\(3~ CttHin THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY From the collection o James Collins, Drumcondra, Ireland. Purchased, 1918. 9»4-l«3 H7.2tv Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates https://archive.org/details/newpictureofdublOOhard m iiwam Of iHE U&lVfcRKiU mC IWJIWW »-- • >8syviticA Project ft n 914,163 N se-rv PREFACE. The Compiler of the present Work, in pre- senting it to the attention of a discerning Public, deems it only necessary to observe, that he has used every exertion to make it as correct and as interesting as possible. The Proprietors having purchased the copy-right of “ McGregor's Picture of Dublin," he has availed himself of the various information it afforded ; and having the assistance of a competent Architect, who favoured him with accurate descriptions of the Public Buildings, he now submits The New Picture in the confi- dent anticipation that it will, on comparison, be found, as a guide to the passing stranger, to be superior to any other Work hitherto published on the subject. It will be seen that nearly one half consists of new matter, never before given in any similar publication. LIST OF PLATES Fage, COLLEGE-GREEN and the BANK . . . Frontispiece, LIGIIT-3IOUSE, BAY of DUBLIN. . Vignette. CUSTOM-HOUSE, from the River 131 DUBLIN CASTLE, Interior of principal Square .. . 114 , Lower Castle-yard, Birmingham Royal Tower, and Castle Chapel 119 BANK OF IRELAND, looking up Dame-street, with Statue of King William in the distance .... 125 POST-OFFICE and NELSON’S PILLAR, Sack-' ville-street 135 FOUR COURTS, Front View from the River 147 ROYAL EXCHANGE, Front Elevation 171 WELLESLEY NATIONAL MARKET; Military Gate and Wellington Testimonial in the distance. . 184 TRINITY COLLEGE, Interior of the first Square. . 186 COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, Stephen’s- green, the Front Elevation 179 DUBLIN SOCIETY HOUSE, from Merrion-square 199 ROYAL HOSPITAL, Kilmainham ; Interior...,. 246 LYING-IN HOSPITAL and ROTUNDA 258 ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL 286 CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, from Castle- street 294 ST. GEORGE’S CHURCH, Front Elevation 317 PLAN OF THE CITY. CONTENTS Page. PICTURE OF DUBLIN Crossing the Irish Channel 1 The Bay, and surrounding Scenery .. .. 3 Kingstown Harbour .. 6 Pigeon House .. ib. Conveyance to town .. 9 Character and Customs of the Ancient Irish .. 10 HISTORICAL RECORDS Arrival of the Danes .. 19 English Invasion .. ib. Arrival of Strongbow .. 23 Danes expelled .. 26 Arrival of Henry II. .. 27 Description of Ancient Dublin ib. Departure of Henry II. 29 Arrival and Death of Edward Bruce, brother to the King of Scotland . . 30 Arrival of Richard II. . . ib. Henry V. .. 31 Imposture of Lambert Simnel 32 Rebellion of Thomas Fitz- Gerald, Lord Offaley 33 O’Nial’s Visit to Queen Eli- zabeth . . . . 37 Dreadful Effects of the War 39 Death of Earl Desmond 40 Rebellion of Hugh O’Nial 41 Arrival of a Spanish Fleet 43 Submission of O’Nial, Earl of Tyrone .. .. 45 James I. proclaimed .. 46 Reign of Charles I. .. ib. Rebellion of 1641 .. 47 Dreadful Massacre of the Protestants .. .. 48 Page. Arrival of the Pope’s Nuncio 50 Arrival of Oliver Cromwell 51 James II. proclaimed .. 53 Arrival of William III. 54 James abdicates the Crown ib. Attack on Trinity College ib. Departure of James II. 55 Exportation of Irish manu- facture prohibited by the English Parliament . . 56 Origin of the White Boys 57 Origin of the Volunteers 59 White Boys and Right Boys 60 Meetings of Delegates .. 61 House of Commons burnt 62 Commercial Arrangements 63 Bill for Catholic Emancipa- tion rejected . . 64 Conspiracy of the United Irishmen .. ib. Retrospect of Irish affairs 65 Rebellion of 1798 .. 67 Arrest of the Leinster Dele- gates . . . . ib. Arrest and death of Lord Ed- ward Fitzgerald . . 69 Rebellion of 1803 .. 78 Arrest and Execution of Em- mett .. .. 82 MODERN DUBLIN .. 84 Extent and Population . . 85 Healthiness of Climate . . 86 Atmosphere .. 87 Markets .. .. ib. State of Society and Manners 89 Donnybrook Fair .. 9l Description of Dublin, by an American Tourist . . 92 CONTENTS, vi Page. PUBLIC SQUARES Stephen’s Green 97 Merrion-square 100 Fitzwilliam-square 101 Mouutjoy-square 102 Rutland-square 103 QUAYS & BRIDGES Carlisle Bridge 105 The Iron Bridge ib. Essex Bridge ib. Richmond Bridge 106 Whitworth Bridge ib. Queen’s Bridge 107 Barrack Bridge 108 King’s Bridge ib. Sarah Bridge lb. PUBLIC STATUES & MO- NUMENTS Statue of William III. 109 George I. .. Ill George II, .. ib. George III, ib. Nelson’s Pillar . . ib. The Wellington Testimonial 112 General Appearance of the City 113 PUBLIC BUILDINGS Dublin Castle 114 Castle Chapel .. 119 Record Office .. 121 Trial by Battle 123 Bank of Ireland . . 125 Custom House .. 131 Stamp Office .. 134 General Post Office .. 135 MUNICIPAL GOVERN- MENT Mansion House .. 139 Aldermen, Common Council 142 The Manor of Glasnevin 444 Liberty of Thomas-court and Donore .. .. M5 Liberty and Manor of St, Se- pulchre .. . . 146 Deanery of St* Patrick .. 147 LAW COURTS The Four Courts ib. High Courtof Admiralty 150 High Court of Delegates 151 King’s Inns, or Inns of Court ib. The Prerogative Court .. 153 The Consistorial Court . . ib. The Convocation . . ib. Page. The Sessions House . . 154 PRISONS AND PENITEN- TIARIES Newgate .. 155 The Sheriffs Prison .. 157 The City Marshalsea . . 158 Four Courts Marshalsea .. ib. Kilmainham Gaol .. 159 The Dublin Penitentiary 160 The House of Correction 161 BENEVOLENT INSTITU- TIONS . Association for the improve- ment of Prisons and Prison Discipline .. .. 162 Magdalen Asylum .. 163 Lock Penitentiary and Be- thesda Chapel .. 165 The Dublin Female Peniten- tiary .. .. .. 166 Female Penitents’ Asylum, Bow-street .. .. ib. General Asylum, Townsend- street .. .. 168 POLICE .. .. 169 COMMERCE The Royal Exchange .. 171 Commercial Buildings .. 173 Ballast Office .. .. 175 Commissioners of Wide Streets .. .. 176 Commissioners for Paving and Lighting .. 177 The Linen Hall .. 178 Cotton Manufacture .. 179 Silk Manufacture .. 180 Woollen Manufacture .. 181 Stove Tenter House .. 182 Wellesley Market .. 184 The Royal Arcade . . ib. Ouzel Galley •* *• 186 LITERATURE & SCIENCE U ni versity of Dublin Museum Chapel Refectory Theatre Library Park . . . « Anatomical Museum .. Provost’s House Newspapers .. . • College Botanic Garden ib. 187 ib. 188 ib. ib. 189 190 ib. 196 197 CONTENTS, Page. Royal College of Surgeons 197 Rpyal College of Physicians 198 Royal Dublin Society . . 199 Library .. .. ib. Musenm . . .. 201 Sir Charles Giesecke’s Mu- seum .. .. 202 Museum Hibernicum Reg- num Minerale .. 203 Drawing School . . 204 Botanic Garden, Glasnevm 205 Royal Irish Academy .. 207 Royal Irish Institution .. 208 Royal Hibernian Academy 213 Iberno-Celtic Society .. 216 Kirwanian Society .. 221 Archaeological Society .. 222 Dublin Institution .. ib. Dublin Library Society .. 223 Marsh’s Library .. 224 Sir Patrick Dun’s Library ib. Theatre Royal .. 225 Irish Actors .. .. 227 Musical Fund .. .. 228 SCHOOLS AND ASYLUMS FOR CHILDREN Erasmus Smith’s Schools ib. Incorporated Society .. 230 Blue-coat Hospital .. 231 Hibernian School for Soldiers’ Children . . . . 233 Hibernian Marine School 235 Bedford Asylum for Indus- trious Children . . 236 Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor of Ireland .. .. ib. Irish Society . . .. 237 Dublin Free School . . 238 Kellett’s School .. 239 Literary Teachers’ Society 240 Sunday School Society for Ireland . . . . ib. National Institution for the Deaf and Dumb .. 241 Richmond National Institu- tion for the Blind .. 243 Molyneaux Asylum .. ib. CHARITABLE ASSOCIA- TIONS Strangers’ Friend Society 244 Society for the Relief of Sick and Indigent Room-keepers 244 Page. Goldsmiths’ Jubilee .. 245 Debtors’ Friend Society .. ib. Meath Loan .. .. 246 HOSPITALS AND ALMS- HOUSES Royal Hospital, Kilmainham 246 St. Patrick’s, or Swift’s Hos- pital .. .. 250 Richmond Lunatic Asylum 251 Simpson’s Hospital for Blind and Gouty Old Men .. 253 Asylum for Old Men, Russel- place . . . . 254 Alms-Houses for Widows and Aged Females .. ib. James’s Alms House for do. ib. Great Britain-street for do. 156 Fortick’s for do. .. ib. Widow’s Retreat .. 257 Asylum for Clergymen’s Wi- dows, Mercer-street .. ib. Dissenters’ W idow’s’ Houses 258 Roman Catholic do. .. ib. Lying-in Hospital .. ib. Foundling Hospital .. 260 Female Orphan House .. 263 Dorset Institution .. ib. The Masonic Female Orphan School . . . . 264 Pleasant’s Asylum .. ib. The Retreat .. .. 265 House of Refuge, Baggot- street .. .. ib. House^of Refuge, Stanhope- street .. .. 266 Asylum for Aged Servants 267 House of Industry . . 268 Mendicity Association .„ 269 Association for Discounte- nancing Vice .. 273 MEDICAL AND SURGI- CAL HOSPITALS Royal Military Infirmary 274 Stevens’s Hospital .. 275 Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital 276 Charitable Infirmary, Jervis- street . . . . 277 Mercer’s Hospital .. 278 Fever Hospital, Cork-street ib. Whitworth Hospital, Drum- condra .. .. 280 Lock Hospital . . . . 282 Hospital for Incurables .. ib. Vlll CONTENTS Fage. Page. DISPENSARIES Baptist Meeting-house .. 330 Dispensary for Infant Poor 283 Friends’ Meeting-houses ib. Vaccine Institution ib. Primitive Wesleyan Metho- National Eye Infirmary .. 284 dist do. 331 Charitable Institution .. ib. Wesleyan Methodist do. 332 Apothecaries’ Hall . . ib. Moravian Meeting-house 333 General View . . 285 French Protestant Refugees 334 PROTESTANT CHURCHES ROMAN CATHOLIC CHA- St. Patrick’s Cathedral 286 PELS & FRIARIES Christ Church do. . . 294 Metropolitan Chapel 335 Nicholas Without . . 298 James’s 336 Nicholas Within 299 Catherine’s ib. Luke’s .. 300 Nicholas’s ib. W erburgh’s .. 301 Audeon’s 337 Michael’s 303 Michael and John’s ib. Audeon’s 304 Andrew’s . . .. ib. Peter’s ib. Paul’s ib. Kevin’s 305 Michan’s 338 Stephen’s 306 Adam and Eve . . ib. Bridget’s . . 307 Discalced Carmelites ib. Anne’s ib. Calced do. ib. John’s 308 Capuchins .. .. ib. James’s . . 309 Dominicans ib. Catherine’s .. 310 Jesuits 339 Michan’s .. 311 Nunneries ib. Mary’s 312 JEWS 341 Paul’s 313 RELIGIOUS ASSOCIA- Thomas’s . . 314 TIONS Andrew’s . . .. 315 Hibernian Bible Society 342 Mark’s 316 Dublin Naval and Military George’s 317 Bible Society ib. Little George’s . * 318 Religious Tract and Book Free Churches . . .. 319 Society 343 DISSENTERS’ MEETING Irish Evangelical Society 334 HOUSES Hibernian Church Mission- Strand-street .. 321 ary Society ib. Eustace-street .. .. 322 Hibernian Missionary Society 345 Mary’s Abbey 323 Society for Conversion of the Usher’s-quay ib.' Jews ib. Union Chapel .. 324 Hibernian Missionary Society Zion Chapel . . 326 for Tartary, &c. 346 York-street . . 327 Methodist Missionary Society 347 Plunket-street .. . . ib. Continental Society ib. D’Olier-street . . , . 328 ROYAL BARRACKS .. ib. Kelly’s Meeting-house ib. PLEASURE TOURS ROUNt) Walker’s Society .. ib. DUBLIN 348 German Lutheran Church 329 PICTURE OF DUBLIN. CROSSING THE IRISH CHANNEL. As it is to be presumed that Gentlemen intend- ing to visit Ireland, for the purpose of business or pleasure, previous to setting out on their jour- ney have made themselves acquainted with the routes usually taken through England or Scotland, to that part of the coast from which they intend to cross the channel, it is deemed altogether un- necessary to occupy the time or attention of the Tourist with any directions on these points. It may be useful, however, in order to enable such individuals as never before crossed the Irish Chan- nel, to make a choice as to the route by which they will proceed, to furnish an accurate state- ment of the distances from the various ports of England and Scotland, to and from which Steam Packets regularly ply, and of the time usually taken to perform the voyage. In passing from England to Ireland, such per- sons as are anxious to remain as short a time as possible on the water, will proceed by Holyhead — the distance from the Head to Howth or Dun- leary, being but 64 miles — and the trip across being usually performed by the regular Steamers, A 2 CROSSING THE IRISH CHANNEL. when the weather is at all moderate, in the space of six hours. The distance from Liverpool to Dunleary is computed at 120 miles, and the Steamers in ge- neral take about fourteen hours to make the trip. In the Appendix will be found the names of the Packets at present on these stations, with other particulars. The distance from Bristol to the Bay of Dub- lin, 220 miles, renders it an unpleasant route for those who are averse to being a considerable time at sea, as the passage is never made in less than 24 hours. There is a very fine Steam-vessel which plies regularly from London to Dublin, generally mak- ing the voyage in from 70 to 80 hours. As these Steam-packets afford the most excel- lent accommodations, having each a male and a female steward on board, and are always supplied with the best wines, and provisions of every de- scription, the only thing to which the traveller will be required to attend, in order to insure his comfort, is to obtain from the clerk, in the Steam packet office where he pays his fare, a ticket marked with the Number of the particular birth assigned to him. Those whose route lies via Scotland, and who are anxious to avoid a long sea, will come by Portpatrick, which is only separated from Do- nagliadee by a narrow gut of the Irish Channel. From Donaghadee their route will be by Bel- fast, Hillsboro’, Dromore, Newry, Dundalk, and Drogheda — a distance of about 120 miles. The THE BAY, &C. 3 distance from Glasgow to Belfast is 120 miles, and the trip is usually performed in 14 hours. THE BAY, AND SURROUNDING SCENERY. As the Steam Packets can now, with consider- able certainty, reckon on the time in which they will perform the passage. Gentlemen coming by Liverpool or Holyhead should, if possible, en- deavour to proceed by a Packet which will arrive during the day time, as the Bay of Dublin, and the scenery in the back ground, and on either side, is of the very grandest description. By some, the surrounding scenery has been consi- dered as fine as that which presents itself on en- tering the Bay of Naples. The Bay of Dublin is bounded on the right (the north side,) by the bold peninsula of Howth, which is distant from Dublin City, about seven miles, and on the left, to the south, by a small rocky isle called Dalky,* which is separated from the main land by a deep navigable channel, and crowned at its highest elevation, by a Martello tower. The breadth of the Bay between these two points is about • The island of Dalky contains about eighteen acres of marsh land. It was formerly dedicated to St. Benedict, and there are still to be seen on it the ruins of a Church. In modern times it has been resorted to for purposes of sport and pleasantry. Not long since it was the custom annually to elect a mock king here, with the various officers of state, whose proceedings were recorded in a newspaper, called the Dalky Gazette ; this practice has for some years been discon- tinued. A 2 4 THE BAY} AND miles. The great elevation of Howth, with the light-house of Baillie Point, render it a fine land- mark, which cannot be mistaken by the mariner approaching the harbour by day or by night. In this direction the eye rests with pleasure on the intermingled rocks and heath which rise precipi- tously from the water’s edge, among which, in a situation seemingly inaccessible, appears a neat villa, surrounded with several acres of green pas- ture, reclaimed from the waste. Over the low, sandy isthmus of Howth, towers the rocky and pisturesque isle called Ireland’s Eye — and beyond that, at a greater distance, the Isle of Lambay. The remainder of the shore on the northern side is low, but all along thickly studded with white- washed houses, placed singly or in groupes, to the water side, from whence a fine country swells into gently rising eminences, clothed with wood and intermingled villas, till the view is lost in the distant horizon. On the shore-side, about six miles from Dub- lin, is Belldoyle, a pleasant watering-place ; and still nearer to the City is Clontarf, a place justly celebrated as the spot on which the battle was fought which proved the overthrow of the Danes in this country. This sanguinary engagement took place between the native Irish, under Brian Boroihme, and the CEstmen, under their king, Sitric, in the year 1014. The former gained so decided a victory, that the Danes were never again able to make any considerable stand, or to recover their former greatness ; although the re- doubted Brian, with his son and grandson, and SURROUNDING SCENERY. 5 a large proportion of the nobility of Munster and Connaught, were slain in the contest. On the left (the south side,) the first objects which meet the view are the Rochetown hills, whose rocky eminences terminate in three summits, se- veral hundred feet -higher than the Bay. On the northern summit is one of the signal towers of the telegraph ; a little below the southern summit a Martello tower commands Killiny Bay ; and the central and highest summit is crowned with an Obelisk. The whole line of coast is rocky and dangerous, but richly ornamented with crowd- ed villages, the most considerable of which are Bullock, Kingstown, Dunleary, the Black Rock, and Williams town. Behind these, the eye wan- ders over a delightful variety of villas, woods, and pastures, gradually rising, with easy ascent, from one degree of elevation to another, until termi- nated at length by the picturesque back ground formed by the Sugar-loaf, and the other Wicklow mountains, which are seen extending themselves in a south-westerly direction, as far as the eye can reach. It will at once be perceived that it is not to nature alone that this splendid Bay owes its charms. Its wide expanse of water, its granite rocks, its amphitheatre of hills, rising in all the beauty of gradation, are indebted to the hand of cultivation and toil for the softer character which its features assume. The dark rich foliage which skirts its shores, or crowns the summits of its hills, embosoming the whitened cottage, or encircling the splendid palace, give an interest to a scene, KINGSTOWN HARBOUR. that solitude had left less lovely, though still sublime. The entrance into the Bay has always been considered dangerous, on account of the great quantities of sand which collect at either side to the north and south, and which, from the roaring noise that is produced by the sea rolling over them, are called the north and south Bulls.* KINGSTOWN HARBOUR, LIGHT HOUSE, SOUTH WALL, AND PIGEON HOUSE. Several circumstances have conduced to render the harbour of Dunleary a place of considerable notoriety. It was from this place his Majesty George IV. embarked in 1821 ; and to commemo- rate this memorable event, a handsome obelisk of mountain granite, with a suitable inscription, has been erected on the spot. It is surmounted by a crown, which, however, is said to be quite out of proportion. In order to keep in eternal remem- brance the gracious visit of his Majesty to Ire- * It is not perhaps generally known, that it was the name given to these sand-banks or shoals which gave occasion to the witty reply of the celebrated Lord Chesterfield. On be- ing asked it he had seen any thing remarkable in Ireland, his answer was, “ Two bulls and a blunder;’’ the little vil- lage through which travellers had to pass in coming from the Pigeon-house — the place where passengers were formerly land- ed from the Packets — being called Ringsend. To these his Lordship would now have to add another, as something nearer the city, he would observe the termination , at either side of the Liffey, of what is called the Circular-road, TIIE LIGHT HOUSE. 7 land, the name of this village has been changed from Dunleary to Kingstown. The Asylum Har- bour at present constructing at this place, will be found well worthy of examination ; towards its construction, Parliament advanced £505,000, to be repaid by certain duties to he levied off the vessels coming into the harbour. The first stone of this immense work was laid in 1817, by Lord Whitworth, then Viceroy of Ireland. The Pier is to extend 2,800 feet, of which the greater part is at present completed. It is at the base 200 feet in breadth, and terminates in a nearly perpendicular face on the side of the har- bour, and an inclined plane towards the sea. A Quay fifty feet wide runs along the summit, pro- tected by a parapet eight feet high on the out- side : there is a beacon to mark the harbour. Close to the Pier-head, there is twenty-four feet depth of water, at the lowest springs, which it is calculated will allow a frigate of 36 guns, or an Indiaman of 800 tons, to take refuge within its enclosure ; and at tw o hours’ flood there is water sufficient to float a 74. Towards the shore, the depth gradually lessens to 15 or 16 feet. It is in contemplation to connect it with the Ringsend docks by a ship canal, or else to convey merchan- dize hence to Dublin by a rail-way ; the distance being about six miles and a half. The Light House,* which will be perceived standing apparently in the centre of the Bay, or * To visit this place, it is necessary to obtain an order for admission from the Ballast Office. 8 THE PIGEON HOUSE. rather a little to the left, (the south side,) is also an object worthy the inspection of the tourist. It is an elegant piece of architecture, three sto- ries high, surmounted by an octagonal lanthorn, which is lighted by oil lamps, aided by reflecting lenses. It was erected by Mr. Smith, in 1782, and affords a striking proof that the greatest difficulties may be overcome by genius and per- severance. A stone stair-case, with an iron ba- lustrade, winds round the outside of this extra- ordinary building, terminating in an iron gallery, which surrounds it at the upper story. This useful and ornamental structure stands at the extremity of a range of building, called the South-wall — which was erected for the purpose of securing the harbour against the sands of the South-bull. The building of this wall was com- menced in 1748, and is constructed of large blocks of granite, strongly cemented, and fastened toge- ther with iron cramps. It runs in a straight line into the sea the astonishing length of 17,754 feet, or nearly three English miles and a half. About midway on this wall, a fort or battery has been constructed, called the Pigeon House. The Pier at this point is 250 feet wide, and on it are built a Magazine, Arsenal, and Custom- house. It is considered a place of great strength, being surrounded with heavy cannon, and com- manding the Bay in various directions. There is always a large detachment of artillery stationed here, for whose accommodation a barrack has been erected. At this place there is also a Basin, for Packets and other vessels of a similar descrip- CONVEYANCE TO TOWN. 9 tion, 900 feet in length, and 450 in breadth ; but since the formation of the harbours of Howth and Dunleary it is but little frequented. On landing from the Packet at Howth or Kings- town, the traveller will find numerous vehicles ready to convey him to town, and although some of them may not appear of the most elegant de- scription, in general they will be found safe and commodious conveyances. At Howth a mail coach is always in waiting to take the mail bags and such passengers as may be ready to go along with them. The fare charged from Howth to Dublin by the coach is 2s. 6d., but it will be necessary for a single passenger, who may proceed by a car or jingle, to make a bargain with the driver, other- wise he will charge the full price for the car, which is 3s. 7d. As there are at present a number of excellent hotels, cotfee-houses, and taverns in every direc- tion throughout the City, the traveller can be at no loss for suiting himself with such accommoda- tions as he may desire. A list of the principal hotels will be found in the Appendix. Having thus conducted our traveller to a place of rest, in which he may refresh himself after the fatigues of his journey, previous to entering on a particular description of the city and its envi- rons, it may not, perhaps, be deemed uninterest- ing to give him a rapid sketch of the character and customs of the ancient inhabitants of the country, together w ith a very brief summary of some of the most interesting facts connected with its history, since the period at which it became a part and parcel of the British dominions. 10 CHARACTER AND CUSTOMS CHARACTER AND CUSTOMS OF THE AN- CIENT IRISH. In reference to the character and customs of the ancient Irish, it is known that while many mo- dern writers contend for their superior civilization, and consequent knowledge of arts and learning at a very early period, others as strenuously argue that they were never at any time raised above a state of the grossest barbarism. Some of the chronicles of Ireland have with great minuteness traced the aborigines of the coun- try to a company of settlers, who landed some few centuries after the flood, having in their com- pany no less a personage than the daughter of Pharaoh, king of Egypt ; while others contend it was Noah’s niece who came with them ; and we are also gravely informed of a race of giants who at one time inhabited the island. The light of rational investigation has, however, long since chased away those phantasms of fiction and absur- dity ; yet strange to say, even in the present era of superior light and knowledge, there are many who would willingly have us replace them with stories manufactured by the slaves of superstition, equally incredible, though of a far more recent date. From the incidental notice taken of the Island by very ancient authors, among others Strabo, Ptolemy, and Tacitus, it appears that it was known to the Phenicians, Greeks and Romans, at a very early period. Still little beyond con- jecture can be gathered as to the manners and cus- toms of the aboriginal inhabitants, except that they were barbarians — that their, religion was the OF T1IE ANCIENT IRISH. 11 same as that professed by their heathen neigh- bours, the Britons and Scots, — and that their Priests, the Druids, immolated human victims on their altars. That the Celts were the aboriginal inhabitants is a matter of probable conjecture, but that the Scythians, and those tribes who migrated from Spain and Gaul (the Belgae or Firbolgs of the native Irish,) are the first of whom we have any certain account, has been the result of the most laborious research. Strabo, who flourished under Augustus and Tiberius Caesar, represents the inhabitants of the country in his time as u great gluttons, eaters of men’s flesh, and that it was honorable for de- ceased parents to be eaten by their children.” The only remaining records of the ancient Scy- thian hordes who from time to time got possession of various portions of Ireland, are the Cairns , or funeral piles, which they raised over illustrious warriors, many of which still remain throughout the country, and the Cromleacli , or altar on which they sacrificed their victims. The cairns consist of large heaps of stones raised in a conical form. On these heaps the religious ceremonies of the people were generally performed, in the idea that the souls of the dead resided there. On the removing of some of these piles at a recent date, arms of curious workmanship were found beneath, together with the bones of animals, and part of a deer’s horn — the symbol of hunting — which it was the custom of the Scythians in former times, to bury in their warriors’ graves. 12 CHARACTER AND CUSTOMS The Cromleach , or Altar, many of which the traveller will meet with throughout the country, is supposed to be so called from crom , bent or inclined, and leac, a stone ; such, stones being always found in a horizontal position, a little de- pressed or inclined at one end, as is imagined to give the blood of the victim a tendency to fall off in that direction. Previous to the introduction of Christianity, the Irish Annals furnish us with little else than a succession of Monarchs, who are all, with very few exceptions, said to have their reigns termi- nated by some violent death — the succeeding Monarch having in general imbrued his hands in the blood of his predecessor. They likewise in- form us of the irruptions of various foreign bands, at different periods, into the island, and of the conflicts of the natives with them, from ail which we can only infer the unsettled and tumultuary state of the nation in those rude times, and the strenuous exertions of the original inhabitants to preserve their properties and persons from the hands of a merciless and oppressive invader. Many of the incidents related in the ancient songs and odes have all the appearance of being founded in fact. Love and war appear to have been their favourite themes ; which at once inform us that love and war must have been the favourite pur- suits of their countrymen at the period they wrote. In the one, they are tender and pathetic, and seem to have been possessed of that artless and unaffected manner of expression which has ever been esteemed the greatest excellency in such OF THE ANCIENT IRISH. 13 compositions ; in the other, they were at once bold and energetic. The translations by Miss Brooke, afford a tolerably just idea of those an- cient productions. It is asserted and maintained that the Irish were acquainted with the use of letters at a very early period. Whether this were the case or not, is a point which has never yet been decided ; most certainly none of their writings of a very early period have reached the time in which we live, — the policy of the barbarians who from time to time invaded the country during what is usually termed the dark ages, having in- duced them to destroy every writing or document which might lead the ancient possessors of ground to reassert at any future period, their right to any portion or portions of the country ; — and conse- quently whatever of history remains relative to Ireland, must have been taken from oral testi- mony at a comparatively recent period of time. By whose ministry the Gospel was first intro- duced into Ireland is not known, — some have thought by Romish Missionaries. From various circumstances, however, particularly the forms, &c. being similar to those of the Greek Church, it would appear it came directly from Greece. That it was preached to the inhabitants of this island a considerable period before its introduc- tion into most other parts of Western Europe, is an undisputed fact, as we find from every docu- ment of the middle ages, both ecclesiastical and literary, that a great part of the Continent, Gaul, 14 CHARACTER AND CUSTOMS Italy, and Britain, received the rudiments of the Christian religion through Irish Missionaries. By a reference to the historic pages of the na- tions of Europe, it will be seen that Ireland was the seat of the muses and the best of learning, at a period when almost every other part of Western Europe resounded with the clang of the Roman arms. It was here, says the learned Cssher, that the knowledge of the Scriptures and all other good learning was preserved in that inunda- tion of barbarism, wherewith the whole West was in a manner overwhelmed, upon the disso- lution of the Roman empire by the northern na- tions.'^ Numerous are the testimonies upon this head, and in proof of Ireland being at one period re- * “ I shall prove from undeniable authority,” says an an- cient writer on Irish History, “ that at least Ireland is one of the most ancient kingdoms in Europe. It appears from a ma- nuscript copy of the acts of the Council of Constance, in the king's library in Westminster, that in the year 1417, when the legates of the king of England and the French king's ambas- sadors fell at variance about precedency, the English orators, among other arguments, alleged this also for themselves, — 4< It is well known, that according to Albertus Magnus, and Bartholomaeus, in his book De Proprietatibus Rerum, the whole world being divided into three parts, (to wit Asia, Africa, and Europe,) Europe is divided into four kingdoms, namely, the Roman lor the first, the Constantinopolitan for the second, the third the Kingdom of Ireland , which is now translated into the English , and the fourth the Kingdom of Spain.” Bishop Ussher affirms that so much has prejudice prevailed against the antiquity of the Irish nation, that this proof of it is not commonly to be met with in the printed acts of the Council of Constance.” OF THE ANCIENT IRISH. 15 sorted to from all the neighbouring nations, as to one common university. Indeed, as some one has pertinently observed, Ireland appears to have been to Europe, what Athens and Rome were to the other parts of the world in times of old. Camden, Bede, and Ussher confirm the truth of this. Ussher says, that such were the crowds of students who resorted to Ireland from Britain alone, that it required fleets to carry them. Cam- den vouches the same, and so does the venerable Bede. By these we are informed that Irish stu- dents founded schools among the Piets, Anglo- saxons, Germans, Swiss, Burgundians, and French. In the eighth century flourished Virgilius Soli- vagus, who, by his erudition and sanctity, ac- quired the notice of Pepin, king of the Franks, and who, by his perspicuous research in the dis- covery of the real figure of the earth, and his be- nevolent love of truth in the publication of that discovery, brought on himself degradation from Pope Zachary. In the ninth century, when so many seminaries of learning were desolated by Danish depredation, the honor of Irish literature was maintained in foreign countries by her native students, particularly by Albinus, Clement, and Johannes Scotus Erigena. The two former, pa- tronised by the Emperor Charlemagne, became the first Professors of the famous universities of Paris and Pavia ; the last, much favoured in the French Court by Charles the Bald, was afterwards invited into England by Alfred the Great, for a Professorship in the schools of Oxford. Mr. Ledwich, in his u Antiquities of Ireland,” 16 CHARACTER AND CUSTOMS says that u In the ninth century the muses began to desert their ancient seats, and seek protection in foreign climates, from the GEstmen invasion — that in this century Greek was commonly taught, and well understood in Ireland — and that in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth centuries she still preserved her literary reputation, though she could not escape the contagion and infelicity of the times.” From the concluding part of the eighth century to the beginning of the eleventh, the island was miserably distressed by the sanguinary depreda- tions of Scandinavian bands, under the names of Danes, Normans, GEstmen, or Easterlings, who, ascending the rivers in their fleets of light vessels, laid waste the country wherever they came, with fire and sword, most mercilessly butchering the inhabitants, without regard to sex or age, or car- rying them into slavery, and bearing away the plunder. . Giraldus Cambrensis, who lived in the twelfth century, asserts, that in all the arts of civil life, the inhabitants were little superior to the Indians of North America. At this period, Sir William Petty asserts, that the entire number of inhabi- tants did not exceed three hundred thousand souls. The following portraits of the Irish character are worthy of notice, being drawn by the hands of men who cannot be suspected of much partia- lity towards the Irish nation. u They are,” says the celebrated Camden, who wrote in the sixteenth century, u of a middle sta- ture — strong of body, of an hotter and moister OF THE ANCIENT IRISH. 17 nature than many other nations — of wonderful soft skins, and by reason of the tenderness of their muscles, they excel in nimbleness, and the flex- ibility of all parts of their body. They are reck- oned of a quick wit — prodigal of their lives— enduring travel, cold, and hunger — given to flesh- ly lusts — light of belief — kind and courteous to strangers — constant in love — impatient of abuse and injury — in enmity implacable — and in all affections most vehement and passionate.” Marlborough, who wrote in the seventeenth cen- tury, represents them as u religious, franke, sharpe w itted, lovers of learning, capable of any study whereunto they bend themselves, kind hearted, passing in hospitality, and great alms-givers ; that without either precept or observation they speake Latin like a vulgar tongue, learned in their com- mon schools of leachcraft and law, whereat they begin children, and hold on 16 or 20 years, con- ning by rote the aphorisms *of Hypocrates, and the civil institutions, and a few other parings of these two faculties. I have seen them,” says he, 66 where they kept school, ten in one chamber, gro- velling upon couches of straw, their books at their noses, themselves lying flat prostrate, and so to chaunt out their lessons by piecemeal, being for the most part lusty fellows of 25 years and up- wards.” Spencer, who wrote in the sixteenth century, and w ho certainly had the very best opportunity of knowing the Irish, describes them thus : — u They are so cautelous and wylie-headed, espe- cially being men of so small experience and prac- 18 CHARACTER, CUSTOMS, &C. tice in law matters, that you would wonder whence they borrow such subtleties and sly shifts.” In another place he represents the Irish as going into battle : a the horseman in his gilded leather jacket, his shirt of maile, his long hose, his riding shoes of costly cordevaine, his hack- queton and habergeon, with all the rest there- unto belonging, and his horse with his strong brass bit, his slyding reins and shanke pillion, without stirrups, &c. The footman, likewise in his long shirt of maile down to the calf of his leg — that the sword is never out of their hands but when they are weary of wars, and brought down to extreme wretchedness ; then they creep a little perhaps, and sue for grace, till they have gotten new breath and resumed their strength again, so as it is in vain to talk of planting laws and plotting policies, till they be altogether sub- dued.” And again he tells us, that u he heard some great warriors say, that in all the services which they had seen abroad in foreign countries, they never saw a more comely man than the Irishman, nor that cometh on more bravely in his charge.” 66 That they are valiant and hardie, great endurers of colde, labour, hunger, and all hardinesse, very active and strong of hand, very swift of foote, very vigilant and circumspect for their enterprizes, very present in perils, very great scorners of death ; and that when he com- eth to experience of service abroad, he maketh as worthy a souldier as any he meeteth with.” Such is the character given of the ancient Irish by individuals, who, from interest and other causes, HISTORICAL RECORDS. 19 cannot be considered as having been very favour- ably disposed towards them. INTERESTING HISTORICAL RECORDS. The first notice taken of the City of Dublin by ancient Geographers is by Ptolemy, who called it Eblana, supposed to be a corruption of Dub- lana, the city of the black water or the black channel — the bed of the Lilfey having in this place been boggy, and consequently the water black. It is supposed to have been originally built by some of those northern tribes, who as we before mentioned, from time to time landed on the Irish coast, under the name of CEstmen or Easterlings. The black-book of Christ Church (the original of which edifice is thought to have been one of the most ancient buildings in the city,) states, that the arches or vaults under it, were built by the GEstmen or Danish merchants, as a depository for their wares ; and that St. Patrick, who flourished in the fourth century, performed divine service in one of the vaults, which is to this day called the vault of St. Patrick. It was near a century after their first landing in Ireland, that the Danes embraced Christianity, and they soon manifested great zeal in the cause, by erect- ing numerous abbies and churches. The invasion of the English, which has been attended with such important consequences to this country, took place in the year 1169 ; and as in the wars which resulted from that event, Dublin, 20 ENGLISH INVASION. as the capital of the kingdom, had a more than ordinary share, it may be interesting to give a brief account of the manner in which this was ef- fected. — Henry II. had long meditated the reduction of Ireland, in consequence of the frequent aids sent from thence to France ; and having obtained a bull from Pope Adrian, licensing the attempt, he only waited for a favorable opportunity to put his designs into execution. An event occurred in the year 1167, which paved the way for the full accom- plishment of his wishes ; Dermod Mac Murrough, an Irish Prince, to whom Leinster belonged, having carried off Derevorgill, the wife of O’Rourke, king of Brefine, in Connaught, (some writers say by force, but, according to others, with her own consent,) Roderick O’Connor, who was at that time acknowledged as supreme monarch, espoused the quarrel of the injured husband. Dermod, after several defeats, being abandoned by his subjects, determined to seek for foreign aid. He accordingly sailed, with a few attendants, for England, from whence he passed over into France, and found Henry in Acquitaine, where he was at that time carrying on his conquests. So anxious was Dermod to obtain vengeance on his enemies, that he offered, if Henry would assist him in the enterprize, to swear fealty to him, and faithfully to serve him during his life. The king of Eng- land was, however, too deeply engaged in the French war, to grant him for the present any ef- fectual assistance ; but having taken an oath of allegiance from him, he granted him letters pa- ENGLISH INVASION. 21 tent, which permitted his subjects to assist the exiled king in the recovery of his dominions. Having thus far succeeded, Dermod returned to England, and resided for some time at Bristol, where he published the king’s letters. Here he met Richard de Clare, Earl of Strigui and Pem- broke, who from his skill in archery, was gene- rally called Strongbow. He was a man of high birth, and great abilities and courage ; but his profuse mode of living had reduced him to many embarrassments. Under such circumstances, he listened with a whiling ear to the proposals made by Dermod, who covenanted, should he assist him in the recovery of his dominions, to give him his daughter in marriage, with the reversion of the kingdom of Leinster. But he deemed it ne- cessary to wait for king Henry’s special license before he could openly engage in the under- taking. In the mean time Dermod returned to Ireland, and lived during the winter concealed with the monks at Ferns, in the county of Wexford. On his passage through Wales, he secured the favour of Rys ap Griffin, prince of that country, and, through him, engaged the assistance of Robert Fitz Stephen, constable of Wales, and his brother Maurice, to whom, and their heirs for ever, he agreed to give the town of Wexford, with two cantreds of land, as a reward for their services. The tardiness of Henry’s license detaining Earl Strongbow longer than he expected, Dermod, impatient of delay, despatched Maurice Regan, one of his chief counsellors, into Wales, by whom ENGLISH INVASION. 22 he made large promises to all who should assist him in his projected enterprize. The summons was shortly obeyed by Robert Fitz Stephen, who raised a force of thirty knights, or gentlemen at arms, chiefly from among his own kinsmen, sixty esquires, and three hundred archers and footmen. To these were added one hundred and forty men under Maurice Fitzgerald, besides a few hundred more under Hervey of Mount Maurice, Prender- gast, Barry, Fitz Henry, and Fitz David. With this small force, which, in the whole, did not ex- ceed one thousand men, Fitz Stephen landed at Bannow Bay, not far from Wexford, in May, 1169. He was soon joined by Dermod, and his natural son Donald Kavanagh, with a body of troops. Their united force quickly reduced Wexford, and compelled the king of Ossory, with the Phelans and O’Tooles to submission. En- couraged by these successes, Dermod determined to besiege Dublin. Having, therefore, left Fitz Stephen, with a small body of men, to defend Wexford, he marched with his remaining force to Dublin, which submitted without a struggle, and swore fealty to him. The successful progress of his arms now in- spired the king of Leinster with the determina- tion of aiming at the supreme monarchy of Ireland, which had been enjoyed by some of his progeni- tors. But he was conscious of being unequal to the attempt without the assistance of Earl Strong- bow, which had been so long delayed. He there- fore renewed his solicitations to the Earl, who, encouraged by the successes of the small body of ENGLISH INVASION. 23 liis countrymen, which had previously landed in Ireland, determined at length to fulfil his engage- ments. But he first repaired to France, where he obtained from king Henry, what he construed into a license for the enterprize, and on his return, he despatched Raymond le Gros and William Fitz Gerald in May, 1170, with about 130 sol- diers of different descriptions, and a promise of his speedy arrival with a large reinforcement. This small force landed at Dundrone, or Dunisle, about four miles from Waterford, where Ray- mond entrenched himself, and maintained his ground till the arrival of Strongbow, on the 23d of August, 1171, with 200 knights, and about 1200 well appointed infantry. Strongbow^ now laid siege to the city of Water- ford, which he entered, after being twice repulsed. He w r as met in this place by king Dermod, who fulfilled his engagement by giving him his daugh- ter Eva in marriage, and declaring them his im- mediate heirs. In 1171, the city of Dublin was still in the possession of the Danes, although nominally in subjection to the English, under Earl Strongbow and his confederates, but having again revolted, they resolved to chastise the citizens in an exem- plary manner. Roderick O’Connor, king of Con- naught and monarch of Ireland, had, in the mean time, raised an army of 30,000 men, for the pur- pose of impeding their progress. He encamped with his main body at Clondalkin, guarding at the same time all the passes in the mountains. The army of the confederates did not amount to 24 ENGLISH INVASION. one-third of their number, but notwithstanding this great inequality, the latter conceived that drawing back would, at this juncture, be the ruin of their cause. They accordingly proceeded in the following order. — Miles Cogan, an officer of extraordinary valour, commanded the van-guard of 700 men, which was supported by a strong body of Irish, under Donald Kavenagh ; Ray- mond le Gros led on a regiment of 800 English, supported by king Dermod, and Earl Strongbow was in the rear with 3000 English, assisted by a considerable body of Irish troops. Appalled by the orderly march of the allies, Roderick aban- doned the field without a struggle, and leaving Dublin to its fate, disbanded his army. A summons was now sent to the inhabitants by Maurice Regan, and thirty hostages were demanded ; but some delay occurring about the choice of the hostages, Miles de Cogan, an officer in Strongbow’s army, attacked the place without orders, and carried it with great slaugh- ter. Prince Asculph, and many of the (Estmen citizens escaped to their shipping, leaving a great booty to the conquerors ; and on the same day, king Dermod, and Earl Strongbow, made their public entry into Dublin, of which Miles de Cogan was constituted the first English governor. Some short time after, Roderick O’Connor, king of Connaught and monarch of all Ireland, invested Dublin with an army of 60,000 men. He had taken post at Castleknock and Finglas, while Mac-Dunleve, king of Ulster, encamped at Clon- tarf, O’Brien, king of Munster, at Kilmainham, ENGLISH INVASION* 25 and Moriertach, prince of Kinsellagh, at Dalky, waiting the arrival of the Danish prince, Asculph, who was expected from the Isle of Man and the Orcades, with considerable reinforcements. The city was but weakly garrisoned ; nevertheless, it sustained a siege for two months, when Strong- bow, finding the provisions nearly exhausted, while all hope of succour from England was cut off, called a council, at which he was advised to propose terms of submission to king Roderick, and offer to hold Leinster from him as a feudatory province. Laurence, archbishop of Dublin, was sent to Roderick with these terms, but the latter, knowing the straits to which the garrison was re- duced, refused to accept of any terms short of the complete abandonment of Ireland by Strong- bow and all his followers. When these demands were made known to the council, Miles de Cogan, the governor, recom- mended a sudden sally, which would at this time be particularly unexpected. He accordingly put himself at the head of the vanguard of two hun- dred chosen men ; Raymond le Gros followed with two hundred more ; and the rear, consisting of a like number, was led on by Earl Strongbow. The attack on Roderick’s camp was attended with complete success. The onset was so sudden and vigorous, that all fled before them, the king himself escaping with difficulty. Fifteen hundred Irish were slain, and many were taken prisoners ; while, according to Regan, only one English footman fell on the part of the conquerors. The remainder of the Irish army were so much dis- B 26 ENGLISH INVASION. couraged by this overthrow, that they abandoned the siege, and the garrison was abundantly sup- plied by the provisions found in the camp of the enemy. The English arms having been thus again esta- blished in quiet possession of the city, Strong- bow sailed for England, for the purpose of ap- peasing the wrath of Henry, who conceived Strongbow had intended to obtain for himself the dominion of Ireland. While he was in England, Asculph Mac-Torcall arrived in the harbour of Dublin, with a fleet of sixty sail, having on board 10,000 soldiers. Hoping to surprise the city, he instantly landed his men, and a furious assault was made on the east gate, called St. Mary les Dames, led on by John le Dene, a man of great prowess. But the brave governor, Miles de Co- gan, was so well prepared, that five hundred of the enemy were slain in the assault, besides a number that were drowned ; the governor’s bro- ther, Richard de Cogan, sallying at the same time out of Pole gate, at the end of Werburgh-street, with three hundred horse, took the enemy in flank, and completed the victory. Above 2000 of the (Estmen are said to have perished in this engagement, including John le Dene ; and such numbers were slain by the Irish in the pursuit, that not more than one-fifth of the whole army reached their ships. Their prince, Asculph Mac Torcall, was taken, and afterwards beheaded in sight of his fleet ; and thus terminated the power of the CEstmen in Ireland. ENGLISH INVASION. 