riety; and from the heights the most sublime views open of the coast and the Atlantic ocean. Woods, indeed, are wanting: the general aspect of the country is bleak; yet in a few of the glens we found coppices and thickets, which overhung the waterfalls, and in some measure supplied the deficiency. Each day that we spent in these wilds afforded new delights; and, after an absence of weeks, it was not without regret that we returned once more to the town of Killarney.

SECTION IV.

KILLARNEY may be ranked amongst the neatest of the small towns of Ireland: the streets are of a commodious breadth, and well paved; and on each side there are raised flagged ways for the convenience of foot-passengers.

The remoteness of the town from the lake occasions much trouble to strangers; and so far from being attended with any advantage to the inhabitants, exposes them to inconvenience by placing them beyond the immediate reach of an object of prime necessity-soft water.

To account satisfactorily for the position of inland towns often proves a subject of difficulty. Sometimes it was determined by accident; sometimes by arbitrary circumstances: but it seldom depended on a deliberate consideration of the permanent advantages of the spot. In some instances, a town arose in the neighbourhood of the dwelling of the lord of the soil, in consequence of the security which his vicinage afforded to his tenantry and dependants: in others, at the junction of cross roads, where many travellers were likely to pass; and where some would be induced to tarry, by the hopes of meeting companions for the remainder of their journey, in times of danger, when the high-ways could

not be safely passed by single persons. Perhaps one or both of these causes might have contributed to determine the situation of the town of Killarney. Several leading roads pass through it, and it stands contiguous to the mansion of Lord Kenmare, the proprietor of a vast extent of the surrounding country :-but to whatever cause the first growth of the town is attributable, certain it is that its present prosperity is owing to the liberality of his lordship, in granting lots of ground upon easy terms to those who are inclined to build; and it will probably continue to increase under the influence of the same system.

The population of the town has been estimated at five thousand persons; but I suspect that the number is overrated by at least one-fourth, although in the principal streets I counted nearly three hunded slated houses; and in the alleys and lanes which branch from them in different directions, the habitations are as crowded as in a populous city, where every foot of ground becomes of importance.

The town contains many shops of different kinds, which supply the mountaineers and the people of the adjacent country with articles in common demand. It is also the seat of some manufactures. The principal one is that of tanning; which is favoured by the contiguity of the extensive woods of oak along the shores of the lake. A species of strong coarse linen is made there called bandle linen, from an old Irish measure of fourteen inches of that name, by which it is commonly sold; and also, probably, from its breadth being regulated by the same standard. In some parts of the county of Cork there has been a great demand for this narrow linen for exportation to the West Indies, where it is employed in making cinctures for the slaves. A branch of the cotton manufactory was also established some years ago; but

the machinery was not of the most approved construction; its progress was slow; and the death of one of the principal proprietors occasioned its decline.

Such crowds of people flock into the town on a market-day, that it is difficult to pass through the streets; and on Sundays and the numerous holidays of the Roman catholic church, most of which are religiously observed, the streets are not less thronged. The latter days seem more especially appropriated to the purchase of finery for the females, and the shops are kept half open to supply them.

Killarney is the residence of the Roman catholic bishop of the diocese: his chapel is spacious, and mass is celebrated in it with much pomp. In its vicinity stands a convent for nuns, who appear to devote the principal part of their time to the education of young persons of their own sex.

Irish is very generally spoken in the town; and many of the inhabitants, equally with those in the wilder parts of the county, are unacquainted with any other language: English, however, is becoming every year more prevalent. Notwithstanding the long neglect of this latter tongue, it is asserted that Latin has been very generally studied in Kerry, even by the lowest ranks of the people; and I have heard more than one gentleman bear testimony to the circumstance of bare-footed boys having been found reading classical authors in the fields. It is related of one of these poor fellows, that on an expostulation having been made with him on such an unprofitable use of his time, he replied, with much spirit,

"Est quodam prodire tenus, si non datur ultra."

"Classical reading," says Dr. Smith in his History of Kerry, "extends itself even to a fault amongst the lower and poorer

kinds of this country; many of whom, to the taking them off more useful work, have greater knowledge in this way than some of the better sort of other places. Neither is the genius of the commonalty confined to this kind of learning alone; for I saw a poor man, near Blackstones, who had a tolerable notion of calculating the epacts, golden numbers, dominical letter, the moon's phases, and even eclipses, although he had never been taught to read English." Similar testimony is borne by other writers:~ "In alighting to take a view of the ancient family-seat at Pallice, I gave the bridle of my horse to a poor boy, who seemed to look for it with eagerness. From his manner of answering some questions I asked him, I was led to inquire into his situation; and was not a little surprised to find that, though sunk in the most abject poverty, he was nevertheless a good classical scholar. He was well acquainted with the best Latin poets; had read over most of the historians; and was then busy with the orations of Cicero. I found upon further inquiry that this classical spirit is very general among the lower sort of people in Kerry."-Description of Killarney.Anonymous.

These accounts, however, must either be much exaggerated, or the taste for classical learning be less prevalent than it was formerly; for notwithstanding my earnest endeavours during the time I continued in Kerry, I was unable to procure an interview with one of these learned peasants. A gentleman of my acquaintance, indeed, who was with me at Killarney, once happened to be present when a poor boy came into the inn yard, and asked for alms in Latin; and he observed that several of the towns-folk, who were by-standers, replied to him in that language, and for some minutes continued the conversation with apparent facility. But that some knowledge of Latin should obtain in a place where the service of the prevailing religion is performed in that lan