Excursions in Ireland during 1844 and 1850. With a visit to the late Daniel O'Connell, M.P

Contents

PAGE

Introductory . . . 1

Chapter I

Voyage from England to Ireland. — Arrival at Kingstown.— Description of Kingstown Harbour. — Irish Cars. — Drive from Kingstown. — Dalkey Obelisk. — Village of Bray. — Excursion to the Dargle. — Picturesque Country. — " Uncivilized Irish." — Beggars. — Powerscourt Water- Fall 3

Chapter II

The Scalp. — Lough Bray. — Enter Dublin. — Dublin Beggars. — Stephen's Green. — Foundation of Dublin. — Contrast between London and Dublin. — Irish Improvidence. — Trinity College. — Bank of Ireland. — Royal Dublin Society's House. — St. Vincent's Hospital. — Sisters of Charity. — Viceroy of Ireland . . .12

Chapter III

State Trials. — History of the famous Proclamation and Prosecutions. — Monster Meeting. — Clontarf Meeting.— Imprisonment of Mr. O'Connell.— Richmond Penitentiary.— Visit to Mr. O'Connell in Prison. — " Honest Tom Steele." — Gaiety of Dinner Parties at the Prison. — " Seditious Poetry." — Mr. O'Connell's Declarations on the State Trials. — Visit to Conciliation Hall . . 20

Vlll CONTENTS.

Chapter IV

Journey from Dublin to Limerick. — Curragh of Kildare. — Scene at a Munster Hamlet. — Limerick Belles and Bells. — Legend of the Bells. — Siege of Limerick. — Voyage to Tarbert. — Deep Green of the Fields. — Description of " Kingdom of Kerry." — Lislaghlin Abbey. — " Funerals Performed.*' — A Country Funeral. — Keeners . . . . . .30

Chapter V

History of Kerry. — Abundance of Game and Fish. — Mines. — Marble. — Diamonds. — Pearls. — Description of Ballybunian and Scenery. — Legend of the Circular Hole near Doon. — The Devil's Castle. — Volcanoes. — Nivage. — Soiree Dansante in a Cave. — Horse-race. — Fatal Faction Fight. — View from Knockanure . . ,40

Chapter VI

Ride to Tralee. — Notions regarding Round Towers. — Ruins of Ancient Buildings. — Policy of the English Invaders. — Legend of Ball yh eigne. — Ardfert Cathedral and Abbey. — Tralee. — Description of the Arrangements in the Poor-house at Tralee . . . .51

Chapter VII

Temperance Society Concert in Tralee. — Chalybeate Spa near Tralee. — View from Cahirconrigh. — Danish-like Entrenchment. — Dingle. — Danish Forts. — Raths. — Most Westerly Point of Europe. — Blasquet Islands. — Drenched with Rain. — Religious Zeal. — Cure for Effects of Mountain Showers. — Ogham Characters. — Return to Tralee ...... 65

CONTENTS. IX

Chapter VIII

First View of Romantic Killarney. — (c Sweet Innisfallen.,'— Innisfallen Abbey.— O'Sullivan's Cascade.— Glenaa.— Dinis Island. — The Arbutus of Killarney. — Tore Lake. — Muckross Demesne. — Musical Echoes on the Lakes ......

Chapter IX

The Lakes revisited. — O'Donoghue's Prison. — Old Weir Bridge. — Echoes of Killarney. — Effect of the Single Bugle on the Echoes. — Lady Mulgrave and the Wortleberries. — Long Range. — The Priest's Leap. — Beautiful and Romantic Scenery. — Ronayne's Island. — Preparations for a Fox-hunt. — Gap of Dunloe. — Melodious Fox-hunt in the Gap. — Dinner in the Gap Hotel . 85

Chapter X

Visit to Aghadoe Church and its populous Cemetery. — Foundation of Aghadoe.— Ascent of Mangerton. — Beautiful prospect. — Annoyance of Mountaineer Guides. — Lough Kittane. — Peculiar Brown Trout.— Muckross Abbey. — Tombs of the MacCarthy More and the O'Donoghue More. — ''Drake, the Pilgrim." — Foundation of Muckross Abbey. — Family of present Possessors. — Muckross Demesne. — Revisit Muckross Abbey . 95

Chapter XI

Stag-hunt in Loch Lein. — Red Deer. — Capture of the Stag. — Ludicrous Close of the Hunt. — Revisit Glenaa. — Peculiar Fashion of roasting Salmon. — Mirth and Music. — Stag-hunt of other Days . . . 106

CONTENTS.