27 ARRIVAL OF HENRY II. Early in the year 1172, Dublin was again be- sieged by O’Rourk, king of Brefine, but his whole army was routed by De Cogan, his son and other chieftains being slain. On the 18th of Oc- tober following, king Henry II. arrived at W ater- ford, with a fleet of two hundred and forty sail. He was accompanied by Earl Strongbow, William Fitz-Aldelm, Humphry de Bohun, Hugh de Lacy, Robert Fitz-Bernard, with many other noblemen, 400 knights, and 4000 well-appointed soldiers. Immediately on his landing he received the inves- titure of the city of Waterford, and Strongbow did him homage for the kingdom of Leinster. The importance of establishing his government in the capital of Leinster, induced the English monarch to repair to Dublin without delay. DESCRIPTION OF ANCIENT DUBLIN. At this period Dublin is supposed not to have exceeded a mile in circumference ; having from time to time been used as a place of safe retreat for the Danes who lived in the suburbs and neighbouring villages, when attacked or pursued by the natives. It was at an early period en- closed with walls of considerable strength, con- nected by towers placed in different commanding situations. A short time since, several remains of these walls and of the ancient fortifications were still to be seen in different parts of the city, b 2 28 ENGLISH INVASION. but at present, scarcely a vestige exists by which the curious traveller might trace where they once stood. The streets comprehended within the walls, were Bridge-street, (at the foot of which was the Old Bridge across the Litfey,) Winetavern-street, Fishamble-street, Castle-street, Skinner-row, High- street, Cook-street, Nicholas-street, and Wer- burgh-street, with the adjacent lanes. The south suburbs comprehended Patrick-street, Bride- street, and Ship-street ; the west, New-row, Francis-street, Thomas-street, and James’s-street ; the east, Dame-street, George’s-lane, (now South Great George’s-street,) and Stephen-street ; and a small village called Hogges stood on the site of St. Andrew-street, thence called Hoggin-green, now Coliege-green, where criminals were usually executed. Crane-lane, Essex-street, Temple-bar, and Fleet-street, were then a strand, only a small part of the river being embanked, till the reign of Charles II. No part of the north side of the Liffey was built at that period except Church- street, Pill-lane, and Mary’s-lane. The houses in Dublin were mean and contemp- tible. They were constructed with wattles daubed with clay, and covered over with sedge and straw. The Danes, during their residence, sought rather to render the city defensible, than ornamental ; nor did much improvement in this respect take place until the introduction of com- merce, with its natural concomitants — wealth and politeness. King Henry kept his Christmas in Dublin, HISTORICAL RECORDS. 29 in great state. As there was at that time no house in the city capable of receiving his retinue, a long pavillion was erected near St. Andrew’s church, composed of smooth wattles, according to the fashion of the country, where the Irish prin- ces were entertained with great magnificence ; and during the five months of his residence in Dublin, king Henry, in this way, expended large sums, in order to conciliate the natives. He also held a parliament, granted the laws of England to his new subjects, established courts of justice, and appointed officers for the due administration of the law : and the more firmly to consolidate his new conquest, he distributed immense territo- ries among his grandees. INTERESTING HISTORICAL RECORDS. Henry now prepared to return to England, hav- ing previously granted a charter to the city of Dublin, and encouraged a colony from Bristol to settle there. After his departure, a desultory warfare was carried on between the new settlers and the na- tives, attended with various successes. Strong- bow died five years after, (1177,) and was buried in Christ Church, and about the same period the Pope’s legate held a synod in Dublin, at which he threatened excommunication against all who should withdraw their allegiance from the king of England. In 1185, Henry appointed his son, John Earl b 3 30 HISTORICAL RECORDS. of Moreton, governor or lord of Ireland, where he continued a considerable time ; but his con- duct, and that of his Norman courtiers, tended greatly to alienate the affections of the natives. Hugh de Lacy, the governor afterwards appointed by king Henry, was murdered at Durrow, in the Queen’s county, in 1186. In 1315, Edward Bruce, brother to the king of Scotland, landing with 6000 men at Carrick- fergus, took possession of Green castle ; but the citizens of Dublin sent out a strong party by sea, which soon recovered it for the king. Bruce, after committing depredations in various parts of Ireland, went to Scotland for fresh supplies, and returning the following year, was crowned king at Dundalk. After this he marched to Dublin, and encamped at Castleknoclc. The citizens, alarmed at his approach, set fire to Thomas-street, but the flames unfortunately laid hold on St. John’s church, without Newgate, which was burned to the ground, with Magdalen chapel and all the suburbs. Bruce seeing the resolution of the in- habitants, marched westward as far as Limerick, having first rifled St. Mary’s Abbey and St. Pa- trick’s Church. He was slain soon afterwards at Dundalk, with 2000 of his men, by the troops under the command of General Bermingham. About Michaelmas, 1324, Richard II. landed at Waterford, with an army of 34,000 men, and marched to Dublin, where he continued till the ensuing summer, receiving in his progress, the submission of the Irish of Leinster. He is said to have held a parliament in the winter and re- HISTORICAL RECORDS. 31 dressed many grievances. Four Irish princes were knighted by him, and he made a grant to the city of one penny from every house, to repair the bridge and the streets. He returned to Eng- land soon after, but in 1399 he made a second voyage to Ireland, and made his solemn entry into Dublin on the 28th of June, where he was nobly entertained by the provost (Nicholas Fing- las,) and the citizens. * The arrival, however, of Henry Duke of Lancaster caused him speedily to return to England, where he was soon afterwards deposed and murdered. During the reign of Henry IV . the citizens of Dublin became much distinguished for their zea- lous attachment to the English crown, and the valour displayed by them against its enemies. On the 11th of July, 1402, a strong body of them, well armed, marched out under the command of John Drake, their provost, against the O’Briens and other Irish septs, and slew, according to some accounts, 4000, but according to others, as many hundreds. For this gallant action Drake was continued in office four successive years. In 1405, the citizens fitted out a fleet of barks, with which they ravaged the coasts of Scotland and Wales, these countries being then in arms against the English king. They also defeated the Irish in several subsequent actions. King Henry V. landed at Clontarf, near Dub- lin, in 1413, but nothing is recorded of his pro- ceedings in this country. No political event of importance occurred in his reign or that of his successors, till the time of Henry VII. 32 HISTORICAL RECORDS. In 1465, parliament enacted that all Irishmen dwelling in the counties of Dublin, Meath, Uriel, and Kildare, should be apparelled after the En- glish fashion, — should shave the beard above the mouth, and take a sirname derived either from a town, a colour, an art, science, or office. Hence are derived many family names, as Sutton, Ches- ter, Black, Brown, White, Cork, Trim, Smith, Carpenter, Cook, Butler, &c. It was also en- acted by the same parliament, that every English- man, or Irishman resident amongst the English, should have an English bow of his own length ; butts were ordered to be erected in every town, and constables appointed to muster every man between sixteen and sixty years of age, to prac- tice with the bow on stated holydays. The attachment of the citizens of Dublin to the house of York, caused them, soon after the ac- cession of Henry VII. to become the dupes of the famous imposture respecting Lambert Simnel, who counterfeited the person of the young Earl of Warwick, son to the Duke of Clarence. He made his first appearance in Ireland as heir to the throne ; and in 1486, the second year of Henry’s reign, he was crowned king in Christ Church, by the name of Edward VI. Gerald Earl of Kildare, Lord Deputy, the Lords of the Council, the Archbishop and Clergy, and the Mayor and Citi- zens attending. Simnel returning to England soon after, was joined by Lord Lovel, the Earl of Lincoln, and several other persons of distinc- tion, with a numerous army. But the rebels be- ing defeated at the battle of Stoke, with the loss HISTORICAL RECORDS. 33 of 4000 men, Simnel was taken prisoner, and spent the remainder of his days as a menial ser- vant to the king. The Mayor and Citizens apo- logized in the following year for their misconduct, and the conciliating policy of Henry induced him to remit the punishment. The first fire-arms were brought to Dublin from Germany, in 1489, as a present to the Earl of Kildare, Lord Deputy. In 1490, a great dearth prevailed throughout Ireland, notwithstanding which, a peck of wheat, containing four English bushels, sold in Dublin for ten shillings. In 1504, the Lord Deputy Kildare marched out of Dublin, at the head of a large body of w ell-armed citizens, to oppose a confederacy en- tered into by Burke of Clanrickard, O’Brien of Thomond, O’Carroll, and several others of the old Irish chieftains. Being joined by the whole power of the pale, and several Irish lords, he came up with the enemy on the 19th of August, at Knocktuagh, near Galway, not far from the spot where the famous battle of Aughrim was af- terwards fought. After a contest, which long continued doubtful, victory declared for the Lord Deputy. Above 4000 of the enemy are said to have fallen in the action, and great numbers were taken prisoners. The Earl of Kildare, who filled the office of Lord Deputy, in 1 534, having been summoned to England tjp answer for some alleged misconduct, a report was soon after spread that he was be- headed. Enraged at this intelligence, his son, Thomas, Lord Offaley, w ho had been left Lord 34 HISTORICAL RECORDS. Deputy in his father’s room, determined on open rebellion. He rode through the city at the head of seven score horsemen, in shirts of mail, with silken fringes about their head pieces, and pass- ing through Dame’s-gate, went over the ford of the river to Mary’s-abbey, where, surrendering up the sword to the council, he bid defiance to the king and his ministers. The council incited the citizens to seize Fitz-Gerald, but they, either through attachment to his family or from their own weakness, (the city having been lately much depopulated by the plague,) continued for some time inactive. Fitz-Gerald, soon after this, asked permission to march through the city, in order to lay siege to the castle, promising that his soldiers should not injure any of the inhabitants. Having first despatched one of their aldermen (Francis Her- bert,) to England, to know the king’s pleasure, they consulted the constable of the castle, who, anxious to preserve the safety of the city, con- sented to the demand, provided he was suffi- ciently supplied with men and provisions to w ith- stand a siege. These demands having been complied with, Fitz-Gerald’s requests were agreed to ; and he accordingly sent in six hundred men, who planted two or three pieces of artillery opposite the castle gate, intrenched themselves, and to frighten the constable into a surrender, they threatened to place the youth of the city on the tops of the trenches, as marks at which the garrison would be unwilling to aim. This was justly considered HISTORICAL RECORDS. 35 by the citizens as a perfidious breach of treaty ; and their messenger, Herbert, returning at the same time with promises of assistance from Eng- land, they resolved to stand upon their defence, and secure, if possible, the traitors within the walls. They accordingly proclaimed an open breach of truce, and shut the gates. Seeing these precautions, those w ho had entered the city at- tempted to escape by fording the river, but the greater part were taken prisoners. Intelligence of these events having been transmitted to Fitz- Gerald, who was at this time ravaging the county of Kilkenny, he returned with great haste to Dublin, seizing on his way the children of seve- ral of the citizens, who were at school in the country ; by this means hoping to compel the in- habitants to a compromise. But this device fail- ing, he resolved to distress them by cutting off the pipes which supplied the city with water, and laid siege to the castle in Sheep (now Ship) street. Being, however, speedily driven from this quarter by the ordnance of the castle, he re- moved to Thomas-street, and attempted to enter the city by Newgate ; but the valour of the de- fenders obliged the enemy to fly, after 100 of their number were slain. Fitz-Gerald, soon after this, having offered terms which were deemed inadmissible, was forced to raise the siege. King Henry was so pleased with the conduct of the ci- tizens upon this occasion, that he granted them a considerable estate in the counties of Dublin, Meath, Louth, Kildare, Tipperary, and Kilkenny. The kings of England had hitherto been deno- 36 HISTORICAL RECORDS. minated lords of Ireland, but in the year 1541, the Irish parliament conferred the title of king on Henry and his successors. This parliament made the crimes of wilful murder and rape capital offences. They also enacted some statutes, which, at the present day, must appear extremely curious. By one of these, noblemen were not allowed more than twenty cubits or bandies of linen in their shirts ; and by another, the natives were forbidden to dye their shirts of a saffron colour, which had been their usual custom. The beginning of the reign of Edward YI. was marked by some inroads of the natives in the neighbourhood of Dublin, but these attempts were speedily repressed. During the reign of Elizabeth, though Ireland was much distracted both north and south by the insurrections of Ty- rone, Tyrconnell, and Desmond, yet the capital was happily preserved in a state of tranquillity ; and the citizens upon various occasions manifested the same zeal and loyalty to the crown of England which had so much distinguished them during the preceding reigns. Much of the prosperity of the city was justly attributed to the wisdom of Sir Henry Sidney, who exercised the office of Lord Deputy, at intervals, for several years. This great and good man first caused the Irish statutes to be printed, and the records to be properly arranged. O’Nial was the first who gave any serious alarm to the Irish regency of Elizabeth. This dynast is represented as a man abandoned to brutal excesses, indulging in sottish ebriety, and frequently bury- ing himself to the neck in earth, to correct the O’NIAL’s VISIT TO QUEEN ELIZABETH. 37 heat and intemperature of his body. But, as Le- land remarks, how rude soever may his manners have been, he was cautious and acute. To gain the confidence of the old natives, he expressed such rancour against the English, that he hanged one of his followers for the eating of English bis- cuit, as a crime of degeneracy. By his address he amused the government, while by acts of ag- gression he extended his authority. In another incursion he made the dynast of Tyrconnel a pri- soner, detained his wife as a concubine, and his son as a hostage. When all the forces which could be mustered for the support of the admi- nistration marched against him, an accommodation was effected by the mediation of the Earl of Kil- dare. In consequence of this agreement, O’Nial waited on the Queen in London, attended by a nume- rous train, u a guard of Gallowglasses,” says Le- land, arrayed in the richest habilaments of their country, armed with the battleax, their heads bare, their hair flowing on their shoulders, their linen vests dyed with saffron, with long and open sleeves, and surcharged with their short military harness : a spectacle astonishing to the people, who ima- gined that they beheld the inhabitants of some distant quarter of the globe.” On his return to Ireland, after his gracious reception by her Ma- jesty, he found his consequence augmented among his followers, who regarded this accommodation as a treaty between two sovereigns. Affecting zeal for the Queen’s service, he continued to augment and train his forces ; and when he perceived that c 38 HISTORICAL RECORDS. his designs were no longer concealable, he hesi- tated not at open war. Having committed great ravages, while he was endeavouring to amuse the Lord Deputy, Sir Henry Sidney, by negociation, he was at length obliged to retire on the approach of that governor with an army. He was so assailed on all sides by Sidney, who had engaged in his cause several neighbour- ing toparchs, that he was deserted by most of his followers, and driven to the fatal resolution of taking refuge with a band of Scots. By these he was assassinated with his attendants, at the insti- gation of an English officer named Piers, who afterwards received a thousand marks for this service. Among the various broils and transactions else- where, at this time in Ireland, very little is found worthy of a place in this compendium. Gerald, Earl of Desmond, in attempting to wrest some lands by force of arms from the Earl of Ormond, was wounded and made prisoner. When he was carried on a bier from the field of battle, his sup- porters triumphantly exclaimed, u where is now the great Lord of Desmond ?” To which he in- dignantly replied , — u where but in his proper place ? still on the necks of the Butlers.” The dispute was determined by the judgment of the Queen, and Desmond was dismissed on his pro- mise of obedience. In 1567, Sir William Drury, President of Mun- ster, in his way to Tralee, the seat of the Earl of Desmond, to which he had been hospitably invited, met an incident somewhat illustrative DREADFUL EFFECTS OF THE WAR. 39 of the then existing manners. Seven hundred followers of the Earl, tall and vigorous, sent to receive the President with honour, were mistaken for a hostile band, and assailed by Drury with his guard, of a hundred and twenty soldiers. They fled in astonishment, leaving the Countess to ex- plain the affair to the President. The next interruption to the repose of the country was derived from an invasion of the Spa- niards on the south-west coast. They brought with them arms and ammunition for 5000 men, and a sum of money to be delivered to Earl Desmond. Effecting a landing at Smerwick, they entrenched themselves at Golden Fort, and proclaimed their determination to hold out to the last in the glo- rious cause of the extirpation of heresy, and the assertion of their master’s right to the kingdom of Ireland. In this position they were attacked by Lord Grey, and, after an obstinate resistance, obliged to surrender at discretion. The Irish re- bels found in the fort were executed by martial law; and to Sir Walter Raleigh was committed the odious service of putting the unarmed garrison to the sword. By the ravages of his territories, the followers of the Earl of Desmond were now reduced to un- speakable distress. Many of their families fol- lowed the royal troops, imploring relief by death from the affliction of outrageous hunger ; and himself entreated as an act of mercy, which how- ever was refused, that Admiral Winter, who cruised near the coast, would receive him on board, and convey him a prisoner to London. c 2 40 HISTORICAL RECORDS. The unhappy Earl now sued for pardon, but in vain ; his co-operation with the Spaniards her Majesty could not forgive. In this deplorable situation, he was hunted from one miserable hid- ing-place to another, disguised in a dress resem- bling that of the meanest of his followers, and a price was set upon his head ; until, overtaken in a hut by a few soldiers commanded by Kelly of Moriesta, he called to him for mercy, saying, 6 Spare me, for I am the Earl of Desmond but Kelly smote off the aged nobleman’s head, and sent it to Ormond. It was afterwards conveyed to the Queen, and impaled upon London bridge. Such was the melancholy extinction of a family which had existed for four centuries, in rude mag- nificence, and had proved too powerful to be go- verned. The government of Perrott, which left a lasting impression upon the peaceable part of the Irish, was shortened by the private slander and calum- nies of his enemies at court. Perrott had laid the foundation of a peaceful reign for his Mistress in this part of her dominions, and gained a favorable juncture for the introduction of civilizing insti- tutions. Speaking of the effects of the wars which had been carried on in Munster, Spencer says, — u Notwithstanding that the same was a most rich and plentifull countrey, full of corne and cattle, that you would have thought they should have beene able to stand long, yet ere one yeare and a halfe they were brought to such wretchednesse, as that any stony heart would have rued the same. REBELLION OF HUGH O’NIAL. 41 Out of every corner of the woods and glynnes they came creeping forth upon their hands, for their legges could not beare them ; they looked like anatomies of death, they spake like ghosts crying out of their graves ; they did eate the dead carrions, happy where they could finde them, yea, and one another soone after, insomuch as the very carcasses they spared not to scrape out of their graves*; and, if they found a plot of water-cresses or shamrocks, there they flocked as to a feast for the time, yet not able long to con- tinue therewithall ; that in short space there were none almost left, and a most populous and plen- tifull countrey suddainly left voyde of man and beast ; yet sure in all that warre, there perished not many by the sword, but all by the extre- mitie of famine, which they themselves had wrought.” In 1580, when Arthur, Lord Grey, the Gover- nor, was recalled, on account of complaints of dreadful severity made against him, he was em- phatically represented by the complainants as leaving nothing in Ireland for her Majesty to reign over but ashes and carcases. In 1588, five thousand four hundred men, in in seventeen vessels of the Spanish Armada, were driven on the northern coasts of Ireland, where they were entertained with cordial hospitality, and gave their promise to return in formidable force for the assistance of the Irish against the heretical government of Elizabeth. For several years after, the country enjoyed an apparent peace; but this treacherous calm was 42 HISTORICAL RECORDS. chiefly maintained by the arts of Hugh O’Nial. This chieftain, possessed of a most insinuating address and deep dissimulation, and of polished manners from a liberal education and service in the English army, had obtained from the queen in 1587, the earldom and estates of Tyrone with some reservations. Regarded as a firm friend of English government, he was permitted to re- tain six companies of soldiers for the enforcement of peace in Ulster. By continually dismissing the men who had learned the use of arms, arid substituting others for the same instruction, he formed most of his vassals to military discipline ; and, under the pretext of covering the roof of his castle at Dungannon, he imported vast quan- tities of lead for bullets. He laboured to extend his alliances : he made the most plausible defence of his conduct, when accused of evil designs : and, while he artfully evaded the performance of engagements under which he pledged himself to government, he made warm professions of loyalty, and even took arms on the side of the administration against his own confederates, with such apparent zeal as to be wounded in the battle. Under the authority of his commission for the exercise of martial law, he ordered his cousin-german, who had accused him, to be hanged for the intimida- tion of informers. So extraordinary on this oc- casion was found to be the respect for the name O’Nial, that no person could be procured for the office of executioner otherwise than with great difficulty, and in a distant part of Ireland. The rebellion of Tyrone now again burst out, ARRIVAL OF A SPANISH FLEET. 43 and raged like a destructive conflagration through a great part of Ireland. Essex, the Queen’s fa- vourite, was appointed to oppose him with a newly raised force, and with the style and title of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland ; whereby his pow- ers were increased, and authority granted him of pardoning offenders, — even those guilty of treason against the Queen. Essex’s campaigns were not successful, much treasure and many lives being expended in fruitless attempts to reduce Tyrone ; and the Lieutenant found himself at last only in a situation to make terms and offer pardon. The cautious and crafty chieftain obtained such con- ditions as were displeasing to her Majesty ; and Essex, fearing the secret whispers of his court rivals, returned to England to justify his conduct. Lord Mountjoy, Sir George Carew, and others, were now appointed to different commands in Ire- land, and executed them with better fortune. Tyrone and O’Donnell were reduced to extremi- ties, and must have surrendered to the English power, if assistance had not appeared from an unexpected quarter. A Spanish fleet anchored in the harbour of Kinsale, under the command of Don Juan D’Aquila, and the forces on board, having effected an undisturbed landing, possessed themselves of the towns of Kinsale, Castlehaven, and Baltimore, which they strongly entrenched. The rebellious chieftains of the north soon joined them, and a general engagement followed, in which, to the amazement of the Spanish general, they w ere defeated almost instantly, and fled w ith precipitation from the field of battle. Disgusted 44 HISTORICAL RECORDS. at this contemptible conduct of his Irish allies, Don Juan resolved upon sparing the lives of his own countrymen, and accordingly surrendered upon honorable conditions. In 1596, O’Nial again had recourse to the wiles of negociation. By his dexterity he obtained, on conditions dictated by himself, a pardon under the great seal, by the intercession of the Earl of Ormond, on whom had devolved the military jurisdiction. Having drawn to his standard as many as he could muster of men who had been trained in the practice of regular warfare, or in preparatory tactics, the Irish chief, when the op- portunity seemed favourable, entered vigorously on action, regardless of stipulations. Obliged by Sir Henry Bagnal to relinquish the blockade of Armagh, he laid siege to the fort of Blackwater. He was followed with a vengeful spirit by Bagnal, whose sister he had seduced into a marriage, and who was thence his personal enemy. The two armies are represented as consisting each of five thousand ; the onset w as on both sides furious, but fortune was adverse to the royalists. In the heat of the battle the English were disordered by an accidental explosion of powder, and deprived of their leader by a mortal shot in his forehead. With the loss of fifteen hundred men and all the appurtenances of a camp, the routed army fled through Armagh, which, together with the be- sieged fortress, was quickly occupied by the troops of O’Nial. During the remainder of Elizabeth’s reign, while the Earl of Essex and Lord Mountjoy held SUBMISSION OF TYRONE. 45 the reigns of Government in Ireland, the English settlers experienced very considerable annoyance from the incursions of Tyrone in the north, and the O’Donnels in the south ; but previous to the Queen’s decease, by the firmness and well arranged measures of Lord Mountjoy, a general state of tranquillity had been obtained throughout the Island. Tyrone having been cut off from his own ter- ritories, by the skilful manoeuvres of the English general, the miseries and privations of his follow- ers determined him to sue for pardon and amity. Mountjoy, dreading a repetition of a Spanish war, and fearing the expense and tediousness of a new rebellion, accepted Tyrone’s conditions, particu- larly as, when pending the negociations with Tyrone, private accounts of the Queen’s death were brought to him. He, on this, instantly de- spatched Sir W. Godolphin to Tyrone with a safe conduct, and renewed the assurances of his pardon. The Earl immediately accompanied the envoy to Mellifont, and at Dublin publicly re- newed his submission to the Queen, which he had scarcely made when he learned the tidings of her death. Upon the receipt of this intelligence he is said to have burst into a flood of tears, which he explained to be an excess of grief at the loss of so merciful a mistress, but historians have some- times otherwise interpreted his sorrow. After an unceasing struggle of 440 years, the enemies of the English crown were entirely sub- dued in this island, and an opportunity was pre- sented for the introduction of wholesome laws. c 3 46 HISTORICAL RECORDS. During the short administration of Carew, sheriffs were sent into the counties of Tyrconnel and Ty- rone, and itinerant judges through all the northern counties. The old Irish customs of tanistry and gavelkind were abolished by judgment in the king’s bench, and Irish estates made hereditary, according to the course of the common law of England. James I. was proclaimed in Dublin on the 5th of April, 1603, and in the following month Char- les Lord Mountjoy, was appointed Lord Lieute- nant, and Sir Arthur Chichester Lord Deputy. In 1607, a conspiracy was entered into between the Lords Tyrone, Tyrconnell, Maguire, Delvin, and others, to surprise the castle of Dublin, cut off the Lord Deputy and Council, and establish a government of their own. The plot being disco- vered by one of the party, Tyrone, Tyrconnell, Macguire, and several of the conspirators, fled be- yond the seas, while some others of them were taken and executed. A convocation of the clergy was held at Dublin in 1614, by which articles of religion were established. In the course of this reign, various measures were resorted to for the purpose of inducing the people to conform to the established worship, and on the 21st of January, 1623, a proclamation was issued, requiring the Roman Catholic clergy, both regular and secular, to depart the kingdom in forty days. The early part of the reign of Charles I. was marked by violent dissensions between the con- tending parties, particularly respecting the esta- blishment of a college in Back-lane, for the edu- REBELLION OF 1641. 47 cation of Roman Catholic youth, without any authority from the state. It was shut up by the government in 1632, but afterwards restored dur- ing the administration of Lord Stratford. A committee of the House of Commons went over to England in 1640, to impeach the Earl of Stratford of various crimes alleged to have been committed by him during his government ; and in the fol- lowing year they presented petitions to the king and parliament of England, containing their grievances. The dreadful rebellion, which commenced in Ireland in 1641, will render that year for ever memorable. An attempt to surprise the Castle of Dublin on the 23d of October, by the Lord Ma- guire and other conspirators, was happily prevented by the discovery of Owen O’Connolly, and the vigilance of the Lords Justices, Sir William Par- sons and Sir John Borlase. Preparations were immediately made for a siege. Sir Francis Wil- loughby being appointed governor of the Castle, and Sir Charles Coote governor of the city. A thousand English, who had fled from the country, were formed into a regiment under Sir Charles Coote, together with two other regiments com- manded by Lord Lambert and Colonel Crawford. In December, Sir Simon Harcourt landing with 1200 men from England, took upon him the com- mand of the city, but being slain at the siege of Carrickmean, Sir Charles Coote again assumed the office of governor. The latter was killed at Trim in the following year, and was succeeded by Lord Lambert. 48 HISTORICAL RECORDS. The flames of this unnatural and bloody insur- rection were kindled by one Roger Moore, and kept alive by Macguire the lord of Enniskillen. The design of this conspiracy was the subversion of all the late establishments of property, by acts of settlement or otherwise ; the restoration of the native Irish to all that they had lost, either by the rebellions of their ancestors or by decisions at law ; and the complete re-establishment of the Romish religion. The inactivity of the lords jus- tices has never been satisfactorily explained : it appears not only blameable but suspicious; for little doubt exists that the nefarious conspiracy could have been smothered in its very cradle, had their lordships not wilfully disregarded the infor- mation laid before them. At first it was confined to Ulster: here Sir Phelim O’Nial ordered his followers to massacre all the Protestants of those parishes where he had been previously defeated. Lord Caulfield was basely murdered in one of O’Nial’s houses, whither he had been conveyed as a prisoner. The miserable Protestants and set- tlers were driven from town to town, like beasts, at the point of the bayonet : sometimes they were forced into the nearest house, which was then set on fire, while their persecutors stood around en- joying their tortures and cries. At the bridge of Portadown 190 were precipitated into the stream, while their murderers ran to the river side, and there plunged their bayonets into the unhappy beings who approached the shore struggling for life. Women are said to have been driven, in a state of absolute nudity, along the high way, by ARRIVAL OF THE POPE’S NUNCIO. 49 those of their own sex ; and children were torn untimely from the womb. After the trial and execution of Lord Macguire and his confederates, and notwithstanding the culpable indifference of Balase and his coadjutor Parsons, this insurrec- tion was terminated by the defeat of the rebels at Kilrush. The instrument of this deliverance was the Earl of Ormond, whose signal services, during this disgraceful civil war, were rewarded by a jewel of ^500 value, voted to him by the parliament, and the order of the garter bestowed on him by his royal master. The effects of this great rebellion, which com- menced in the year 1641, were such, that great part of the Island was reduced to the state of a dreary solitude, and scarcely a house remained undemolished except within the walls of towns. Sir William Petty, in his Political Anatomy, makes the number of Protestants who fell victims to the sanguinary spirit manifested throughout this rebellion amount to 37,000. As he was well skilled in calculation, and had surveyed the whole kingdom soon after that dreadful event happened, it is more than probable that his account was ac- curate. The commotions that followed for some years were comparatively trifling. In the north Robert Munro, a severe Scottish general, preserved to- lerable tranquillity, and by crafty negotiations, occupied the attention of the rebel leader, while Lord Ormond, by his great military and diplo- matic abilities, both suppressed violence, and treated for a peace with the Roman Catholic con- federates. The conditions proposed by him ap- 50 HISTORICAL RECORDS. peared to the confederates so satisfactory, that the blessings of peace were about to be restored, when Rinuncini, the Pope’s Nuncio, presented himself, and insisted upon a magnificent esta- blishment for the Romish clergy : this so much embarrassed the proceedings, that the treaty was instantly broken olf. But the attachment of Ormond to his unhappy master would not permit him to abandon the prospect of attaching so many faithful adherents to his cause : and having renewed his proposals, with some little altera- tions, they were received and approved by the confederates. Meanwhile Rinuncini addressed himself to Owen O’Nial and his band of rovers, and besought him to assist in enforcing the command of his Holiness to re-establish the Ro- mish Church throughout the kingdom. Owen gladly embraced an occupation that might lead to plunder, (his only mode of subsistence,) and, advancing towards a place called Benburb, en- gaged the English army commanded by Monro. Owen was successful, having killed upwards of three thousand of the British, with the loss only of seventy on his part. In this battle also fell Lord Blayney, a gallant officer. Ormond found himself now surrounded by dif- ficulties and dangers : the interference of Rinun- cini with the confederates, and his threats of excommunication against the moderate of his party : the increased violence of O’Nial, from his late victory at Benburb, and the treachery of Preston, who had yielded to the conditions of peace, contributed so much to harass and distract him, that he at last resolved upon resigning the ARRIVAL OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 51 lieutenancy of Ireland ; and brought home with him the regalia. In 1 646, the Marquis was compelled to surrender the city to the forces of the English Parliament, King Charles having completely lost his power. Colonel Michael Jones was made Governor, and he soon after gained a great victory over the Irish at Danganhill, in which the latter are said to have lost 6000 men. Jones considerably strengthened the fortifica- tions of the city ; and when the Marquis of Or- mond sat down before it in 1649, the governor raised the siege by a successful sally, on the 2d of August, by which he slew 4000 of the Mar- quis’s men, and took above 2500 prisoners. On the 24th of August, 1649, Oliver Cromwell landed at Dublin, as Lord Lieutenant and Com- mander-in-Chief under the Parliament, with an army of 13,000 men, and he immediately com- menced his career of conquest. A High Court of Justice was erected in Dublin in the following year, for the trial of such persons as had been guilty of murder during the rebellion, in which Sir Phelim O’Nial and others were condemned and executed. Under the government of Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard, Ireton, Lambert, Fleetwood and Henry Cromwell, son to the Protector, succes- sively held the office of Chief Governor of Ire- land. After the resignation of Richard Cromwell, in 1659, a party of general officers favourable to the royal cause, surprised the Castle of Dublin, and declared for a free Parliament. It was re- 52 HISTORICAL RECORDS. captured by Sir Hardress Waller, but he was ob- liged to surrender it in five days. The King’s declaration arrived soon after from Breda, which was accepted, and the Restoration accomplished. The Duke of Ormond being appointed Lord Lieutenant, took the oaths in 1662. The follow- ing year he discovered a conspiracy entered into by Jephson, Blood, Abbot, Warner, and some other discontented officers, for seizing the Castle of Dublin, which was happily frustrated, and four of the conspirators executed. When tranquillity seemed thus established, and a firm foundation laid for prosperity in future, the English colony in Ireland felt immediately the bad effects of that narrow, impolitic, and absurd na- tional jealousy, so often in those days displayed by the English parliament. From several causes obviously perceptible, particularly religious per- secution, which had driven thousands of indus- trious puritans to Holland and America, the rents of England had suffered a diminution to the annual amount of near two hundred thousand pounds. The views of some courtiers, who wished to dis- tress Ormond in his government, and the vulgar inclination of many to display the superiority of the English over the Irish nation, by oppressive exertions of authority, conspired to represent this decrease to have been occasioned by the impor- tation of Irish cattle. After some restrictions on this article of commerce, a bill was prepared for its total prohibition. This was opposed by un- answerable arguments ; but reasoning was fruit- less. At the moment when the English parliament JAMES II. PROCLAIMED. 53 was committing an outrage on reason as well as equity, the Duke of Buckingham exclaimed, — u none could oppose the design but such as had Irish estates or Irish understandings.” Receiving a challenge for this national insult from the gallant Lord Ossory, son to Ormond, Buckingham de- clining to tight, complained to the house, and Ossory was committed a short time to the tower. The King, though he abhorred its impolicy, found himself obliged to give his assent to this bill ; but he endeavoured, by his prerogative, to en- courage the trade, and alleviate the distresses of Ireland, which were rendered very great and per- plexing to Ormond. In the summer of 1670, John Lord Berkeley, Lord Lieutenant, mustered the whole of the army in Ireland on the Curragh of Kildare. During his absence, he committed the keeping of the City and Castle of Dublin to the Lord Mayor and City Militia. Severe measures were adopted in the latter part of this reign against the Roman Catho- lics, who were suspected of designs inimical to the government. Oliver Plunkett, the titular Primate, was sent to England, where he was ex- ecuted at Tyburn : and Peter Talbot, the titular Archbishop of Dublin, was imprisoned in Dublin Castle. By a proclamation issued on the 16th of October, 1678, all the clergy of that persuasion were ordered to depart the kingdom. James II. was proclaimed King on the 11th of February, 1684; the Duke of Ormond soon after delivered up the sword to the Primate and Lord Granard, as Lords Justices. 54 HISTORICAL RECORDS. On the 12th of February, 1686, Richard Tal- bot, Earl of Tyrconnell, was sworn into the office of Lord Lieutenant. He adopted such measures of severity against the Protestants, as compelled great numbers of them to leave their estates and concerns, and transport themselves to England. William, Prince of Orange, being called over by the English nation in 1688, to defend their liber- ties, James abdicated the crown, and fled to France. In March of the following year, he sailed from Brest, and landed at Kinsale on the 12th. He immediately proceeded to Dublin, where he found affairs equal to his most sanguine expecta- tions. Tyrconnel was wholly devoted to his in- terests, and his army amounted to near 40,000 men. James was immediately induced by circum- stances to the adoption of the most impolitic mea- sures. He called a Parliament on the 25th of March ; the act of settlement was repealed, and near 3000 Protestants attainted of high treason. The students of Trinity College were forcibly ejected, and the College occupied as a barrack for soldiers. The communion plate, library, and furniture were seized, and the chapel converted into a powder magazine. Christ Church was also seized, and five Protestants were forbidden to assemble together, either in public or private, upon pain of death. The Parliament granted him J?20,000 per month, to be levied on lands, and he afterwards raised as much more on chattels by his own prerogative. But these methods not proving adequate to his DEPARTURE OF JAMES. 55 present exigencies, King James resorted to ano- ther of the most arbitrary nature, and which, in the end, produced the most ruinous consequen- ces. Having seized on the engines and tools of one Moore, who had for some time enjoyed by patent the right of a copper coinage in Ireland, he established a mint for coining money of the w orst kind of brass. Old guns, broken bells, and household utensils of the basest kind were col- lected, and from every pound weight of this me- tal, valued at three or four pence, pieces were coined to the nominal amount of £ 5 . Brass and copper becoming scarce, other materials were made use of, as tin and pewter, and of this sort of money was coined, according to the Master of the Mint’s account, ^1,596,799. With this currency, king James’s soldiers were paid, and all tradesmen who refused to take it in payment were threatened with the severest penalties. On the 18th of April, Sir Cloudesley Shovel took a frigate out of the harbour of Dublin, laden with plate and other valuable moveables of the Irish nobility and gentry. James left Dublin soon after, at the head of 6000 French troops ; but the raising of the siege of Derry, and the vic- tory gained by king William at the Boyne, frus- trated all his hopes. After his defeat, he fled to the capital, where he continued but one night, and from thence repaired to Waterford, and em- barked for France. The city was now threatened w T ith anarchy. Most of king James’s civil officers had fled, and the suburbs were in flames ; but the Castle having been surrendered to a military 56 HISTORICAL RECORDS. officer of the house of Kildare, he succeeded in preserving order until assistance was obtained from king William’s camp. The decisive battle of Aughrim, and the surrender of Limerick, which took place in the following year, terminated the war in Ireland. During the reign of William and Mary, means were resorted to for the farther security of the Protestant religion. In 1698, in consequence of representations made to king William by English traders, who apprehended a competition of the Irish in the woollen manufacture, the parliament of Ireland was required to make laws for the discouragement of this object of industry. Notwithstanding the compliance of the Irish, the English parliament passed an act which virtually amounted to a total prohibition of the exportation from Ireland of any cloth made of wool, or containing any mix- ture of that substance. The immediate effect of the prohibitory laws was poverty and distress to the Irish, especially in the south, where the linen manufacture had not been established. From the establishment of the acts of settlement and explanation, this country had rapidly encreased in wealth and improvement, to the admiration and^envy of her neighbours, till it was again laid waste by the revolutionary wars under William the Third ; and even from this calamity it was recovering with such quickness, that in 1698, the balance of trade in its favour amounted to between four and five hundred thou- sand pounds. Deprived of the means of assist- ORIGIN OF THE WHITE BOYS. 57 ance at home, thousands of Irish manufacturers emigrated to France and other countries, where they assisted the inhabitants in the augmentation of the quantity, and improvement of the quality, of their woollen cloths, and established corres- pondences by which vast quantities of Irish wool were carried clandestinely to these countries. Thus the foreign demand for English cloth was prodigiously more lessened than it ever could have been by any exertions of Irish industry at home. In consequence of the restrictions and prohibi- tions imposed by the English legislature on the trade and manufactures of Ireland at this period, the people were reduced to such a state of wretch- edness, that the famous Dean Swift, a zealous patriot for the Irish nation, and actuated with uncommonly great philanthropy, declared that he a rejoiced at a mortality, as a blessing to indivi- duals and the public.” The nation was afflicted with several famines in the eighteenth century ; and the emigrations to America, especially of Protestants from Ulster, became more and more frequent. In the year 1759, and under the administra- tion of the Duke of Bedford, an alarming spirit of insurgency appeared in the south of Ireland, which manifested itself by the numerous and fre- quent risings of the lower class of Roman Catho- lics, dressed in w hite uniforms, whence they were denominated White Boys ; but they were encou- raged, and often headed, by persons of their own persuasion of some consideration. They were armed with guns, sw ords, and pistols, of which 58 HISTORICAL RECORDS. they plundered Protestants, and they marched through the country, in military array, preceded by the music of bag-pipes, or the sounding of horns. In their nocturnal perambulations, they enlisted, or pressed into their service, every per- son of their own religion who was capable of serving them, and bound them by oaths of se- crecy, of fidelity and obedience to their officers ; and those officers were bound by oaths of alle- giance to the French King, and Prince Charles, the pretender to the crown of England, — which appeared by the confession and the informations of several of the insurgents, some of whom were convicted of high treason and various other crimes. The pretext they made use of for rising and as- sembling was, to redress the following grievances : the illegal enclosure of commons, the extortion of tythe-proctors, and the exorbitant fees exacted by their own clergy, though it appeared that they were deeply concerned in encouraging and fo- menting them in the commission of outrages. They committed dreadful barbarities on such persons as hesitated to obey their mandates, or refused to join in their confederacy ; they cut out their tongues, amputated their noses or ears ; they made them ride many miles in the night on horse- back, naked, or bare-backed ; they buried them naked, in graves lined with furze, up to their chins ; they plundered and often burned houses ; they houghed and maimed cattle ; they seized arms, and horses, which they rode about the country, and levied money, at times even in the day. ORIGIN OF THE VOLUNTEERS. 59 In the year 1779, when England was involved in a w ar with the French, Spaniards, and Ameri- cans ; w hen the combined naval armaments of the enemy w ere superior in point of number to the channel fleet ; when constant and well-grounded apprehensions were entertained that Ireland would be invaded, the loyalty of her Parliament, trem- bling for the fate of the empire, left the kingdom almost destitute of any military force for its de- fence. At the same time, what little commerce she then enjoyed w r as completely stagnated by privateers, which constantly hovered on her coast* In this critical juncture, some maritime towns, dreading that they might be plundered by the latter, applied to government for a military force for their defence ; but received in answer, that they must arm and defend themselves. This gave rise to the volunteers, of which nu- merous bodies were immediately raised, who sup- plied themselves w ith arms ; and government, wishing to encourage the laudable spirit which the Irish nation showed, distributed immense quanti- ties among them. It is most certain, that these military associa- tions deterred the French from attempting an in- vasion of the kingdom, which they meditated at that time ; and they completely preserved the police of the country. Though self-embodied, armed, and disciplined, they not only showed the greatest respect for the laws, but the utmost zeal in enforcing the execution of them. By their exertions they checked, in some de- gree, the barbarous outrages committed by the 60 HISTORICAL RECORDS. White Boys from the year 1780 to the year 1784, when the institution began to languish. In Mun- ster these were succeeded by a set of insurgents called Right Boys in 1786, who resembled them in every respect, except in the title which they assumed. They soon proceeded from one act of violence to another, and established such a system of ter- ror, that landlords were afraid to distrain for rent, or to sue by civil process for money due by note. They took arms from Protestants, and levied mo- ney to buy ammunition ; they broke open gaols, set fire to hay and corn, and even to houses, es- pecially to those occupied by the army. At last they had the temerity to threaten the cities of Limerick and Cork, and the town of Ennis, the capital of Clare, with famine ; and took measures to prevent farmers and fishermen from conveying supplies of provisions to them. They proceeded by such a regular system, that they established a kind of post-office, for communication, by which they conveyed their notices with celerity for the purposes of forming their meetings, which were frequent and numerous. This spirit of insurrection spread over most parts of Munster. The conspirators bound each other by oath to resist the laws of the land, and to obey none but those of Captain Right ; and so strictly did they adhere to them, that the High Sheriff of the county of Waterford could not pro- cure a person to execute the sentence of the law on one of these miscreants who was condemned to be whipped at Carrick-on-Suir, though he of- MEETINGS OF DELEGATES. 