improved. The engravings and the two first divisions of the work are devoted entirely to the scenery of the lake; the remaining sections are generally descriptive of the surrounding country, and a considerable part of the southern coast of Ireland. The materials were chiefly collected in the year 1800; they were augmented, at different periods afterwards, during repeated visits to Killarney, where the author has occasionally remained for several months together. It was not, however, |