Chapter XII. Page

Excursion to Kenmare. — Druidical Circle at Lissavigeen. — The Robber's Cave.— Kenmare Hotel. — Castellated Police Station. — Charming Scenery. — Bonfires and Rejoicings for Mr. O'Connell's Liberation. — A Mountain Excursion. — Tradition respecting Killalee Church.— Hag's Glen. — Ascent of Carran Tual Mountain.— Perdition Pass. — Scene from the Mountain-top. — Ross Island. — Ross Castle.— Rural Rambles. — Thunder-storm among the Mountains . . .117

Chapter XV

Mr. O'Connell's Triumphant Entry into Killarney. — Church of Killeegy. — Enthusiastic Reception of Mr. O'Connell in Killarney. — Lakes of Carra. — Al Fresco Dinner. — Lord Headley's Improvements. — The Parson and the Priest. — The Road to Cahirciveen. — Birthplace of Mr. O'Connell. — Ancient Battle-axes found. — Ballycarbery Castle. — Dowlas Head Cave. — Valencia Island. — Valencia Harbour. — The Skellig Islands. — Village of Waterville. — Lake of Currane. — Wild Scenery near Waterville. — Hare-hunt .... 146

CHAPTER XVI. The Romance of a Day. — The Happy Family . 155

CONTENTS. XI

Chapter XVII. Page

The Romance of a Day. — The Happy Family, continued . . . . . .164

Chapter XVIII

Journey to Darrynane. — Superb Sea- view. — Perfect Druid's Altar.— Situation of Darrynane.— Seclusion of Darrynane. — Meet Mr.O'Connell. — Large mixed Dinner Party. — Description of House of Darrynane. — Awakened to go Hunting. — Two Hares Started. — Breakfast with the {i Liberator." — Anecdote of Spanish hidden Treasure.— Arrival of Post-bags. — Hunting resumed. — A Fox-hunt. — Old Abbey of Darrynane. — Epitaph on the Uncle of Mr. O'Connell.— Letter from Mr. O'Connell, describing his Mountain-home . . .173

Chapter XIX

Merry Parties at Darrynane. — Mr. O'Connell's Love of Children. — Reflections in Darrynane Abbey. — Ruined Church of Kilcrohane. — Gigantic Ash-tree. — Staigne Fort. — Use of these Forts. — General Vallancey's and Mr. Nimmo's Opinions. — Visit to Scariff Island. — Ancient Hermitage. — Private Theatricals. — Prologue to il She Stoops to Conquer." — Autograph refused to Emperor of Russia. — Autographs granted to Others . 185

Chapter XX

Mr.O'Connell invited to Limerick. — Farewell to Darrynane. — Mr. O'Connell's Address to the People on Cahirconrigh. — Mr. O'Connell's numerous Visitors. — Anniversary of his Imprisonment. — Monster Meeting in Killarney. — Procession of Trades. — Mr. O'Connell's enthusiastic Reception. — Public Dinner. — Verses on Mr. O'Connell 195

Xli CONTENTS.