61 fered a large sum of money for that purpose. He was, therefore, under the necessity of perform- ing that duty himself, in the face of an enraged mob. On the 9th of October, 1783, delegates from all the corps of the province of Leinster assem- bled at the Royal Exchange of Dublin, when Reform of Parliament, and the admission of Ro- man Catholics to the elective franchise were pro- pounded. On Monday the 10th of November, 1783, the grand national convention of volunteers, consist- ing of delegates from every county in the king- dom, met at the Royal Exchange in Dublin, marched in regular procession to the Rotunda, where they opened their session, and entered into deliberation, on new modelling the constitution. Some men, distinguished in Parliament for wis- dom, virtue, and eloquence, were so much heated with the phrenzy of innovation which then pre- vailed, that they took the lead in that singular assembly, which was said in most of the public prints to consist of the real representatives of the people. On the 20th of May, 1784, delegates from all the volunteer corps in the city and county of Dublin resolved unanimously, that the training to the use of arms every honest and industrious Irishman, however moderate his property, or de- pressed his situation, was a measure of the utmost utility to this kingdom, and would produce a va- luable acquisition to the volunteer arms and inte-* D 62 HISTORICAL RECORDS. rest. Similar resolutions were entered into in different parts of the kingdom. On Monday, the 27th of February, 1792, an event happened which filled all loyal subjects with alarming apprehensions, and with ominous conjectures, lest the malignant designs of the traitors, who were numerous at that time in the metropolis, might terminate in its destruction. About the hour of four o’clock on that day, when the House of Commons were in a Committee, a Member, imagining that he perceived the smell of fire, sent some of the servants to the dome of the edifice, and they immediately announced that it was on fire. The Members, having instantly retired to the opposite side of the street, saw the flames bursting from it in several places, and in opposite directions, and the whole was instantly in a blaze. The utmost exertion, with all the buckets and engines of the city, were used to extinguish it, but in vain ; for that magnificent edifice was entirely consumed. The effect of the exclusive system which conti- nued to be practised by the English nation was, that in 1779, assemblies held in Dublin and Water- ford entered into resolutions, which were after- wards generally adopted throughout the Island, not to import from Britain any articles of mer- chandize which could be produced by industry at home, until the unreasonable restrictions on Irish commerce should have been removed. Thus was employment given to manufacturers, of whom be- tween twenty and thirty thousand had been, from COMMERCIAL ARRANGEMENTS. 63 the want of a demand for the products of their workmanship, maintained by public charity. Some evidence was also displayed to the British people of the bad consequences which might result from their pertinacity in unjust conduct towards this kingdom. But an argument of a much more cogent nature was advanced by the volunteer asso- ciations, which soon after assumed a formidable aspect. To allay discontents caused by a deficiency of trade, which had arisen, particularly in Dublin, to riots and acts of violence, a treaty between Great Britain and Ireland, the articles of which w ere termed commercial propositions, founded on the basis of the mutual admission of the merchan- dize of the tw r o kingdoms on equal terms, was proposed by Pitt in 1785, and at first well re- ceived by the parliament of Ireland. But after- wards, when the propositions were augmented in number, and the system so new-modelled as ap- parently to encroach on the freedom of the Irish legislature, such a clamour was raised, that though a majority of nineteen appeared in the House of Commons in its favour, the measure was wholly abandoned by the ministry. In 1795, for the apparent purpose of conciliat- ing the people of Ireland in general, particularly the Catholics, Earl Fitzwilliam was appointed Viceroy, and authorised to effectuate what w r as called catholic emancipation, — a removal of all political differences whatsoever between Protest- ants and Catholics. A bill to that effect was pre- pared ; but before it could pass into a law, ano- 64 HISTORICAL RECORDS. ther viceroy was appointed — Earl Camden — under whose administration the bill was rejected. Discontents arose far higher after this transac- tion. A body of men, styling themselves the society of United Irishmen, which had been in- stituted in 1791 5 for the obtaining of catholic emancipation and parliamentary reform, proceed- ed now to form a new system, dark and deeply planned, for the combining of all malcontents of every religion in a grand conspiracy, to overturn the existing government, to separate Ireland from her political connexion with Britain, and to esta- blish a commonwealth in alliance with France. Their plan of association, formerly public, was now quite secret. While it was forsaken by mo- derate men, it was extended from the north among the lower classes throughout the kingdom, and assistance was required from France for an in- tended insurrection ; but from an error in the cor- respondence, the auxiliary armament was sent at a time quite unexpected, when, consequently, no preparations had been made to co-operate with it. A squadron from Brest, with fifteen thousand soldiers, under General Hoche, was so dispersed by a storm, that only a portion of it arrived, in the concluding part of December, at the Bay of Bantry, where the country appeared so hostile that no debarkation was attempted. If the troops sent on this expedition could have been landed, the consequence, in all probability, would have been fatal, as the opposing army was in a wretched state of disorder, unfit to prevent the advance of the invaders, whose success would have quickly RETROSPECT OF IRISH AFFAIRS. 65 encouraged the disaffected to rise in arms in every quarter. The desolation would have been in the first instance deplorable, as the royal troops, to preclude subsistence to the French, had orders to lay waste a great extent of country, including many towns, particularly the great city of Cork, the conflagration of which would have destroyed the value of many millions. Some restrictive acts of Parliament had already been passed, among which was the convention bill, in 1793, for the prevention of assemblies convened under the pretence of framing petitions to Government ; but ministers at length proceed- ed to the very extreme of coercion, by contriving to give virtually to magistrates and military offi- cers an unbounded licence to maltreat their fel- low-subjects. No proofs were required, but private information real or pretended. That the latter was too often the case may well be suspect- ed from private malice, or a cruelty of disposition, which disposed some to delight in the tortures of their fellow creatures. The existence of such men was fully proved in the reign of terror to which Ireland was subjected. Numerous were the acts of petty tyranny unknown to the public, as the publication of such would have drawn ven- geance on the publishers. Beside the multitudes sent to the fleet, or to jails, and cruelly used in their captivity, numbers were variously tortured, particularly by flogging, for the real or pretended purpose of forcing them to make discoveries con- cerning the conspiracy. The army was so mise- rably licentious, that the gallant Abeicrombie, d 2 66 HISTORICAL RECORDS. when he was not permitted to bring it under dis- cipline, resigned the nominal command, as he could not hear the disgrace of presiding over an armed rabble. The office was conferred on Ge- neral Lake, who was not subject to such a scru- ple. The military character was sadly degraded. Officers were employed as spies, and fencible regiments were instituted, in which such men as common drummers and pedlars were made cap- tains and lieutenants. Great numbers of houses, with their furniture and provisious were burned by these licentious troops, and the miserable inhabitants left to seek food and shelter whereso- ever they might find them. With true nobility of soul, earl Moira made the most strenuous efforts both in Britain and Ireland, but in vain, to pro- cure a mitigation of what he termed cc the most absurd, as well as the most disgusting tyranny that any nation ever groaned under.” To render abortive the scheme of rebellion, a system of coercion was doubtless quite necessary; but the system put in practice was enormously w icked, and productive of the most rueful misery. As half a million of men appear to have been sworn into the conspiracy, their insurrection would most probably have been successful, since the army destined to oppose them was inefficient from want of discipline. From the tortures of individuals no discoveries of importance could be procured for the frustration of the plot, as the sufferers were unable to make any disclosures. They knew not at all who were those leaders, by whose orders, conveyed through secret chan- REBELLION OF 1798. 67 nels, they were directed ; so artificially contrived had the system been. By a discovery, made from motives wholly un- connected with the plan of coercion, Government was at length enabled to take effectual measures for the suppression of the conspiracy. Struck with remorse, Thomas Reynolds, a Catholic gen- tleman, gave such information to William Cope, a merchant of Dublin, as led to the arrest of all the members of the provincial committee of Leinster, and ultimately to that of the members of the directory, the supreme council by which the whole system of rebellion was arranged. As his information saved Ireland, and perhaps the Bri- tish Empire, from ruin, he received a reward of five thousand pounds, and a pension of fifteen hundred. Every part of the plan being thus made fully known to Government, all measures for its frustration were at the critical time adopted, by the arresting of the leaders, and the arrangement of troops. In consequence of the information referred to, Major Swan, attended by twelve serjeants in coloured clothes, arrested the Leinster delegates, thirteen in number, while sitting in council in the house of Oliver Bond in Bridge-street, on the 12th March, 1798 ; and seized at the same time the papers which led to the discovery'of the plot, and the intended insurrection ; and on the same day, Thomas A. Emmett, a barrister, William James M c Nevin, Messrs. Bond, Sweetman, Henry Jackson and Hugh Jackson: and warrants were granted against Lord Edw ard Fitzgerald, Richard 68 HISTORICAL RECORDS. McCormick and Counsellor Sampson, who were all leaders in this conspiracy ; but the three last made their escape. It is certain that the leaders of the conspiracy did not intend to bring forward an insurrection till the French came to their assistance ; and they meant in the mean time to continue to encrease their numbers, and to add to their stock of arms ; but in the spring of 1798, the delusion of the people was so rapidly and so extensively yielding to the wise measures of government, who, while they treated with severity the obstinately guilty, in every instance held forth mercy to the repent- ant, that the chief conspirators both in Dublin and in the provinces began to perceive that their cause was losing ground, and they had no alter- native but to hazard a general rising, or to relin- quish their hopes. As it was discovered through various channels of information, that Lord Edward Fitzgerald was the principal leader of the conspiracy ; and as it appeared by papers found in his writing desk, that his designs were of a most dangerous and malignant nature, a proclamation issued on the 11th of May, offering a reward of £1000 for ap- prehending him. On the night of the 1 1th of May, Justice Swan, Major Sirr^ and Captain Ryan, discovered and seized five pieces of cannon — two six-pounders and three four-pounders — in a brewer’s yard in North King-street; and on Thursday preceding, Major Sirr seized in Bridgefoot-street 500 pike handles, from nine to fourteen feet long. REBELLION OF 1798. 69 As Lord Edward Fitzgerald had absconded since the 12th of March; and as Government had the strongest reasons for thinking that he was unre- mittingly attentive in forwarding the conspiracy in which he was so deeply engaged ; and as he had always displayed great courage, and conside- rable abilities as an officer, they were under ap- prehensions that he w as doing very great mischief wherever he happened to be. On the 18th of May, Major Sirr having re- ceived private intelligence that he would pass through Watling-street that night; that he would be preceded by a chosen band, as an advanced guard ; and that he would be accompanied by another, repaired thither, attended by a few sol- diers in coloured clothes. They met the party which preceded him, and had a skirmish with them on the quay at the end of Watling-street, in which some shots were exchanged ; and they took one of them prisoner, who called himself at one time Jameson, at another time Brand. The arrest of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, which was effected next day, the 19th of May, in the following manner, tended very much to defeat the malignant designs of the conspirators, as he was the chief projector of the intended insurrec- tion, and they entertained the highest opinion of his cpurage and military abilities : Government, having received positive informa- tion that he had arrived in Dublin, and was lodged at the house of one Murphy, a feather-man, in Thomas-street, sent Major Sirr to arrest him. He, attended by Captain Swan, of the Revenue Corps, 70 HISTORICAL RECORDS. and Captain Ryan of the Sepulchre’s, and eight soldiers disguised, about five o’clock in the even- ing, repaired in coaches to Murphy’s house. While they were posting the soldiers in such a manner as to prevent the possibility of an escape, Captain Swan, perceiving a woman run hastily up stairs, for the purpose, as he supposed, of alarm- ing Lord Edward, followed her with the utmost speed ; and on entering an apartment, found Lord Edward lying on a bed, in his dressing jacket* He approached the bed, and informed his Lord- ship that he had a warrant against him, and that resistance would be vain ; and he assured him at the same time that he would treat him with the utmost respect. On that, Lord Edward sprang from the bed, and snapped a pistol, which missed fire, at Cap- tain Swan. He then closed with him, drew a dagger, gave him a wound in the hand, and dif- ferent wounds in the body ; one of them, under the ribs, was deep and dangerous, and bled most copiously. At that moment Captain Ryan entered, and missed fire at Lord Edward with a pocket pistol ; on which he made a lunge at him with a sword- cane, which bent on his ribs, but affected him so much, that he threw himself on the bed, and Captain Ryan having thrown himself on him, a violent scuffle ensued, during which Lord Edward drew a dagger, and plunged it into his side. They then fell on the ground, where Captain Ryan received many desperate wounds; one of which, in the lower part of his belly, was so large, that REBELLION OF 1798 . 71 his bowels fell out on the floor. Major Sirr, hav- ing entered the room, saw Captain Swan bleeding very much, and Lord Edward advancing towards the door, while Captain Ryan on the floor, and in the woeful state described, was holding him by one leg, and Captain Swan by the other ; he therefore fired at Lord Edward with a pistol, and wounded him in the shoulder, on which he cried out for mercy, and surrendered himself. His Lordship was then conveyed to the Castle, but was on the point of being rescued before he left Thomas-street ; for Edward Ratigan, a major of the rebels, assembled a great number of them, and gave them a considerable quantity of carbines and pikes out of St. Catherine’s watch-house, of which he was a director, and called on them to rescue Lord Edward, which they would have effected, but that Major Sirr received the assistance of the Rainsford-street guard, and the picquet guard of the Castle, consisting mostly of cavalry, for which he had seasonably sent a messenger. The arrest of Lord Edward visibly occasioned a strong sensation among the mass of the people in Dublin, as their hopes of getting possession of the metropolis on the approaching insurrection which they meditated, rested much on his valour and skill as an officer. Numbers of them were seen going from one part of the tow n to the other, with a quick pace and a serious countenance. Others were perceived in small parties, convers- ing with that seriousness of countenance and energy of gesticulation, which strongly indicated the agi- tation of their minds. A rising to effect a rescue 72 HISTORICAL RECORDS. was expected that night ; the yeomen, therefore, and the garrison, remained on their arms all night, and were so judiciously disposed as to prevent the possibility of an insurrection. By the papers found in Lord Edward’s writing- box, and on his person, the extent of the plot, and the malignant designs of the persons engaged in it, were discovered. Major Sirr found in his lodgings at Murphy’s a green uniform, turned up with black, and a cu- rious cap of the same colour, which he was to have worn when he headed the insurrection ; and at the same time the official seal of the Irish union. On the 4th of June, Lord Edward Fitzgerald died in the gaol of Newgate. During his con- finement he often enquired with apparent solici- tude, of Mr. Gregg, the gaoler, and those persons who attended him, of the state of the metropolis, and the kingdom in general. Any extraordinary noise which he might hear, he imagined to be occasioned by the explosion of the conspiracy which he had planned. As the execution of Clinch on the 2d of June, attended by a numerous body of troops, and a vast concourse of people, occasioned much noise in the metropolis, he anxiously enquired the cause of it ; and having been informed, it affected him so much, as almost to put him into a state of de- rangement. Lady Louisa Conolly, his aunt, at- tended by the Earl of Clare, visited him the day before his death, but he was completely delirious. It was a most affecting scene, as the degraded and deplorable state to which his crimes and misfor- REBELLION OF 1798. 73 tunes had reduced him, made a very deep im- pression on that very amiable and respectable lady. Lord Edward had served with reputation in the 15th regiment, during a great part of the American war, and on many occasions had dis- played great valour and considerable abilities as an officer. When in the army, he was considered a man of honour and humanity, and was much es- teemed by his brother officers for his frankness, courage, and good nature, — qualities which he was supposed to possess in a very high degree. After the war he retired on the half-pay list ; but having again entered into the service, he obtained the majority of the 54th regiment, quartered at St. John’s, New Brunsw ick, on the bay of Fundy, and joined it in May, 1788. The follow ing adventure is a strong proof of that active mind and enterprizing spirit which he displayed on all occasions : — he set out from Fre- derick-town on the river St. John’s, for Quebec, in the winter of 1788, through woods and de- serts, which had never before been traversed by any European ; and without any other attendant than Captain Brisbane of his regiment, a guide, and his own servant, who was a negro. From the great depth of snow, they were obliged to wear snow-shoes, and they had no other pro- visions but what they carried on a sledge, which Lord Edward drew in his turn. This journey, which was some hundred miles, took them many weeks to perform. In the month of November, 1791, the regiment 74 HISTORICAL RECORDS. landed at Portsmouth, where Lord Edward re- ceived a letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Bruce of the same corps, from Naples, acquainting him that he was in a rapid consumption, and advising him to take proper measures for succeeding him ; but as his Lordship and his family were at that time in opposition in Parliament, he would not solicit a favour from Government, but at the same time expected that the commission would have been given to him without solicitation, though he had many competitors of longer standing. On hearing that Colonel Sturt succeeded to the commission, Lord Edward, soured with disap- pointment, and fired with indignation, repaired to Paris the latter end of the year 1791, or the beginning of the year 1792, and became, from disgust, an enthusiastic admirer of the extrava- gant political theories of the French, which were repugnant to, and subversive of the constitution under which he lived, but of whose defects he pretended to be a reformist ; and having mani- fested these principles without reserve, his Majesty thought proper to strike his name out of the list of the army ; but allowed him at the same time to sell his commission. The resul ts which followed, with regard to Lord Edward himself, have been already alluded to ; so deeply laid, however, had been the plan of insurrec- tion, that its fires, though generally extinguished or smothered, could not easily be prevented from partial explosion. The peasants around the capital, without leaders, almost without ammu- nition or other arms than clumsy pikes, arose at rebellion of 1798. 75 the time appointed, — the night of the twenty- third of May, — and so far acted on the origi- nal scheme, as to attempt, by simultaneous on- sets, the surprisal of the military posts, and the preclusion of the capital from external succour. They were every where defeated except in some quite unimportant attacks, their successes in which were not in any degree serviceable toward the forwarding their design. Perceiving that their cause was desperate, they proposed to surrender their arms, and return in peace to their homes. When a body of two thousand had thus been received into mercy, another body, assembled by appointment for the same purpose on the race- course of Kildare, was wantonly assailed, in its defenceless situation, by the troops of Sir James Duffe, who made a miserable slaughter, and doubtless would have butchered the whole of this unresisting multitude, if they had not been stop- ped in their career by the express command of General Dundas, on the faith of whose promise the rebels had repaired to this place. By such licen- tious acts, rebellion in that quarter was prolong- ed, the unfortunate insurgents thinking resistance safer than submission. The various events connected with the rebellion of 1798, are too recent to require repetition in this place. In the beginning of September of that year, an act of general pardon, with but few exceptions, was passed ; but it was not produc- tive of as much benefit as might have been ex- pected ; for robbery and assassination continued to be perpretated the whole of that year, and e 2 76 HISTORICAL RECORDS. till the end of the year 1799, in many parts of Leinster. Many horrid massacres of defenceless men, and various other acts of atrocity, were perpetrated by both parties, of whom the most cowardly were always the most cruel. Beside such massacres, numerous murders were committed under the forms of courts martial. The loss of property by the devastations of the rebellion seems to have been not less than three millions, On the 22d August, after the total suppression of the rebellion, 1100 French soldiers, sent out by the French Directory, were debarked from a small squadron in the Bay of Killala, in a part quite remote from the scene of insurrection, and where no signs of disaffection had appeared. This small body, under General Humbert, defeat- ed an army at Castlebar, prodigiously more nume- rous, but inefficient from want of discipline. This handful of invaders however was obliged to sur- render at Ballynamuck, on the 8th of September, and the partial rebellion in that quarter, excited by this invasion, was quickly suppressed. That 66 not a drop of blood was shed by the Connaught rebels, except in the field of war,” is worthy of notice. Another French squadron, with 5000 soldiers, appeared on the coast of Donegal in October, but was defeated without debarking its troops, by a British fleet. In one of the captured ships was found Theobald Wolfe Tone, the prin- cipal framer of the plan adopted by the United Irishmen in their associations. He was condemn- ed i but he prevented by suicide a public execution. REBELLION OF 1798. 77 At the close of 1798, the subject of the Union of Great Britain with Ireland, was submitted to public discussion by the dispersion of a pamphlet, and on the 22d of the following January, was debated in the Irish Parliament. A large majo- rity of the Lords declared in favour of a union ; but, in the House of Commons, after a most furi- ous resistance, the opponents of the measure were outnumbered by only one ; and afterwards, on the 24th, on a renewal of the debate, they dis- played a majority of five. The development of the new system was deferred till the following year ; and Ministers meanwhile made exertions with such success, that, in the Parliament reas- sembled in the January of 1800, a decisive majo- rity appeared on their side. The act of Union received the royal assent in the British Parliament on the 2d of July, and in the Irish on the 1st of August. The incorporation of the two kingdoms commenced on the 1st of the January ensuing, the first day of the nineteenth century ; and the Imperial Parliament of the British Islands, was first assembled on the 22d of that month. Commerce was regulated on equitable terms. The Church of Ireland was incorporated with that of Great Britain* One hundred commoners re- present the people of Ireland in the Imperial Par- liament, — two for each county, two for each of the great cities of Dublin and Cork, one for the University, and one for each of the remaining cities and towns of most consideration. Many boroughs were disfranchised, and as a compensa- tion to their owners, £15,000 were granted to 78 HISTORICAL RECORDS* each, the aggregate of which amounted to the sum of £1,260,000. To represent the Irish peerage, twenty-eight Lords temporal, elected for life, was the number decreed ; and four Prelates, taking their places in rotation, to represent the clergy. Towards the close of 1802, while the British Government was engaged in adopting measures to repel a foreign foe, domestic treason once more reared its head in Ireland, and for a moment threatened a renewal of the scenes of 1798. Though the mild and impartial conduct of Lord Hardwicke had conciliated the majority of those who had been implicated in the late rebellion, and others were cured of their republican mania by the issue of the French Revolution, yet some still remained who were but too willing to lend an ear to the seduction of political demagogues. The leaders in this insurrection were Mr. Robert Emmett and Mr. Thomas Russell, who had both experienced the clemency of Government after the rebellion of 1798. Emmett was the son of an eminent physician in Dublin, and brother to Mr. Thomas Addis Emmett, one of the self-styled Executive Directory, in 1798. He was a young man of fine talents, powerful eloquence, and a most sanguine temperament, and possessed a most extraordinary share of courage and activity. After residing for. some years in different parts of the Continent of Europe, particularly in France, these men returned to their native country towards the close of 1802; and while Russell proceeded to the north of Ireland to organize his plans of in- EMMETT. 79 surrection, Emmett repaired to the metropolis for a similar purpose. From this period until the following April, Mr. Emmett had resided in the neighbourhood of Dublin under the assumed name of Hewett. A malt-house of some extent was then taken in Mar- shall’s-alley, Thomas-street, a principal resort of the country-people. Here a depot of arms was formed on a large scale, and a considerable ma- nufacture of pikes was secretly carried on. Stores of arms and ammunition were at the same time deposited at the residences of other accomplices in convenient stations of the city. At the depot in MarshalPs-alley, Emmett lay for about two months on a paliasse, surrounded by about twenty of his associates. An explosion which took place in Patrick-street, had nearly discovered the conspiracy, when the plot was al- most ripe for execution ; but by the dexterity of the conspirators, or the security of the Govern- ment, the accident was overlooked. The evening of Saturday, the 23d of July, was at length fixed upon for an attack on the Castle, w hile the stop- ping of the mail coaches was to be the signal for revolt in the country. At nine o’clock, some rockets were fired, when Emmett, Quigley, Dowdall, and Stafford, rushed out of the depot with about fifty of their follow- ers, and took their station in Thomas-street. Their number was speedily increased to about five hundred, amongst whom pikes and other wea- pons were liberally distributed. At this critical moment, the carriage of Lord Ivilwarden, Lord 80 HISTORICAL RECORDS. Chief Justice of the King’s Bench, appeared in Thomas-street, towards which the infuriated and sanguinary multitude instantly rushed, and drag- ging this amiable nobleman, together with his ne- phew, the Rev. Arthur Wolfe, from the carriage, their bodies were, in a moment’s time, pierced with numerous mortal wounds. His Lordship’s daugh- ter was saved, it is said, by th® interference of two of the rebel leaders. The venerable Judge was carried to the watch-house in Vicar-street, and laid on the guard-bed dreadfully lacerated. Per- ceiving Major Swan standing near him, he eagerly enquired respecting the fate of his daughter, and being assured of her safety, he exclaimed with an emotion of gratitude to heaven, u Thank God 1” Meantime the force of the rebels continued to increase ; the number in Thomas-street and on the Coombe is supposed to have amounted to three thousand, arid a vast body of them was posted in High-street, one of the direct avenues to the Castle. These were commanded by a young man on horse- hack, who having in vain exhorted them to attack the Castle, at length abandoned them with im- precations. Some shocking instances of assassi- nation followed ; several soldiers and yeomen being shot or piked as they were proceeding to join their respective corps. The rebels received the first check from the intrepid conduct of Mr. Edward Wilson, a police magistrate, who ventured to approach the scene of insurrection with only eleven men. His little party was quickly surrounded by a body of nearly three hundred pikemen. Mr. Wilson, undis- EMMETT. 81 mayed, called upon them to lay down their arms, or he would lire. This intrepidity somewhat confused the rebels ; but one, bolder than the rest, advancing, w ounded Mr. Wilson in the belly with his pike ; he was, however, instantly shot dead by the wounded magistrate. The fire from the party at first threw the rebels into confusion, but Mr. Wilson was at length forced to yield to the number of his opponents, and retreat to the Coombe. The insurgents were soon after attacked by Lieutenant JBrady and forty men of the 21st fusi- leers, who, notwithstanding the smallness of their number, and though they were assailed by bottles and stones from the houses, and with shot from the alleys and entries, kept up so well directed a fire as compelled the multitude to fly in every di- rection. Lieutenant Coltman, of the 9tli foot, with a few men of his regiment, and some yeo- men, was also successful in dispersing the mob, and securing some of the most desperate offend- ers. The military now pouring in from various quarters, considerable slaughter ensued, and the insurrection w as completely quelled before twelve o’clock. Considerable military skill was manifested in the preparations made by the leaders. At their prin- cipal depot were found several thousand pikes, with an immense number of hand-grenades, formed of bottles, to which a fusee was fixed. These being filled with powder, bullets, rusty-nails, and other instruments of death, were adapted to be thrown in at windows, or among any bodies of e 3 82 HISTORICAL RECORDS. loyalists who might be collected. In the depot were also found a quantity of clothing, among which was a suit of green and gold, intended for some rebel general ; bread, porter, and other pro- visions for a considerable body of men, together with a number of machines formed of planks, which were set with large spikes for the purpose of impeding the progress of cavalry. Many of the conspirators were secured on the night of the insurrection, but four of the princi- pal leaders, namely, Emmett, Dowdall, Stafford, and Quigley, effected their escape for the present. Emmett and Dowdall reached the Wicklow moun- tains, but finding it necessary to separate, the former returned to Dublin, where he lay concealed for a month, until discovered by Major Sirr. This unfortunate young man was brought to trial on the 19th of September, and convicted on the clearest testimony. When called upon to know if he had any thing to say why sentence of death should not be passed upon him, he addressed the Court and Jury in the most eloquent language, and concluded in the following words : — u My lamp of life is nearly expired ; my race is finished ; the grave opens to receive me, and I sink into its bosom. All I request, then, at departing from the world, is the charity of its silence. Let no man write my epitaph, for as no man who knows my motives dare vindicate them, let not prejudice or ignorance asperse them : let them and me re- pose in oblivion and peace, until other times and other men can do justice to my character.” He was executed on the following day. EMMETT. 83 The well known lines by Moore — “ O breathe not his name, let it sleep in the shade, (i Where cold and unhonor'd his relics are laid,” were written in reference to this event. After one or two desultory efforts made by in- dividuals in different parts of the island, the spi- rit of insurrection was in a short time completely subdued ; and the country has since enjoyed a state of internal tranquillity, if we except the occasional petty outbreakings of Captain Rock and his gang, which it never before experienced for the same length of time ; and but for the party spirit which certain individuals, for interested motives, would willingly foment and render per- petual, there can be no doubt it would now grow rapidly into prosperity and happiness. Having thus hastily glanced at some of the most interesting and important facts in the history of Ireland, — in most of which Dublin, as the metropolis, was peculiarly concerned, — it only now remains for us to present such a description of the City and its present inhabitants, as will enable the Tourist to form a correct opinion as to the degree of improvement that has taken place with regard to each, by comparing them as they now are with what they were in former years ; while a few general observations on the climate, prevailing winds, and healthfulness of the country, it is presumed, will not be deemed out of place here. 84 MODERN DUBLIN. Dublin, the metropolis of Ireland, in popula- tion and extent the second city of the British empire, and supposed to be the sixth or seventh in Europe, is situated on the eastern coast of the Island, in lat. 53° 21' N., and long. 6° 15' W. It is traversed from west to east, and divided into nearly two equal parts by the Anna LifFey, — a river of considerable magnitude, which has its source about ten miles distant, in the county of Wicklow. Previous to the reign of Elizabeth, all the build- ings throughout the City, with the exception of the castle, towers, churches, and some of the houses appropriated to religious worship, (which were built of lime and stone of a very durable quality,) were composed of wattles daubed with clay. About that period the inhabitants began to build their houses in a more permanent and con- venient manner ; they were constructed with timber, in the cage-work fashion, and covered with slates, tiles, or shingles. From the inflam- mable nature of these materials, many parts of the city were from time to time completely destroyed by conflagrations. In the reign of James I., stone or brick began to be commonly used in the construction of pri- vate habitations, and from that period the city has continued progressively to increase both in extent and beauty. In 1610, the entire circuit of its walls, which were wholly confined to the STREETS AND SQUARES. 85 south side, did not exceed a mile. Now, the length of the city from east to west is little short of three miles, and its breadth almost equal. The number of streets, lanes, &c. did not amount to 30, now there are above 800 streets, squares, lanes, alleys, courts, &c., more than 22,000 houses, and above 200,000 inhabitants. Since the former period, nearly the whole of the north side of Dublin has been built ; and Grange-Gorman, Sto- ney-batter, and Glassmanogue — villages then at a considerable distance — have been united to the city ; Rutland and Mountjoy- squares, with a num- ber of elegant and spacious streets, occupy the north-eastern part of this tract. All the ground upon which Essex-street, Temple-bar, Fleet-street, and the quays east of Essex-bridge, are situated, was under the dominion of the water. Dame- street was built only on the north side, and did not extend more than three hundred feet in length. College-green was then a village called Hogges, in which the public execution of criminals took place. On the east and south of George’s-lane, a space now occupied by Stephen’s-green, Mer- rion and Fitzwilliam-squares, little was to be seen but enclosed fields ; Golden-lane, Stephen-street, and South Great George’s-street having been at that time the boundary of the south-east limits of Dublin. To the eastward, on both sides of the river, streets and squares of the most spacious, airy, and elegant description, have been erected within the last fifty years. Fitzwilliam-square, together with several elegant streets, have recently been formed towards the south-east. Most of the streets 86 MODERN DUBLIN. are well paved ; many of them have recently been Macadamized in the centre for carriages, while on either side, generally speaking, and with the exception of that part of the city denominated the Liberty, there is a well-flagged foot-path. The city is lighted with gas, and the inhabitants enjoy a plentiful supply of excellent water from the Grand and Royal Canals, conveyed by pipes from large reservoirs, or basins, constructed at the north and south sides of the river. The city is encompassed by a circular-road, nearly nine miles in length, and nearly on three sides by the Grand and Royal Canals, which terminate in docks com- municating with the Liffey near its mouth. At an early period of its history, on account of the walls with which it was surrounded, and from the houses being built so close together, and the streets so narrow, the inhabitants were at various times visited with a kind of plague,* and also with a disease called the sweating sickness, i which carried off immense numbers in a very short space of time. At present, from the wideness and regularity of the streets, and the very deep sewers which run through every part of the city, carrying off whatever might prove offensive, or have a tendency to promote disease, Dublin is * In 1575 in the space of about four months the plague swept away about three thousand persons, and so depopulated the city, that grass grew in the streets. + The disease was peculiar to the English and Anglo* Hi- bernian colonists. It visited Dublin in 1485, and again in 1528, and carried off the Archbishop, the Lord Chancellor, and many eminent citizens. ATMOSPHERE. 87 esteemed one of the most healthy cities in Eu- rope,* — a circumstance somewhat extraordinary, considering the very great humidity of the atmos- phere of the country. It may not be improper to observe, that in Ireland the wind commonly does half the duty of the sun ; it dries the ground, and saves the harvest ; without it the country 'would be scarcely habitable. Lying so much to the westward, and so near the great body of the Atlantic, a very large proportion of its exhalations falls on its surface. Fanned by the zephyrs, the people of Ireland have the winters of Italy, and the summers of Tempe. Other countries in our latitude are perished in spring and early summer by east and north winds, caused by the melting of the snows on the continent, or the rarefaction of the air at the equator. This is seldom expe- rienced in Ireland to any considerable degree. It is true the zephyrs here are not always of the mildest description ; when the condensed vapours of the Atlantic are precipitated on the island, there is a pressure of the atmosphere, and a dis- * There are tea established markets for the sale of butchers’ meat, poultry, drc. namely, Meath-market in the Liberty ; Ormond-market, on Ormond-quay ; Castle- market, between South Great George’s-street and William-street; Patrick’s- market; City-market, Blackhall-row ; Clarendon-market, in William-street; Fleet-market, in Townsend* street ; Rotunda, or Norfolk-market, in Great Britain-street ; and Leinster- market, in D’Olier* street. The meat in these markets is ge- nerally of excellent quality ; but just complaints are made of the want of public slaughter-houses, which occasions an accu- mulation of filth in some of them, that is often highly of- fensive. '88 MODERN DUBLIN. engagement of air, that frequently threatens to sweep all before it. The west and south-west winds prevail most during the winter months ; the westerly winds in summer and autumn ; and the east, north-east, and north winds in spring. These latter are much dreaded by valetudinarians residing in Dublin, as they are considered the most insalubrious and unpleasant, coming directly from the sea, bearing with them the cold of the northern parts of Europe, and their violence be- ing unbroken by any high land in the vicinity. The westerly and south-west winds are found to be the most healthy and agreeable ; and Provi- dence has so ordered it, that these winds blow, on an average, for eight months in the year. The summer in Dublin is remarkably pleasant — the heat is scarcely ever sultry or oppressive, Fahren- heit’s thermometer seldom exceeding seventy- eight, while the west wind which generally pre- vails is bracing and elastic. The winter is equally mild and open ; frosts being seldom severe or of long duration, and the snow, which generally falls in partial showers, seldom lying on the ground for more than a day or two at any time. There have, of course, been exceptions to this, from time to time. The year 1813 was memorable for a remarkable fall of snow, which lay on the ground for months. Thunder and lightning are rather unusual visitants, and in general completely harmless in their effects. They have, however, visited the city in an awful form. In 1808, a storm of thunder and lightning commenced from the east at eleven o’clock at night, and lasted STATE OF SOCIETY AND MANNERS. 89 without intermission till two in the morning. The electric cloud appeared to burst directly over the city, where it remained stationary. The profound darkness — the vivid flashes — the incessent peals of thunder — excited in the inhabitants, unused to such a solemn scene, the most anxious alarm. They quitted their beds, and continued all night in considerable terror. Happily, however, no se- rious injury was sustained by any one. STATE OF SOCIETY AND MANNERS. Previous to the Union, Dublin was the con- stant or occasional residence of 271 temporal and spiritual Peers, and 300 members of the House of Commons. At present, about half a dozen Peers, and some fifteen or twenty Members of the House of Commons have a settled dwelling within its precincts. Other persons of this exalted class of society, whom business or amusement may draw to the capital occasionally, take up their re- sidence at one of the hotels, of which there are upwards of forty in the city. The resident gentry of Dublin now amount to about 2,000 families, including clergymen and physicians, besides nearly an equal number of lawyers and attornies, who occasionally reside there. The families engaged in trade and commerce are calculated at about 5,000, and the whole may yield a population of 60,000 or 70,000 in the higher and middle ranks of society. The change which has taken place, though injurious to commercial prosperity, has, 90 MODERN DUBLIN. perhaps, in an equal proportion, proved beneficial to public morals ; the general character of the in- habitants, which was once gay and dissipated, has now become more serious and religious, and those sums formerly lavished on expensive plea- sures, are now happily converted to purposes of a much more exalted nature. Formerly there were seven theatres well supported, at present the only one which remains is frequently but very thinly attended. Club-houses and gaming- tables are nearly deserted ; and even among the lower classes, vice of every kind has visibly diminished. Besides the levees and the assemblies occasion- ally held at the Castle, balls and concerts are frequently given at the Rotunda for charitable purposes, which are generally well attended. TJie King’s Birth-day is observed with much ce- remony in Dublin. It commences with a grand review of the troops in the Phoenix Park, by the Lord Lieutenant, which is succeeded by a levee at the Castle, to which the Lord Mayor, Aider- men, and Sheriffs proceed in state ; the Marine and Blue-coat boys march through the city, and the mail coaches, splendidly equipped, move through the principal streets, preceded by a band of music. A material change is observable in the manners of the populace of Dublin ; their ancient amuse- ments of bull-beating, hurling, cudgel-playing, and wrestling, are almost wholly laid aside. They are still, however, careful to observe memorable days, particularly the festival of St. Patrick, state of society and manners. 91 which is distinguished by the shamrock being al- most universally worn, and copious libations of the native beverage are poured out to the patron saint. A grand ball and supper is given on that night at the Castle. On St. John’s Day, (the 24th of June,) vast numbers resort to St. John’s Well, near Island- bridge, to drink its waters, which are supposed on that day to be peculiarly efficacious for the cure of diseases. A number of tents are pitched around. Throughout the country bonfires are ge- nerally lighted on the eve of the festival. On St. James’s Day, (the 25th of July,) the church-yard denominated after that saint is usually thronged with persons decorating the graves of their deceased relatives, and rude figures of their departed friends are frequently laid or hung around the spot which contains their mortal remains. Holy Eve is generally observed with the same ce- remonies as in other places ; but all these ancient customs are now getting much into disuse. The Fair of Donny brook is considered the Carnival of the Dublin populace, where the na- tive character of the Irish is displayed to full advantage. It is held in the month of August, at a village of that name in the south suburbs of the city. It is proclaimed in a formal manner, is attended by police officers to preserve order, and lasts a whole week, during which every species of amusement is resorted to, and every kind of athletic exercise put in practice. Pitched battles frequently take place, but a life is rarely lost. Pipers, fidlers, and dancers fill the tents, and ~92 MODERN DUBLIN. shows of wild beasts and other spectacles are to be found here as at Bartholomew Fair. During the fair, every avenue to Donnybrook is crowded with vehicles of all descriptions, and such is the attachment of the people to these amusements, that at the expiration of the allotted period, the Lord Mayor is obliged to go in person, and strike the tents. Whiskey is still the favourite beverage of the lower classes ; it is yet pleasing to observe, that among the better orders its consumption within the last few years has considerably diminished.^ The following sketch of the Irish metropo- lis, by u an American Tourist ,” who travelled through Ireland about 20 years since, will not, perhaps, be considered out of place ; unfortunately the descriptions, although a little too highly co- loured, are in many instances but too just, as the stranger travelling through this beautiful island has seldom much fault to find with the house or demesne of a gentleman ; but all his sympathies are called forth by seeing the miserably wretch- ed condition of the Irish cottager. As far as the eye can reach, tracts of ground are in the * It is not much more than half a century since this liquor came into general use, yet now there are six distilleries in Dublin, producing annually about 8,000,000 gallons of spirits, a large proportion of which is sent to other towns or exported. The following will shew the quantity of this liquor distilled each year in England, Ireland, and Scotland : Quantity of whiskey distilled in Ireland during Imp. Gal. the year ending 5th Jan. 1828 .. 8,200,919 Scotland, during the same period 4,752,199 England, 6,071,562 AMERICAN TOURIST. 93 possession of these poor people, who, having no- thing to lay out upon them but the sweat of their limbs, extort by reiterated toil what will barely keep their families from starvation, and pay their rents, but have not a shilling left with which to make any improvement. u This city,” Says the Tourist, a presents the most extraordinary contrast of poverty and mag- nificence to be met with in Europe.