Romantic Ireland; volume 1/2

h was the purpose of a little pamphlet entitled "A Trip to Ireland," which a few years ago fell into t

imparting knowledge to the untravelled. But, since his attention was thus first directed to Ireland,-with the result that he has made a more or less intimate acquaintance with the allurements and charms of this delectable, if impoverished, land,-he h

of, a few of those ever-present charms of the green isle which

tive to both the storied past and present-day affairs of the country, though it deals not so much with political is

history of Ireland, a monograph on its ancient civilization, a treatise on manners and customs, or even an account of i

ch, garnered from various sources, have impressed themselves upon the minds

redly, the pictures with which they are adorned, will awaken a cu

name, with a handle at either end, Queenstown in the south, and Londonderry or Movil

alley, the sanctity of the cathedral precincts of Canterbury or Salisbury, or even the more alluring attractions which lie "across Channel," to think

ce their steps in that direction, since one's enthusiasm o

isit to Ireland-the "Emerald Isle," or "Romantic Ireland"-and judge of i

ng language she will entertain him; with impulsive zeal she will conduc

Terror sm

ers hand

ess of Scotland, yet, of the Three Graces of the United Kingdom, fai

abits of thought and in the vague sadness of their eyes, the Atlantic Ocean is a boundary for the mind.... It is their

of northwest Europe,-Ireland in particular,-and i

ea-girt isle. The Irishman himself will tell you that it is because the thrifty and hardworking west-coast Scotch have usurped their market. This may be so to a certain

heir thoughts with that beauty of language which graces the lines of Stevenson or

nd, as near as may be, imbibe somewhat of the emotions and sentiments with which these masters beheld the spots covered by their wanderings. Their words have co

t in the end it covered practically the entire island at varying seasons and under equally varying conditions of comfort or discomfort, though no hardships or disagreea

uctive journey through a part of England. Found the pack

e twentieth, in the morning, at Dunleary (now Kingstown), four

in his simple and quai

cultural, but his side-lights thrown upon the screen-if not exactly illuminating it to a marked degree-were of far more

dently could not repress the temptation to put the results of his observations into print, as

This he did in the year 1780-and a most unlovely specimen of book-making it was. It was foredoomed to failure, and it apparent

cious little fancy-of the farming, fishing, weaving, and allied interests of the Ireland of that day, with not

rk to suggest a line of thought as far different from that conveyed by the "impressions" of one travelling fo

ed that we shall have no comprehensive, concise, and correct guide-b

t and fancy, drawn from many sources, in connection

of illustration "done by the artist on the spot," which, like the lette

by all, no matter how rapid their passage; and references to political questions have

oble monuments, ancient shrines, ruined abbeys, and existing church edifices throughout the

et had no real identity. Neither would you go to that gay little city of mid-France, Nevers, without visiting the tomb of "all the Montmorencies," nor to Warwickshire without going to Stratford. Hence you must, if you would know aught of Ireland, see Muckross Abbey, Blarney Castle, and the Giant's Causeway. The har

n, may in some

OSS A

umourous novelists-that it is simply a land where mud huts, misery, discord, and violence predominate-by re

at least be a suitable and preconceived ending to all

ungraceful volume, for their few modest pennies; the compiler of books of pedantic information pads his product into a stately quarto

s work has many times been placed in a quandary as to what mammoth proportions it

but with what measure may an enthusiastic or just admirat

area of its pages, will not serve. The arts of the publisher an

ired result, though again we are confronted by the moving question as to how elaborate or extensi

t which is daily being shown in all things relating to Ireland-its literature, its history, its architecture, and its arts. Hence to a considerable public, which, it may be presumed, will ultimately show an interest therein, it is offe