Chapter XXI

Blackwater Bridge.— Demesne of Dromore. — Glengarriff. — Esk Mountain Tunnel. — French Invasions at Bantry Bay. — Lord Bantry's Cottage.— Drive to Castletown. — Cromwell's Bridge. — Allihies Mines. — Tragedy at Dunboy Castle. — The Wishing-rock on Dursey Island. — Natural Advantages of Berehaven Harbour. — View from Hungry Hill. — Legend of the Mountain Lakes. — O'Sulli van's Possessions. — Town of Bantry. — Gongane- Barra.— Mr. O'Connell's Popularity . . .203

Chapter XXIV

Voyage to Cork. — The Queen's Visit to Cork. — Confusion on her unexpected Arrival. — The Beggars and Vagrants could not be kept out of Sight. — The Shandon Bells.— Cork, " the beautiful City."— Queen's College, Cork. — Reflections on the " Godless Colleges." — Quays of Cork. — Emigrating Vessels — Lamentations at leaving Home . . • . . . .235

Chapter XXV

Poverty in Ireland. — The Rich become Poor. — Melancholy Effects of the Potato Blight. — Fate of many Farmers and Landed Proprietors. — Irish Want of Forethought. — Instances. — Ireland now in a Transition State. — Charitable Institutions in Cork. — Ladies' Clothing Society. — Instances of its Benefits. — The Poor Weaver ... ... 244

CONTENTS. Xlll

Chapter XXVI

Neighbourhood of Cork. — Passage Railway. — Result of late Failures in Cork.— Ursuline Convent. — Castle of Blackrock. — Queenstovvn. — Carlisle Fort. — Rosstellan Castle. — Family Record of Lady Thomond. — Inspection of Queenstown. — Carrigrohane Castle. — Owner of Blarney.— Blarney Castle. — Kissing the " Blarney Stone." — Cold-water Cure Establishment. — Barryscourt Castle. — King James II. — Footy. — Castle-martyr. — Round Tower and Cathedral at Cloyne . . 252

Chapter XXVII

Mesmeric Scayice. — Phreno-mesmerism. — Number of Churches and Chapels in Cork. — Father Mathew's Chapel. — Inscription to the Memory of Mr. O'Connell. — Father Mathew's Cemetery. — Natural Advantages of Cork. — Exports of Cork . . . .261

Chapter XXIX

Mallow. — Excellent Management of its Union Workhouse.— Youghal. — Cappoquin. — Visit to Mount Mellaray. — A Protestant Horse. — Monastery on Mount Mellaray. — Arrangements of the Establishment . 282

Chapter XXX

Lismore. — Fermoy. — Return to Dublin. — Falling off in Trade. — Supposed Consequences of Abolishing the Viceroyship. — Decrease in Population. — Emigration the chief Cause. — Emigration likely to continue. — Love of Fatherland. — Reflections on Emigration. . . 290

EXCURSIONS IN IRELAND

DURING 1844 AND 1850.

VOYAGE FROM ENGLAND TO IRELAND. 3

Chapter I

VOYAGE FROM ENGLAND TO IRELAND. ARRIVAL AT KINGSTOWN.

DESCRIPTION OF KINGSTOWN HARBOUR. IRISH CARS.

DRIVE FROM KINGSTOWN. PALKEY OBELISK. VILLAGE OF

BRAY. EXCURSION TO THE DARGLE. PICTURESQUE COUNTRY.

— "UNCIVILIZED IRISH." BEGGARS. POWERSCOURT WATER- FALL.

The evening was most beautiful, calm and clear ; the sea around the steamer breaking into tiny waves sparkling in the beams of the glorious setting sun. And now we turn to look on the receding shores of Wales, and now on the still distant hills of the Irish coast, coming more and more clearly into view, and as we approach them, beautifully defined against the cloudless western horizon ; for a brief space an unbroken mass of gold, and now fading into the soberer hues of twilight, and then deepening into night. It was a beauteous picture, and was likely to call up varied thoughts of the past and the present, of the two lands separated by that little span of water; the one which we had left so singularly

B 2

4 ARRIVAL AT KINGSTOWN.

favoured by a prosperous fate ; the other we were coming to, so bountifully blessed by nature, and so tried by adversity ; both united by laws, as yet by nothing more.

We pass the Kingstown light-house, and in a few minutes are alongside the pier, and we touch Irish ground near the spot where George IV. embarked in 1821. Such a chorus of voices greet our arrival, the strongly marked Dublin accent forcibly striking the stranger's ear.

" Shall we take supper in Kingstown, or go on at once to Dublin ! " asked a pallid-looking traveller of his companion, both having been invisible during our little voyage.