* As you approach it, you find the suburbs composed of hovels, the sides of which are partly stone and partly earth, the roofs of turf, the whole dimen- sions of each not exceeding twelve or fourteen feet square. These miserable caves may or may not have a hole for a window, and an aperture on the top, to let out the smoke, if the luxury of fire can be afforded. Around the door the dirty chil- dren are huddled — not one half are decently clad ; some of them still evince notions of civilization by slinking into a house, or turning their bare parts against a wall. I saw hundreds whose whole dress, consisting of a mass of rags, of all colours and all sorts of fabrics, will not furnish one piece of cloth eight inches square — and these tatters seemed to be sewed together only to prevent them deserting each other. Having passed the suburbs, the dwellings improve ; and, on reaching Sackville- street, you imagine yourself in one of the most elegant cities in Europe. In walking over the * It must, we suppose, be taken for granted, thatthe Ame- rican Tourist had not, at the time he wrote, visited Venice, or Rome, or many other cities on the continent, at the time be wrote ; otherwise he could not have ventured such an assertion. 94 MODERN DUBLIN# city ? the late Parliament House, (now the Bank,) the Exchange, the quay along the Liffey, and se- veral of the public squares, excite the stranger’s admiration. There is no part of London which can compare with the centre of Dublin in beauty and magnificence. But, in turning the eye from the architectural splendour which surrounds him, upon the crowds which flow along the streets, the stranger will be struck with the motley nature of the throng. Here is a lass almost buoyant with satin and feathers ; there is a trembling girl of eighteen, purple from cold, shrinking from shame, and drawing around her the poor rags which, with all her care, scarce cover her body ; here is an exquisite , perfuming the air as he passes, with rings on his fingers, diamonds on his brooch, and a gemmed quizzing-glass at his side ; there is an honest fellow who cannot afford a hat, whose feet, summer or winter, know not the luxury of shoe or stocking, and whose whole wardrobe con- sists of two articles, viz. a tattered jacket, and about half a pair of small-clothes ; and, not to multiply pictures, while the Lieutenant dashes by in a coach and four, the stranger gazes at the gallant and costly pageant, while he empties his pocket to satisfy the throng of beggars who pray him, in the name of God, to give them a penny.” Happily for the citizens and the traveller, the last remark does not now apply, as beggars are not allowed on the streets ; the Mendicity Society providing what is at least sufficient to keep them from starvation. Should the American T ourist have again occasion to visit the metropolis, he would find STREETS^ SQUARES} &C. 95 the state of things much improved ; although it must be admitted that in many parts of the inte- rior of the country his descriptions would still he found to be hut too faithful delineations of what still really exists, but, at least for a considerable distance around the city, the squalid wretched- ness and the miserable dwellings he describes, are not now to be met with. Previous to his entering on a minute examina- tion of each of the Public Buildings which have from time to time risen up to ornament and beau- tify the metropolis, we w ould recommend a stroll or a drive through the various Squares and Prin- cipal Streets. The best points of view will be obtained from Carlisle-bridge, which connects Sackville-street, the greatest leading street in the City, with W est- moreland-street. From this point, several views present themselves, unequalled in grandeur, beau- ty, and extent, by any which could be obtained from any one given point in any other city of Europe. — The long continued line of quays ex- tending right through the centre of the city from Ringsend Point to the Military-road, a distance of nearly three miles ; — In the direction of the Bay, the Custom House, rising at a little distance in all the beauty of truly classical architecture, and surrounded by ships and other vessels of consi- derable size, which approach quite close to the bridge ; — to the west, (the opposite direction,) the bridges, crowded with busy mortals passing and repassing ; — in the distant perspective, the Four Courts, and dilferent Churches, whose lofty domes 96 PUBLIC BUILDINGS. and rising spires are seen towering above the in- tervening buildings ; — while still further off, the Wellington Testimonial may be distinctly observed rising above the trees in the Phoenix Park ; — In front (to the north,) Sackville-street, one of the most splendid streets in Europe, having in its centre the noble Pillar erected to comme- morate the achievements of the immortal Nelson; on the left, the New Post Office, a specimen of elegant and chaste architecture, — the view being terminated by the Rotunda and Rutland-square ; — while on the south side, at the extremity of Westmoreland-street, (a modern and splendid pile of building,) stands Trinity College to the left, and to the right the eastern portico and wing of the Bank of Ireland, and College-green.* And here the Tourist will no doubt consider it a curious circumstance, that about 200 years since nearly the entire space that the eye can command from right to left, in this position, including the ground on which stands the new Custom House, the houses on the Bachelor’s- walk, the two Or- mond-quays, Inns-quay, &c. was entirely covered with ouse, and overflowed by the tides, to within about eighty yards of Trinity College on the south. * This spot was formerly the place of public execution. In the year 1328, Adam Dull’ O’Toole was burned here, having been convicted of blasphemy, in denying the incarnation of Christ and the Trinity in Unity; and for affirming that the Blessed Virgin Mary was a harlot; that there was no resur- rection ; that the Scriptures were a mere fable ; and that the Apostolical See was an imposture and usurpation. Roger Outlaw, the prior of Kilmainham, was accused of heresy at the same time, but he was honorably acquitted, * STEPHEN’S GREEN. 97 In passing along Sackville-street, the stranger will obtain a more correct idea of the effects which the Union produced on this fine metropolis, than any expression of language could afford, or than he could obtain from any other part of the city, if we except that specimen of the ruin of our ma- nufactures, the Liberty, which lies in a south-west direction. In Upper Sackville-street especially, he will remark a number of noble buildings ; — the greater proportion of them were originally intended to have been the town-residences of the nobility ; they are now, without a single exception, converted into hotels or places of meet- ing for public societies, shops, warehouses, &c. In the course of his peregrinations, the next objects worthy of the stranger’s notice, are the Public Squares — of which there are are five, spa- cious and beautiful — situated in different direc- tions to the north and south of the City. STEPHEN’S GREEN, In extent the finest square in the British empire, and probably in Europe, its circumference being nearly an English mile, and its centre, inside the public walk, containing 17 acres, — handsomely planted with shrubs and evergreens, and tastefully laid out in walks for the use of the proprietors of the surrounding houses ; in the middle stands a fine equestrian statue of George II. executed in brass, by Von Nost. This fine area is enclosed by an elegant railing, supported by a dwarf wall F 98 Stephen’s green. of hewn granite ; outside of which is a gravel walk twenty-two feet wide, enclosed from the public street by iron chains, connected together by a range of dwarf stone pillars, many of them sur- mounted by lamp irons, for gas lights. Of the plants and shrubs grouped and scattered through the enclosure, nearly 1000 are forest-trees, so that in a few years, when the timber acquires some additional growth, the beauty of the square will be much increased. Formerly this fine square was enclosed by a mean wall of plain masonry, varying from three to five feet high, shaded by two rows of spreading lime-trees. Immediately within this wall was a gravel walk, thirty-five feet wide, called the Beaux W alk, on account of the number of fashionables who made it a daily promenade ; this was separated by a deep fosse or ditch from the interior square, which comprehended about thirteen acres of level mea- dow ground, without any decoration except a low double quickset hedge, including a grass walk round the margin. The improvement of this noble square had long been talked of by the inhabitants, but it was not till it was seriously determined to appropriate it to another object that the improvement was de- termined on. About twenty years since, the Cor- poration of Dublin, to whom it belongs, exhibited a plan for dividing it into streets for building, which alarmed the inhabitants, who were naturally anxious that the finest square in Europe should not be destroyed. Nothing conclusive, however, was determined on till the successes of the Duke of Stephen’s green. 99 Wellington induced the citizens of Dublin to erect a trophy to commemorate his victories. As it was then in agitation to erect the trophy in Stephen’s Green, the inhabitants determined to effect their long meditated plan of improvement in conformity to the design. It appears that the managers for erecting the trophy, could not agree with the Com- missioners in the design ; it was therefore de- termined, not to admit it within the interior of the Green. The offensive ditch was, however, filled up, the old trees removed, and the walls and hedges levelled. After much debate on the propriety of removing the statue of George II. and substitut- ing some ornament more proportioned to the magnitude of the square, it was at length finally agreed on, that it should remain in its present site ; and a special clause is inserted in the lease, that it shall not be removed from the interior area except the express consent of his Majesty be previously obtained. It is intended, when the debenture debt of £ 6000 is paid off, to erect a grand Gothic Lodge for the gate-keeper, and though the immediate object be accomplished, the present tax on the inhabitants is to continue, for the effecting further improvements. In this square, besides the Surgeons’ Hall, or College of Surgeons, are many splendid private residences of the nobility and gentry. Here the Archbishop of Dublin, the Chief Baron, and se- veral other eminent individuals have their resi- dences. There are ten approaches to this square, viz. Grafton-street, South King-street, York-street, Cuffe-street, Harcourfc-street, Leeson-street, Ely- 100 MERRIGN SQUARE. place, Baggot-street, Kildare-street, and Dawson- street. MERRION SQUARE, Which ranks next in size to Stephen’s Green, and but a short distance from it, in an easterly direction, is situated in the south side of the city, and is about half a mile in circumference ; the en- closed square contains about 12| English acres, and is tastefully laid out in gravel walks and shrubberies. Instead of reducing its surface, as usual, to a perfect level, the person who planned the improvements has suited his decorations to the natural form of the surface, and thus at once produced a pleasing variety, and avoided a very considerable expense. The square is divided from the carriage-way by a plain, neat, iron palisade, on a substantial dwarf wall of mountain granite. This elegant square, though inferior in extent to Stephen’s Green, far excels it in every other re- spect : it is environed on three sides by lofty houses, all built in the modern style, and though not perfectly uniform, yet so nearly so in their form, elevation, and decorations, as not only not to hurt the eye, but, in the opinion of some, to please it by this trifling variety : they in no instance deviate from the same right line, and are 80 feet from the interior square, a distance which bears a due proportion to their own elevation, and the extent of the noble area they encompass ; this space is occupied by a carriage-way 60 feet wide, a FITZ WILLI AM SQUARE. 101 foot-way of ten feet, flagged with mountain gra- nite, and a spacious area secured by handsome iron railing. The foot-way on the north side is, on summer evenings, the resort of all that is > elegant and fa- shionable in this vicinity, and exhibits, in fine weather, a scene really interesting ; here the basement story is generally of mountain granite, the other sides of the square are entirely of brick, and possess as much elegance as the plain uninte- resting style of building at present adopted in the town residences of our gentry and nobility will admit, but far inferior to the effect produced by fronts of hewn stone, embellished with the graces of Greek and Roman architecture. There are several splendid mansions in this square, and the approaches to it are Upper Mer- rion-street, Fitzwiiliam-street,Upper Mount-street, Lower Mount-street, Holles-street, Lower Mer- rion-street, and Clare-street. FITZWILLIAM SQUARE Is also situated on the south side of the City, in the immediate neighbourhood of Stephens-green and Merrion-square. Although, comparatively speaking, but recently formed, it is one of the neatest squares in the City ; it is much less than any of the others, measuring only 1 furlong 31 perches on the flagged w alk. It is, like all the other squares, enclosed by a handsome iron palli- sading, resting on a dwarf granite wall. The F 2 102 MOUNTJOY SQUARE. interior is tastefully laid out in shrubberies and flower knots. The houses are built with great uniformity, and display considerable architectural beauty and elegance. The streets leading into it are, Upper Fitzwilliam-street and Pembroke- street. MOUNTJOY SQUARE. The circuit of this truly elegant square, which lies to the north-east of the City, in an elevated and healthy situation, is rather more than half a mile. The interior area, which contains about four English acres, is surrounded by a handsome railing on hewn mountain granite, gracefully rounded at the angles. It is laid out with taste and judgment ; the margin next the palisade is decorated with a variety of flowering shrubs, through which winds a spacious gravel- walk kept in excellent repair, and the interior forms a fine lawn, perfectly level, which is always kept neatly mown ; it seems to want nothing except some ar- chitectural ornament to mark and grace the centre. Each side of the square consists of 18 houses, nearly equal in size and appearance — built in the most modern style, and remarkable for their con- venience and the accommodation they afford. The spacious area in front is enclosed by a handsome iron palisade, along which runs a raised path-way for foot passengers, of mountain granite, ten feet wide ; a raised path-way of similar dimensions environs the interior square, leaving an interme- RUTLAND SQUARE. 103 diate space of about fifty feet, for carriages, which is kept well paved. In the original plan of this square, it was pro- posed that each side, though consisting of many distinct houses, should present to the view the appearance of one beautiful regular edifice, the centre marked by an entablature and angular pe- diment supported by columns, and the wings graced by other architectural decorations ; but this plan was relinquished for one less expensive, and more favourable to a convenient internal ar- rangement of each house. The approaches are through eight streets, — two on each side of the square, — all regular, ele- gant, and spacious, — viz. Grenville-street, Mid- dle Gardiner-street, Mountjoy-place, Great Char- les-street, Fitzgibbon-street, Belvidere-place, Up- per Gardiner-street, and Gardiner’s-place. RUTLAND SQUARE Lies on the north side of the river, at the upper end of Sackville-street. Granby-row, Cavendish- row, and Palace-row, form three sides of this square, and the Lying-in-Hospital and the Ro- tunda the fourth. The Rotunda, which stands east of the Hospital, is a circular building, con- taining a ball-room and a supper-room, each 86 feet in length, with a variety of other apartments of suitable dimensions. The whole is finished and decorated in a style of great elegance. The centre of the square is laid out ill gravel walks 104 QUAYS AND BRIDGES. and shrubberies, which in the evenings of the summer months are lighted up with lamps, and afford a delightful promenade to the citizens, mi- litary bands always attending. In the centre of Palace-row stands the house of the Earl of Char- lemont, which is built of stone, in a fine style of architecture. The interior of the house is a model of convenience, and some of the apartments are decorated by paintings of the first masters: Amongst these, a Judas by Rembrandt, and a portrait of Caesar Borgia by Titian, are much admired. The library is a fine apartment, and contains a most extensive collection of scarce and valuable books, manuscripts, &c. There are also in the house a cabinet of pictures and antiquities, another of medals, a fine copy of the Venus de Medicis, to- gether with some handsome statues and Egyptian curiosities. QUAYS AND BRIDGES. Amidst the various improvements which have re- cently taken place — the opening of the quays, and rebuilding of the walls in their present conveni- ent form, must hold a distinguished rank. This can be justly appreciated only by those who have seen them a few years back, interrupted and dis- figured by unsightly buildings, which are now altogether removed. The walls which are twelve feet thick at the foundation, are faced with moun- tain granite, and constructed with parapets, in- terrupted at convenient distances by iron-gates, CARLISLE, TIIE IRON, AND ESSEX BRIDGES. 105 stone-stairs, and slips. The eight bridges by 'which the river is crossed, we shall notice in order, beginning at the most easterly. Carlisle Bridge. — This is the last bridge on the river to the eastward, and was commenced in 1791, after the opening of the new Custom-house. It is well built of cut stone, being 210 feet long, and 48 broad, with three arches of light and ele- gant proportions. This bridge forms the grand communication between the most elegant and fa- shionable streets and squares of Dublin. The Iron Bridge. — A considerable space in- tervening between Essex and Carlisle Bridges, an Iron Bridge was erected in 1816, about mid-way, for the convenience of foot passengers, who pay a toll of one half-penny each. It is 140 feet long, 12 feet wide, and rises 12 feet in the mid- dle above high water mark. It consists of one arch forming the segment of an ellipsis, and has a light and elegant appearance. The expense of its erection was about ^3000. Essex Bridge was originally founded in 1676, during the Viceroyalty of Arthur, Earl of Essex. In 1687 a part of the bridge fell in, and a coach and horses passing at the moment was precipitated into the river. The old founda- tion decaying, it was re-built in 1755, having been completed in the short space of eighteen months. It is a noble structure of hewn stone, on the exact model of Westminster-bridge, and consists of five arches, proportioned to the five central arches of its model, as three to five. It is 250 feet long, and 51 wide, which is seven 106 RICHMOND AND WHITWORTH BRIDGES. feet broader than Westminster-bridge. The ex- pense amounted to £20,661 11s. 6d. Richmond Bridge. — The first stone of which was laid by the Duchess of Richmond in 1813, and opened for the public on St. Patrick’s Day, 1816. It is 220 feet long, and 52 broad, exceeding in breadth any of the London bridges. It consists of three arches, the key-stones of which are or- namented with six colossal heads, representing Peace, Hibernia, and Commerce, on one side, and Plenty, the LifFey, and Industry on the other. — The whole is constructed of Portland stone, and its beautiful lamp-posts and a ballustrade of cast iron, which connects it along the entire front of the Four Courts with Whitworth Bridge, render it a truly elegant structure. The expenses amount- ed to ^25,800 raised by presentments on the city and county of Dublin. In sinking the founda- tion of the south abutment, opposite Winetavern- street, some antiquities were found about four feet below the bed of the river. They consisted of coins of Philip and Mary, and Elizabeth, as well as German and Spanish pieces, cannon balls, pike heads, and other implements of war. On the op- posite side were found two ancient boats, caulked with moss, in one of which was a large human skeleton. Whitworth BrIdge connects two of the old- est streets in Dublin, Bridge-street on the south and Church-street on the north side of the river. The first stone was laid on the 16th of October, 1816, by Earl Whitworth, the Lord Lieutenant, and it was soon after completed. It has three queen’s bridge. 107 arches, and is a very handsome structure. The most ancient of all the bridges formerly stood upon this site, known at different periods by the names of the Old Bridge, Dublin Bridge, and Ormond Bridge. It is supposed to have been built at a very early period, as it fell down in 1385, and was re-erected in 1428 by the Dominican Friars for the convenience of their school at Usher’s Island, and a lay brother of the order received at the bridge a penny for every carriage and beast of burthen passing over it. It stood from that time till it was swept away by the great flood of 1802. A gentleman crossing the bridge on horseback at the moment, had arrived at a distance of between 10 and 12 feet from the Quay, when the arch be- fore him, and the entire of that part over w hich he had just passed gave way with one tremendous crash — across the dreadful chasm which interven- ed, his horse with one amazing effort now sprang, bearing his rider in safety to the opposite bank. In sinking for the foundation of Whitworth Bridge, it was discovered that the foundation of the Old Bridge rested upon the ruins of another still more ancient, which is supposed to have been con- structed in King John’s reign, and those ruins indicated, that a bridge of a better construction had at a still more remote period occupied its si- tuation. Queen’s Bridge consists of three arches of hewn stone, and though small, being but 140 feet in length, is neat and well proportioned. It was erected in 1768, and named after her late Majes- ty. On the site of the present structure Arran- 108 BARRACK, KING’S AND SARAH BRIDGES. bridge formerly stood, which was built in 1683, and swept away by a flood in 1763. Barrack Bridge (formerly Bloody Bridge,) was originally built of wood in 1671, but after- wards constructed of stone. It consists of four plain semicircular arches. The erection, at the south end, of a grand gothic gateway leading to Kilmainham Hospital, and the rural scenery in the back ground, gives to this bridge at present a very romantic appearance. King’s Bridge. — The foundation stone of this useful and ornamental building was laid on the 12th December 1827, by the Marquis Wellesley, at that time the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. It is to form one great arch 100 feet in diameter, composed entirely of cast metal — the butments are of handsomely cut mountain granite. It is called King’s Bridge from the circumstance of the amount to be paid for its erection, £13,000, having been collected immediately after his present Ma- jesty’s visit to Ireland in 1821, for the purpose of erecting a national monument to commmemorate the interesting event. Several plans and measures were proposed — and a considerable delay took place in appropriating the fund collected ; at length a bridge across the Liffey on the present site was agreed upon, and the idea sanctioned by his Majesty. A triumphal arch is to be placed over the centre arch, surmounted by an equestrian statue of his Majesty. Sarah Bridge, (so called after Sarah, Coun- tess of Westmorland, by whom the foundation- stone was laid in the year 1791) is 256 feet long, PUBLIC STATUES AND MONUMENTS. 109 and 38 broad. It consists of a single eliptic* arch, 104 feet in diameter, and the key-stone is 30 feet above low water. This bridge has been denomi- nated the Irish Rialto, being in fact seven feet wider in the span than the famous Venetian bridge. It is situated opposite the Phoenix Park. PUBLIC STATUES AND MONUMENTS. Equestrian Statue of William III. College- green, was erected in 1701, by the citizens of Dublin, to commemorate the Revolution of 1688. It is well executed in bronze, and stands on an elevated marble pedestal, which is surrounded with iron palisades. The pedestal has the follow- ing inscription : Gulielmo Tertio, Magnae Britannia*, Franciae, et Hiberniae Regi, Ob Religionem Conservatam, Restitutas Leges, Libertatem Assertam, Gives Dubliniensis hanc statuam posuere. Prom the first erection of this statue, it seems to have been a source of discord. In the govern- ment of the Duke of Wharton, an attack was made upon it by the party who thought its eleva- tion an insult on their feelings, which called forth the notice and interference of Government. On Sunday, 25th June, 1700, the Jacobites or Tories very much defaced this statue, twisted the sword G 110 PUBLIC STATUES AND MONUMENTS. it had in one hand, and wrested the truncheon from the other, daubed the face with dirt, and oifered it many other indignities. The House of Lords immediately addressed the Duke of Whar- ton, to issue a proclamation to discover the authors, which was done the next day, olfering one hun- dred pounds sterling for apprehending any of the persons guilty. The House of Commons was then adjourned, but when they met the 1st of August following, they also sent an address to his Excel- lency, expressing their pleasure for the early care he took to bring to punishment 66 the insolent miscreants who, with equal malice and baseness, insulted the statue of his late Majesty King Wil- liam III. of glorious memory.” It does not appear that the authors of the outrage were ever disco- vered, but the City caused^ the statue to be re- paired, and a new truncheon put into its hands, the 24 companies of the city attending the solem- nity ; on which occasion the thanks of the House of Commons was given to the Lord Mayor and citizens, nem. con . for their zeal and care in re- pairing that noble monument of their gratitude. In more modern times it has been a source of dis- cord and exasperation among the lower orders, and serious disturbances have taken place at the annual commemoration of its erection. It was, not long since, the practice on these occasions to decorate the statue with orange ribbons and other emblems, which, though harmless in themselves, unfortunately became badges of distinction. Every well-wisher to peace and good order must rejoice in such contentions being discontinued, and it is PUBLIC STATUES AND MONUMENTS. Ill pleasing to find they have been latterly much dis- countenanced by all parties. Equestrian Statue of George I. was placed in the year 1720 on Essex-bridge, where it con- tinued till the re-building of that structure in 1755. In the year 1789, it was re-erected near the Mansion-house in Dawson-street. Equestrian Statue of George II. — This statue was first erected in 1758, in the middle of St. Stephen’s Green. On the late alteration and improvement of that grand square, the low pedes- tal on which it stood was removed, and another, much more elevated, substituted. It represents the monarch in a Roman habit, and possesses con- siderable merit, but from the extent of the area, is almost lost and overlooked. Lt was proposed to remove it to a more suitable site, of which the removal of the statue of George I. was a prece- dent. This was, however, over-ruled, and it re- mains insignificant in itself, and no ways orna- mental to the place. Pedestrian Statues of George III. — One of these is erected in the Royal Exchange, and the other in the Bank of Ireland ; but they more properly belong to our description of those edifices, in which they will be found. Nelson’s Pillar. — This tribute of national gratitude to the memory of our great naval hero, is situated in Sackville-street. It consists of a pedestal, column, and capital of the Tuscan or- der, the whole being surmounted by a well exe- cuted statue of Lord Nelson, leaning against the capstan of a ship. The entire height of the column g 2 112 PUBLIC STATUES AND MONUMENTS# and statue is 134 feet 3 inches. There are within the pedestal and column 168 stone steps to ascend to the top, which is protected by a parapet and iron railing. Ten pence is required for permission to ascend — an expense which is amply repaid by the delightful prospect from this elevated situa- tion, of the City and Bay of Dublin, with the surrounding country. The names and dates of Lord Nelson’s principal victories are inscribed on the four pannels of the pedestal, and a brass plate, covering a recess in the stone, filled with various coins, contains an inscription stating the object for which the pillar had been erected, and that the first stone had been laid on the 15th of Feb- ruary, 1808, by Charles Duke of Richmond, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The total expense amount- ed to ^6,856. 8s. 3d. The Wellington Testimonial. — Some time back a voluntary subscription was entered into by many of the inhabitants of Dublin, and other parts of Ireland, to erect a monument, which should commemorate the extraordinary achieve- ments of their heroic countryman. About £ 1 6,000 having been speedily raised, various models were transmitted to the Dublin Society’s Exhibition rooms, from amongst which, that of Mr. Smirke, an English architect, was selected. The plan is thus described in Walsh and Whitelaw’s History of Dublin: — a On the summit platform of a flight of steps, of an ascent so steep, and a construction so uncouth, that they seem made to prohibit in- stead of to invite the spectator to ascend them, a pedestal is erected of the simplest square form, in PUBLIC STATUES AND MONUMENTS. 113 the die of which, on the four sides, are as many pannels, which are to contain figures emblema- tic of the principal victories w on by the Duke. Before the centre of w hat is intended for the prin- cipal front is a narrow pedestal insulated, and rest- ing partly on the steps and partly on the platform. This pedestal is to support an equestrian statue of the hero. From the platform a massive obelisk rises, truncated, and of thick and heavy propor- tions. On the four facades of the obelisk are in- scribed the names of all the victories gained by the Duke of Wellington, from his first career in India to the battle of Waterloo. The whole structure is of plain mountain granite, with- out any other decoration whatever. The total height of the monument is 205 feet. Stephen’s- green or Merrion-square was at first intended for the site of its erection, but the inhabi- tants it is said, on account of its inelegant form, refused it admission. The Salute Battery in the Phoenix Park was then chosen ; u a change of place/’ says the History of Dublin, u fortunate for the design. Situated in a large romantic park, on elevated ground, surrounded with plan- tations, and accompanied with wide and exten- sive surveys, its vast size and towering height will doubtless produce an imposing and grand ef- fect, while its defects may, perhaps, be overlooked or disregarded.” It is altogether one of the most unsightly, ill disposed works of art that we have ever w itnessed. Having examined the exterior of the Bank of Ireland, the College, the Post Office, the Custom 114 DUBLIN CASTLE. House, and George’s Church, which lies imme- diately beside Mountjoy- square, — descriptions of the interior of which buildings will be found in subsequent pages — the Tourist should next proceed in a westerly direction ; and here he will observe, that as he advances, with the exception of Col- lege-green, Dame-street, Parliament-street, and a few others, the appearance of the city continues to decline, — many of the houses wearing the marks of antiquity, — until it terminates in that neglected spot, the Liberty : so called from its being inde- pendent of the Lord Mayor’s jurisdiction. Yet even here are to be found some spacious and much improved streets, such as St, James’s and Thomas- street, which form the great western avenue. Many highly respectable shops and private houses are to be met with in them ; but the greater part of the numerous dwellings in the Liberty are in- habited by petty shop-keepers and the labouring poor, crowded together in a way most distressing to humanity. The Tourist will now proceed to examine the various Public Buildings, and as being the resi- dence of the representative of royalty, we con- sider the Castle of Dublin to claim the foremost place in our description. DUBLIN CASTLE Is situated on the highest ground, and nearly in the centre of the City. It is divided into two courts, the upper and the lower. The up- per court, which contains the apartments of his (B.&S'E'EhS Sf mm® -ViibbinPuilisTud, by 1 H™ Curry Jun? <&C! m ■If *Kt umifcK^n DUBLIN CASTLE. 115 Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, is a quadrangle, two hundred and eighty feet long by one hundred and thirty feet broad, with uniform buildings on every side. Over the principal entrance from Cork-hill, is ail elegant statue of Justice, and over the other gate a statue of Fortitude. The Viceroy’s apartments occupy the whole of the south side, and part of the east end : the remain- der of the court being occupied by the apartments and offices of the Chief Secretary and various officers of the Household. The grand approach to the Viceregal apartments is a colonnade, at the termination of which is a handsome flight of steps, which leads to the yeo- men’s hall, and from thence to the presence-cham- ber, which is furnished with a throne and canopy, covered with crimson velvet, and richly ornament- ed with gold lace and carved- work gilt. From a rich stucco ceiling hangs an elegant glass lustre of the Waterford manufactory, purchased by the late Duke of Rutland at the expense of £ 270 . The object which attracts the greatest attention is the Ball-room, or St. Patrick’s-hall, so called since the institution of the Order of Knights of St. Pa- trick. This noble room, which is eighty-two feet long, forty-one feet broad, and thirty-eight high, is decorated with some fine paintings, particularly the ceiling, the flat of which is divided into three compartments, an oblong rectangle at each end, and a circle in the middle. In one of the rect- angles, St. Patrick is represented converting the Jrisli to Christianity ; and in the other, Henry II. seated under a canopy, receives the submission of 116 DUBLIN CASTLE. the Irish chieftains. In the circle, his late Ma- jesty King George III. is seen, supported by Liberty and Justice, while various allegorical re- presentations allude to the happy effects resulting to this country from his auspicious reign. The cor- nice of the room is also richly painted. At either end is a gallery for the musicians and spectators. The lower court, though larger, (being 250 feet by 220,) is more irregular in form, and very inferior in appearance. On the north side are the Treasury, the Hanaper, Register, and Auditor- General’s Offices. The Ordnance Office, which is a modern brick building, stands at the east end, where is also the arsenal, and an armoury, con- taining arms for 40,000 men, with some cannon and mortars, besides guard-houses, riding-houses, stables, &c. There is a small lawn, adorned with trees and shrubs, called the Castle-garden, with which the Viceregal apartments communicate by a large flight of steps from the terrace before the garden front. This building was first intended to be a fortress or citadel to secure the English interest in Ireland, and was deemed a place of considerable strength. The entrance from the city on the north side was by a draw-bridge, placed between two strong round towers from Castle-street, the westward of which subsisted till the year 1766. A portcullis, armed with iron, between these towers, served as a second defence in case the bridge should be surprized by an enemy. A high curtain extended from the western tower to Cork-tower, so called after the great Earl of Cork, who in 1624 ex- DUBLIN CASTLE. 117 pended a considerable sum in the rebuilding of it. The Avail was then continued of equal height until it joined Bermingham tower, the strongest and highest of the whole. This tower, which was afterwards used as a prison for state criminals, was taken down in 1775, and the present building erected on the site, for preserving part of the an- cient records of the kingdom. From this another high curtain extended to the Wardrobe- to Aver, which served as a repository for the royal robe, the cap of maintenance, and the other furniture of state. From this toAver the Avail Avas carried to the North or Store-house toAver (hoav demolished,) near Dame’s-gate, and from thence it was conti- nued to the eastern gate- way tower, at the en- trance of the Castle. This fortress was originally encompassed with a broad and deep moat, which has been long since filled up. There were tAvo sally-ports in the walls, one towards Sheep (noAv Ship) street, Avhich was closed up in 1663, by the Duke of Ormond, after the discovery of Jeph- son and Blood’s conspiracy. The other, Avhich afforded a passage to the back-yard and out-offices north of the Wardrobe-tower, remained till the curtain on that side Avas taken down to make room for a new pile of buildings, where the Council- chamber and a new range of offices for the secre- taries stand. The Castle of Dublin is generally supposed to have been commenced in 1205, by Meyler Fitz- henry, Lord Justice, natural son to king Henry II. and finished in 1220 by Henry de Loundres, Archbishop of Dublin, but did not become the g 3 118 DUBLIN CASTLE. royal seat of Government until the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Previous to that period, the Chief Governors sometimes held their court in the Arch- bishop’s Palace at St. Sepulchre’s, sometimes at Thomas-court, but more frequently at the Castle of Kilmainham. A tempest having damaged this house in 1559, Queen Elizabeth issued her man- date for preparing the Castle of Dublin for the reception of the Chief Governors ; and the work was completed by Sir Henry Sidney in 1 567, and from that period it has continued to be the town residence of the Viceroy. The custody of the Castle was formerly entrusted to a constable, gen- tleman-porter, and a body of warders, consisting, previous to the invention of gun-powder, of archers and pikemen. A guard of horse and foot, with regimental music, mounts at the Castle every morning, at 1 1 o’clock, in the same manner as at the Horse Guards in London. The government of Ireland has, since the pe- riod of the English conquest, been uniformly committed to a Viceroy — an office which has ever been considered in this country, a place of dig- nity little inferior to royalty itself. Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, was the first Viceroy, un- der the title of Lord Justice. Until the reign of Henry VIII. the office was frequently conferred upon branches of the royal family ; but it was also sometimes filled by persons who had not even arrived at the peerage. But since the commence- ment of the reign of Charles II. noblemen of high rank have generally been placed in this station. In 1361, Lionel, Duke of Charters, third son of ihe library OF IKE •'MOTE,® TIIE CASTLE ClIAPEL. 119 King Edward, was appointed Lord Lieutenant, being the first that held that office by patent. The salary of Chief Governor was then £500 per annum ; it is now £30,000. His Excellency’s household consists of a private secretary, steward, comptroller, gentleman-usher, chamberlain, and master of the horse, with seve- ral gentlemen of the bedchamber, gentlemen at large, chaplains, aides-de-camp, pages, and a com- pany of battle-axe guards. The Lord Lieute- nant’s residences are the Castle of Dublin, and the Vice-regal lodge in the Park. The Castle Chapel. — This beautiful edifice, which is seventy-three feet long, and thirty-five broad, is raised w r ith calpe, or common Irish black stone. The exterior is ornamented with no less than ninety heads, including all the sovereigns of England. They are formed of dark blue marble, from the quarries of Tullamore, which for suscep- tibility of expression, and durability of texture, is not inferior to the finest statuary marble. The great entrance on the north side is surmounted by a fine bust of St. Peter, holding a key, and above it, over a window, a bust of Dean Swift. Over the east entrance are the busts of St. Patrick and Brian Boroihme, king of Ireland, and over them that of the Virgin Mary. A monastic battlement ornaments the door- way, which is pointed, and over it is the great east window, richly ornamented with Gothic foliage. The gavel terminates above in a rich antique cross, and at each angle are square towers, rising to the height of the roof. The in- 120 THE CASTLE CHAPEL. terior is beautiful in the extreme. It consists of a choir without nave or transept, finished in the richest style of Gothic architecture. Buttresses springing from grotesque heads, and ornamented with rich foliage, support the sides. Between the buttresses are pointed windows, surmounted by labels. The east window, over the commu- nion-table, is adorned with stained glass. The subject is Christ before Pilate. This glass was a present from Lord Whitworth, while Lord Lieu- tenant, by whom it was purchased on the Continent. The compartments beneath this piece are filled up with the four Evangelists, executed in Dublin. The roof is supported by six clustered pillars on each side, terminating with capitals covered with foliage. The ceiling is formed of groined arches, springing from grotesque heads of modelled stucco; it is richly ornamented with tracery, and painted in imitation of stone. The pulpit, desk, gallery, and pews, are all of Irish oak. In the gallery on the right side, is a throne for the Lord Lieute- nant, and opposite, one for the Archbishop. In the centre pannel of the front of the organ-gallery the King’s Arms are neatly carved, and on either side those of the Dukes of Bedford and Rich- mond ; from these are placed alternately the arms of all the Viceroys of Ireland to the earliest pe- riod. The pulpit rests on a shaft issuing from an open Bible, and the panriels are enriched with the arms of the monarchs Henry, Elizabeth, Edward, and William, who were the great supporters of the Reformation, together with those of the Arch- bishops and Bishops of Ireland. The whole of THE RECORD OFFICE. 121 this beautiful Chapel, with the exception of the stained glass, was planned and executed by native artists. The old chapel had long been in a ruinous con- dition, and in 1807, during the Viceroyalty of the Duke of Bedford, it was taken down. The first stone of the new building was laid by his Grace, and it was finished in seven years, at the expense of ^75,000, being opened for divine ser- vice on Christmas-day, 1814, during the adminis- tration of Earl Whitworth. The Record Office. — The Wardrobe tower, in the Lower Castle-yard, has been fitted up by Mr. Johnson, as a repository for the public Re- cords of Ireland, and all combustible materials removed from the floors and stair-cases. It con- tains offices for the Secretary, Sub-Commissioners, Clerks, Surveyor-General, &c., and the greatest regularity is observed in the arrangement and pre- servation of the valuable documents committed to their care. These consist of Parliamentry Records and Statute-rolls, the books and papers of the Civil Department and Council-office, together with the various maps and books now remaining of the several surveys, estimates, and distributions at different periods in Ireland. Amonst these docu- ments, the most interesting is the celebrated Down Survey , which originally consisted of thirty-one folios of actual surveys of the lands forfeited in Ireland, in consequence of the rebellion of 1641, executed under the direction of the celebrated Sir William Petty. Of the thirty-two counties in 122 THE RECORD OFFICE. Ireland, only Galway and Roscommon, with a part of Mayo, and a few other baronies, were omitted. They were accompanied with distribu- tion books, shewing how the forfeited lands were partitioned among the adventurers. This survey was deposited in the Surveyor-General’s Office, then situated in Essex- street, which, with the Council Chamber, was consumed in 1711, by an accidental fire.* Eighteen books of the maps were preserved, but the remainder were greatly injured, or totally destroyed. The Strafford Survey, with some other valuable documents, were consumed at the same time. From the period of thfe conquest, much evil had resulted from the want of a secure repository for the public Records. The private houses of the officers were generally the places where these documents, so essential to national property, were deposited ; in consequence of which, whether through intention or negligence, many of them were lost. After the erection of the Four Courts, such of the Records as appeared more immediately connected with the law, were removed to offices prepared for them, but many other most valuable documents were unprovided with a repository in those offices. In order to remedy this evil, his Majesty, in 1810, issued Letters Patent, at the recommendation of the House of Commons, for forming a commission to provide for the better arrangement and preservation of the Public Re- * In April 1684, the year in which James II. was crowned, a great part of the Castle was consumed by fire, but the Pow- der Magazine and Records were happily preserved. TRIAL BY BATTLE. 123 cords in Ireland. About forty individuals are employed in this useful work, including some Barristers, and Clergymen of the Established Church, and the most useful results have already arisen from their labours. Numerous interesting narratives might be col- lected relative to transactions which occurred from time to time within the precincts of the Caslle of Dublin, of individuals who, as state prisoners, were confined in its strong holds. There can be no doubt that sufficient materials exist for a work, fully as interesting as any of those published by Sir Walter Scott, in reference to the olden times of a sister kingdom, which have been perused by thousands with such interest and pleasure. The following is an account of a judicial com- bat, being an appeal to support the justice of a cause, which was decided in the presence of the Lords Justices in the inner court of the Castle at so comparatively recent a date as the 16th century : — In the year 1583, Connor Mac Cormack O’Con- nor appealed Teig Mac Gilpatrick O’Connor, before the Lords Justices (Adam Loftus, Arch- bishop of Dublin, and Sir Henry Wallop,) and Council, for killing his men under protection. Teig, the defendant, pleaded that the appellant’s men had, since they had taken protection, confe- derated with the rebel Cahir O’Connor, and, therefore, were also rebels, and that he was ready to maintain his plea by combat. The challenge being accepted by the appellant, all things were prepared to try the issue, and time and place ap- 124 TRIAL BY BATTLE. pointed, according to precedents drawn from the laws of England in such cases. The weapons, being sword and target, were chosen by the de- fendant, and the next day appointed for the combat. The Lords Justices, the Judges, and Counsellors attended in places set apart for them, every man according to his rank, and most of the military officers, for the greater solemnity of the trial, were present. The combatants were seated on two stools, one at each end of the inner court of the Castle. The Court being called, the ap- pellant was led forw ard from his stool within the lists, stripped to his shirt, and searched by the Secretary of State, having no arms but his sword and target ; and taking a corporal oath, that his quarrel was just, he made his reverence to the Lords Justices and the Court, and then was con- ducted back to his stool. The same ceremony was observed as to the defendant. Then the pleadings were openly read, and the appellant was demanded, whether he would aver his ap- peal ? Which he answering in the affirmative, the defendant was also asked, whether he would confess the action, or abide the trial of the same ? He also answered, that he would aver his plea by the sword. The signal being given by the sound of trumpet, they began the combat with great resolution. The appellant received two wounds in his leg, and one in his eye, and thereupon at- tempted to close the defendant, who, being too strong for him, pummelled him till he loosened his murrion, and then with his own sword cut off his head, and on the point thereof presented it to THE LIBRARY Of IKE VMNffilMIY fif ILtfSBIS B&&SSBS ®I ¥ Jl fflJ&KnAS Zm) DitbTzrr TublisTzeds fry WT”' Curry JurC & C? BANK OF IRELAND. 125 the Lords Justices, and so his acquittal was re- corded. BANK OF IRELAND. This superb edifice, while appropriated to its original purpose, was considered the finest senate- house in Europe. It was commenced in 1729, under the administration of Lord Carteret, and completed in ten years, at the expense of near J?40,000. It is situated in College-green, and placed nearly at right angles with the west front of the College, giving a grandeur of scene to that fine area, which can scarcely be surpassed. It is built of Portland stone. The grand portico in College-green, which extends 147 feet, is of the Ionic order, and though destitute of the usual ar- chitectural decorations, derives all its beauty from a simple impulse of fine art, and is one of the few instances of form only, expressing true symmetry. The interior fully corresponds with the majesty of its external appearance. While used as a se- nate-house, the middle door under the portico led directly to the House of Commons, passing through a great hall called the Court of Requests. The Commons-room formed a circle, 55 feet in dia- meter, inscribed in a square. The seats were disposed around the room in concentric circles, rising above each other. A rich hemispherical dome supported by sixteen Corinthian columns, crowned the whole. Between the pillars a nar- row gallery was handsomely fitted up for the 126 BANK OF IRELAND. convenience of the public. A beautiful corridore communicated by three doors with the committee- rooms, coffee-rooms, &c. The House of Lords, to the right of the Commons, is also a noble apart- ment, ornamented at each end with Corinthian columns. An entablature goes round the room, covered with a rich trunk ceiling, and in a circu- lar recess at the upper end was placed the throne of the Viceroy, under a rich canopy of crimson velvet. In 1785, it being deemed necessary to give a distinct entrance to the House of Lords, a noble portico of six Corinthian columns, covered by a handsome pediment, was speedily erected. The two porticoes are connected by a circular screen-wall the height of the whole building, en- riched with dressed niches and a rustic basement. An entrance was afterwards made on the western side, and completed in 1794. The ‘expense of these additions was upwards of £50,000. On the 27th of February, 1792, between the hours of five and six in the evening, while the members were sitting, a fire broke out in the Commons-house, and entirely consumed that no- ble apartment, but did little other damage. It is conjectured to have taken place by the break- ing of one of the flues, which run through the walls to warm the house, and so communicated fire to the timber in the building. Its present construction very nearly resembles the old : it is circular ; the other was octangular. In 1804, this beautiful edifice was again threat- ened with destruction, a fire having broken out under the portico, which did considerable damage BANK OF IRELAND. 127 before it could be extinguished. Several of the columns were so much injured, that pieces had to be inserted in them in different places. The Union between Great Britain and Ireland, which was effected in 1800, having rendered a Parliament House in Dublin altogether unneces- sary, this noble building was purchased from Government, by the Bank of Ireland, for the sum of £40,000, subject to a ground-rent of £240 per annum. This establishment was first incorpo- rated in the year 1783, and is under the superin- tendance of a Governor, Deputy Governor, and fifteen Directors, who are annually chosen the first week in April, five new Directors, at least, being elected every year. The qualification ne- cessary for a Governor is to be in the actual pos- session of £5,000 in stock ; for a Deputy Governor £3,000, and for the Directors £2,000 each. The profits of the Bank arise from their traffic in bul- lion, and the discounting of bills of exchange. Since the purchase of this superb edifice for its present use, many alterations have taken place to accommodate it to the purposes required. The exterior has also been much improved. A com- plete connection is now effected between the east and west ends and the centre, by circular screen- walls ornamented with Ionic columns, between which are niches for statues, the whole producing a fine effect. The tympanum of the pediment in front has in the centre the royal arms, and on its apex a figure of Hibernia, with Commerce on her left hand, and Fidelity on the right. The pedi- ment over the east front is also ornamented with 128 BANK OF IRELAND. statues of Fortitude, Justice, and Liberty. The interior of the Bank is fitted up in the most ele- gant and convenient manner, from the plans of Francis Johnston, Esq. The Cash-office stands nearly on the site of the Court of Requests, to the right of the hall ; the length of this fine room is 70 feet, the breadth 53, and the height 50, and it contains 550 square feet more than the Cash-office of the Bank of England. The walls are pannelled with Bath stone, and ornamented with twenty-four fluted Ionic columns of Portland stone supporting a rich entablature. The doors, desks, &c. are mahogany, and the office is well lighted by an elegant lantern in the ceiling, which is coved, and richly ornamented. There is be- sides, under the entablature, a range of twenty- four windows, seven of which being glazed with looking-glass, produce an admirable effect. In this office lodgments are made, notes issued and exchanged, and drafts examined, marked, and paid ; it is opened from ten to three o’clock each day ; and so well arranged are the different per- sons’ situations for the business of the office, that scarce a moment’s delay is given the person having business to transact save the counting out the money. In the centre is a table, for the accom- modation of the public. This office remains open from ten to three o’clock each day. The corri- dores lead to the different offices for transferring Stock, Bullion offices, and sundry other offices connected with this great establishment, which are all conveniently adapted for their respective purposes ; their several distinctions and business BANK OF IRELAND. 129 are labelled oil the outside, by which means the stranger can effect his business without any en- quiry, but porters are stationed in the different hails, who give every information necessary. The Discount office is open for business from half-past 9 to half-past 11 in the forenoon every day but Saturday and holidays ; it closes then until one, when the bills are to be called for, — those discounted being kept, and the others re- turned ; the rate of discount is 4 per cent. The Runners’ office is open from two to three, and from five to six o’clock in the afternoon, to receive payment for bills due that day, which had not been paid when called for. All bills due on Sunday are not payable till the Monday following, except English bills, which are payable on the Saturday before. All bills and notes due on Good Friday, King’s birth-day, Christmas-day, and proclaimed fast days, are de- manded on the days preceding. Private Bank notes or post-bills are not received in payment for bills. The late House of Lords, which remains un- altered, is now designated the Court of Pro- prietors. It is 73 feet long by 30 broad, and the walls are ornamented with two large pieces of tapestry, representing the battle of the Boyne and the siege of Londonderry, in a state of excellent preservation. At the upper end stands a statue of his late Majesty in his parliamentary robes, ad- mirably executed in white marble, by J. Bacon, jun. of London, at the expense of £2000. The pedestal on which it stands is ornamented with 130 BANK OF IRELAND. figures of Religion and Justice. There is also a fine bust of the Duke of Wellington by Tre- mouille. Elegant corridores lead to the different offices, which are all admirably adapted to their respective purposes. The safes are well secured against fire and plunder, and all the offices are lighted from the roof or the interior courts. In the western front is a room called the Library, 86 feet by 34, with presses for books, papers, &c. In another room is to be seen a fine model of this superb edifice. It will give a more correct idea of the professional talents of the architect than a view of even the building itself. Every precaution is adopted to guard against fire and external violence. There are two large tanks in the yards, and one on the roof, well supplied with water, and several powerful fire engines, one of which requires thirty men to work it. The whole of the building, in- cluding court-yards, covers one acre, two roods, and thirteen and a half perches of ground ; and on the roof, which is for the most part flat, a re- giment of soldiers might be drawn up in time of danger. In Foster’s-place, on the west side, a very handsome guard-room has been erected, to accommodate fifty men, in a style of architecture worthy of this superb edifice. Here is also the printing-office, an object well deserving the at- tention of the curious in mechanics. It is situated in the rere of the building, and is under the im- mediate superintendence and control of Mr. Old- ham, a very ingenious artist. The notes are printed by machines worked by steam, on a con- struction altogether new, being Mr. Oldham’s 1H£ of m CUSTOM HOUSE. 131 own invention. To prevent forgeries, a machine has been adopted, which produces fac-similes of the various copper-plates ; and to render the imi- tation still more difficult, and at the same time to prevent the workmen employed from appropriat- ing any copies to themselves, there is another machine, which numbers the notes consecutively as far as 100,000, without being subject to the control of the operator ; to this a small box, glazed in the top, is attached, in which a duplicate im- pression appears of each Number, as worked off by the printer. To encrease the means of security, the clerks and officers of the Bank are formed into a corps of yeomanry ; and a neat armoury, containing a sufficient quantity of arms and accoutrements, are kept in perfect order within the Bank. By an application to the Secretary, or by an introduc- tion to any of the Clerks, the whole of the inte- rior may be viewed at any time. THE CUSTOM-HOUSE. This magnificent structure stands on Eden-quay, on the north bank of the Liffey, a short distance from Carlisle-bridge. It is 37 5 feet in length, and 205 in depth, and exhibits four decorated fronts, answering almost directly to the four cardinal points of the compass — the south being the prin- cipal front. In the interior are two courts, di- vided from each other by the centre pile, which 132 CUSTOM HOUSE. is 100 feet broad, and runs from north to south the whole depth of the building. The south, or sea front, is composed of pavi- lions at each end, joined by arcades, and united to the centre. It is finished in the Doric order, with an entablature, and bold projecting cornice. On the attic story, over the pillars of the portico, are statues of Neptune, Plenty, Industry, and Mercury. In the tympan of the pediment, in alto-relievo, is represented the friendly union of England and Ireland. They are seated on a car of shell ; Neptune, with his trident, driving away Famine and Despair, while a fleet at a distance approaches in full sail. The pavilions at each end are decorated with the arms of Ireland, beautifully executed. Allegorical heads on the key-stones of the arches, represent the different rivers of Ireland. A superb dome, one hundred and twenty- five feet in height, surmounts the whole, on the top of which is a statue of Hope resting on her anchor, sixteen feet high. The north front has a portico of four pillars in the centre, but no pediment. On the entablature, over the columns, are statues representing Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. This front, which is opposite to a handsome crescent called JBeresford- place, has neither arcades or recessed columns like the south, but the wings are the same. The east and west fronts are each one hundred feet in extent ; the former with open arcades below, of seven arches, which give entrance to the courts, and have a very good effect. The south front is CUSTOM HOUSE. 133 entirely of Portland-stone : the other three of mountain granite. This great edifice is jointly the House of Cus- toms and Excise ; and, besides all the offices ne- cessary for these purposes, contains dwelling houses for the Chief Commissioners, Secretaries, &c. The doors on each side of the portico in the south front, lead into passages running the whole depth of the building, with a range of offices down them on one side. The great stair-case, w ith its Ionic colonnade, is deservedly admired. The Long- Room is a superb apartment, 70 feet by 65, or- namented with composite columns, and enlightened by two large circular lanterns. The Trial and Board-rooms, in the north front, are also very handsome apartments ; but the Long-room is the only one worthy the visitor’s notice. The old Custom-house stood near Essex-bridge. It had been erected in 1707, but before the end of the century it fell into decay, and was totally inadequate to the increasing trade of the port of Dublin. The first stone of the present building was laid on the 8th of August, 1781 ; and in ten years w r as completed the most sumptuous edifice of the kind in Europe. On the east of the Custom-house is a wet dock, capable of containing forty sail of vessels ; and along the quay that bounds it on the east and north is a range of capacious and commodious houses. The whole of this great work was de- signed by, and executed under the direction of Mr. James Gandon, and the total expense, in- cluding the dock, was £397,232. 4s. lid. H 134 STAMP OFFICE. To the north-east of the former docks and stores an extensive piece of ground has been enclosed with a wall fifty feet in height, three sides of which are to be occupied with stores. Inside of this a new dock, measuring 650 feet by 300, has been formed, with a basin 300 feet by 250. In a line with the Custom-house, to the east, stands the Tobacco-store, which covers nearly an acre of ground, and in the construction of which no materials of a combustible nature have been used. The frame-work of the immense roof is composed of metal, as are also the sashes of the lanterns by which the light is admitted. The entire is sup- ported by a number of metal pillars, resting on others of mountain granite, which reach to the foundation of the building. STAMP-OFFICE, WILLIAM-STREET. The elegant building in which the business of this establishment is conducted, was formerly the town mansion of Lord Powerscourt. In 1811, it was purchased by Government, for its present purpose, for £15,000, and an equal sum has since been expended in building additions in the rere. It is built of mountain stone ; the front is ap- proached by a flight of steps, which formerly led to a portico supported on four Doric pillars. Rustic arched windows and a Doric entablature enrich the first story, and in the centre of the second is a Venetian window of the Ionic order. The windows in the attic are decorated by archi- iiBsn ay GENERAL POST-OFFICE. 135 t raves in a good taste. The whole is surmounted by a quadrangular building, which serves for an observatory, and commands an extensive view of the bay of Dublin and the adjacent country. There is no object in the interior worthy of notice. The business of this establishment is conducted by four Commissioners, a Secretary, Comptrollers, Inspectors, and a number of Clerks. The duty on Stamps was first introduced into Ireland in 1774 ; and its product for the first five years was very trifling, averaging little more than ^020,000 per annum : but it has since so greatly increased, that the proceeds at present average from 600 to £800,000 per annum. It is at present in con- templation to do away altogether with this de- partment, and to connect it with that of London. GENERAL POST-OFFICE. This noble building, one of the finest structures of the kind in Europe, stands on the west side of Sackville-street. It is 223 feet in front, 150 in depth, and 50 feet (three stories,) in height, to the top of the cornice. In front is a grand por- tico, 80 feet in length, consisting of a pediment, supported by six massive pillars, of the Ionic or- der. This pediment is surmounted by three finely executed statues, representing Hibernia resting on her spear and harped shield ; Mercury, with his caduceus and purse, and Fidelity, with her finger on her lips, and a key in the other hand. The tympanum of the pediment is decorated with the 136 GENERAL POST-OFFICE. royal arms, and a fine ballustrade surmounts the cornice all round the top, giving an elegant finish to the whole. This superb edifice is built of mountain granite, except the portico, which is of Portland stone. The expense was something more than £50,000. The first stone of this magnificent edifice was laid by his Excellency Earl Whitworth, on the 12th of August, 1815. With the exception of the Board-room, which is rather an elegant apart- ment, and in which there is a white marble bust of Earl Whitworth, there is no object worthy the notice of the Tourist in the interior. The de- parture of the coaches from the office, would by some be deemed rather an interesting exhibition. Ten or twelve mail-coaches leave Dublin every evening for different parts of Ireland. They are provided with a double guard well armed ; the cattle and accommodations are excellent, and the drivers, in general, sober, correct, and intel- ligent. They all assemble at the General Post Office every evening, a little before seven o’clock, and having received the bags, each in their turn, set out for their different destinations. This nightly exhibition always attracts a crowd of spectators, when the sound of the horns, the prancing of the horses, and the last adieus of friends, form altogether a very interesting and animated picture. As a public convenience of the highest utility, the Post-Office, in its present improved state, must be considered as one of the most useful and important establishments in any country. In ci- GENERAL POST-OFFICE. 137 vilized nations, even amongst the ancients, it ap- pears that the interests and feelings of mankind very early pointed out the necessity of some re- gular mode of communication between distant places. After the fall of the Roman empire, how- ever, no posts seem to have existed in Europe until about 1475, when Louis XI. established them for the conveyance of state information throughout France. In England letters were con- veyed by special messengers, until a system of postage was established in the reign of Elizabeth, which was conducted by individuals for their own profit. Things continued indhis state until 1643, when Charles I. ordered his Post-master for fo- reign parts to run a post between London and Edinburgh ; and similar regulations were soon after made for Ireland, by Chester and Holyhead. The system was much improved during the Pro- tectorate of Cromwell, when regular packet-boats were established between Chester and Dublin, and Milford and Waterford. The rates of postage at that time were, — for every single letter within 80 miles of London, two pence ; beyond that distance to any part of England three pence ; to Scotland four pence, and to Ireland six pence. In 1711 a Post-master General was appointed for all the British dominions ; but in 1782, when the independence of Ireland was acknowledged, its Post Office became a separate establishment^ and has continued to be so, notwithstanding the Union. It is, however, in contemplation to join it with the London establishment. The introduction of mail-coaches has not only H 2 138 GENERAL POST-OFFICE. greatly improved the system of the Post Office, but has been attended with the greatest advan- tages to the general interests of Ireland. Previous to their introduction, the state of the roads was such, that it commonly took five or six days to perform a journey from Dublin to Cork ; and it is said that persons, in those days, deemed it a matter of more serious importance to undertake a long journey through Ireland, than many do at present to undertake a voyage to America. The first mail-coaches commenced running from Dublin to Cork and Belfast on the 5th of July, 1790. A regular improvement in the state of the Irish roads has continued from that time to the present, and they are now allowed to be amongst the best in Europe. The most admirable regularity and despatch are apparent in all the proceedings of this office. Houses are appointed for receiving letters in va- rious parts of the city, where boxes are open till four o’clock in the evening, after which the letter- carriers, (of whom there are sixty-five for the Irish and twenty for the English departments,) go about for another hour, with a bell, to collect letters, with which a penny each are paid. At the General Post Office, inland letters are received until six o’clock, but a small sum must be paid with any put in after that hour. English letters are received at any hour. A Penny Post is the medium of conveyance from the several parts of the city with each other.. From sixty receiving- houses the letters are delivered four times a day with such celerity and exactness, that two persons TIIE MANSION-IIOUSE. 139 living at opposite extremities of the city may write four letters and receive three answers every day, for the trifling expense of three pence. MANSION-HOUSE.— MUNICIPAL GOVERN- MENT. The Mansion-house (the residence of the Lord Mayor,) is situated in Dawson-street, near the north side of Stephen’ s-green. It is a mean brick building, by no means according with the other public edifices of the metropolis. It contains, however, several spacious apartments, well adapted to the convivial purposes to which they are ap- propriated. In some of the rooms are exhibited whole-length portraits of Charles II. William III. the Duke of Bolton, the Duke of Richmond, the Marquesses of Townsend and Buckingham, with some other eminent noblemen, &c. In the rere of the front house, a noble room, of a circular form, was erected, for the express purpose of re- ceiving his Majesty in a style suitable to his ex- alted rank, on the occasion of his visiting Ireland in 1821. In the garden opposite the street, stands an equestrian statue of George I. The Municipal Government of the capital was conferred on the Corporation by several charters. The Corporation consists of the Lord Mayor, and twenty-four Aldermen, who form an upper house; and the lower house is composed of the Sheriffs and Sheriffs’ Peers, not exceeding forty-eight. 140 MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. with the representatives of twenty-five corpora- tions, not exceeding ninety-six. The Chief Magistrate was originally designated Provost. In consequence of the several great services done to the crown of England, at divers times, by the citizens of Dublin, King Henry IV. on the 5th of March, 1407, granted a license, that the Mayor for the time being, and his suc- cessors for ever, should bear before them a gilded sword, for the honour of the King and his heirg, and of his faithful subjects of the said City, in the same manner as the Mayors of London had borne before them. In the year 1434, the Mayor and Citizens of Dublin humbled themselves, and did penance, by walking bare-footed through the streets : first to Christ Church, next to St. Patrick’s, and at last to Mary’s-abbey, humbly begging pardon for the offences they had committed, in the said Churches. The crimes alleged against them were for commit- ting manslaughter in taking the Earl of Ormond prisoner in an hostile manner, and for breaking open the doors of St. Mary’s-abbey, dragging out the Abbot, and carrying him forth like a corpse, some bearing him by the feet, and others by the arms and shoulders. In 1665, the Chief Magistrate of Dublin was honored with the title of Lord Mayor, Sir Daniel Bellingham being the first that bore that character; and the King granted to the City £500 per annum for ever, to support that dignity, in lieu of the foot company. He is styled Right Honorable MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. 141 during the period lie holds the oflice. In 1548, King Edward confered the title of sheriffs on the two bailiffs, John Ryan and Thomas Fining, and their successors. The Lord Mayor is selected annually from the Board of Aldermen, on the first quarter day in April, and on the 30th of Septem- ber, is sworn into office. Upon this occasion, the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, and Aldermen proceed in state from the Mansion-house to the Exhibition- house in William-street, where they are joined by the Common Council, with all the corporation officers, in their full costume ; — hence they march in procession to the Castle, accompanied by music, and the battle-axe guards, where they are enter- tained with cake and wine, and the Lord Mayor is sworn into office before the Lord Lieutenant, and receives a charge from one of the Judges. From hence they proceed to the Sessions-house, where they open the Courts and swear in the Sheriffs. The evening is concluded by an enter- tainment at the Mansion-house, at which the Viceroy is generally present. Upon all public occasions the Lord Mayor wears a rich furred gown, with a gold chain, called a collar of S. S. from the form of the links.* * The collar of S. S. was first presented to the city, in 1660, by Charles II. Some years after, Sir Michael Creagb, the Lord Mayor, absconded during his mayoralty, carrying the col- lar with him. A new collar was presented to the city by Wil- liam III. The custom is still continued of opening certain courts by proclamation at the city gates, where the delinquent is called on to appear in the following terms:— “ Sir Michael Creagh, Sir Michael Creagh, Sir Michael Creagb, come and 142 MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. The Board of Aldermen are chosen for life from amongst the Sheriff’s Peers, by the Lord Mayor. Aldermen, and Common Council. They are all Magistrates of the City, and, with the Lord Mayor and Recorder, are Judges of Oyer and Terminer for capital offences, or misdemeanors committed in the city. The Sheriffs must sweai^ before their election, that they are worth two thousand pounds above their just debts. Those who have served the office, or paid a fine for exemption, are denomi- nated Sheriffs’ Peers. The Common Council are elected every third year, by the respective Guilds or Companies, of which there are twenty-five. Their number amounts to ninety-six, with whom the Sheriffs’ Peers (forty-eight in number,) sit apart from the Aldermen ; and at this assembly the Sheriffs for the time being preside. From amongst the Com- mons the Sheriffs are annually elected, though any qualified freeman is eligible. Six of the Police Magistrates are chosen from amongst them. The merchant-tailors, carpenters, weavers, gold- smiths, cutlers, and stationers, have halls appro- priated to their respective guilds. That of the tailors is the oldest, and is ornamented with the portraits of Charles I. William III. and Dean Swift, with some other paintings. The Weavers’ Hall, which is spacious, also contains many por- appear at this court of our Lord the King, before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of the city of Dublin, or you will be outlawed . 99 MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. 143 traits, particularly a curious one of George II. executed in tapestry, about sixty years ago, when that manufactory was attempted to be introduced into Dublin. The inscription quaintly tells us that it was executed by u John Vanheaver, Li- berty Weaver.” The revenue of the City is calculated at near £23,000 per annum ; but the expenditure is said to exceed the income. Riding the Franchises, or perambulating the bounds of the City at certain intervals, was for- merly conducted by the citizens with great pomp. The earliest instrument extant respecting the local franchises of Dublin, is one of John Earl of Mor- ton, Lord of Ireland, dated London, in the third year of his brother, King Richard I. which refers to a former charter of Henry II. now lost ; but the liberties of the City were still more clearly ascertained by a charter of Richard II. On the appointed day, the Mayor, Sheriffs, Recorder, and Aldermen, accompanied by a body of horse, and a great number of the citizens, took their way out of Dames-gate to the strand, (where Essex- street, Fleet-street, and Temple-bar now stand;) thence they rode along the banks of the river to Ringsend, where one of the water-bailiffs (it be- ing low-water-mark,) was commanded to ride as far as he could into the sea, and cast a spear, to shew that thus far extended the franchises of the south side of the river and harbour of Dublin. The City Assembly-house, William-street, was originally built by a society of artists. This build- ing is not more deserving of notice than the Man- 144 MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. sion-house. Here the meetings of the Corporation are held, for the despatch of business, upon which occasion much talent and disputation are fre- quently exhibited by political opponents. In this house the Pipe-water Committee, which is exclusively formed from the Corporation, and consists of the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, Treasurer, twelve Aldermen, and twenty-four Common Coun- cil-men, meet every Monday. The expense of the establishment is above ^20,000 a year, raised by a tax on every house. The City is supplied with water of the purest kind, from three basins or reservoirs : the first, called the city basin, in James’s-street, which sends its streams by means of a curious system of pipes, to every house in the western part of the metropolis, while the north- eastern is supplied by the basin in Blessington- street, and the south-eastern by that at Portobello. Around each of these reservoirs is a handsome walk, bounded by quickset hedges, which form a delightful promenade for the inhabitants in its vicinity. — The circuit of the city basin is above half an English mile. Since the great extension of the Irish capital, a considerable portion of it lies beyond the juris- diction of the Lord Mayor. There are four Ma- nors, namely, Glasnevin, Thomas-court and Do- nore, St. Sepulchre’s, and the Deanery of Saint Patrick, which have their respective officers and courts. The Manor of Glasnevin, more generally denominated Grange Gorman, comprehends all the streets of Dublin, beyond the precincts of the MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. 145 City, on the north side of the Liffey. These are marked by a line from Summer-hill to Stoney- batter, which includes thirty-three streets, toge- ther with Mountjoy-square. The officers are, a Seneschal, Register, and Marshal, who are ap- pointed by the Bishop of Kildare, as Dean of Christ Church. As there is neither a prison nor court-house at present in this Manor, the Senes- chal holds a kind of ambulatory sessions ; occa- sionally Grand Juries are sworn in at Easter and Michaelmas. Liberty of Tfiomas-Court and Donore, — generally called the Earl of Meath’s Liberty, — in- cludes the entire parish of St. Luke, and three- fourths of St. Catherines. It is divided into four wards, namely, Upper Coombe, Lower Coombe, Thomas-court, and Pimlico, including forty streets and lanes, and a population of about 40,000 souls. The Court of this Manor is very ancient, having been erected under a charter of King John. The officers are, a Seneschal, Register, and Marshal, all appointed by the Earl of Meath, to whose an- cestor the ancient monastery of Tliomas-Court, with a carucate of land, called Denower, was granted by Henry VIII. The Court-house is an ancient edifice in Great Thomas-court, and the Liberty Marshalsea is in Marrowbone-lane. The Seneschal exercises no criminal jurisdiction, but decides all cases of debt under 40s. as in the Court of Conscience, and all above that sum with the assistance of a Jury. He swears in Grand and Market-Juries at Easter and Michaelmas, and his municipal authority within the Liberty is nearly i 146 MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. equal to that of the Lord Mayor within the City. The Liberty and Manor of St. Sepulchre includes the parish of St. Nicholas Without, and part of those of St. Peter and St. Kevin. By se- veral charters, commencing in the reign of King John, the Archbishop of Dublin is constituted Lord of this Manor, to which eight other Manors, situated in the counties of Dublin, Kildare, and Wicklow, are subject ; for all these there is a common gaol in the Liberty, and their Magis- trates, called Portrieves, are appointed by the Seneschal of St. Sepulchre. The privileges of this Manor are very extensive. The Lord of the Manor holds Courts Leet, Courts Baron, and a Court of Record, wherein pleas arising within the jurisdiction may be tried to any amount. He also formerly exercised a criminal jurisdiction. The Liberty has its own Coroner, Clerks of the Market, &c. and no Magistrate of the Crown, or Officer of the City or County, is privileged to ex- ecute any thing belonging to his office within its limits, unless in case of default on the part of its own officers ; and besides other privileges, the Lord of the Manor is entitled to all the tines im- posed on jurors for non-attendance at the King’s Bench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer, Commis- sion of Oyer and Terminer, and Sessions of the Peace for the City and County of Dublin, as well as all forfeited recognizances, &c. & c. The mu- nicipal authority of the Seneschal is similar to that of the Lord Mayor within the City. A very handsome Court-house and Marshalsea have been the mm OF THE wmmt iuiHA« TIIE FOUR COURTS. 147 lately erected for this Manor, not far from the new basin at the Grand Canal. Deanery of St. Patrick. — The jurisdiction of these liberties is extremely limited, including only a few poor streets. It is a completely insu- lated spot, circumscribed by the contiguous Ma- nors of Thomas-Court and St. Sepulchre. The Seneschal and other officers are appointed by the Dean and Chapter ; but no Court is held. Debtors of small sums, while residing here, are not amen- able either to the adjoining Manor Courts, or the City Court of Conscience. THE FOUR COURTS. This handsome pile of buildings is situated on King’s Inns-quay, near Richmond-bridge, north of the Liffey, and the first stone was laid by the Duke of Rutland, on the 13th of March, 1786. The sum estimated as necessary for the entire ac- complishment of the work was £150,000. The whole building forms an oblong rectangle of 440 feet in front to the river, and 170 feet in depth. The centre pile, which is 140 feet square, con- tains the four courts of judicature. The portico in front has an ascent of five steps, and consists of six pillars of the Corinthian order. On the pediment over the portico stands the statue of Moses, with those of Justice and Mercy on each side, and on the corners of the building are the statues of Wisdom and Authority in a sitting posture. The great hall, which is an object of i 2 148 THE FOUR COURTS. just admiration, forms a circle of 64 feet inscribed in a square of 140 feet, with the four courts ra- diating from the circle to the angles of the square. In the space between the courts are several hand- some rooms for the judges, jurors, and officers of the courts ; there is also an extensive coffee-room. The hall is lighted by a dome, containing eight windows, between which are colossal statues of Liberty, Justice, Wisdom, Law, Prudence, Mer- cy, Eloquence, and Judgment. A rich frieze of foliage rises above these statues, and extends around the dome ; in it are medallions of eight eminent law-givers, viz. Moses, Lycurgus, Solon, Numa, Confucius, Alfred, Mancha-Capac, and Ollamh-Fodhla. Around the hall are columns of the Corinthian order, with an entablature and an attic pedestal. Eight sunk pannels in the piers correspond with the eight openings below, and in the pannels over the entrances into the courts are bas-reliefs representing William the Conqueror establishing Courts of Justice, Feudal Laws, &c. King John signing Magna Charta, Henry II. re- ceiving the Irish Chieftains, and James I. abolish- ing the Brehon law. During Term time this hall is a scene of the greatest bustle, being crowded with lawyers and loungers, among whom are fre- quently many of the light-fingered gentry. Stran- gers who visit it at such times have need to look w ell to their pockets. All the courts are of equal dimensions and similar construction, and each is lighted by six windows. They are convenient in every respect. Court-yards at each side contain the public offices. They arc enclosed from the THE FOUR COURTS. 149 street by handsome screen-walls, perforated by arches. The Four Courts were formerly ambulatory, being sometimes held in Carlow, sometimes in Drogheda, but more frequently in the Castle of Dublin. In 1695 they were removed to Christ Church-lane, where they were held under one roof till the present edifice was opened for the administration of justice, in November, 1796. The Court of Chancery is of very ancient insti- tution, and next to the Parliament, is the highest court of judicature in the realm. It is a court both of law and equity, holding pleas of various matters after the method of the common law in its first capacity, and from this court issue all ori- ginal writs, commissions of bankruptcy, lunacy, charitable uses, & c. The Court of Equity mode- rates the rigours of the common law, and to main- tain a suit in this Court, it must be always alleged that the plaintiff is incapable of obtaining relief at common law, and this must be without any fault of his own, as having lost his bond, &c. The Court of Chancery has a general jurisdiction over matters beyond the power of inferior tribu- nals, gives relief for and against infants, notwith- standing their minority, and for and against married women, notwithstanding their coverture. Execu- tors may be called upon to give security and pay interest for money that has lain long in their hands, and all frauds for which there is no remedy at common law, may be here redressed. The Lord Chancellor takes precedence of all Peers except the Primate. 150 THE FOUR COURTS. The Court of King’s Bench is the supreme Court of Common Law, and in it a Chief Justice and three puisne Judges preside ; they are by their office the sovereign conservators of the peace, and the supreme coroners of the land. In Eng- land the King himself has sometimes presided in this Court, from which it has derived its name. Its powers are very extensive, taking cognizance both of criminal and civil causes. It has the su- perintendance of all civil corporations, can reverse erroneous judgments, and punish all magistrates and inferior officers for wilful and corrupt abuses of their authority. The Court of Common Pleas holds pleas of all civil causes at Common Law, between subject and subject, in actions real, personal, and mixed, but it has no cognizance of pleas of the Crown. A Chief Justice and three puisne Judges also preside in this Court. The Court of Exchequer was originally intended to order the revenues of the Crown and recover the King’s debts and duties. It now consists of two divisions, the first of which manages the Re- venue, and the other is a Court of Record. The latter is again subdivided into a Court of Equity and a Court of Common Law. A Chief Baron and three puisne Barons preside in this Court. The High Court of Admiralty is held in the Four Courts ; — its proceedings are administered by the civil law, and its officers are a Judge, a Register, and a King’s Advocate. This Court takes cognizance of all contracts on the High Seas, king’s inns. 151 seamen’s wages, bottomry bonds, cases of sal- vage, &c. High Court of Delegates. — This Court con- sists of the Bishops, Judges, and Masters in Chancery. They usually sit in the King’s Bench Chamber in the Four Courts. An appeal lies to them from the highest Metropolitan Court, and their decision is final. KING’S INNS, OR INNS OF COURT. This fine building is situated in Henrietta-street, in a most awkward situation, as the principal en- trances are from the rere, — the front, which is a beautiful structure of hewn stone, facing into Constitution Hill. The front of the wings is also very handsome, presenting a facade of two stories, surmounted by pediments; they extend 110 feet in depth. The central building is surmounted by a beautiful octangular cupola, beneath which is a lofty gateway, with the Royal Arms. In the north and south wings are various emblematic figures; on the one, Wisdom, Justice, and Pru- dence, attended by Truth, Time, and History sa- crificing on an altar ; on the other Bacchus and Ceres, attended by the Seasons. The foundation stone was laid in 1802. The dining-hall is a noble apartment, 81 feet long, and 42 broad, ornamented at each end by four Ionic columns, which support a massive frieze and cornice, on which repose statues of the four 152 king’s inns. cardinal virtues. Niches between the windows are intended for statues, and in the hall are por- traits of Lords Manners and Avonmore. The library is 42 feet long by 27 broad, and contains a considerable number of volumes. Commons are provided in the dining-hall during the law term, and in vacation during the sitting of the Court of Exchequer ; absentees are fined the amount of two days commons. Connected with the Courts are 45 benchers, 950 barristers, 2,000 attornies, 12 proctors in the Ecclesiastical, and 8 in the Admiralty Courts, and 50 public notaries. . There are no records of the proceedings of the law courts in Dublin previous to the reign of Edward I. Soon after this, Sir Robert Preston, Chief Baron of the Exchequer, fitted up his large mansion, ^hich occupied the present site of the Royal Exchange, for the Inns of Court, and here the benchers and barristers lodged for two centu- ries. In 1542, the Inns of Court were removed to the monastery of the Dominicans, where the Four Courts now stand ; a statute was, however, passed soon after, declaring that every person en- titled to practise at the Irish Bar, should pre- viously reside a certain number of years at an English Inn of Court. This for some time proved very prejudicial to the establishment, but in 1607 the Society was renewed, and assumed a more regular form. Judges, Barristers, and Attornies were enrolled, the price of commons for a Judge being at that time 7s. a week, and for a Barrister 5s. The troubles which followed for more than a century retarded the progress of the institu- ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS. 153 lion, and the buildings were fast mouldering to decay. The Prerogative Court takes cognizance of wills, administrations, and legacies, where the deceased has left effects in two different dioceses. An appeal lies from this Court to the King in Chancery. The office is in Henrietta-street. TiieConsistorial Court is the spiritual Court appertaining to the Archbishop, who formerly presided at it, in the nave of the Church, assisted by his clergy. The Judge of this Court is styled a Vicar-General ; and in it are decided all causes not cognizable by the Common Law, — such as blasphemy, apostacy, heresy, schism, ordinations, institution of clerks to benefices, celebration of divine service, rights of matrimony, divorces, ge- neral bastardy, tithes, oblations, obventions, mor- tuaries, dilapidations, reparation of churches, pro- bates of wills, administrations, simony, incest, fornication, adulteries, procurations, with others of a similar nature. The Consistorial Office is held on the west side of Stephen’s-green. The Convocation. — This Court, in which the ecclesiastical government of Ireland is properly lodged, has not been assembled since the 10th of Anne, (1711.) It consists of all the prelates, deans, archdeacons, and other dignitaries, who meet in two houses, like the Parliament, and pos- sess most extensive powers in matters of religion. All its acts must receive the consent of the King. i 3 154 THE SESSIONS HOUSE. At the synod held in Cashel, in 1172, the clergy are said to have conferred on Henry II. and his heirs, the kingdom of Ireland for ever. The Convocation called by James I. in 1614, at Dub- lin, established the Thirty-nine Articles. The Convocation of 1634, in the tenth year of Charles I. drew up the One Hundred Canons and Consti- tutions Ecclesiastical, to which that of 1711 added live more. THE SESSIONS HOUSE. This building, which is situated in Green-street, stands between the prison of Newgate and the Sheriff’s prison, and was opened for the despatch of business in 1797. A pediment, supported by six pilasters, forms the front, but the passages approaching the interior are extremely inconve- nient for the crowds that pass into it. The Hall of Justice is spacious, and the roof supported by four Ionic columns. Four Courts are held in this edifice, viz. the Quarter Sessions for the City, the Commission of Oyer and Terminer, the Court of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, and the Court of Record. The Quarter Sessions are opened four times in the year for the trial of minor offences, and held by adjournment once a fortnight. At this Court the Recorder and two Aldermen, at least, preside. The Commission of Oyer and Terminer usually sits six times in the year, for a week each time, at which two judges of the land preside for the trial of offences of a more serious NEWGATE. 155 kind. The Lord Mayor and Sheriffs hold their Court every Thursday, to hear complaints rela- tive to apprentices, journeymen’s wages, &c. ; and the Court of Record is held in January, April, July, and October, to decide on actions of debt by civil-bill process. At the Sessions-house is also held the Town Clerk’s Office. The very limited number of executions which annually takes place in this prison of the metro- polis proves, that street and house-robberies, with other public outrages of an atrocious nature, have very rarely occurred since the establishment of the present admirable system of police. NEWGATE. Immediately adjoining the Sessions-house is the prison of Newgate, which derived its name from having at an early period formed one of the city gates in Com Market. The present building, which cost £16,000, is a large quadrangular pile of three stories, extending 170 feet in front, and 127 in depth, having at the external angles four round towers. In the front are the guard-room, hospital, common-hall, long-room, chapel, &c. ; and on the other sides of the quadrangle are the cells, which are twelve feet by eight, badly dis- posed, and as ill ventilated. The cells for the condemned are gloomy in the extreme ; they are nine in number, and compose the cellarage of the east front. There are two common halls to the prisoner’s yard, where they are allowed liberty to 156 NEWGATE. walk. The site is considered to have been most injudiciously chosen, as there is not sufficient ex- tent for the necessary yards and other accommo- dations. It is surrounded by wretched streets, and the ground is so low as to render the con- struction of sewers to carry off its filth imprac- ticable. Previous to the year 1808, the internal manage- ment of this prison was defective in the extreme, and abuses of a very flagrant nature are said to have existed. It was visited at that period by the Commissioners appointed for inspecting the Prisons of Ireland, who found the prisoners, tried and untried, and even some under sentence of death, indiscriminately mingled together, without any attempt at classification ; and, in some instances, from eight to fourteen were crowded together in one cell. Want of cleanliness and comfort was visible throughout the building, while the hospi- tal was destitute of almost every essential neces- sary. Information was received by the Commis- sioners, that such was the anarchy and insubor- dination that prevailed amongst the prisoners, from want of proper discipline, that robbery, and other crimes of a much worse description, were fre- quently committed within the prison, which were not only permitted, but encouraged by the turn- keys. These evils had, however, at that period, abated in a considerable degree, and the measures soon after adopted by the Imperial Parliament, se- conded by the indefatigable personal exertions of Mr. Secretary Pole, have effected a most happy and salutary change in this abode of misery, as •THE SHERIFF’S PRISON. 157 far as its confined and incommodious situation* would permit. Much room has been obtained by fitting up parts of the prison which had been previously unoccupied. The greatest attention is paid to the cleanliness and ventilation of the apartments. The provisions are of a wholesome and nutritious quality, and that refractory and disorderly spirit which formerly prevailed, has so completely subsided, that the use of irons is in general dispensed with, except in cases of capital convictions. The salaries of the officers attendant on this prison, amount to nearly £2,000 a year. THE SHERIFF’S PRISON, Which is also situated in the Little Green, north of the Sessions-house, was built in 1794, with the view of preventing the abuses of sponging- houses. This object was, in a great measure, answered, but the extent of the building was by no means adequate to the number of prisoners sometimes confined in it. Previous to the visit of the Inspectors, the grossest abuses also prevailed here. The keeper had no salary, but rented his office from the sub-sheriff, from whence arose a strong temptation to charge the unfortunate in- mates an exorbitant rent for their wretched apart- ments, and encourage the consumption of spirituous liquors. This evil now no longer exists, as the keeper receives a salary, and considerable atten- tion is paid to the comforts and cleanliness of the prisoners. Many inconveniencies, however, still 158 THE FOUR COURTS MARSHALSEA. remain, owing to the small extent and plan of the building ; and there is no fund for supplying the poorer class of prisoners with food, fuel, or bed- ding, except what arises from casual donations, and the annual distribution, at Christmas, of bread and meat, purchased with the interest of £800, which was bequeathed for that purpose by a Mr. Powell, who had been himself a prisoner. THE CITY MARSHALSEA Adjoins the Sessions-house, and was built in 1804, for the confinement of persons under process of the Lord Mayor’s Court and the Court of Con- science, who are generally of the very poorest classes. These unfortunate persons depend en- tirely upon casual charity for the supply of their wants, and, with the exception of those who can afford a higher rent, they pay one penny per night for lodging in the common hall. THE FOUR COURTS MARSHALSEA Is erected in an elevated situation, near Thomas- street ; but, like the other prisons, is much too small for the number of prisoners confined in it, as the Marshal is obliged to admit debtors from all parts of Ireland, who are desirous to receive the benefit of the maintenance and insolvent acts. The building is 180 feet by 120, divided into two court-yards. In the upper is the house of KILMAIN1IAM GAOL. 159 the Marshal, apartments for his deputy, the tap, guard-room, and common hall ; over the latter of which are the prisoners’ rooms. In the lower court are a chapel, infirmary, ball- court, common bath, and various necessary offices. A new yard of considerable extent has been added ; an addi- tional building has been erected, where the poorer prisoners have apartments, with beds and bed- dings, rent free ; and, in cases of extreme indi- gence, they are supplied with bread. Great attention is now paid to the cleanliness of the prison, and every indulgence consistent with their security is afforded to its unfortunate inhabitants. Want of sufficient ventilation is the greatest evil complained of, — an inconvenience which the si- tuation of the building renders it difficult to re- medy. KILMAINHAM GAOL, The prison of the county of Dublin, receives both debtors and felons. It is on an elevated situation, and has a good supply of excellent water. A lofty wall encloses a rectangular space of 283 feet by 190, containing the main building, 178 by 102 feet, composed of two quadrangles, in which are apartments for the keeper, a chapel, infirmary, work-room, common hall, and fifty-two cells. The prison is well ventilated, and accommodated with spacious yards. The guard-room and door- keeper’s office are detached from the building. This prison is well adapted to the classification of 160 THE DUBLIN PENITENTIARY. prisoners, which has been in a good measure car- ried into effect. Under the directions of Mr. Pole, a Penitentiary has been established in it, in which several of the prisoners are employed in weaving, and other handicraft occupations. The experiment has been attended with so much suc- cess, that some have been liberated on bail, and others admitted into the army and navy. The convicts from the north are received into this pri- son previous to transportation. THE DUBLIN PENITENTIARY, A very fine building of its kind, is situated to the north west suburbs of the City. It presents a front of 700 feet to Grange-gorman-lane, is in depth about 400 feet, and covers an area of three acres. It is a plain substantial edifice, with a handsome front, and the estimated expense is about £40,000. The situation of the building is extremely healthy, and attached to it are all the conveniencies necessary to such an establish- ment. Prisoners of both sexes are admitted here, who are properly separated and classed. Howard’s plan of solitary confinement has been adopted here, with a gradual progress to society as the convict becomes reclaimed. After being liberated from his cell, he is permitted to associate with ten or more persons, in an equal state of moral improvement, and from thence, according to his merits, is advanced to large work-shops, where he experiences less restraint. Persons continuing T11E HOUSE OF CORRECTION. 