'Tm thinking, sir, you 11 have more mind for it after the drive,'" said a merry-faced porter, as he appropriated the querist's huge portmanteau for his share.

A very short transit brought us to an excellent hotel, and the traveller who could find fault with it must be most fastidious. The morning sun shone a welcome to us, and from the windows of the hotel the view was delightful. Below the harbour, quite full of shipping, here a merchant vessel, and here a pretty yacht, with their sails unfurled — one for business, the other for pleasure — while combining both is the steamer smoking away at the quay.

IRISH CARS. 5

Kingstown harbour was formed by the erection of two piers, the eastern one said to be over 5000 feet long, and the western over 3000 ; the first -named is the fashionable promenade, and a walk in the early morning to the light-house brought us to a lovely view ; the bay of Dublin, at this hour, at least, like the far-famed bay of Naples, to which it has so often been likened, in the deep clear blue of its waters, stretching across to the hill of Howth, still capped with a fleecy morning cloud ; and returning towards Kingstown the pretty town lies before us, the church, as it ought to do, showing distinctly among the buildings around it, and backed by the mountains, all looking bright in the summer sunshine.

It is unanimously agreed that the day is too fine to think of a dusty city, and instead of taking the rail for Dublin, we order cars for Bray ; the real Irish car, said to be so characteristic of the soil, where the one view of the question guides the parties that unfortunately divide the country. Alas ! that each party should adhere so pertinaciously to its own side, and not turn round in a friendly spirit to see the good that springs amid the evil on every side of our paths through life!

In the best dispositions towards mankind in general, we mounted our cars ; and the word is

6 DALKEY OBELISK.

not misplaced, so high were the seats ; and we rewarded our driver's first attempt at agreeability by a hearty laugh, though the story was an old one.

" Perhaps the ladies don't know the difference between an inside and an outside car ?" said Jem ; " an Englishman once asked the question, and he was tould that the inside car has the wheels outside, and an outside car has the wheels inside:1

The drive from Kingstown to Bray was through a very pretty country dotted over with villas in every variety of suburban taste, and names rather misplaced ; here a — Hall, judging by the house, I should decide the so-called apartment could contain two chairs, a hat, and perhaps umbrellastand ; and here we pass a — Park, of about four acres in extent, from which a notice nailed to a tree warns off all trespassers, or else " They will be prosecuted with the utmost rigor of the law."

The obelisk that we see on the hill over Dalkey was erected many years ago by a benevolent individual to give relief and work at a time of dire distress. " Why did he not build something useful ?" asks the Joseph Hume of our party : " what thoughtless and useless benevolence ! but it was quite Irish."

Bray is a straggling village ; being near some

EXCURSION TO THE DARGLE.

of the beautiful scenery of the county Wicklow, it is much frequented during the summer months, and the drive from Kingstown to it is very agreeable, the road now bringing us glimpses of the blue sea, and sweet mountain views.

Our first excursion was to the Dargle, and we loitered through it, enjoying the coolness of its shade, the more adventurous amongst us climbing down the steep sides to catch new views of the noisy river, enclosed by such luxuriant woods, the full rich sunshine streaming through them on the glancing waters, and on the perpendicular cliffs. The effect was beautiful.

On one side of this magnificent ravine is the demesne of Tinnahinch, bought by the nation for its independent orator, the late Henry Grattan.

From the Dargle to Powerscourt waterfall, we came through a most picturesque country, admirable in its native beauty, but far more so in the rural comfort of its little homesteads; save for the mountains, we could fancy ourselves among the " cottage homes" of southern England. There was no appearance of poverty, and all around, from the woman knitting by her cabin-door, to the strong-looking workmen so diligently earthing their fields of early potatoes, showed the contentment of industry, which I have vainly sought in other parts of Ireland.

8 " UNCIVILIZED IRISH."