161 incorrigible are in the end transported to Botany Bay ; the great majority, however, have been apprenticed to trades, permitted to enter the army or navy, or restored to their friends. Great at- tention is paid to the moral and religious instruc- tion of the prisoners, from which the happiest effects are already perceptible. There is also a Penitentiary in Smithfield. THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION, Situated on the Circular Road, near the further end of New-street, is a ponderous and massive building, well suited to the purposes for which it has been erected. The City Arms, are embla- zoned over the gate-way, with this suitable motto : — <( Obedientia Civium Urbis FeJicitas.” And above this, on a stone tablet, is inscribed in large characters — “ Cease to do evil— learn to do well. , ’ The keeper’s lodge is advanced beyond the main body of the building, and at the angles are pro- jecting turrets, which command the main walls on the outside. In these centinals are placed, to prevent any attempts to escape. Rope walks are placed outside the main building, but within the enclosing wall. Young vagrants of both sexes are confined in this building ; each sex is kept distinct, and they are arranged in classes, and kept usefully employed. The expense exceeds 162 PRISON DISCIPLINE. .£30,000, which is defrayed by presentment. A Sunday School has been established here, from which the happiest effects have in many instances resulted. There is no city in the world which can, for its size, boast a greater number of benevolent insti- tutions than the City of Dublin. Besides those formed for the purpose of alleviating the dis- tresses and miseries which are incident to human nature in general, especially to the poorer orders, and for infusing right principles into the minds of the rising generation, many establishments have been founded for reclaiming those who have un- happily deviated from the path of rectitude ; and results of the most consoling nature have already arisen from these godlike exertions. To feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and instruct the igno- rant, are works of mercy enjoined by every pre- cept of our divine religion. But to reclaim the wandering prodigal, and bring back to the paths of virtue the-unhappy prostitute, are acts which, in proportion to the difficulty, rise in the scale of moral excellence, and must be peculiarly accep- table to that gracious Being, who rejoiceth over one sinner that repenteth. ASSOCIATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF PRISONS AND PRISON DISCIPLINE. This Society was formed in 1818, under tbc patronage of Mr. Secretary Grant. The Com- MAGDALEN ASYLUM. 163 mittee meets every week at No. 16 , Upper Sack- ville-street, and much benefit has resulted from their exertions. The prison Committee of Ladies have made great and successful exertions in bet- tering the condition of female prisoners, and in- structing them in the principles of religion and morality. But little permanent good can be ex- pected from their humane efforts, unless some House of Refuge be opened for the reception of such wretched females as evince, on their removal from prison, a total change of mind and conduct. To effect this great desideratum, an affecting ap- peal, signed by the benevolent Ladies of the Committee, was some time since laid before the public, which contains the lamentable fact, that two wretched creatures did actually drown them- selves a few days after they were discharged from prison. The cause assigned is too obvious ; — no person would employ them, and they had no re- source but to return to their former evil practices, or commit suicide. MAGDALEN ASYLUM, LEESON-STREET. This was the first institution of the kind ever established in Ireland. It was founded by the pious and amiable Lady Denny, and opened on the 11th of June, 1766, for unfortunate females abandoned by their seducers, and rejected by their friends, who preferred a life of penitence and virtue to one of guilt, infamy, and prostitu- tion. Lady Arabella procured the patronage of 164 MAGDALEN ASYLUM. her late Majesty to the institution ; she also drew up a code of laws for its internal government ; and since her death, her benevolent plans have been actively followed up by the ladies who have been governesses of the institution. The funds arise from subscriptions, an annual charity sermon, and the weekly receipts in the Chapel, which contains seven hundred persons, and is usually crowded to excess. The house is capable of receiving 60 penitents, and 48 have been accom- modated at one time. Near 800 have been ad- mitted since the commencement of the institution. No candidate is admissible after the age of twenty. The period of probation is from two to three years, during which they are educated in every thing necessary to their present and eternal hap- piness. After this a reconciliation is effected with their friends, or they are provided with the means of an honest livelihood, and as far as their future progress in life could be traced, those who have been dismissed, have generally given evidence of a complete reformation. During their residence in the asylum, one-fourth of the produce of their labour is given to themselves, and the remainder in clothes or gratuities on their leaving the house. When the friends of those admitted are in comfortable circumstances, they are expected to contribute ten guineas per annum to their support. This institution is much in- debted to the Latouche family. BETHESDA CIIAPEL. 165 LOCK PENITENTIARY, AND BETHESDA CHAPEL. About sixty years since, a chapel was erected on the east side of Dorset-street, at the private expense of William Smyth, Esq. nephew to the Archbishop of that name. He denominated it Bethesda, from a well-known scriptural allusion, and appointed two clergyman of the establishment to officiate according to the forms of the national church. He afterwards annexed an asylum for female orphans, in which thirty-six children are regularly supported, clothed, and educated ; and in 1794, the Rev. John Walker carried the views of the founder still further into effect by opening a penitentiary for the reception and em- ployment of such women dismissed from the Lock- hospital, as wished to return again to the paths of industry and virtue. About 50 are generally in the asylum, where they are employed in washing, mangling, and plain work. Since the commence- ment of the institution between 700 and 1000 fe- males have been in the house, numbers of whom have given the strongest proofs of a complete reformation, and many of them have returned to their families or been otherwise provided for. — No place of worship in Dublin is better attended than Bethesda chapel, to which the solemnity of the service, the sweet voices of the females, and the excellent purposes for which the establishment was founded, all serve as powerful attractions. 166 THE DUBLIN FEMALE PENITENTIARY. About ten years back, the disposition mani- fested by a number of unfortunate females to abandon the paths of vice, induced some benevo- lent ladies and gentlemen to make an effort towards establishing this asylum, as in those already formed there was not room for the admission of the nu- merous applicants who were willing to take refuge in them. The attempt was happily crown- ed with success, and a suitable house was speedily erected on the North Circular- road. The peni- tents are employed in washing, mangling, and needle-work in all its branches, together with mantua-making and millinery. A Repository has been opened at the house for the sale of fancy- work, baby linen, &c. in aid of the establishment ; and a neat chapel has been erected for the benefit of the Institution. The foregoing institutions are wholly Protestant, but our Roman Catholic brethren have not been deficient in exertions towards the attainment of the same laudable object. The following instances will prove how much good may be effected by individuals, even in the humblest walks of life, when actuated by a proper motive. FEMALE PENITENTS’ ASYLUM, BOW-STREET. In this establishment are supplied with food, clothing, and every other necessary, thirty-four FEMALE PENITENTS’ ASYLUM. 167 women, who, from vice and prostitution, have been recalled to the paths of virtue and morality. This excellent institution owes its foundation to an humble individual, a Mr. John Dillon, then a clerk to Mr. Orr, of Bridge-street. This benevo- lent young man, returning one evening from the Post-office, was accosted in Dame-street by an unfortuate young woman of the town, who soli- cited him to accompany her to a house of ill-fame. He entered into a conversation with her on the infamy and evil consequences of the course of life she had adopted. Her answers, and the manner in which she related the story of her seduction, convinced him that her present mode of life arose from necessity rather than from vicious inclination. He therefore determined to attempt her restora- tion to virtue, and for this purpose he procured for her a lodging, and supplied her with some necessaries. To enable him to support this ex- pense, he applied to a few well-disposed persons of his own persuasion, (the Roman Catholic,) and to a clergyman, who cheerfully seconded his be- nevolent intentions. The result exceeded his hope : the woman was reclaimed, and the present establishment was formed. It may be gratifying to the reader to know r , that this virtuous man became a merchant of great respectability at Buenos Ayres, in South America. Since its foun- dation, the institution has restored to virtue, and to their friends, numerous penitent females. The females in the institution are employed in needle- work, washing, mangling, &c. the produce of which, together w ith subscriptions, and the col- 168 GENERAL ASYLUM. lection made at an annual charity sermon, goes to support the establishment. GENERAL ASYLUM, TOWNSEND-STREET This, like the former, owed its origin to the benevolent exertions of an humble mechanic. A poor, but pious Roman Catholic weaver in the Liberties, named Quarterman, succeeded, by the blessing of Providence on his simple instructions, in reclaiming an unfortunate female from the path of infamy. He solicited and obtained aid of a few other well disposed persons as indigent as himself, and thus established a small fund, which was the germ of the present institution. The penitents are supplied with meat, drink, and every other necessary article, and from the moment of their reception into the asylum, every exertion is made to strengthem them in their re- solution to abandon their vicious ways. They are employed in needle-work, washing, and other useful labours, by which they gradually acquire industrious habits, which, when dismissed from the house, enables them to procure an honest livelihood for themselves. The money produced by their work goes with the subscriptions, and the produce of a Charity Sermon annually preached, towards the support of the establishment. 169 POLICE. The Police of the Metropolis has undergone a variety of changes since the first establishment of a watch during the reign of Elizabeth ; but the most remarkable was the memorable Police Act, passed in 1785, which for ten years was a source of the most vexatious disquietude to the City of Dublin. It was repealed in 1795, and the old watch restored ; but this being found totally in- efficient, the present Police Establishment was formed in 1808, during the chief secretaryship of the Duke of Wellington, (then Sir A. Wellesley.) At present the entire police establishment con- sists of six aldermen, six sheriffs’ peers, six bar- risters, one secretary, twelve clerks, six chief constables, sixty-six peace-officers, twenty-six constables of the watch, thirty horse-police, one hundred and seventy foot patrole, for city and country, and four hundred and ninety-three watch- men, amounting in the w hole to seven hundred and ninety-one effective men. They are mostly discharged militia-men, whose spirit and good conduct have been certified. The jurisdiction of the Police extends to all places within eight miles of the Castle of Dublin. This district is formed into four divisions, with their respective offices, namely — 1st Division, Office, Exchange Court. 2d Division, Office, Arran-quay. 3d Division, Office, Henry-street. 4th Division, Office, Bank-street. To each of these divisions are attached three K. 170 POLICE. Justices ; the first an Alderman of the City, the second a Barrister of the Court, of six years’ standing, and the third a Sheriffs’ Peer. The Alderman attached to the Castle Division is Chief Magistrate of the Police. He receives a salary of £ 600 a-year, with a house to reside in. The other Justices have £500 a-year each. One or more of the Divisional Justices attends every day at each of the public offices, from ten in the morn- ing until three in the afternoon, and from seven until eight in the evening. They are empowered to examine all persons accused of murder, treason, felony, conspiracies, frauds, riots, assaults, and misdemeanors of every kind ; to hear and deter- mine some particular cases in a summary way, and administer affidavits to all who may apply to them. The horse patrole are quartered in Kevin-street barrack ; and there are thirteen houses in various parts of the city, over each of which two or three constables preside. Patroles are continually in motion during the night to prevent depredations, and see that the watchmen are on their posts ; and the peace-officers are constantly in attendance awaiting the commands of the magistrates. Po- lice houses are also established in nine of the adjacent villages, namely, Rathfarnham, Firrhouse, Chapelizod, Castleknock, Crumljn, Finglas, Coo- lock, Williamstown, and Dundrum. At these places about seventy policemen are stationed, who send out patroles at night on the different avenues leading to the town. The public office belonging to the Castle Division is called the Head Police Office, to which the other Offices make daily re- THE LIBRARY OF THE BMVftWY WF lUJMOtt TIIE ItOYAL EXCHANGE. 171 turns. All public carriages are under the exclu- sive controul of the Justices of this Division, with whom complaints of misconduct against the owners or drivers must be lodged within fourteen days after the offence has been committed. As these vehicles are numbered, persons who are careful to note the number, cannot fail of obtain- ing redress, if at any time imposed upon. Such is the present system of police in the Irish capital, which has already been found so effica- cious, that there is not, perhaps, a great city in Europe where fewer outrages are committed. The expense of the watch for the City is de- frayed by a tax on all houses within the Circular Road ; that for the police by Parliamentary grants. THE ROYAL EXCHANGE Stands in the centre of the City, and nearly on the highest ground, and while it adds considera- bly to the grandeur of the approach to the Castle, it commands a fine view along Parliament-street, Essex-briclge, and Capel-street, one of the prin- cipal lines of communication between the northern and southern parts of the capital. It is, perhaps, the most elegant structure of the kind in Europe, combining all the advantages of situation, form, and architectural beauty. The form of this hand- some edifice is nearly a square of 100 feet, having three fronts of Portland stone, in the Corinthian order, crowned by a dome in the centre of the building. The north and west sides are nearly 172 THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, similar in appearance, each having a range of six columns, with their correspondent pilasters and entablatures ; but the former has a noble pedi- ment highly decorated. In this front, between the columns, are three entrances, with elegant iron gates hung to Ionic columns, over which are the windows, richly ornamented by architraves, &c. A fine ballustrade, interrupted only by the pediment, runs round the top of the building. A large flight of steps leads to the entrance, round which is a handsome iron railing.* The inside of the edifice must appear strikingly beautiful to the lovers of architecture. Twelve composite fluted columns support the dome, which form a circular walk in the centre of the ambulatory ; the enta- blature over these columns is splendidly enriched, and above it are twelve elegant circular windows. Stucco ornaments, in the Mosaic taste, decorate the ceiling of the dome, which is divided into small hexagonal compartments, and in the centre is a large window. Opposite the north entrance, on a pedestal of white marble, stands a statue in brass of our late revered sovereign, King George the Third, which was executed by Van Nost, and cost seven hundred guineas. Semi-pilasters of the Ionic order extend to upwards of half the height of the columns, and above them is an en- tablature, festoons of drapery, &c. The floor of * Previous to the year 1815, the steps were enclosed by ballustrades of massy cast iron, but being supported by a wall of only four inches, a crowd of people having assembled on the steps to see a criminal whipt, the whole fell, by which se- veral lives were unfortunately lost, and many limbs broken. COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. 173 the ambulatory is handsomely inlaid, particularly in the centre, and at each extremity of the north side are oval geometrical stair-cases, enlightened by flat oval lanterns in the ceiling. In a niche on the west stair-case is a beautiful pedestrian statue of the celebrated Doctor Lucas, sculptured in white marble, by Mr. Edward Smyth, the ex- pense of which was defrayed by some gentlemen, admirers of that patriot. A coffee-room, which is an excellent apartment, extends from one stair- case to the other, and is lighted by the windows in the north front, and by two oval lanterns in a coved ceiling, richly ornamented. On the west is a large room, where the Committee of Mer- chants and Commissioners of Bankrupts meet. To the south are the apartments of the house- keeper, and on the east is an apartment appro- priated to the use of the Commissioners of Wide Streets. The trustees are, the Lord Mayor, High Sheriffs, City Representatives, City Treasurer, Senior Master of the Guild of Merchants, and twelve Merchants of respectability. The whole expense of this magnificent building was about £40,000 ; £13,500 of which was granted by Parliament, and the remainder de- frayed by lottery schemes, conducted by the mer- chants with the strictest integrity. COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. The exterior of this building is plain but ele- gant, and consists of three stories surmounted by k 2 174 COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. a cornice. The bottom is of rustic, and in the centre is the door-case, supported by Ionic pil- lars. The middle story contains seven windows, surmounted by alternate angular and circular pe- diments. There is a grand hall, on the left of which is the coffee-room, 60 feet long, 28 in breadth, and 90 in height. The dimensions, be- ing unbroken by pillars, heightens the effect ; at night it is lighted by elegant gilt branches. There are eight apartments in the building appropriated to an hotel. Over the coffee-room is the Stock Exchange ; and other rooms are allotted to various mercantile purposes. In the rere is a spacious court, surrounded by insurance and brokers’ of- fices. As the Royal Exchange was found not to an- swer every purpose for which it was intended, some respectable merchants opened a subscription to erect a building as near the centre of the city as possible, for the accommodation of the mercan- tile body. For this purpose shares of £50 each were issued, and 400 subscribers speedily ob- tained. The ground on which the old post-office yard and Crown-alley stood, was taken, and in 1796, the building was commenced under the su- perintendance of Mr. Parks. In three years it was opened for the transaction of business. A Chamber of Commerce has been lately esta- blished, consisting of a President, four Vice-Pre- sidents, and a Committee of twenty-one. The object of the Association is, in their printed laws and regulations, declared to be, “ To promote the commercial and manufacturing interests of the BALLAST OFFICE. 175 City of Dublin ; as well as to take cognizance of, and investigate such matters as, affecting the commerce and manufactures of Ireland generally, must necessarily influence those of the metropolis. For the attainment of this object, the Council of the Chamber shall hold respectful communication with the Ministers of the Crown, and other offi- cers of the Government, the Members of either House of Parliament, and other persons of high station and authority ; and shall correspond and confer with similar associations, and with indivi- viduals, respecting the objects of this association. The Council shall also support and assist, in the manner it may deem advisable, any member who shall be exposed to expense or inconvenience, by asserting the legal rights of a merchant or trader.” The office of this association is in the Commer- cial Buildings. BALLAST OFFICE. The Corporation under this title was first insti- tuted in 1707, for improving the port and har- bour ; and for that purpose powers were vested in the Lord Mayor, Commons, and Citizens of Dublin. In 1786, a new Corporation was formed by an Act of the Legislature, to be composed of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs for the time being, three Aldermen, and seventeen other persons named in the Act, who were either merchants or highly respectable public characters. They have perpetual powers to fill up all vacancies, and their 176 COMMISSIONERS OF WIDE STREETS. efforts have been of the highest public utility. The Corporation is now formed into a body nearly like the Elder Brethren of the Trinity-house in London, to whom an account of all newly-pro- jected works is communicated, subject to the approbation of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and the Lords of the Treasury. To this Corpo- ration is entrusted every thing relative to the port of Dublin, the care of the quay walls and bridges, and the superintendance of the light-houses around the Irish coast. Through the activity of this Corporation, eight new light-houses have been added to the fourteen which existed on the coast of Ireland in 1810; and many of the latter have been repaired and re-lighted. The expense of the improvements in the port has been defrayed by a tax on shipping, and that of the quays and bridges by a house tax and Grand Jury present- ments. The office of this Corporation is in West- moreland-street. COMMISSIONERS OF WIDE STREETS. This Board was first established in 1757, to make a wide and convenient street from Essex- bridge to the Castle of Dublin, and they were afterwards empowered to proceed to other great plans of public utility. A brief sketch of the improvements that have taken place since that period, will best shew the energy with which this establishment has been conducted. In 1762, Parliament-street was opened and built. In 1768, PAVING BOARD. 177 the passages to the Castle from the Exchange, through Palace-street and Cork-hill, were en- larged. In 1790, that part of Dame-street, be- tween the Castle-gate and South Great George’s- street, was widened. In the same year, James’s Gate was opened, and since that period, West- moreland-street, Sackville-street, and North Fre- derick-street have been built, completing one of the linest avenues in Europe, from Dorset-street to College-green. Add to these the removal of the obstructions which deformed the quays, the completion of Abbey-street to Beresford-place, the intended improvements in the line of New Brunswick-street and D’Olier-street, and the re- moval of those obstructions which blocked up the two venerable Cathedrals, and it must be admitted that no city in Europe can boast of greater im- provements in the same space of time. The Com- missioners of Wide Streets are not a Corporation. They receive no salaries, and when a vacancy occurs by death or resignation, the Board elects a new member, subject to the approbation of the Lord Lieutenant. The revenues have arisen from parliamentary grants, and duties on coals, cards, and club-houses. COMMISSIONERS FOR PAYING AND LIGHTING. This Board is appointed by the Lord Lieute- nant, and consists of three Commissioners, a Se- cretary, Treasurer, and two Supervisors, who are 178 THE LINEN HALL. entrusted with the paving and lighting of the City, watering the streets, constructing sewers, and making such regulations as may be necessary to carry these objects into effect ; and for these purposes they are empowered to levy taxes to a certain amount. The business of the Board is conducted at a large building in Mary-street, and though the load of taxes it brings on the citizens is much complained of, (amounting to about £50,000 annually,) yet it must be allowed that the objects of the establishment are well attended to. No city in Europe can boast of better pave- ment or more commodious flagged-ways, while it is well lighted with gas, distributed in the most judicious manner over every part of the City. THE LINEN HALL, Situated to the rere of Bolton-street and Capel- street, is a plain brick building, consisting of six large courts, surrounded by stores, which com- municate below by piazzas and above by galleries, and a yarn-hall. The whole occupies the space between the Broad-stone and Bolton-street. The Linen-hall contains 557 rooms, an elegant coffee- room, and a board-room for the trustees. Though Ireland was celebrated for its manufacture of linen at a very early period, it was generally confined to the home consumption of the country till the memorable year 1699, when the liberty of ex- porting woollens from Ireland was taken away. Above fifty years before that, the unfortunate T1IE LINEN HALL. 179 Earl of Strafford had done much to encourage the linen trade, and for that purpose had embarked £'30,000 of his private fortune in the undertak- ing. In the 8th of Queen Anne, trustees were appointed to manage certain duties granted in aid of the manufacture, who at first held their meet- ings in a room on Cork-hill, which they rented at £\4 per annum. They were afterward accom- modated with an apartment in the Castle, but the increase of business soon rendered it necessary to erect an extensive concern, and in 1728 the pre- sent building was completed. The sale commences every day at nine o’clock, and continues till four, no light or fire of any kind being permitted. The factors are allowed a com- mission of from 2y to 3 \ per cent, according to the value of the goods per yard, and the extent of credit. The linen trade of Ireland is every year decreasing. Cotton Manufacture. — In the year 1760, six hundred looms were employed in Dublin in the fabrication of jeans and common cottons, but the machinery was at that time rude and imper- fect, and the spinning performed on a common worsted wheel. Soon after this the manufactures of Ireland sunk into the lowest state of depression, till in 1777, Mr. Joy of Belfast introduced some cotton machinery from Scotland, which was first used in a poor-house in Belfast. The project was soon adopted by others in that neighbour- hood, and so rapid was its improvement, that in 1800, in a circuit of ten miles, comprehending 180 THE LINEN IIALL. Belfast and Lisburn, it gave employment in various ways to not less than 27,000 individuals. In other parts of Ireland the manufactures was also carried on with considerable spirit, so that in 1802, by returns made to the linen board, it ap- peared that 20,500 looms and 60,000 individuals were employed in the cotton trade. Mr. Robert Brooke, who had acquired a considerable fortune in the East, brought over some English artists to Dublin, whom he set to work in the Liberties, and having built a new town in the county of Kildare, about 19 miles from Dublin, he esta- blished there the different branches of the manu- facture, including the printing of linen and cotton goods. Other gentlemen followed the example, but notwithstanding some aid from government and other public bodies, these different plans failed, and an unparalleled scene of distress and dismay was the consequence. More success, how- ever, attended the efforts of some persons in the metropolis, who used greater circumspection in their proceedings, and there are still in Dublin about 300 looms employed in the manufacture. The Silk Manufacture is supposed to have been first established in the Irish metropolis by the French refugees. In 1764, the Dublin Soci- ety being empowered to make regulations for the management of the trade, established an Irish silk warehouse in Parliament-street, and the sales for some time averaged £70,000. annually. But this warehouse was totally ruined by an act passed in the 26th of the late King, which prohibited the TIIE LINEN HALL. 181 Dublin Society from disposing of any part of its funds for the support of any house where Irish silk goods were sold. In 1808, 3760 persons were em- ployed in the manufacture of unmixed silk, but that number has since been greatly diminished. Woollen Manufacture. — The woollen manu- factures of Ireland were so celebrated at a very remote period, that as early as the reign of Henry III. they were imported into England. In the fifteenth century, they were so much esteemed on the Continent, particularly in Italy, that the Pope’s agent obtained permission from Richard II. to export, duty free, mantles made of Irish cloth. Towards the close of the seventeenth cen- tury a number of English manufacturers, anxious to avail themselves of the advantages which Ireland afforded to carry on the woollen trade, settled in Dublin, soon after which the Coombe, Pimlico, Spitalfields, and the Weaver’s-square were built, and this part of the metropolis became the resi- dence of the most opulent part of the inhabitants. This happy state of prosperity was, however, soon subverted, by the means adopted to restrain the progress of this manufacture, which was a great source of jealously to the sister country ; du- ties amounting to a prohibition were laid on the export of woollen cloth, and it was soon after wholly restrained to any part except England or Wales. Many wealthy employers immediately left the country, and the decline of the Liberties of Dublin was as rapid as their rise, the linen ma- nufacture, which was substituted for the w oollen, 182 THE LINEN HALL. having never been tried in this district. After the introduction of Spanish wool into Ireland, some revival took place in the trade, which in 1775 was taken under the patronage of the Dublin So- ciety. For a considerable period such steady encouragment was given to our native manufacture, that in the year 1792 above 500 looms were em- ployed in the liberties ; but the number is at pre- sent greatly decreased. The duty being taken of the manufactures of England, having contributed to produce this effect. Stove Tenter House. — This most useful mo- nument of patriotic munificence, was erected at the sole expense of a private individual, whose name will ever grace the annals of the Irish metropolis. It is situated in Brown-street, at the rere of the Weavers’-square, and consists of a long edifice of three stories, surmounted in the centre with a cupola and spire, and ornamented at each end with the Weavers’ Arms. On the ground floor are four furnaces, from which issue large metal tubes, which run horizontally to each extremity of the building ; by means of these the whole edifice is heated, as the flooring of each story is formed of iron bars, through which the heat passes. Along these floors run the tenters, con- structed on machinery, by which the cloth is stretched to any breadth or degree of tension. The only charge to the poor manufacturer is 2s. 6d. for every piece of cloth, and 5d. for every chain of warp, which barely pays for coals and the other current expenses. The sufferings and inconveniences to which the TIIE LINEN HALL. 183 poor weavers were exposed, for want of a proper place to dry their materials at certain seasons of the year, had long been a subject of serious con- cern to the humane and benevolent part of the community. In wet weather, many thousands were deprived of employment for several weeks, and to remedy the evil, various plans had been devised, calculated to combine public convenience with private emolument. An end was, however, put to all these speculations by Mr. Thomas Plea- sants, who had long been distinguished by his numerous acts of beneficence, and who now re- solved to effect, at his own expense, without hope of remuneration, what had been so long looked for in vain. Having procured the best models, he set about the work, which was com- pleted in 1815, at the expense of £12,964 12s. lOd. The benevolent founder vested the establishment in trustees, for the benefit of the public, seeking no other remuneration than the delightful con- sciousness of having thus materially benefitted his suffering fellow-creatures for many succeeding ge- nerations.* * This worthy citizen and amiable man, has since exchanged this world for a better. He has bequeathed his extensive for- tune to various charitable uses. His acts of beneficence during his life-time have rarely found a parallel. In 1814, he gave £60,000. to the Meath Hospital. Admiring a sermon he heard one Sunday, he requested that the preacher would let him peruse the manuscript. He returned it in a few days, intimat- ing that he had taken the liberty of adding a note to a passage that particularly struck him. The astonished preacher, on referring to the place, found a bank note for a considerable amount folded in the leaf. l 2 184 WELLESLEY MARKET, This ornamental structure is situated on Usher’s Quay, and is likely to prove of considerable ad- vantage to the manufacturers of woollens, silks, cords, and cottons in this country. It was erected at the sole expense of that enterprising and really patriotic individual, Mr. George Home, who built the Arcade in College-green. The building con- tains upwards of eighty ware-rooms, and in the centre an area of considerable dimensions has been fitted up as a public market, to he held on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. In conse- quence of the low rents charged for the rooms, together with the advantage to be derived from thus concentrating the business of the various ma- nufacturers, there can be no doubt that the erec- tion of this fine building will ultimately be found highly beneficial in encouraging and promoting the sale of Irish manufactures. Adjoining the market is a public hotel, containing upwards of 200 bed-rooms, a coffee-room, &c. The charges are low, and no gratuity is allowed to be given to the servants for their attendance. THE ROYAL ARCADE. The Royal Arcade and Grand Promenade form an extensive and elegant building erected on the site of the old Post Office in College-green, which is much frequented by strangers visiting the metropolis. the ueenBir OF THE mmwY of mm T1IE ROYAL ARCADE. 185 The under part is the Arcade, which contains thirty shops, well assorted with merchandize. — The first floor is intended for a Bazaar, and ex- tends over the entire line of shops on both sides of the Arcade, and being connected at each end, forms a Promenade. It is laid out with ranges of counters the whole length, upwards of 200 feet, and the roof being supported by two ranges of Grecian Doric columns, gives it an imposing effect. This, like the Arcade, is entirely occu- pied by persons in business, but under separate regulations and restrictions : each establishment is formed by a counter division, which are let to various tenants. Communicating with the Pro- menade is a commodious suite of apartments, com- prising Ball, Supper, and Card Rooms. Adjoining these is an extensive gallery, which was until lately occupied by the works of Irish artists in painting, architecture, sculpture, &c. &c. In another part of the building is the Sans Pareil Theatre, which is generally occupied by some amusing exhibition. An extensive Hotel and Coffee-Room are also attached to the concern. The purchase and building cost £ 16,000, and the whole was accomplished by Mr. Home, the philanthropic individual already alluded to, who, though engaged in pursuits totally distinct from architecture, was the sole projector of this very handsome pile of buildings. 186 OUZEL GALLEY. The singular denomination of this Society ori- ginated in the case of a ship of that name lying in the port of Dublin in 1700, which occasioned much legal controversy. It was at length decided by an arbitration of merchants, which gave such general satisfaction, that a Society was founded for determining commercial differences. Its mem- bers consist of a Captain, Lieutenant, and crew, who are generally the most respectable merchants in Dublin. The costs decreed against the parties who submit to their arbitration, are always de- voted to charitable purposes. UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN. Trinity College is justly considered one of the noblest structures of the kind in Europe. Its form is that of a rectangle, extending in front to College-green, about 300 feet, and in depth 600, divided into two nearly equal quadrangles, called the Parliament-square, and the Library- square. The front, which was erected in 1759, is of Portland stone, as are all the buildings in the first square. The centre is decorated by an angular pediment supported by Corinthian co- lumns, and it terminates in pavilions on the north and south, ornamented with coupled pilasters of the same order, supporting an attic story. A third square, of convenient but simple structure, has been recently added. mrvrx • ■" UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN. 187 The Parliament square, so called from its having been built chiefly by Parliamentary grants, amount- ing to upwards of £40,000, is 328 feet by 210. It is entirely of hewn stone, and, besides nume- rous apartments for the Fellows and Students, contains the chapel, the theatre for lectures and examinations, and the refectory, or dining-hall. The Library square is 265 feet by 214. Brick buildings on three sides contain apartments for the students ; the Library forms the fourth. This edifice, which was built of hewn stone in. 1732, consists of an extensive centre and two advanced pavilions, with a rich Corinthian entab- lature, crowned with a ballustrade. The Museum. — The entrance to the Museum, which is a fine room 60 feet by 40, is from the centre of the vestibule. It is open to the public, every day except Sundays and holidays, from one to two o’clock. It contains a collection of Irish fossils, minerals, curiosities from America, Egypt, China, and the South Sea Islands. There is also an old painting of the Spanish army besieged in Kinsale by Lords Mountjoy and Clanrickard, in 1601. There is no specific charge for seeing this Museum, but a small gratuity is generally expected by the attendant. It has been much neglected since the establishment of the Dublin Society Museum. The Chapel. — On the north side of the square is the Chapel, for the erection of which Parlia- ment, in 1787, granted ^12,000, but it cost considerably more. It is a very fine building, and the interior is fitted up in excellent style. 188 UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN The Refectory. — On the same side is the Refectory, the front of which has an Ionic pedi- ment supported by pilasters. Three hundred persons can dine in this hall, and over it is the philosophical lecture-room. It contains fine por- traits of Archbishop Cox, Frederick Prince of Wales, Provost Baldwin, Henry Grattan, Lords Kilwarden and Avonmore, Chief Justice Downes, and Henry Flood. The Theatre. — Opposite the Chapel is the Theatre, the front of which is decorated by a fine pediment, supported by four Corinthian co- lumns. The interior is 80 feet long by 40 in breadth. It has a rich Mosaic ceiling in groined arches, supported by composite columns. In the pannels are portraits of Queen Elizabeth, Primate Usher, Archbishop King, Bishop Berkeley, Wil- liam Molyneux, Esq. Dean Swift, Dr. Baldwin, Edmund Burke, and Lord Clare. There is also a fine monument to the memory of Dr. Baldwin, who died in 17.58, after having filled the office of Provost for thirty-nine years. He left £80,000 to the University. The Library. — The room appropriated to the Library is considered the finest of the kind in the empire, being 210 feet long, 41 broad, and 40 high. Fluted Corinthian columns support a spa- cious gallery of varnished oak. The Library is adorned with the busts of Homer, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Demosthenes, Cicero, Shakespeare, Mil- ton, Bacon, Usher, Boyle, Locke, Newton, Swift, Delany, Parnell, Clayton, Lawson, Gilbert, Bald- win, and Clement, executed in white marble* UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN. 189 The shelves contain above 70,000 volumes of the best writers, oil various subjects. Many of them were bequests of Archbishop Usher, Archbishop Palliser, and Doctor Gilbert. Amongst them are some old translations of the Bible, by WicklifFe, Ambrose, Usher, &c. In the eastern pavilion is a line room called the Fagel Library, which had been the property of Mr. Fagel, pensionary of Holland, and w r as purchased in 1794, for .£'8000. It contains 27,000 volumes. Over this room is an apartment in which the manuscripts, which exceed 1000, are deposited. Here are some va- luable documents relative to Irish history, a curious map of China, drawn by a native of that country, and some manuscripts in Greek, Arabic, and Per- sian, including the Greek manuscript of the New Testament, which belonged to Montfortius, and a Greek commentary on the four gospels, written in the ninth century. The Library is open from eight to ten, and from eleven to two, Sundays and holidays excepted, for graduates and sworn mem- bers ; strangers may be admitted to see the Li- brary if attended by a member. The Park. — East of the Library-square is a well planted Park, for the relaxation of the stu- dents, containing 13 - English acres. On the south east of the park is the anatomy house, which includes also the chemical laboratory and lecture- room. South of the library the Fellows have an elegantly laid ou< garden, to which none of the Students are admitted. Tiie Printing Office, a neat structure of the Doric order, is on the north side of the Park. 190 UNIVERSITY OE DUBLIN. The Anatomical Museum is at present filled by Dr. Macartney’s collection ; one half of the room being taken up with specimens of disease, the old collection belonging to the College, (with the exception of the gigantic skeleton of Magrath, and that of Clarke, commonly called the ossified man,) from want of room is deposited in close presses. Magrath was a native of this country, and stood, when alive, nearly eight feet high. The inordinate formation of bone in Clarke’s ske- leton has rendered all the joints immoveable, ex- cept those of the knee, ancle, and wrist; and considerable masses of bone have been deposited in the course of the muscles and tendons. There are also some fine specimens of wax models pur- chased by the Earl of Shelburne ; they are said to have been executed by Monsieur de Rau, a professor of anatomy at Paris. They are, how- ever, very inaccurate, as to anatomical representa- tion, although deservedly admired as works of art. The Provost’s House stands about sixty feet south of the west front, being separated from Grafton-street by a spacious court. The front is of free stone, richly embellished, after a design of the Earl of Cork and Burlington, and the inte- rior is elegant and convenient. It is hid from the street by an old wall, which should by all means be removed, and replaced by a handsome railing on a suitable pediment. Having thus described the various buildings connected with the College, we shall now give some account of the internal arrangement of this noble Institution. UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN. 191 By a charter of the College, the power of ap- pointing the Provost is reserved to the Crown. The Fellows are tenants for life, if they think proper. The number of Fellows is twenty-five, namely, seven Senior, and eighteen Junior. The King, with consent of the Provost, Fellows, and Scholars, has power to form laws and statutes, from time to time, for the better government of the Col- lege. The visitors are the College Chancellor, or his Vice-chancellor, and the Archbishop of Dub- lin. The office of Provost is one of considerable dignity and emolument, and is generally conferred upon one of the Fellows. The eldest Senior Fellow is styled Vice-provost, and by the Provost and seven Senior Fellows, who form a council called the Board, all matters relating to the internal government of the College are decided. The place of a Senior Fellow is generally sup- plied by the senior of the Juniors. His in- come is about £1000 per annum. The Junior Fellows are the tutors of the College, and their income varies according to the number of pupils, sometimes exceeding £1000 a-year. This office can only be obtained by an examination of the severest kind, Avhich continues for four hours on each day of four successive days. This exami- nation comprehends logic, metaphysics, the various branches of the mathematics, natural philosophy, ethics, history, chronology, the Greek, Latin, and Hebrew languages, and composition. The exa- mination is in Latin, and the days appointed for it are the four days preceding Trinity Sunday. The Provost and majority of Senior Fellows de- 192 UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN. cide upon the successful candidate, while those who, notwithstanding their failure, have answered respectably, are gratified w ith a sum of money, and the attempt may be again renewed. One of the Fellows may belong to the profession of medicine, and two to that of law ; all the rest must be cler- gymen of the Established Church. There are nineteen livings in the gift of the University, of very considerable value, which, on being vacant, are offered to the clerical Fellows in rotation. There are, besides, several professorships and lec- tureships, founded by the King, or private indi- viduals. The number of Scholars amount to se- venty ; these, with the Fellows, vote at the election of a member to represent the College in Parliament, and have many other privileges and emoluments. The Students are divided into three classes, called Fellow-commoners, Pensioners, and Sizars. The first are distinguished by a peculiar gown and cap, and have the privilege of dining at the same table w r ith the Fellows, for which they pay a higher stipend. The Pensioners enjoy all the real advantages of the College at a less expense. The Sizars are limited to about thirty, and receive their commons and instruction gratis . The num- ber of candidates belonging to this class is gene- rally so great, that distinguished merit alone can ensure success, and some of them have risen to the highest honours of the University. There are sixteen professorships, viz. Divinity, Common Law, Civil Law, Physic, Greek, Oriental Lan- guages, two of Modern Languages, Mathematics, UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN. 193 Oratory, History, Natural Philosophy, Astrono- my, Anatomy and Surgery, Chemistry, and Bo- tany, and two lectureships in Divinity and Greek. The system of education is admirable, combining every thing necessary to prepare the students for any of the learned professions. Amongst the eminent men educated at Trinity College, we find Archbishops Usher and King, Bishops Bedell, P. Browne, Chandler, Sterne, Berkeley, Hamilton, and Young, Lords Clare and Avonmore, Ware, Swift, Congreve, Goldsmith, Edmund Burke, Le- land, Molyneaux, Helsham, Delaney, Lawson, Murray, Parnell, Farquhar, Dodwell, Hussey Burgh, Henry Flood, Grattan, and Curran, be- sides many living characters. Some ancient writers inform us that schools of learning were established in Ireland, even in pagan times, by a colony of Grecians ; and that the Druids maintained seminaries for the instruction of youth in the principles of their religion. What- ever credit may be due to these assertions, we have the united testimony of all the ancient Irish, as well as of many foreign historians, that about the sixth or seventh century of the Chris- tian era, many eminent schools were established in Ireland, to which youth resorted from various parts of Europe, as at Armagh, Clonard, Ross- Carbery, Beg-Eri, Clonfert, Bangor, Rathene in Fercal, Lismore, Cashel, and Down. In 1311, Archbishop Lech procured a Bull from Pope Cle- ment Y. for founding a University in Dublin, but his death prevented the project from being carried into execution. Archbishop de Bicknor, who sue- 194 UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN. ceeded him, procured a coniirmation of this Bull in 1320, from Pope John XXII. and a Univer- sity was erected in St. Patrick’s Church ; but for want of a sufficient fund it soon dwindled to no- thing. Sir Henry Sidney made a fruitless effort to revive it in 1568 ; and in 1585 the Lord De- puty, Sir John Perrot, made an attempt to dis- solve St. Patrick’s Cathedral, for the purpose of establishing two colleges there ; but this plan was successfully opposed by Archbishop Loftus, who considered that the alienation would be a kind of sacrilege. The Archbishop was, however, extremely anxious to see a University established ; and, by his zealous and patriotic exhortations, the Mayor and Citizens were induced to make a grant for that purpose of the monastery of All Hallows, within the suburbs of the City. The grant was confirmed by Queen Elizabeth, and, on the 3d of March, 1591, a patent passed the great seal for founding the College, to be called — Collegium Sanctce et Individual Trinitatis^ juxta Dublin , a Serenissimd Regina Elizabetha f undatum. — The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity , near Dublin , founded by the Most Serene Queen Elizabeth. Archbishop Loftus was appointed the first Pro- vost ; Henry Usher, A.M. Luke Chaloner, A.M. and Launcelot Moyne, A.B. the three first Fel- lows ; Henry Lee, William Daniel, and Stephen White, the three first Scholars, and the afterwards celebrated Archbishop Usher was one of the first Students. The public were called upon to con- tribute to the undertaking, and the College was UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN. 195 empowered to take and purchase lands to a cer- tain amount. Thomas Smith, Mayor of Dublin, laid the first stone of the University on the 13th of March, 1591, and the first students were admitted on the 9th of January, 1593. The establishment, from the unsettled state of the country, had much to contend with in its infancy, but it was consoli- dated by the fostering care of Elizabeth and some of her successors, and it is now become one of the most respectable seminaries of learning in Europe. During the residence of James II. in Ireland, the Fellows and Scholars were forcibly ejected, the communion-plate, library, and furni- ture seized, and the college converted into a bar- rack. Letters appear to have been little cultivated in Dublin for several centuries previous to the founda- tion of Trinity College. About fifty years before that event the first printing press was established in the Irish capital by Humphrey Powell, who in the subsequent year printed the prayer-book of Edward VI. In 1558, upon the accession of Queen Elizabeth, the progress of literature con- tinued so rapidly to advance, that Ireland could boast of many distinguished names in the various walks of science and the belles-lettres, and the Irish press sent forth numerous works creditable, not only to the authors for their intrinsic merit, but to the publishers for their excellent typogra- phy. The Protestant religion being again re- stored, large Bibles, printed in English, were placed in the choirs of the two cathedrals, which 196 UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN. caused a great resort of people to these places.