We entered one cottage, and its pretty exterior covered with woodbines, roses, and ivy, corresponded with the neatness within ; the only inmate received us with a ready smile, and dusting the straw-bottomed chairs asked us to be seated ; she looked a picture of the cheerful happiness she acknowledged she felt ; her husband had plenty of work, was a " dacent, quiet boy," her children were at school, and they had a good lease of their " little place.1'* She brought a cup of milk for an English lady of our party, and stoutly refused any remuneration — telling us with a tact which I gave her great credit for, that she had a sister in London married to an Englishman, and that "his people were very kind to Mary."

I have often heard the "uncivilized Irish" spoken unkindly of, and very unfavourable contrasts drawn between their mode of life, and that of their wealthier neighbours. Poor Paddy gladly takes the simplest food, and if he have enough of it is a happy man ; and his neighbour John prospers on his three good meals ; and the French peasant contents himself with his poiage and vegetable diet. In the matter of food surely we shall not decide their relative degree of civilization.

I have attentively studied the Irish character. I know all its national virtues, and, too, its national faults; and totally uneducated as the poorest

"UNCIVILIZED IRISH." 9

among Ireland's very poor classes may be, I maintain there is, in that peasant's nature, in the wildest district of the country, a civilization which prompts respect and politeness to a stranger, that you may unsuccessfully seek for in the peasantry of happier England.

I know, and knowing regret it deeply, that in many parts the national character has been demoralized, and the thirst of gain has replaced an open-hearted generosity. I will instance Killarney, where in late years the vast influx of strangers, the greater portion of them rich and carelessly-generous Englishmen, has taught the poor mountaineer how easy it is to earn a shilling, and how much more agreeable to get it for a song, a jig, " a plate of wild fruits," " a taste of potheen,11 or even for attending your honour, than to toil for the half of it during a long summer's day.

The path to this cottage was through a pretty garden, abundance of common flowers blooming in the borders, and the little gate in un-Irish style, in good repair. There was no poverty here, the flowers plainly said so, and I have ever found that the very poor do not cultivate flowers ; theirs is a struggle through a life of hopeless apathy ; to gain the bare necessaries of life is with them the only object ; the country child will cull that pretty

B 5

10 BEGGARS.

field-flowers, and string together a daisy-chain, the various tints of the " modest tipped flower " tastefully blended together.

In some of our rambles we came upon a group of beggars ; there was the mother, hunger plainly showing in her pinched features, and in the pallid face of the baby in her arms, and some sturdy children of various ages followed her ; two of them had lingered behind, and one had a bunch of hedge-flowers, and the other held exultingly in her hand a daisy-chain she had just finished : from the first the mother snatched the flowers, and scattered them about, telling her in the expressive idiom of her native language, u that there were no flowers for such.1'' It was painfully true ; and it would have required the gentle earnestness of a Mrs. Fry to reason the poor woman into better feelings. Those pretty lines of Mrs. Howitt on flowers came to my mind.

" Wherefore, wherefore were they made All tinged with golden light, All fashion'd with supremest grace^ Upspringing day and night ?

" To comfort man, to whisper hope, Whensoe'er his faith is dim, For whoso careth much for flowers Will much more care for Him ! "

Under the shade of a spreading tree, close to

POWERSCOURT WATERFALL. 11

Powerscourt waterfall, was a gay picnic party, whose merry peals of laughter made, to my ears, a pleasanter accompaniment to the falling waters, than the rather discordant music of a piper and two fiddlers who played away in a business-like manner.

The fall has nothing grand about it; it is a very pretty fall, and foaming down the steep ledge of rock, its spray dashing on us as we stood directly in front of it, brought a most refreshing coolness after the pleasant fatigues of the morning.

Homewards bound towards Bray, we drove through the Glen of the Downs, and then saw the evening shades falling around from Bray head, looking on the magnificent view from its summit, combining sea and mountains, and cultivated valleys, and our good night to the Sugar-loaf showed its cone all gilded by the sun's last rays, meriting for it its native name of the " golden spear."

12 THE SCALP.

Chapter II

the scalp. — lough bray. enter dublin. — dublin beggars.

— Stephen's green. — foundation of dublin. — contrast

between london and dublin. irish improvidence.

trinity college. bank of ireland. royal dublin

society's house. st. vincent's hospital. sisters of

charity. — viceroy of ireland.