— Such was the desire of reading the Bible, on its translation into English, that John Dele, a book- seller, sold 7000 copies in the space of two years. General Valiancy is said to have possessed an Irish almanack of so early a date as the 15th cen- tury ; and in 1696 an almanack was published on the Wood-quay by Andrew Cumsty, Philomath. The first newspaper published in Dublin made its appearance in 1700, under the title of Pice's Occurrences , which maintained itself for more than half a century. The Dublin Journal was established in 1728 by George Faulkner, the ce- lebrated friend of Swift, and during the last cen- tury, Saunders'' s News Letter , the Freemans Jour- nal , the Hibernian Journal , the Dublin Evening Post , besides many others which had but an ephe- meral existence, successively made their appear- ance. There are at present twelve newspapers in Dublin, namely, ] Saunders’s News Letter, (daily.) 2 Freeman’s Journal, (do.) 3 Carrick’s Morning Postfdo.) 4 Evening Mail, (three times a week.) 5 Evening Post, (do.) (j Patriot, (do.) 7 Evening Packet, (three times a week,) 8 Dublin Gazette, (twice a week.) 9 Weekly Freeman, (weekly,) 10 Weekly Register, (do.) 11 The Warder, (do.) 12 Mercantile Advertiser, (do.) The only periodicals now in existence are, The Christian Examiner , conducted by clergymen of the Established Church, and The Christian Maga- zine ?, conducted by Dissenting Ministers, monthly ; The Primitive Wesleyan Methodist Magazine , quarterly, and The Irish Law Recorder , weekly. THE [mm of m IWytmsri (it MilsAsI ©if smriE(MB(s>ws ROYAL COLLEGE Or SURGEONS. 197 Several literary periodicals were from time to time attempted to be established, which, after various success, have been all given up as unprofitable spe- culations. This is certainly the more extraordi- nary, as a considerable proportion of the articles which appear in the English and Scotch periodicals are well known to be the production of Irish genius. College Botanic Garden. — In 1 807, ground was taken for a Botanic Garden near Baal’s bridge. It contains three acres and a half, and is arranged for trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, on the Linnaean system. There is also a very full col- lection of medicinal plants, arranged according to the method of Jurrieu. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. In order to carry into effect the objects of this Institution, an elegant edifice has been erected, at the expense of about £40,000, in Stephen’s Green. The basement story is of mountain gra- nite, and the superstructure of Portland stone. The front is simple and elegant, and is ornamented with six Doric columns. On the tympanum are the king’s arms, and on the apex is a statue of Esculapius, with Apollo on his right, and Hygeia on the left. The building contains a spacious hall and fine stair-case, a theatre where lectures are delivered, capable of accommodating three or four hundred students, dissecting room, two museums, and a fine collection of preparations. 198 ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. The first story, in the new part of the building, contains the examination hall, and ante-room ; the former is very capacious. On the second story is the museum, which measures seventy-three feet by thirty-three, and is to be fitted up with cases. It is surrounded by a gallery, with fancy iron railing. The ceiling of this room is divided into compartments, and supported by fluted Ionic columns, and has an enriched entablature, inter- sected by flying arches, to form the lanterns. — These improvements cost 7000. The gallery of the theatre is open for the public, during the dis- section of malefactors. There are six Professors, each of whom gives a full course of lectures on the professional science allotted to him. This institution was not incorporated till the year 1784 ; and such have been the wisdom and liberality of its original regulations, that from that period surgical science has made rapid progress in Ireland. THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS Have no local habitation, but meet at the house of the President for the time being. This Society was first incorporated in the reign of Charles II. Having surrendered their charter in 1692, they obtained a new one from William and Mary, as the King and Queen’s College of Physicians, to consist of a President and fourteen Fellows. Se- veral Acts of Parliament have considerably altered their original constitution. It now consists of the mm y of m wuvmwty hf iuuums ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. 199 three bodies, — the Fellows, elected under the charter, Licentiates, or those who receive a license from the College to practice physic, and Honorary Fellows. None can be chosen Fellows but those Avho have taken a degree in arts or medicine in one of the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, or Dublin. The School of Physic established by Act of Parliament in 1785, consists of six Professors, namely, those of Anatomy and Surgery, Chemis- try and Botany, on the establishment of the Uni- versity ; and of the Materia Medica and Pharmacy, the practice of Medicine and institutes of Medi- cine on the foundation of Sir Patrick Dunn. The lectures commence on the first Monday in No- vember, except that on Botany, which begins at the end of April. No candidate is qualified for a degree in medicine till he has attended those six courses, together with six months at the Cli- nical Hospital. The Professors are well qualified for their important duty, and the reputation of the School of Physic is progressively increasing. THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. In 1815, the members of this patriotic institu- tion purchased, for <£20,000, the noble mansion of the Duke of Leinster, in Kildare-street, long celebrated as one of the most splendid private re- sidences in Europe. A grand gateway of rustic masonry leads from Kildare-street into a spacious court, forming an immense segment of a circle be- 200 ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. fore the principal front, which is 140 feet long by 70 deep. The front is richly decorated by Co- rinthian columns, an entablature, pediment, and balustrades, and the windows are all ornamented by architraves, &c. On each side, short Doric columns communicate with the chemical laboratory and lecture-rooms. A fine lawn, in the rere of the building, extends to Merrion-square, from which it is separated by a dwarf- wall. The in- terior fully corresponds with the external magni- ficence of this edifice. The Hall is spacious and lofty, and round it several statues are arranged with considerable ef- fect. It contains a copy of the Apollo Belvidere, some models, and other matters of inferior im- portance. The Hall leads into the Board-room, which is 70 feet by 24, and contains whole-length portraits of the Right Hon. John Foster, and of Mr. Kirwan, the celebrated chemist ; the Speak- er’s chair, which was in the Irish House of Com- mons, and a bust of his present Majesty when Prince Regent. In the Secretary’s office is a fine portrait of the late Thomas Pleasants, Esq. with a valuable collection of pictures, presented to the Society by that benevolent man, who also pre- sented to the Museum two beautiful models of Chinese junks, made of mother of pearl, which cost in China £800. In the News-room is a por- trait of the late General Vallancey. The Library is on the second story, in the western wing. It contains above 10,000 volumes on the fine arts, architecture, Irish history, liatu- ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. 201 ral history, agriculture and botany. There are seventeen volumes of manuscripts, collected by Walter Harris and Archbishop King. The Museum occupies the remaining part of this story. It is contained in a suite of apart- ments, which are not considered as well calcu- lated for the display of such an exhibition. In 1792, the Society purchased, for £1,350, the Leskean Museum, which had been the property of Mr. Leske, professor of natural philosophy at Marburg, in Germany. It is divided into the mineral and animal kingdoms, of which the for- mer is peculiarly valuable. This collection is subdivided into five several par£s ; the first of which, or characteristic collection, is intended to convey a knowledge of the language employed in mineralogy, by exhibiting the characters described. It contains 580 specimens. The second, or sys- tematic collection, consists of 3,268 specimens, and in it the more simple minerals are arranged according to their genera and species. The third, or geological collection, contains 1100 specimens, and exhibits the minerals arranged according to their position and relative situation in the internal structure of the earth ; this contains some admi- rable petrifactions. The fourth, or geographical collection, has 1900 specimens, displayed in geo- graphical order, beginning at the most distant parts of the world. The fifth, or economical col- lection, contains 474 specimens, arranged accord- ing to the different uses to w hich they may be applied. The animal museum is peculiarly rich in shells, butterflies and beetles ; the serpent tribe 202 ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. is also numerous ; and here is to be seen the stuffed skin of the Boa Constrictor, originally 24 feet long, though now shrunk up to 22. It contains, however, but few beasts and birds. Amongst the most remarkable are, a large lion, seven feet long, a lion-monkey, the great bat of Madagascar, se- veral owls, the pelican of the wilderness, a male and female golden pheasant, birds of Paradise, and several others of beautiful plumage. Some idols, weapons of war, musical instruments, and other curiosities from the South Sea Islands, have been added to the collection, as well as some lavas, scorias, &c. from Vesuvius, and other volcanoes. Among the late additions to the Museum are the sculls of a w alrus and of a snow-white sea-dolphin, the neck bone of a large whale, the skin of the Boa Constrictor, which died on board the Alceste frigate, after having swallowed two live goats ; a beautiful specimen of crystalized iron ore, pre- sented by Bonaparte, when in Elba, to Captain Usher, for this Museum ; and a collection of knife handles, made from the various stones found in Siberia : these were a present from the Empress Catherine to Earl Whitworth, by whom they were presented to the Museum of the Dublin Society. t Sir Charles Giesecke’s Museum. — Sir Char- les Giesecke, a native of Germany, after having studied at Gottingen, and applied himself parti- cularly to mineralogy, proceeded over all the countries of Europe, including the Faroe Islands. In 1806, he went to Greenland, where he conti- nued seven years, and returned with some valuable ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. 203 specimens of mineralogy, and other curiosities, which he has presented to the Dublin Society. Amongst the latter is a Greenland hut, with figures of a full-grown male and female native of Green- land, in full dress, various household utensils, and a model of a sledge. There are also several large and scarce birds, the scull and horn of a sea uni- corn, the latter of which is seven feet long, a bed on which Sir Charles slept, made of the skin of a white bear, &c. This gentleman is now Professor of Mineralogy to the Dublin Society. Museum Hibernicum Regnum Minerale. — The Society have for some years past employed able mineralogists, in exploring the minerals and fossils of their native country. Two rooms are wholly devoted to Irish minerals, amongst which is a piece of gold from the Wicklow mines, and two pearls of the finest water, found in a muscle in the lake of Killarney. They were procured by General Vallancey, and are valued at fifty pounds. There are besides some curious models, and beautiful specimens of stained glass, by na- tive artists. The Museum is open to the public from 12 to 3 o’clock on Mondays and Fridays. No offi- cers of the Society are allowed to receive any gratuity. The first drawing school for the arts of design, on known record in Ireland, was that established by Robert West, an Irish artist, educated in Paris, under Charles Vanloo, and justly consi- dered the most eminent draughtsman of the human 204 ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. figure in Europe. The Dublin Society, from a sense of the utility of the Fine Arts in raising the value of buildings, and every species of decora- tive furniture and personal ornament, took that Seminary, in 1740, under its patronage. The Drawing School. — In its present draw- ing school are four compartments, over each of which a master presides, namely, figure-drawing, architecture, landscape, and sculpture. The edu- cation is entirely gratuitous, and admission is free to all boys of merit. Much advantage has been derived from this establishment to various manu- facturers, particularly calico-printers, cabinet-mak- ers, and glass-cutters ; and many young men, educated as carpenters, have had an opportunity of obtaining a competent knowledge of architecture and mechanics. The Society possesses several valuable models in mechanics, and, among the rest, one of the celebrated wooden bridge over the Rhine, at Schaffhausen in Switzerland. The happiest effects have flown from the foster- ing care extended by the Society to the fine arts. Premiums are given for superior excellence in modelling, painting, statuary, and engraving. Many casts of busts and statues, taken from the best originals, have been procured, for the stu- dents to copy, among which are the Laocoon and Apollo Belvidere, a beautiful Bacchus, a Venus de Medicis, a Roman Gladiator, the Listening Slave, Roman Boxers, and casts of the Elgin Mar- bles, which are open for inspection on Tuesdays and Saturdays. There is a Dancing Faunus in ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. 205 statuary marble, with some other figures, as well as marble busts of Lord Chesterfield, Dr. Madden, Mr. Prior, and Mr. Maple. The Society have recently added to the former building a handsome gallery, for casts from an- tique busts and statues, and commodious drawing schools for the pupils. The Dublin Society well understood the de- pendence of the mechanic arts on the fine arts. Of their anxiety to introduce a spirit of refine- ment in the kingdom, there is another remarkable instance in their having defrayed the expense of sending a student in sculpture to Rome, and paid an annual sum for his support while there ; hav- ing first obtained security from the Bishop of Ossory, for the repayment of those sums, unless the Artist returned home to benefit his country, by exercising his profession in Ireland. A number of native Artists, whose works re- flected honor on their country, were reared in those Dublin schools. It is estimated that far the greater part of the public buildings erected in Ireland within the last seventy years, and all the beautiful squares and streets in the capital, were built from the designs of Architects or their pupils, instructed in the Dublin Society’s schools. Botanic Garden, Glasnevin, — To encourage a practical knowledge of Botany, so far as it can be rendered subservient to the farmer, grazier, planter, and artificer, the Society took a large piece of ground at Glasnevin, about a mile and a half from Dublin, where a Botanic Garden has been laid out on the most approved principles, and a M 206 ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. Professor of eminence appointed to lecture on the different plants. Lectures on natural philosophy, chemistry, mineralogy, mining, and the veterinary art, are also given at stated periods, by the different Professors, to which the public are li- berally invited. In furtherance of their grand object, the improvement of agriculture, they have employed persons to make agricultural surveys of the different counties ; and they have also esta- blished a Veterinary Museum, for promoting the knowledge and cure of the diseases of cattle ; and under their auspices nurseries have been esta- blished in various parts of Ireland, and many millions of trees have been planted. The Royal Dublin Society was formed in 1731, chiefly through the exertions of Doctor Samuel Madden, Rector of Newtown-butler, and Tho- mas Prior, Esq. It is said to have been the first Society of the kind established in Europe. In 1749, it was incorporated by George II. under the title of the Dublin Society for promoting hus- bandry and other useful arts in Ireland ; and his Majesty, at the same time, made a grant of £ 500 on his Civil Establishment. The munificence of Parliament, ever since, has greatly assisted the Society in the pursuit of those objects, which, through their indefatigable and judicious exer- tions, have proved so beneficial to this country. Private subscriptions and Parliamentary grants were the original sources from whence the Insti- tution derived its support. In lieu of the former, each member, (of whom there are at present 500,) pays fifty guineas at the time of admission. The ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY. 207 Society originally held its meetings in Grafton- street ; in the year 1800, they erected an exten- sive edifice in Hawkins’s-street, upon which they expended £60,000, and finally removed to their present noble buildings in Kildare-street. THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY. The Academy House, situate in Grafton- street, is a large plain building, with suitable apartments. So early as the year 1683, an attempt was made by Mr. Molyneaux to establish a so- ciety in Ireland similar to the Royal Society of London, but though the celebrated Sir William Petty was its first President, it existed but five years, owing to the distracted state of the coun- try. In 1744, the Philo-Historic Society was established with a view of exploring the antiqui- ties of Ireland, and, under its auspices, Smith’s histories of the counties of Cork, Waterford, and Kerry were published, with some other interest- ing works on similar subjects. This Society, however, soon experienced the fate of its pre- cursor. In the year 1782, an era auspicious to Ireland, some gentlemen, principally of the University, associated together for the puspose of promoting useful knowledge. Among the members were General Vallancey and Dr. Ledwich. The So- ciety increasing rapidly, it was incorporated in 1786, by the name of the Royal Irish Academy, for the study of polite literature, science, and an- 208 ROYAL IRISH INSTITUTION. Equities, and consists of a patron, who is the King, a visitor, who is the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, a president, four vice-presidents, a trea- surer, three secretaries, one of whom is for foreign correspondence, a librarian, and a council of twenty-one members. The council is divided in- to committees of science, polite literature, and antiquities. There are nearly two hundred mem- bers belonging to the Academy, each of whom pays five guineas on admission, and two guineas per annum. The Library contains three valuable Irish ma- nuscripts, viz. the Book of Ballymote, the Book of Lecan, and the Leabhar Breac M‘Eogain, or the speckled book of JVPEgan, which treat of Irish affairs at a very early period. Prizes are occa- sionally proposed by the Academy for the best compositions on given subjects, and the transac- tions are periodically published. Of these, thir- teen quarto volumes have appeared, containing many valuable papers on interesting subjects. ROYAL IRISH INSTITUTION. The situation of the handsome public building occupied by this Society possesses peculiar advan- tages, being in College-street, one of the most conspicuous parts of the metropolis, and in the immediate neighbourhood of Trinity College and the Bank of Ireland. The front is of mountain granite, presenting a tasteful elevation after the Grecian model, fifty-five feet in length, by forty- ROYAL IRISH INSTITUTION. 209 five in height. The edifice contains, with other suitable apartments, ail oblong gallery without angles, forty feet long by thirty feet wide ; nine- teen feet high to the cove, and from that to the pedestal of the light, five feet. The figure of the lantern is the same as that of the room, twenty-five feet by fifteen, and six feet high. From this con- struction, a clear, mellow light is equally diffused on the walls. The committee-room is 21 feet by 14 feet 6 inches. There are also apartments suf- ficiently commodious for a resident attendant, which it is not necessary to notice. At the commencement of the nineteenth cen- tury, although their genius was acknowledged, the Dublin Artists were not incorporated by a Royal Charter ; they were not possessed of a public building for their exhibitions, and profes- sional meetings ; they were without an opportu- nity of studying the works of the great old mas- ters, and without any concert or union of amateurs to rouse a national spirit of patronage in favor of national genius, and to diffuse a just taste for works of art in this country. At all times, an exhibition of the productions of the Irish Artists is a national advantage, enti- tled to a first place in public consideration and encouragement. The Dublin exhibitors, in the midst of unfavourable circumstances, after having been many years without bringing their collective performances before the public, made a merito- rious endeavour, in 1800, to obtain attention, by recommencing their annual exhibitions. Although dependent on chance for an exhibition-room fitted 210 ROYAL IRISH INSTITUTION. for their purpose, they continued this annual ap- peal, with a persevering spirit, and with little, if any intermission, to the year 1813. These suc- cessive offerings in the Irish capital fully answered the end of proving, that the mine from whence they were drawn only wanted working to yield abundant riches. In 1813, the field of improvement, by an ex- hibition of esteemed old paintings, was unknown in Ireland. There had never been any such ex- hibition in this country ; and Dublin was without a national gallery. A number of good collections had been purchased and imported by Irish noble- men and gentlemen in the last century. Of these some had been broken up by death, and others have been latterly withdrawn and sold in England. The access to private collections has been, at all times, a matter of favor, difficulty, and expense ; and permission to copy choice pictures for im- provement, either by loan or in the mansions of the proprietors, not easily obtained. This year, a resident amateur conceived the plan of forming an association in Dublin, with a hope of contributing towards the removal of those dif- ficulties. To the zealous exertions and unwearied energy of Henry Charles Sirr, Esq. Ireland is in- debted for this important service. After combat- ing objections, and holding conferences with amateurs and artists, obtaining, with their con- currence, the decided approbation of his Excel- lency the Lord Lieutenant, and issuing a printed prospectus and advertisements, dated May 15, 1813, a public meeting of the nobility and gen- ROYAL IRISH INSTITUTION. 211 try, learned professions and opulent commercial men, was held on the 24th of June following, at the Rotunda, his Grace the Duke of Leinster in the chair. On that day, the Irish Institution, for the promotion and encouragement of the fine arts, was founded. Twenty-one noblemen and gentlemen were, on that day, elected as a Committee of Directors, a number of noblemen and other gentlemen were appointed Presidents and Vice-presidents, and a body of rules was adopted, and a subscription opened, at the head of which the Duke of Rich- mond, with a liberality becoming the representa- tive of his Majesty, set down his name, with a donation of £100. The Duke of Leinster sub- scribed ^50, and a number of noblemen and gentlemen contributed liberally. The public ob- jects of the association were set forth in the printed report. The 66 Institution having been formed for the purpose of stimulating native talent, and encouraging meritorious effort in the arts of paint- ing and sculpture, it was conceived that those objects would be best attained by procuring, in the Jirst place, a fund applicable to their accom- plishment : secondly , by offering to young artists models for their imitation and instruction, of the finest w orks of the old masters, which could be procured in this country : and, thirdly , by offer- ing premiums for productions of superior merit, or otherwise encouraging talent and industry.” The resident Dublin painters, sculptors, and architects, publicly expressed their happiness on the founding of the Royal Irish Institution, by a 212 ROYAL IRISH INSTITUTION. vote of thanks to the new association. Their first exhibition was opened in July, 1814. In that and their several ensuing exhibitions, they brought before the public a series of valuable paintings, by esteemed masters of the old Italian, Spanish, Dutch, and Flemish schools, with seve- ral capital pictures by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Wil- son, and Hogarth. In 1814, the Committee of Directors advertised to give the following premiums : 66 one hundred pounds for the best picture in historical or poeti- cal composition ; fifty pounds for the second best in the same class ; fifty pounds for the best land- scape or sea piece ; and fifty pounds for the best conversation or miscellaneous picture.” The emu- lation excited by this encouragement, caused a general exertion; and on the decision in 1815, two hundred and four pounds were paid to nine of the most deserving artists, in sums of from thirty to fifteen guineas each, for original pictures painted in competition, for these premiums. In 1816, the Directors paid one hundred pounds, in premiums, to eight artists, for the best copies from pictures in their exhibition, the preceding year. In 1820, they paid fifty-five pounds, in premiums, for original pictures. On the occasion of his Majesty’s gracious visit to Ireland, the Directors, anxious to have a com- memorative representation of that gratifying event, offered three premiums by public advertisement : one hundred and fifty pounds for the best picture of his Majesty’s arrival and landing, to be painted by an Irish artist in Ireland ; one hundred pounds ROYAL HIBERNIAN ACADEMY. 213 for the second best, and fifty pounds for the third best of that interesting subject. But no candidate appeared for these premiums. The Royal Irish Institution have been little more than fourteen years established, and from their small fund, which has never exceeded two thousand seven hundred pounds, they have con- ferred premiums on a number of young artists at home, and have contributed liberally towards the support of a young Irish sculptor at Rome. They have defrayed the expense of £350, for passing the charter of the Royal Hibernian Academy, in order to carry into effect the gracious desire of his Majesty for the establishment of the fine arts in Ireland. ROYAL HIBERNIAN ACADEMY. This chaste and elegant edifice, w hich is situated in Lower Abbey-street, consists of three stories ; the basement is a loggia, or recess, ornamented by fluted columns of the Doric order, which sup- port the first story. Over the entrance, the head of Palladio appears, representing architecture ; over the window on the right, that of Michael Angelo, emblematic of sculpture ; and over the window to the left, painting is represented by a head of Raphael. The exhibition room is fifty feet long, by thirty-seven wide, and twenty-three feet high of wall ; the council-chamber thirty feet long, by twenty-one feet nine inches wide, and sixteen feet high. The entrance hall is twenty 214 ROYAL HIBERNIAN ACADEMY. feet by sixteen, and thirteen feet high. There are excellent accommodations for the students sketching from the plaster casts and living figure, and suitable apartments for the keeper. In the year 1814, his present Majesty was gra- ciously pleased to mark his solicitude for the cul- tivation of the arts in Ireland, by granting his Royal Charter of Incorporation to a duly elected number of the Dublin artists, under the title of a The Royal Hibernian Academy .” The public discussion of the question of a Na- tional Oallery, in 1822 and 1823, had excited an increasing interest, productive of a most important benefit to Ireland. The sparks of enthusiasm, elicited by the collision of opinions and circum- stances, fell on the noble mind of a resident Irish- man, Francis Johnston, Esq. who, with a rich and creative bounty, promptly hastened to supply a great national desideratum, and erected, at his own expense, the present very handsome and convenient edifice. On the 7th of March, 1826, a lease renewable for ever, was granted by him to the Royal Hibernian Academy, at the nominal rent of 5s. per annum. The public spirit of this highly talented indi- vidual rendered the most signal services to the arts, by erecting, at his own expense, so suitable a building for the reception of paintings by native artists. The foundation stone was laid by the Donor, on the 23d of April, 1824. The Royal Hibernian Academicians have had three public exhibitions in this memorable build- ing, of which each has been deservedly received ROYAL HIBERNIAN ACADEMY. 215 ■with much public approbation. In their First Exhibition Catalogue they state, with honest ex- ultation, that u they are indebted to the liberality of Sir Thomas Lawrence, for a fine cast of the Barberini Faun ; to Mr. Westmacott, for his lovely statue of the Houseless Wanderer ; to Mr. Rossi, for his splendid group of Edward and Eleanor a ; to Mr. Carew, for his beautiful statue of Diana ; and to Mr. Del Vecchio, of this city, for several casts from the Antique ; the value of which was enhanced by the personal kindness and polite attentions of the liberal donor.” In addi- tion to these valuable donations, Edward Hough- ton, Esq. has presented to the Royal Hibernian Academicians, a number of volumes of fine en- gravings, and of other rare publications on the arts, intended for the improvement of students. Thus, within four years, three public build- ings have been erected in Dublin, for the promo- tion of the arts : the Royal Hibernian Academy, in Abbey-street, in 1824, for the incorporated Professors of the arts ; the Royal Irish Institution House, in 1827, for the exhibitions and meetings of that association of amateurs ; and the gallery built by the Royal Dublin Society, in Kildare- street, in 1826 and 1827, for their casts from the antique busts and statues. These three Societies form one whole , whose members are impelled by their love of the arts, and by the fundamental principles of their asso- ciation, to look with a fostering indulgence on the early struggles of Irish merit, and to direct public 216 IBERNO-CELTIC SOCIETY. attention to the moral and commercial value of modern art and the patronage of Irish artists. They are stimulated, by one interest, to one na- tional end — their only rivalry is a noble emula- tion ; and historical experience proves that they are worthy of public consideration and support, as important instruments for the promotion of na- tional manufactures, wealth, and refinement under a liberal system. IBERNO-CELTIC SOCIETY. The objects of this Society are set forth in their Resolution of the 28th of January, 1818, of which the following is a copy : — “ Resolved, That the principal objects of this Society shall be the preservation of the venerable remains of ancient Irish Literature, by collecting, transcribing, illustrating, and pub- lishing the numerous Fragments of the Laws, History, Topo- graphy, Poetry, and Music of ancient Ireland ; the elucidation of the Language, Antiquities, Manners and Customs of the Irish people ; and the encouragement of works tending to the advancement of Irish Literature.” The Society has amongst its members noblemen of the highest rank, and others well qualified to perform the work for which they are associated. Amongst the various modes adopted by most modern nations for the advancement of science, and the investigation of natural and civil history, that of establishing literary societies seems to be the most effectual. Of what may be done by such associations in the investigation of Gaelic antiquities, and the publication of original Gaelic IBERNO-CELTIC SOCIETY. 217 documents, a sufficient specimen has been given in the several publications that have, within these few years, issued from the press, at the expense, or through the patronage of the Highland Societies of Edinburgh and London. The members of those societies, of which the descendants of the ancient Gathelians form the chief part, have given strong proofs of their patriotism, and of their zeal to elu- cidate their antiquities, and to extend, or at least preserve from decay, their ancient language. For this purpose they have employed, and liberally support, two learned clergymen, to compile a Dictionary of the Scottish Gaelic. It has been long a matter of wonder and regret, that notwithstanding the vast quantities of mate- rials for a history of Ireland, and the elucidation of her antiquities, to be found in the many thou- sands of Irish manuscripts still preserved in va- rious libraries on the Continent, as well as in those of England and Ireland, so little has been done by the Irish people to give them publicity, through the medium of the press. Some attempts, however, have been made to encourage a publica- tion of the ancient history of Ireland, and some- thing in that way has been effected ; but hitherto the ancient Irish manuscripts have not been ap- plied to, and those documents which contain the laws, history, topography, and poetry of the country, are suffered to remain unexplored on the shelves of libraries, covered with the accumulated dust of ages, except when some inquisitive genius, to gratify private curiosity, may be induced to open some of them ; but the result of whose enquL N 218 iberno-celtic society. ries only serves to remind us that such things still have existence. It is true, indeed, that Ireland has not been entirely negligent of her ancient history. Socie- ties have been formed for the investigation of her history and antiquities, but from want of the in- vigoratiug fire of patriotism, they successively and speedily fell into decay. In the year 1740, a number of literary gentlemen associated, under the name of the Physico-Historical Society, and under their patronage were published the histories of Cork, Kerry, and Waterford ; but they gave no encouragement to the publication of Irish ma- nuscripts, and their association was of but short duration. In the year 1752, another Society was formed, under the name of u Coimhthionol Gaoid- hilge,” or cc Irish Society.” The views of this Society were confined to the publication of pieces or tracts in the Irish language, but it does not appear that they ever published any thing. About the year 1783, the Society of Antiquities was founded, and some of its members published a few curious tracts on the history and antiquities of the country, under the title of u Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis .” This publication attracted the at- tention of several learned men, and amongst the rest the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, who pro- cured from Sir John Seabright the restoration to Ireland of a vast quantity of ancient Irish manu- scripts that had fallen into his hands, and which are now deposited in the library of Trinity Col- lege. Mr. Burke also wrote a letter to the late General Vallancey, in which he recommended to IBERNO-CELTIC SOCIETY. 219 the Society the publication of the ancient Irish documents in the original language, with literal translations into English or Latin, on opposite columns, like the Saxon Chronicle, and said he did not see why the Psalter of Cashel should not be published as well as Robert of Glo’ster. He also declared it was in the expectation that some such thing should be done that he prevailed on Sir John Seab right to send his manuscripts to Dub- lin. But the expectations of Mr. Burke or Sir John have never been realized. Indeed very shortly after this period the Society of Antiqua- ries became extinct, but from its remains sprung up the present Royal Irish Academy. This In- stitution, at its first formation, paid some atten- tion to Irish antiquities, but for several years, it seems to have directed its principal attention to science. The dissolution of so many Societies, and their almost total neglect of Irish antiquities, induced a few individuals to form, in the year 1807, the Gaelic Society of Dublin. That body employed a scribe to make copies of several valuable tracts, preserved in the Books of Leacan and Ballimote, in the library of the Royal Irish Academy, which the Academy, with a laudable liberality, threw open to the Society. They also, within a year after their formation, published a volume of Trans- actions, in which are contained Teige M^Daire’s Instructions to a Prince, in the original Irish, with a Latin translation, by the late Theophilus O’Flanagan, A. B. Secretary to the Society, and formerly a Scholar of Trinity College, and the n 2 220 IBERNO-CELTIC SOCIETY. tragic tale of the Children of Usnagh, also in the original Irish, with a too strictly literal translation into English, by the same gentleman. Besides the volume now mentioned, the Gaelic Society has published nothing as a body, but in- dividual members of the association have pub- lished several works, which furnish the means for a complete elucidation of the history, laws, man- ners, and customs of the ancient Irish. The late Rev. Denis Taaffe, the first secretary of the so- ciety, published four volumes, and several separate tracts, on the history of Ireland. The late Rev. Dr. Neilson, of the Academy of Belfast, the late Rev. Paul O’Brien, Irish Professor at the College of Maynooth, the late William Haliday, a youth of extraordinary talents and acquirements, and the late Mr. Patrick Lynch, secretary of the society, have each published a Grammar of the Irish language. Mr. Haliday also published the first part of Keating’s History of Ireland, in the original language, with a literal translation into English, on opposite pages ; and Mr. Edward O’Reilly, one of the vice-presidents of the society, has published an Irish-English Dictionary, con- taining upwards of 50,000 words, collected from ancient and modern Irish manuscripts, from printed books, and from the oral language of the country. He has also translated the Annals of Innisfallen, and some other Irish tracts. The death of a great number of the most active members of this Society, and the removal from Dublin of several others, caused it gradually to fall into decay, until at length the few remaining members voted its ex- TIIE KIItAVANIAN SOCIETY. 221 tinction, and in its steady aided by some new members, in the year 1818, they erected the pre- sent Iberno-Celtic Society. Since their formation the Society has published the first part of their Transactions for 1820, in a well printed quarto volume, containing a list of the members, the rules and regulations of the Society, and u a Chronological Account of nearly four hundred Irish writers, commencing with the earliest account of Irish history, and carried down to the year 1750, with a descriptive catalogue of such of their works as are still extant in verse or prose, consisting of upwards of 1,000 separate tracts.” This work is drawn up by Mr. Edward O’Reilly, secretary to the Society, and author of the Irish- English Dictionary and Grammar, and several other tracts. It is intended to be followed by a larger account of works, whose authors are forgotton or unknown, but whose productions in law, history, annals, chronicles, topography, as- tronomy, divinity, medicine, poetry, music, and other branches of literature, are still to be found in public and private libraries. The Society is conducted by a President, five Vice-Presidents, and a Committee of twenty-one members. THE KIR WAN IAN SOCIETY Was instituted in 1812, being thus designated in honor of the great chemist of Ireland, Richard Kirwan, Esq. The objects of the Society are to encourage the study of chemistry, mineralogy, and 222 THE DUBLIN INSTITUTION. other branches of natural history, and to make a collection of the most valuable books of science ; to provide a chemical apparatus, and to publish periodically a volume of their transactions. The Society has purchased a philosophical apparatus, and in its library are some valuable books. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. This Society was formed in Dublin some years ago, and had for its president the Right Hon. the Earl of Charlemont. Its objects were nearly the same as those of the Iberno-Celtic Society, but except the purchasing of a few Irish manuscripts, which are ever since locked up, it does not ap- pear that they have hitherto done any thing in pursuance of the ends of ther institution. THE DUBLIN INSTITUTION Is a plain modern building in Upper Sackville- street. It was founded in 1811, under the title of u The Dublin Institution for the purpose of enlarging the means of useful knowledge for which purpose £ 15,000 was raised by 300 trans- ferable debentures, and the holders of theso are exclusive proprietors of the Institution. The objects of the Society are wholly literary and sci- entific ; and besides the general library, which is extensive and well chosen, a circulating library is attached to it. A lecture-room has been erected TI1E DUBLIN LIBRARY SOCIETY. 223 in the rere of the building, in which there are occasional lectures on interesting subjects. This room is well adapted for public meetings. The terms of admission to members are three guineas per annum, or a proportionate sum for any period ending the 1st of March. Officers of the army and navy are allowed to subscribe quarterly. The Institution is kept open till 10 o’clock at night. THE DUBLIN LIBRARY SOCIETY. The handsome building in which this Society meet, stands in D’Olier-street, near Carlisle-bridge, and cost £5,000. The library is supplied with an extensive collection of every modern w r ork of merit, consisting of above twelve thousand volumes, and is open from ten in the morning till five in the afternoon, and from seven till ten at night. One apartment is devoted to news and conversation, and is well supplied with English, Irish, and French newspapers, and other periodical publica- tions. The terms of admission are two guineas for the first, and one guinea for every succeeding year. To officers of the army and navy the addi- tional subscription for the first year is remitted. There is also a lending library, the subscription to which is one guinea per annum. 224 LIBRARIES. MARSH’S LIBRARY. Is situated in the immediate vicinity of St. Pa- trick’s Cathedral. Dr. Narcissus Marsh, Arch- bishop of Dublin, having purchased the collection of books of the celebrated Bishop Stijlingfleet, founded this library. It was considerably in- creased by donations from others, and now con- tains about 25,000 volumes, among which are some valuable works on Oriental Literature, with a large proportion of polemic divinity. Some of the books contain curious notes in pencil, by Dean Swift. The library is generally open, ex- cept on Sundays and holidays, from eleven till three, but its remoteness from the respectable part of the city, causes it to be little frequented. The room contains good portraits of Archbishops Marsh, Loftus, and Smyth, with some others. SIR PATRICK DUNN’S LIBRARY. Attached to the Hospital and Lecture-room, founded in consequence of the princely bequest of the above-named benevolent gentleman, is an extensive Library, consisting in a great measure of works on the practice of surgery and medicine. It contains, however, a number of valuable pub- lications on miscellaneous literature, altogether unconnected with these on medicine or surgery, and forms a valuable appendage to the school of physic connected with the Hospital, agreeable to the bequest of the munificent testator. 225 THEATRE ROYAL, llAWKINS’-STREET. One of the ancient customs amongst the citi- zens of Dublin was the representation of plays and interludes upon certain occasions, by the Corporations, of which there were twenty. At the great festivals, they usually invited the Lord Deputy and other persons of rank to an entertain- ment, which always commenced with stage-plays, and ended with a splendid banquet. In 1528, we are told that Thomas Fitz-Gerald, Earl of Kildare, was invited every day at Christmas to a new play, the stage being erected in College- green. The tailors acted the part of Adam and Eve ; the shoemakers represented the story of Crispin and Crispianus ; the vintners acted Bac- chus and his story ; the carpenters that of Joseph and Mary; Vulcan and what related to him was acted by the smiths ; and the comedy of Ceres, the goddess of corn, by the bakers. The Priors of St. John of Jerusalem and All-Hallows caused at the same time two plays to be acted — the one representing the passion of our Saviour, and the other the several deaths which the Apostles suf- fered. During the Parliament of 1541, when Henry VIII. was declared King of Ireland, the Lords rode about the streets in procession in their parliament robes, the Nine Worthies was played, and the Mayor bore the mace before the Lord Deputy on horseback. The proclamation of the king was celebrated with tournaments and running at the ring with spears, on horseback. In the reign of Elizabeth, the ball-room at the n 3 226 THE THEATRE. Castle was converted into a theatre, where the nobility were the principal performers. In 1635, John Ogilby, Master of the Revels, under the administration of Lord Strafford, built a theatre in Werburgh-street, at his own expense, which was shut up during the rebellion of 1641, and never re-opened. In 1662, another theatre was erected by subscription in Smock-alley, (then called Orange-street,) which fell upon the au- dience about nine years after, and killed and wounded several of them. This dreadful catas- trophe suspended theatrical representations for a number of years, and they were not again revived until the beginning of the eighteenth century, when the theatre in Smock-alley was repaired. In 1734, another theatre was opened in Aungier- street, and soon after a third in Rainsford-street. Besides these there existed at that time Ward’s theatre in Dame-street, Madame Violante’s in Fownes’s-street, a music-hall in Crow-street, where ridottos were performed, and Ashton’s Medley was exhibited in Patrick’s Close. Thus, at an early period in the last century, were seven places of amusement of this nature supported in Dublin. In 1758, the Theatre Royal, Crow-street, was erected on the foundation of the music-hall, and occupied the space between Fownes’s-street and Crow-street. It was finished with great taste and elegance, and was capable of accommodating two thousand persons. It is now razed to the ground. Mr. Harris, the patentee of the present Theatre Royal, which is situated in Hawkins’s-street, having taken the large concern formerly occupied THE THEATRE. 227 by the Dublin Society, fitted it up for dramatic representations with an astonishing degree of ra- pidity, and it was opened on the night of the 18th of January, 1820. It is, apparently, capa- ble of containing more persons than the theatre in Crow-street, presenting to the eye the shape of a horse-shoe, and is extremely well constructed for the accommodation of the spectators. The general appearance of the interior is light and beautiful ; the pannels of the boxes are blue, with gold ornaments, on a pearl-coloured ground, which is framed in gold edging. The centre of the ceiling is divided by gilded mouldings into com- partments, and ornamented by a harp. Over the drop-scene are the King’s Arms. The stage is capacious and commanding, and the scenery is executed in a style of superior excellence. Besides the Theatre Royal, there is a small but neat edifice, called the Little Theatre, situate in Fishamble-street ; this is at present scarcely ever opened for theatrical performances. Irish Actors. — The migration of eminent act- ors and actresses to London, is thus accounted for in an answer to 66 Familiar Epistles,” printed in Dublin : “ Know, friend, this Isle more wit produces Than is sufficient for her uses ; Dublin no market is for wit — J Tis common — no one values it. But we export it, and our parts Bear highest price in foreign mar(s. ;? 228 MUSICAL FUND. Milsic, like painting, has been for some time on the decline in Dublin. Though the Irish me- tropolis can boast, perhaps, of the finest Cathe- dral Choir in the British empire, and though within its precincts are contained many excellent composers and performers, yet the absence of rank and wealth, by which alone merit of this kind can be encouraged, retards every effort towards arriving at pre-eminence in this profession. They have few opportunities of exerting their talents, except at the meetings of the Beef-steak Club, which is composed of noblemen and gentlemen of the first rank, and a few occasional concerts. Though the taste for these amusements has con- siderably declined, still the charitable institution which originated in them is still continued. It was established in 1787, by the exertions of Mr. B. Cooke, of the Smock-alley theatre, for the relief of decayed musicians. All members, on admission, pay from two to ten guineas, according to their age, and at least twelve shillings annually, any person who has been a subscriber three years, or his family, may receive an allowance not ex- ceeding one guinea per week, out of the fund, which is aided by an occasional concert. ERASMUS SMITH'S SCHOOLS. The Commissioners for executing the Act of Settlement having adjudged certain lands, seques- ERASMUS SMITH’S SCHOOLS. 