A great deal of rain had fallen during the early morning, and some dark heavy clouds still threatened us with occasional showers, but the tourist in Ireland will soon learn not to fear them, and in defiance of more than one prognostic that the day would be dreadfully wet, we left Bray. The bright rain-drops glistened on the hedges, and the meadow-flowers sent forth such sweet perfumes, and the clear atmosphere bringing distant objects into view, made us gratefully acknowledge the benefit of summer showers.

We passed through the Scalp, a narrow pass between two steep rocks, apparently rent asunder in some convulsion of nature, and coming, by unfrequented mountain-roads, to Lough Bray, we stopped often in our ascent to take in the full

DUBLIN BEGGARS. 13

beauty of the lovely panoramic view before us ; below was the bay, river, and city of Dublin, with its numerous environs, and, looming up in the back-ground, the lofty mountains of Down.

A contrast to this landscape is wild, secluded Lough Bray, now dark in the deep shade of the mountain above it. Here is a large military policebarrack, and we ask is it possible that such is needed in this sequestered spot, and we are told that the police are well paid, and have little else to do than to fish, and that they are " civil, wellspoken, humane men.'"

Descending the mountains, we pass through several villages, and by innumerable villas, and, late in the afternoon, we enter Dublin ; the streets are crowded with well-dressed ladies and gentlemen, and with vehicles in every variety, the " outside car " far preponderating.

Ah ! there by a pastrycook's, and again by a baker's, are several beggars ; there is no mistaking the wretched rags, the feet without shoe or stocking ; but, look at them ; on their merry faces there are no traces of a consciousness of past or present misery ; they seem enjoying life in their own way, and now, with a cringing tone, they beg a trifle, and now they turn with a jest to their companions. An elderly lady has just left the baker's, and, from a basket, she takes a loaf, and

14 CONTRAST BETWEEN

gives it between two young children ; blessings on her benevolence ! I hope it will not teach them how sweet is the bread of idleness !

Our hotel windows look on Stephen's Green, the largest square in Europe, and pleasing, I think, in the want of uniformity of its houses.

A knock at the door, and in comes a dear friend, resident in Dublin, full of hospitable and kind plans, and bent on our taking away with us pleasant recollections of his city. We place ourselves under his guidance, and he proves to be

" The finest guide that ever you see, For he knows every place of curiosity."

To begin then at the beginning, he tells us that Dublin was founded by the Danes about the Christian era, and whoever were its founders, they showed, certainly, great taste in their choice of a situation. How small it is in comparison with London, but nothing so strongly shows a contrast between the two cities as a drive in Hyde Park, and a drive in the Phoenix Park ; in the latter so " few and far between " are the equipages of the rich, that you have full leisure to admire the really sweet view ; and if you see a fair equestrian cantering, you will notice with what grace she sits her horse ; but all has a deserted absenteelook coming from gay, rich, crowded London.

LONDON AND DUBLIN. 15

We met cars in abundance, and these belong to the tradespeople of the city. Yes ! they like leaving their business ; they fail lamentably in persevering industry ; and so it is that in several of the larger towns in Ireland, the principal houses of business are conducted by Scotchmen.

The Irish are the creatures of impulse, thinking of the present, forgetting the future ; of course I heard many examples of the contrary, and I know that away from their country, they seem to need neither the plodding perseverance of the English, nor the thrifty forethought of the Scotch. And the tears of many a mother saddened by bitter poverty, have been dried up by a handsome remittance from America, from the son that had barely scraped together the " passage money " of the cheap winter's season, and had landed, poor fellow, on a strange shore with but a few shillings in his pocket. How diligently he must have laboured, for a few months brought money enough to give comfort in his cabin-home, and enabled another brother to join him.

I could multiply such instances — I need not ; yet I will express my regret that in Ireland the poorer classes are deficient in hearty industry; theirs is a passive endurance of their lot, a carelessness of improving their condition ; their wants are few, and they barely seek to supply them.

16 TRINITY COLLEGE.

Is their apathy indigenous to the soil, or the effects of early education and example ? At any rate the warm Irish heart conquers all difficulties when moved from home.

To illustrate the Irish want of forethought, a friend told me of a shopkeeper that had cleared over his business 500/. ; he thereupon sent his daughters to a boarding-school, particularly requesting that they should be taught French and the piano, and he set up a car for his wife. As may be supposed, the little capital diminished rapidly, and he soon ended by becoming a bankrupt, and emigrating with his family to New York ; he lived then as well as any man could ; and yet how differently an Englishman would have acted ! A trader in " the city," so called par excellence, having made this little sum, unlike thoughtless Paddy, would still try to add to it, and probably after a life of close application to business, would end his days in affluence, leaving a large fortune to his family.

Our first visit in sight-seeing was to Trinity College, founded by Queen Elizabeth in 1592, on the site of a suppressed monastery, the benefits of its education so long denied to the Catholic ; but more liberal, more enlightened days have come upon us, and let us heartily hope that in our gentle Queen's Colleges, now rising in the

BANK OF IRELAND. 17

island, the mixed education will drive bigotry from the Catholic's heart, and plant toleration in that of the Protestant or Dissenter, and that all striving in the faith taught them by a mother, for the one great home, shall be united in their onward journey by the bond of brotherly charity.

Such thoughts came forcibly upon me, as we paused in the chapel of the College, and from thence we were shown through the library and museum.

Leaving Trinity College, we came out on the Bank of Ireland, the old Parliament-house, the scene of so many fiery debates, when Irish eloquence pleaded in vain. " We shall again have our parliament in College Green, ,n is the well known prophecy of Mr. CConnell, and who that has listened to his earnest hopes on this subject, can refuse to sympathise in them, or to give him full credit for heartfelt sincerity ?

The Bank is a magnificent building, with a noble colonnade of Ionic pillars round the centre, above, the figures of Hibernia, with Commerce and Fidelity; the last-named surely misplaced on the site of so much faithlessness, as the history of the days previous to the Union records against some of the members of the then houses of parliament. On the eastern side is a portico with

18 ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL.

Corinthian columns, and over it the figures of Justice, Fortitude, and Liberty.

From the forsaken Parliament-house, we wended our way to the forsaken mansion of Ireland's only duke, sold by the late Duke of Leinster in 1815 for 20,000/., and now the Royal Dublin Society house, said to be the oldest society of the kind in Europe, the library and museum well worthy of the visitor's attention.

Our next visit proved a most interesting one ; it was to St. Vincent's Hospital, Stephen's Green, once the Earl of Meath's residence, and changed to its present benevolent destination in 1835. I cannot speak too praisingly of the admirably arranged system of this hospital ; it is under the care of sisters of charity, and one of them showed us through the wards ; that appropriated to the children, is carried on exactly on the plan of the Hospital des Enfans Malades in Paris. A few years since some of the sisterhood went over to that city, and studied the system and treatment in the hospitals there. In the consumption ward I loitered after the party, to speak to a poor woman whose brilliant eye and hectic cheek told her disease. Every thing about her was beautifully clean and neat, and her own words spoke eloquently to my heart. " I have been here for two months, and many a person in the world with thousands a

VICEROY OF IRELAND. 19

year, hasn't the care and kindness that I have had." The gentle unceasing attentions of the sisters, guided by holier feelings than even the blessed dictates of humanity, make this hospital an enviable abode for the infirm poor. How noisy, how very terrestrial, seemed the gay world, as the convent-gate closed upon us, making the contrast between the peaceful stillness we had just left; it was from "grave to gay.1' Dublin is unusually empty, I am told, for all the citizens that can leave the city, are gone in search of health and amusement to the sea-side ; but, it is the " fashion," (and how entirely the magic word regulates a certain would-be fashionable class in Dublin,) to meet some days during the week to listen to a military band which plays in some of the squares; and I thought those the very slaves of fashion who could leave the fresh country air, for a fashionable lounge under a summer's sun, in a heated city. It felt to us anything but pleasure, though it was pleasant to see so much youth and beauty met together.