229 tered during the rebellion of 1641, to be the pro- perty of Erasmus Smith, Esq. by whom they were appropriated to the maintenance of grammar schools, and other charitable uses, a charter of King Charles II. appointed thirty-two Governors to those schools, and formed them into a body corporate, and established a variety of regulations by which they were to be conducted. Three grammar schools were immediately established in Drogheda, Galway, and Tipperary. The lands having greatly increased in value, an Act was passed in the reign of George I. for the further application of the rents and profits of them, which confirmed the proceedings of the Governors in founding thirty-five exhibitions for poor students in Trinity College. It ordained the establishment of three new fellowships, and two public lectures in said College, and empowered the Governors to erect certain new buildings therein, and the Go- vernors were permitted to place twenty boys in the Blue-Coat Hospital, in consequence of their having given to that Hospital £300 to build an infirmary. The Governors have since been ena- bled, by the successive rise of the lands, to found a fourth grammar school at Ennis, to establish English schools at Nenagh, Tarbert, Templederry, on the Coombe, and in St. Mark’s parish in Dub- lin, and to add twenty to the number of boys maintained by them in the Blue-Coat Hospital. They have also endowed two new professorships in Trinity College, and increased the salaries of the others. The net income of the estate was, in 1817, above £8000 a-year. 230 INCORPORATED SOCIETY. In the year 1730, King George II. granted his royal charter for incorporating a society for the purpose of instructing the children of the poor in Ireland in the English language, and a knowledge of the Christian religion. A subscription was immediately raised both in Great Britain and Ire- land, which amounted to a considerable sum, and several corporations, and gentlemen of landed property, made advantageous leases of ground to the Society, for the purpose of erecting Charter Schools thereon. There are above thirty of these Schools in Ireland, into which both Protestants and Roman Catholics are admitted, but if the parent or nearest relative be of the latter persua- sion, he must give his consent in writing, before a witness, that the child shall be educated in the doctrines and principles of the Protestant reli- gion. Great care is taken in the selection of masters and mistresses for these schools, and the general health, cleanliness, and good conduct of the children, evince the care that is taken of their lodging, diet, and education. The catechist, who is generally the curate of the parish, is bound to visit the school once a week, to examine the chil- dren in their learning, and in the principles of Christianity, particularly their acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures. A portion of land is attached to each school, in which the children are trained to early habits of industry, and at a proper age they are apprenticed to Protestant masters or mistresses. The general business of the Society BLUE-COAT HOSPITAL. 231 is managed by a Committee of fifteen, chosen an- nually by ballot, who meet regularly at the house of the Institution, in Aungier-street. Each school is under the superintendance of a local Committee, who meet quarterly to examine the master’s ac- counts, and are expected to pay frequent visits. Five of these Schools are situated in the city or vicinity of Dublin. The Society is aided by an annual Parliamentary grant. BLUE-COAT HOSPITAL, This useful and ornamental building is situated in Blackhall-street, and consists of a centre and two wings. The front of the centre is enriched by Ionic columns supporting a pediment. This part of the building contains apartments for the principal officers, a committee-room, record-room, and board-room. The north wing is the Chapel, 65 feet by 32, which is extremely handsome, and over the communion-table is a good painting of the Resurrection, by Waldron. The south wing contains a spacious school-room, of the same di- mensions as the chapel, in which were formerly an emblematic picture of the delivery of the Char- ter, and portraits of King William III. Queen Mary, Queen Anne, George II. and Queen Caro- line, General Ginckle, Dean Drelincourt, &c. The dining-hall is spacious and commodious, and the dormitories sufficiently extensive, and well ventilated. They contain beds for 120 boys, who are well clothed, dieted, and educated, and at a 232 BLUE-COAT HOSPITAL. suitable age, apprenticed to Protestant masters. The Corporation of Merchants support a mathe- matical school in the Hospital, in which boys intended for the sea service are instructed in navi- gation. The children attend Divine service every day, and their progress in religious knowledge, as well as the other branches of learning, is highly creditable to the Institution. Of the 120 boys in the Hospital, 58 are appointed by the Corpo- ration, 50 by the Governors of Erasmus Smith’s schools, 10 by the Bishop of Meath, and 2 by the Minister of St. Werburgh’s parish. Above £21,000 have been expended on this building ; the annual income is about £4000 per annum. This excellent establishment was founded by the Corporation of Dublin in 1670, and by the original plan was designed for the reception of aged and infirm reduced citizens of Dublin and their children, and also for the education of the latter. But being unable to accomplish this ob- ject of extensive benevolence, they were obliged to contract their plan, and confine the charity to the sons and grandsons of decayed citizens. King Charles II. granted a Charter to the Corporation to this effect, empowering them to purchase lands, and to make laws and statutes for the government of the establishment. The original structure was situated in Queen- street, being 170 feet in length, by 300 in depth. The parliament frequently sat in this house. Be- coming decayed, it was determined to rebuild it on its present site at a small distance from the former, and the first stone was laid on the 16th of June, 1773, by Earl Harcourt, Lord Lieutenant. 233 HIBERNIAN SOCIETY’S SCHOOL FOR SOLDIERS’ CHILDREN. The Hibernian School is situated in the Phoenix Park, about three miles from the Castle of Dublin. It was first opened in 1767, during the adminis- tration of Lord Townshend, and, with the addi- tional buildings since erected, is capable of con- taining about 600 children. The front consists of a centre and two wings, 300 feet in length, and three stories high. The centre contains the boys’ school and dormitories ; the eastern wing commodious apartments for the commandant, ad- jutant, and chaplain ; and in the western the females are accommodated. There is a fine area, in front of the school, near 400 feet long, by about 200 in breadth, in which the boys play, and perform military evolutions. The dining-hall and school-room, which are extremely spacious, communicate by two long covered galleries, in which the boys can play or parade in wet wea- ther ; and the dormitories are spacious, neat, and well ventilated. Contiguous to the central build- ing the head usher, (w ho is called serjeant-major,) and the assistant ushers, have convenient apart- ments. There are also extensive work-rooms for the children, w ho are instructed in tailoring and shoemaking. The female part of the establish- ment is equally well arranged. The Chapel, where the Lord Lieutenant’s family generally attend during their residence in the Park, is neat and convenient. A farm of nineteen acres is attached to the 234 HIBERNIAN SCHOOL. school, which is cultivated by the boys, with the assistance of a gardener and two or three labour- ers. They are kept alternately at labour and in- struction ; the latter being administered in the most judicious manner by the Chaplain, who has the government of the school, and who frequently lectures on the Holy Scriptures. The females are taught every thing necessary for their sex and condition. At fourteen the males are apprenticed, generally, to handicraft trades, and the females to mantua-makers, milliners, ribbon-weavers, glov- ers, &c. The children admissible to this school must be between the age of seven and twelve. A prefer- ence is given to orphans, or those whose fathers have been killed, or died on foreign service. The annual average expense of each child is above fourteen pounds, and the establishment is sup- ported by Parliamentary grants and casual dona- tions. Health and vigour particularly mark the children of this school, which is, no doubt, in a great measure attributable to the salubrity of its situation, and the active exercises in which they are engaged. To give them a taste for a military life, the classes are called companies, and the boys are encouraged in running, leaping, and other feats of agility. In the year 1796, his late Majesty granted let- ters patent to the Lord Primate, the Archbishop of Dublin, the Lord Chancellor, and several other noblemen and gentlemen, incorporating them by the name of the Hibernian Society in Dublin, for maintaining, educating, and apprenticing the or- MARINE SCHOOL. 235 plians and children of soldiers in Ireland ; and by a new charter, granted in 1808, they are em- powered to place such children in his Majesty’s regular army, as private soldiers, with their own consent. HIBERNIAN MARINE SCHOOL. Soon after the establishment of the Military School, a charter was granted for instituting a So- ciety for maintaining, educating, and apprenticing the orphans and children of decayed seamen, in the royal navy and merchants’ service. A lot of ground was taken on Sir John Rogerson’s quay, and in 1777 this building was opened for the re- ception of the children, the expense having amounted to £6,600. The centre and two wings, of which this edifice consists, extend above 130 feet in front. It contains all the necessary apart- ments for such an establishment. The wings con- tain the chapel and school- room, each 51 feet by 26. The boys are rarely admitted under the age of nine years. They are immediately clothed in naval uniform, and their course of instruction commences in reading, writing, arithmetic, navi- gation, and the principles of the Christian reli- gion. At a proper age they are placed in the royal navy, or apprenticed to masters of merchant vessels, who take them without any fee. The number of boys on the establishment is 180, and the funds arise from casual benefactions and Par- liamentary grants. 236 SOCIETY FOR EDUCATING THE POOR. BEDFORD ASYLUM FOR INDUSTRIOUS CHILDREN. This excellent institution commenced under the administration of the Duke of Bedford. The edi- fice is situated in Brunswick-street, forming three sides of a square, built in a neat substantial style, and contains, in apartments completely separate, 386 children of both sexes. The children are admitted indiscriminately, instructed in the reli- gion they profess, and immediately discharged on the application of their parents. Besides reading and writing, they are taught weaving, tailoring, shoe-making, carpenter’s-work, bobbin and twist winding, hosiery, plain- work, embroidery, and tambour. The instructors in these branches re- ceive no salaries, but, in lieu thereof, are allowed a part of the produce of their labour. The chil- dren also receive a part, as rewards for good con- duct. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE EDUCATION OF THE POOR OF IRELAND. The Society was formed in 1811, under this designation, of which the late Duke of Kent became the patron. They declared their plan to be, the diffusion of a well ordered and econo- mical system of education among the poor, per- fectly distinct from any interference with their peculiar religious opinions ; and that the appoint- ment of governors, teachers, or scholars, of Schools TIIE IRISH SOCIETY. 237 aided by them, should be uninfluenced by secta- rian distinctions ; that all catechisms and books of religious controversy, should be excluded, and the Scriptures read in the Schools, without note or comment. The plan was approved of in various parts of Ireland, and 1815, Parliament granted the sum of £6980 to build a Model School in Kildare-street. The publication, at low prices, of such useful books, as might supersede the im- moral works in general use, has since formed an object of the Society. The building in Kildare- street combines a depository for cheap books and stationery, and a Model School capable of con- taining one thousand children. A number of Schools have been established throughout the country, under the patronage of the Society, and which are supplied with teachers instructed at the Model School. Parliamentary aid is granted to this Institution, and the Committee report their proceedings to a general meeting, held annually. THE IRISH SOCIETY Was formed in 1819, for promoting the education of the native Irish, through the medium of their own language. To promote their moral ameliora- tion, the Society distributed among them the Irish version of the Scriptures by Archbishop Daniel and Bishop Bedell, the Irish prayer-book, where acceptable, and such other works as might be ne- cessary for school-books, disclaiming, at the same time, all intention of making the Irish language a 238 DUBLIN FREE SCHOOL. vehicle for the communication of general know- ledge. The school-masters are instructed in the late improvements in education, and the Schools formed on the circulating principle, found to be so beneficial in Wales and the Highlands of Scot- land. DUBLIN FREE SCHOOL. This excellent Institution, for educating the lower orders in the metropolis, is situated in School- street, and is opened to the children of every re- ligious denomination. The male and female Schools, two for each, are perfectly distinct, and they are so contrived that the superintendent, by a small change of his position, can command an uninterrupted view of the whole. It is used both for Sunday and Daily Schools. The females, be- side learning reading and writing, are employed in useful works, and they receive the entire of their earnings in clothes made in the Schools. Nearly 800 children are in daily attendance, and above 30,000 have been taught since the com- mencement of the School. Mr. Lancaster’s sys- tem of education has been introduced for several years. The Rev. Richard Powell, rector.of Dundrum, (he being at that time curate of a parish in Dub- lin,) opened this School in 1786. For some years the females assembled in the parochial school- house of St. Catherine’s parish, and the boys in the Court-house of the Liberties. It was, how- FREE SCHOOLS. 239 ever, deemed necessary to erect a School-house on a large scale, and this good work was accom- plished in the year 1798, by the strenuous exer- tions of some benevolent characters, among whom Mr. Samuel Bewley, and many others of the So- ciety of Quakers, were particularly active. Schools on similar principles are established on the North Strand, in the rere of the Linen-hall, in Yarn-hall-street, and in James’ s-street, in which many thousand children have been educat- ed at a comparatively trifling expense. Kellett’s School, situated in Drumcondra, at the north side of the City, was founded in 1811, on a bequest of ^5, 000, left by Mr. A. Kellett, of Fordstown, county of Meath. It is conducted on Lancaster’s principles. There are eighteen schools belonging to the Established Church, containing 548 children, of whom 377 are clothed and dieted, 108 others are clothed only. There are also a number of Sunday and week- day schools conducted by the Dissenters, which are maintained by contributions and charity sermons. In every parish in Dublin there are schools supported by persons of the Roman Catholic per- suasion. The number of Roman Catholic schools amounts to 58, viz. 29 daily, 4 evening, 6 Sun- day, and 19 Orphan schools, containing 6,300 children of both sexes, of whom 1,650 are clothed, and 838 are dieted. In most of these schools, the Lancasterian system of education is adopted ; 240 SUNDAY SCHOOL SOCIETY. but in many of the schools the only education the children receive is oral instruction in the par- ticular tenets of the Roman Catholic religion. THE LITERARY TEACHERS’ SOCIETY Was instituted in J789, and incorporated by Act of Parliament, for the relief of reduced Literary Teachers and their families. There are proper officers and a Committee for conducting the affairs of the Society, and pecuniary aid is afforded from its funds to reduced teachers and their families, who had formerly belonged to the Society. SUNDAY SCHOOL SOCIETY FOR IRELAND. The object of this Society, which was esta- blished in November, 1809, is to promote the establishment, and facilitate the conducting of Sunday Schools in Ireland, by disseminating the most approved plans for the management of such schools, by supplying them with spelling books and copies of the sacred Scriptures, or extracts therefrom, without note or comment, and that it shall not assume to itself any control over the in- ternal regulations of the schools in connexion with it, nor use any other interference in their con- cerns than that of kind admonition and advice. It appears that previously to the establishment of this Society, the Sunday School system of instruc- tion had made but little progress in Ireland — that DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTION. 241 its influence and assistance have tended materially to promote the establishment of Sunday Schools, may be judged from the numbers now in exist- ence in many parts of Ireland. Besides the schools which have received gratuitous aid from the So- ciety, there are also other schools, which have only required assistance from the Society in the w ay of purchasing books at reduced prices. NATIONAL INSTITUTION FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB. The success which had attended similar esta- blishments in France, and other parts of the Continent of Europe, as well as in England and Scotland, induced Doctor Charles Orpen, a few years back, to make an effort to excite the public interest in behalf of this unhappy class of human beings in his own country. He commenced his benevolent task by undertaking the education of a deaf and dumb orphan, named Thomas Collins, at his own house, and in a few months he was enabled to exhibit the attainments of his pupil to a numerous auditory at the Rotunda, to whom he also delivered a course of lectures on the subject. By this means the public interest w^as excited, subscriptions obtained, and the plan of a school quickly organized, of which Earl Whitworth, the Lord Lieutenant, became the patron ; and Dr. Orpen kindly gave his gratuitous services, for some time, as the instructor and superintendant. The establishment was at first confined to the o 242 DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTION. education and support of sixteen boys, who were accommodated in the Penitentiary, Smithfield ; but, a brighter prospect dawning on the benevo- lent efforts of the friends to this Institution, they were enabled, in 1819, to remove it to Claremont, near Glasnevin, rather more than two miles from the City, which they took at the annual rent of ^0220. 10s. Od. and a fine of J01OOO. The house is beautifully situated, in the midst of 18| acres of meadow and garden, and might be rendered capable of accommodating from 120 to 150 pupils, while, at the same time, the boys and girls may inhabit distinct buildings, and have separate play- grounds. Mr. Joseph Humphreys, the highly intelligent and able master of this seminary, had, previous to undertaking this important task, visited the most celebrated schools for the deaf and dumb in Eng- land and Scotland. His mode of education par- takes of both the English and French systems. In the former few signs are used, whereas the latter is overloaded with them. The results have proved the utility of Mr. Humphreys’ system ; the progress of the children in learning and useful and religious knowledge, is highly calculated to delight and astonish all who examine them. They can all execute the language of the fingers with much skill and surprising rapidity ; and many of them have acquired the power of expressing arti- culate sounds in a manner perfectly intelligible to the auditors. The time of the pupils is nearly equally divided between study and labour, abundance of which is MOLYNEUX ASYLUM. 243 afforded by the rural situation of the school. The girls learn various branches of domestic bu- siness. A correspondence has been opened with the various institutions for the Deaf and Dumb in Great Britain, and on the Continent, from which much useful information has been derived. Visit- ors are admissable every W ednesday, between the hours of ten and two. Mr. Humphreys has a separate establishment for the instruction of private pupils. THE RICHMOND NATIONAL INSTITUTION, Which was opened in 1809, is situated in Sack- ville-street. Here the youthful blind are taught netting, weaving, mending, and sewing sacks, and basket-making. The pupils shew great aptitude to learn, and some of them have made a great proficiency in these useful arts. The number of inmates in the house is thirty. There are also ten extern pupils. THE MOLYNEUX ASYLUM. This is an establishment for the support of blind females, who are taught to plait straw, twist cords for window curtains, and those who possess talents for music, are instructed to play on the piano-forte, to qualify them to become organists. On the site of the house, which is in Peter-street, the family mansion of Sir Capel Molyneux for- 244 room-keepers’ society. merly stood. It was afterwards taken by Mr. Astley, who built his amphitheatre in the rere of the dwelling-house ; but the general taste for such exhibitions being now superseded by a thirst for pleasures of a much nobler kind, that scene of fashionable amusement is, with considerable alteration, converted into the chapel of the Moly- neux Asylum, and is generally well attended. The asylum is capable of containing 50 blind females, though not more than 20 are at present on the establishment. THE STRANGER’S FRIEND SOCIETY Was instituted in 1790, through the instru- mentality of Doctor Adam Clarke, and other members of the Methodist Society. Though the visitors are exclusively Methodists, yet they ex- tend relief indiscriminately to individuals of every religious persuasion. The division which some time since took place in the Methodist body, has also led to the formation of the Stranger’s Friend Society in two distinct establishments, one of which meets at 62, South Great George’s-street, and the other at the Methodist chapel, White- friar-street. CHARITABLE SOCIETY FOR THE RELIEF OF SICK AND INDIGENT ROOM-KEEPERS. The Society for the relief of sick and indigent debtors’ friend society. 245 room-keepers, of every religious denomination, was established in 1790, by a few benevo- lent individuals, whose exertions were, at first, from the paucity of their means, confined to a very limited district. The institution now em- braces the Avhole of the city, which is formed into four divisions, namely, Barrack, Work-house, Stephen’s-green, and Rotunda. The visitors amount to about 1200 persons of every religious denomination, and the institution is aided by charity sermons in churches, chapels, and meet- ing houses. Above £ 50,000 have been expended, and more than 400,000 individuals relieved, under circumstances of extreme distress, since the period of its establishment. THE GOLDSMITHS’ JUBILEE Was instituted in 1809, at the celebration of the anniversary of the 50th year of his late Majesty’s reign. A certain number of aged and indigent persons of the trade are supported in a house at Rathfarnham, by subscriptions of the members of the Goldsmiths’ Company, occasional fines, &c. THE DEBTORS’ FRIEND SOCIETY Was established in 1813, for the purpose of com- promising small debts for which deserving persons may be confined. No debt is discharged which has been contracted for spirituous liquors. Se- o 2 246 ROYAL HOSPITAL. venty persons have been liberated in one year by this Society. MEATH LOAN. This excellent charity owes its origin to the benevolent exertions of the late Rev. Mr. White- law, in 1808, and it has had the happy effect, by judicious management, of raising many distressed journeymen weavers to the rank of masters, and has frequently saved an honest and industrious man from impending ruin, by the timely aid it has afforded him. The sums lent are from five to twenty pounds. ItOYAL HOSPITAL, KILMAINHAM. The project of establishing an asylum for dis- abled and worn-out officers and soldiers, is said to have originated about the year 1675, with Arthur, Earl of Granard, Marshal- General of the Army in Ireland, and through the exertions of the great and good Duke of Ormond, it was soon after happily carried into effect. For this pur- pose King Charles II. granted sixty-four acres of that part of the Phoenix-park, lying south of the Liffey, which had formerly been the property of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. The Duke of Ormond laid the first stone, and the Earl of Longford the second, on the 29th of April, 1680, and the Hospital was completed for the reception Dublin Dublisheil by WC Curry Jun 7 . &C ? THE LIBRARY OF THE “siYSssninf u,um ROYAL HOSPITAL. 247 of invalids on the 25th of March, 1 684, at the expense of £23,559. 16s. ll|d. It forms a rect- angle of 306 feet by 288, presenting four good fronts tp view. The area in the centre is neatly laid out in grass-plats and gravel-walks, and nearly surrounded with a piazza for the conve- nience of shelter. The centre of the north front is decorated with Corinthian pilasters, and an en- tablature, over which is a handsome steeple. Over the door-way are the arms of the Duke of Ormond. The interior is fitted up in a style of great neatness and simplicity. The dining-hall is 100 feet in length by 45 in breadth, and the lower part of the walls are decorated with a va- riety of military weapons fancifully disposed. The upper part on three sides is ornamented with por- traits of King Charles II. William III. and his Consort Queen Mary, Queen Anne, George, Prince of Denmark, the Dukes of Ormond, Dorset, and Devonshire, Lords Primate Boyle and Marsh, the Earls of Ossory, Arran, Galway, Berkeley, and Rochester, Lord Coningsby, Sirs Charles Porter, Cyril Wych, and Richard Cox, Generals Erie and Hamilton, and Thomas Knightly, Esq. The cha- pel, which is 86 feet by 36, .has a variety of or- naments in Irish oak, richly carved, and a coved ceiling highly decorated in stucco. The men are comfortably lodged, well fed and clothed, and each man is allowed eight pence per week tobacco- money. The house of the Commander-in-Chief, who is always the governor, is delightfully situ- ated, having a beautifully diversified view of the Phoenix-park, the Royal Military Infirmary, &c. 248 ROYAL HOSPITAL. A fine military road leads from the Hospital to the spacious quay called Usher’s-island. The entire expense of this magnificent establishment is de- frayed by Government. The property on which this noble Institution is founded, is that formerly in the possession of the Knights of St. John, of Jerusalem, founded in A. D. 1118, by Hugo de Paganis, and Gufrid de St. Aidermaro, who, with seven followers, for the sake of the pilgrims, undertook to secure the roads leading to Jerusalem from all robberies and outrages. They had a residence assigned them by king Baldwin, near the Temple in Jerusalem, and from that circumstance were called Knights Templars. From the time of their institution un- til their order was confirmed in the Council of Troyes, their number did not exceed nine, but from that period it rapidly increased, and in less than fifty years there were three hundred Knights of this order, besides a vast number of inferior brethren ; and by the contributions of various kingdoms, they had houses erected in most coun- tries. They rendered great service against the Infidels, but having at length lost Syria, they re- turned to Europe, and were then accused of he- resy and other crimes. In the Council of Lyons they were condemned, and their livings assigned to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, called also Knights Hospitallers, Knights of Rhodes, and, in more modern times, Knights of Malta. Several writers affirm, that it was the greatness of their possessions that excited the jealousy of others, and caused fictitious crimes to be imputed to them, ROYAL HOSPITAL. 249 of which they were perfectly innocent. How- ever this may be, the Pope, in the year 1308, wrote to King Edward II. to apprehend and con- fine all the Templars within his dominions. The king accordingly issued his w rit to John Wogan, Lord Justice of Ireland, for their apprehension, and to secure their lands. Their religious ob- servance was at first nearly according to the rules of the Canons Regular, but St. Bernard after- wards prescribed them a rule, and they made their professions in the presence of the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Their order had been approved in 1128, by Pope Honorius II. They wore a white habit, and Pope Eugenius IV. gave them leave to w ear a cloak with a red cross. Their possessions in Ireland were generally given up to the Knights of Rhodes. They had a priory at a place in the suburbs of Dublin, called by the Irish, Casgot , to which Walter de Fernfield was a great bene- factor, and from the name of the Manor of St. Sepulchre, it is supposed that it must have stood somewhere in Kevin-street. Some are of opinion that it was situated on the spot where afterwards was erected the Archbishop’s palace, now con- verted into a barrack and stables for the horse- police of the city of Dublin. But if it stood at all in Kevin-street, there is more probability that it was opposite the Deanery-house, on the south side of that street, and west of Edge’s-court, where, until within the last thirty years, were standing the ruins of an extensive stone building, evidently a church or a castle, and on part of the walls of which houses were erected. 250 ST. PATRICK'S, OR SWIFT’S HOSPITAL, Is situated on the north side of Bow-lane, and is capable of conveniently accommodating 177 pa- tients. It is a substantial well-built edifice, ex- tending in front 147 feet. There are six wards^ occupying two long parallel buildings, 327 feet by 33 each. The cells are twelve feet by 8, and all communication between the male and female patients is completely cut off. Besides these there are 19 apartments for chamber-boarders, who pay 100 guineas per annum each, and have each a servant for their own exclusive use. There are also accommodations for 48 ward-boarders, who pay 60 guineas per annum each. The patients are permitted, at proper times, to enjoy air and exercise in the gardens, and some late improve- ments have been made, which must greatly add to the comforts of the unfortunate inmates. The annual expense exceeds £5,000. The celebrated Dean Swift, who died in 1745, bequeathed the whole of his property (with the exception of a few trifling legacies,) amounting to £l 1,000, towards founding an hospital for luna- tics and ideots. With the addition of some other charitable donations and grants from parliament, this benevolent object was carried into effect, and the hospital opened in 1757. 251 RICHMOND LUNATIC ASYLUM. This spacious establishment, which is situated in Pembroke-street, to the north-west of the city, was completed in 1815, during the viceroyalty of the late Duke of Richmond, at the expense of £70,000. It contains 198 cells, arranged in 24 corridores, and is conducted on the same plan as the Bethelehem Hospital in London. The pa- tients are allowed all possible personal liberty consistent with their safety, every cause of irrita- tion is carefully avoided, and all violence or ill- treatment strictly prohibited. The happy effects of this humane system have been already proved by the restoration of many of the patients. The most admirable means are adopted in this establishment to promote the recovery of its un- happy inmates, and the result has already proved the great advantages of such mild treatment. No punishment is at any time resorted to except the imposition of arm-straps, the muff, strait-waistcoat, or solitary seclusion in darkness for a few hours. Between forty and fifty of the patients regularly attend family prayer, and behave with the strictest propriety and decorum, and several have express- ed a wish for the possession of bibles, prayer- books, and other religious books ; and in many instances a material improvement in the manners and conduct of the patients has been the result. Great advantages have also arisen from keeping such of the patients as are capable of w orking, constantly employed. Between 30 or 40 males are daily occupied, chiefly in the garden ; several 252 RICHMOND LUNATIC ASYLUM. hundred yards of linen and diaper have been woven by two weavers, patients in the house, whose looms were made by a carpenter, another of the unfortunate inmates, and who is constantly employed at his trade. Between 40 and 50 of the female patients are occupied in spinning, knitting, making or mending clothes, washing in the laundry, cleaning the house, &c. The Hospital is furnished with baths of va- rious descriptions, the corridores are spacious and chearful, but we cannot help remarking that a consi- derable degree of gloom prevails in the inner-yard. There is detached accommodation in two sepa- rate wings, for sixteen patients of each sex, the total number the Hospital is capable of containing being 240 ; the arrangement of the apartments, furniture, &c. in the convalescent wings, which are of a superior description to those of the cells, is calculated to produce a favourable effect in pro- moting the good conduct of the patients ; as any dereliction of the rules, or deviation from pro- priety, invariably subjects the offender to imme- diate removal from that rank in society to which his former amendment had entitled him. The Asylum has frequently been visited by many intelligent and observant persons, who, in contrasting its arrangements and management with the best Asylums in Great Britain, and on the Continent, have recorded very satisfactory testi- monials of their approbation, in a book provided for that purpose, always accessible to visitors. The institution is supported by annual Parlia- mentary grants. 253 SIMPSON’S HOSPITAL FOR BLIND AM) GOUTY OLD MEN. In the year 1778, Mr. George Simpson, a re- spectable merchant in Dublin, bequeathed a large estate for the purpose of founding an asylum ex- clusively for blind and gouty patients, having himself been severely afflicted with these disor- ders. The establishment was afterwards incor- porated by Act of Parliament. An inconvenient private house was at first made use of in Great Britain-street, but it was afterwards thrown dow n, and the present extensive and commodious edifice erected on its site. The house contains a spacious dining-hall, well aired dormitories, and every ac- commodation that can tend to the comfort of the venerable inmates. At the rere is an excellent garden, laid out in gravel-walks and grass-plats. Former respectability, as well as an irreproach- able character, is a necessary qualification to obtain admission into this Asylum. About fifty is the number usually in the house, who are well clothed, and provided with food of the very best kind. The annual expense of each individual is esti- mated at £50. It tends much to the comforts experienced in this admirable establishment, that its inmates are not all afflicted in the same manner. While the eye of the gouty patient serves as a guide to the blind, the arm of the latter supports his lame companion. A group- of the blind are sometimes seen listening attentively to the news- paper, or some interesting book, w hich is read by one of the lame patients, and they, in return, fre- p 254 ALMS HOUSES FOR WIDOWS. quently amuse their friends with a tune on the flute or violin. ASYLUM FOR OLD MEN, RUSSEL-PLACE. * This establishment, which is situated on the Circular-road, near Mountjoy- square, was com- pleted in 1812, at an expense of £1,300. It is a substantial brick building, containing accommo- dation for twenty-four old men, who are supported by subscriptions, donations, and the produce of an annual charity sermon. The terms of admis- sion require that the applicant must be a Pro- testant, and at least sixty years of age ; that he has not been a servant, or retailer of spiritous li- quors, and his character must be unexceptionable. ALMS-HOUSES FOR WIDOWS AND AGED FEMALES. Widows’ Alms-house, James’s Parish — This charity was founded by a person in one of the humblest walks of life, and the name of John Loggins must ever be held in veneration by all -who are acquainted with his singular history. — He was a native of this parish, and for many years he followed the occupation of a hackney coachman, at Bow-bridge. By persevering in- dustry he became the proprietor of two coaches, and in the end acquired a property in houses to the value of £40 per annum. — He, however, ALMS-HOUSES FOR WIDOWS. 255 at one time, became so dreadfully addicted to drunkenness, that he is known to have been carried in a basket on a porter’s back in a state of beastly intoxication. He made several attempts at reformation, but in vain ; until rous- ed to a sense of his profligate conduct by a remarkable circumstance. In a state of stupid intoxication he passed an entire night under the feet of one of his coach-horses, who, though an extremely vicious animal, never attempted to lie down, or injure him. This he justly considered a kind interposition of Divine providence in his behalf, and he determined on a complete reforma- tion of his life. His horses were no longer per- mitted to travel on Sunday ; and another provi- dential deliverance which he met soon after, (the arch of Kilcullen-bridge having fallen down just as the coach which he was driving had crossed it,) induced him to relinquish for ever an occupation attended with peculiar temptations. The rem- nant of his days was consecrated to fervent piety and active virtue ; he generally attended at the daily prayers in Kilmainham-hospital, frequently went in the evenings to the Methodist meeting- house, and was a constant guest at the communion- table of St. Patrick’s cathedral, where the sacra- ment is administered every Sunday. Sincere piety towards God is always productive of benevolence to man. Limited as were his means, he now con- ceived the plan of establishing an asylum for poor widows, and by the most rigid frugality and inde- fatigable exertions he had the happiness of seeing it carried into effect. With his own hands he 256 ALMS-HOUSES FOR WIDOWS. fitted up his stable and hay-loft, to which he afterwards added several apartments in his own house, for this purpose, and with the aid of other humane and benevolent individuals, he saw, be- fore his death, twenty widows comfortably settled in his alms-house. To this family of helpless females he acted the part, during the remainder of his life, not only of a temporal parent, but a spiri- tual pastor; and at his death he appointed the vicar and church-wardens of the parish of St. James trustees of the charity. The alms-house is supported by an annual sermon, which enables the trustees to allow each widow 3s. 3d. per week, with a half-quartern loaf; they have also a certain allowance of clothing. Widows’ Alms-house, Great Britain-street — This is an extensive stone building, containing 32 apartments, for as many widows, who receive two guineas per annum each. Though the house is in an airy situation, and well planned, yet it is very deficient in that neatness and cleanliness so desirable in all establishments of this kind, and many parts seem to be fast hastening to decay. Fortick’s Widows’ Alms-house, Denmark- street, is on a plan nearly similar to the foregoing, but on a smaller scale. The widows (23 in num- ber) receive each £5 10s. annually, with a bag of coals at Christmas. An air of neatness and clean- liness pervades this asylum, the vacancies in which are alternately filled up by the Lord Chancellor and the Rector of Saint Mary’s. ALMS-HOUSES EOR WIDOWS. 257 The Widows’ Retreat is a neat brick build- ing, not long since erected in the healthy outlet of Drumcondra. It contains accommodations for 24 widows, each of whom has an allowance of 5s. 6d. per week. The rooms are extremely neat and comfortable, being furnished with every ne- cessary accommodation, and in the rere is an ex- tensive garden. The inmates are received without distinction of religion into this admirable estab- lishment, which was erected at the sole expense of the Latouche family. The Asylum for Clergymen’s Widows, in Mercer-street, was founded by Lady Anne Hume. It can only accommodate six, who, be- sides their lodging, receive an annual stipend of i'10. It is matter of regret, that amidst the numerous charities with which the Irish metropo- lis abounds, no other provision has yet been made for the widows and families of unbeneficed clergy- men, about seventy of whom are in the diocese of Dublin. Besides the above, there are alms-houses attach- ed to several of the parishes, in which above 200 widows are maintained. These, with the excep- tion of Knight’s, in Peter’s Parish, are supported by the weekly collections made in the parish churches, aided by subscriptions and donations. In the other parishes the collections are distribut- ed to a certain number of widows in bread and money. 258 LYING-IN HOSPITAL. The Presbyterian congregation of Eustace- street support a Widows House in Cork-street, contain- ing 12 individuals ; Mr. Cooper’s Society, one in Plunket-street, containing a similar number ; also the Moravians one in Whitefriar-street, which accommodates 13 widows and aged females; and the Methodists in Whitefriar-street, where twenty- four poor widows are furnished with bedding, coals, candles, and 3s. 4d. each, per week. The Roman Catholics have also an Asylum for widows, in Clarke’s-court, Great Ship-street ; one in Archibald’s-court, Cooke-street, and one in Lower Liffey-street, in which 56 poor widows, or other aged and distressed females, are supplied with food and raiment. LYING-IN HOSPITAL. This is one of the most useful, interesting, and ornamental Institutions of which the metropolis can boast. The centre building, which is 125 feet by 82, is finely ornamented, and at both sides are curved colonnades. The interior of the edi- fice possesses solidity, neatness, and convenience. There is a grand stair-case of Portland-stone, lighted by a large Venetian window, near which stands a marble bust of Dr. Mosse, the parent of the Institution. The wards, which contain 87 beds, open off galleries running the entire length of the building. One ward, containing seven beds, is maintained by a bequest of £1000, left by the jm ubrwn CF THE LYING-IN HOSPITAL. 259 late Primate Robinson. Another, of eight beds, by a similar bequest of the late Thomas Preston, Esq. and a third, containing twelve beds, has received perpetual endowment by the liberal application of £3000, bequeathed to charitable purposes by the late William Ralphson, Esq. This most excellent charity owes its origin to the humanity and unwearied exertions of Doctor Bartholomew Mosse, who, during his practice as an accoucheur , was deeply affected with the mi- series suffered by the lower classes of females during the period of their confinement. In 1745, this amiable man took a house in George’s-lane, which he furnished with beds and other necessa- ries, at his own expense, for the reception of poor lying-in women ; but finding, in a few r years, his plan too limited for the great number of appli- cants, he, in 1750, took a lease of a plot of ground in Great Britain-street, for the purpose of erecting thereon a large hospital. He first, at the risk of his whole fortune, laid out the present Rotunda Gardens as a place of public resort, the profits of which he determined to apply to the furtherance of his plan. On the 24th of May, 1751, Aider- man Taylor, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, laid the first stone of the building, which was carried on by lottery schemes until ^8,000 was expended ; but this being found totally inadequate to the completion of the work, and the worthy projector being consequently involved in many difficulties, he was under the necessity of petitioning the House of Commons, who granted the sum of £12,000 for finishing the Hospital, and £2000 for 260 FOUNDLING HOSPITAL. the Doctor’s own use, as a reward for his services. His Majesty, about the same time, incorporated several noblemen and gentlemen as guardians of the Institution, and appointed Dr. Mosse master of the Hospital for life. It was opened on the 8th of December, 1757. No recommendation but evident distress is re- quired, to gain admission into this asylum, where every humane attention is given to the patients, at all hours of the day and night. They are kept in the house a reasonable time after parturition, and, on admission, supplies of flannels, linen, and other necessaries, are occasionally given to the most needy. The expenses of the institution are defrayed by the receipts of the Rotunda, Gar- dens, and Chapel, aided by the bounty of Par- liament. Dr. Mosse fell a victim to the severe exertions which he made use of to forward his benevolent plan. He died in 1759, leaving behind him as a monument of his successful perseverance this truly charitable Institution. THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL Is situated at the west end of James’s-street, on the road leading to Kilmainham. The first stone of this extensive building was laid in 1704, by Mary, Duchess of Ormond. It extends in front nearly 400 feet, having a large area, in which the boys frequently parade and exercise, while the girls have a similar area in the interior. The din- FOUNDLING HOSPITAL. 261 ing-hali is 120 feet by 40, and neatly decorated. Over the eastern fire-place is a portrait of Primate Boulter, who fed the poor of Dublin in this hall during a period of famine in 1727-8. It is fur- nished with forty tables, is seventy feet long, and very handsomely fitted up. The infirmary, which is completely insulated and well ventilated, con- tains 144 single beds, and on the ground-floor are a receiving-room and medicine-room, with apart- ments for the housekeeper and apothecary. A great number of the boys and girls are employed in a manufactory of camblets, flannels, baize, and livery-cloths, for whom a sixth of their earnings is reserved. Several hundre.d boys are apprenticed annually. The Governesses pay great attention to the infant department, and the great mortality which formerly prevailed, through the negligence of women to whom the infants were entrusted, has been greatly diminished. Every out-nurse is paid once a year, but she cannot receive her wages without producing the child committed to her care. The number of children on the establish- ment is generally from six to seven thousand, about one thousand of whom are in the hospital^ and the expense — between 30 and £'40,000 per annum, — is defrayed by Parliamentary grants, and a tax raised by a parish cess. The house is capable of accommodating 1,200 children. It is a scene calculated to inspire the breast with emotions of the purest delight, to see such a number of children, who had been snatched from death, or what would be still worse, a life of infamy, enter the hall at the hour of dinner, r 3 262 FOUNDLING HOSPITAL. in regular order, under the conduct of their re- spective masters and mistresses, and after having partaken, with evident satisfaction, of their com- fortable meal, and sung a hymn, return to their several avocations in the same regular order. For several years this Institution afforded an asylum to lunatics, common beggars, and poor children of every description. But the founding of other hospitals for the indigent and diseased, having rendered this part of the establishment unnecessary, it became wholly confined to the foundling department. In this Hospital the infant has a comfortable asylum from the earliest period of its existence till it is fitted by education to go abroad into the world. There are two schools, one for females and another for males, conducted on the system of Dr. Bell, in which the numbers vary according to the state of the house. The mode of instruction is excellent, and to rear the children to habits of industry is a principal ob- ject of the institution. Besides instruction in reading, writing, arithmetic, a knowledge of the Scriptures, and the principles of the Protestant religion, the girls are taught plain work, spinning, knitting, and to make their own clothes, and the boys are employed every day at different trades, as weavers, scribblers, tailors, carpenters, shoe- makers, and gardeners. At the public examina- tions the children generally acquit themselvesnin a way highly creditable to the conductors of the institution. 263 FEMALE ORPHAN HOUSE. This benevolent institution is situated on the north circular-road. The situation is extremely healthy, and in the rere is a large garden. The house is capable of containing 160 children, who must be destitute both of father and mother, and between the ages of five and ten at the time of admission. Whatever may have been their former persuasion, they are all educated in the principles of the Established Church, and taught reading, writing, needle-work, and every other requisite to qualify them for servants in different capacities. This institution was commenced in 1790, by Mrs. Edward Tighe, and Mrs. Este, in a limited way, but it met with such general patronage, that in two years after the amiable founders had the satisfac- tion of seeing the present very extensive edifice erected. The annual expense of education and maintenance is under £3,000 a-year, and the funds arise from Parliamentary grants, subscrip- tions and donations, and the produce of the chil- dren’s work. DORSET INSTITUTION. This excellent establishment was formed in 1815, through the exertions of her Excellency the Duchess of Dorset, for the relief of industrious females. The house is situated in Lower Abbey- street, where a number of children are employed in plaiting straw, under a matron. The children 264 pleasant’s asylum. get their dinner, and the produce of their labour as incentives to industry. There is also a ware- room, where wearing apparel is sold to the poor at reduced prices. In another department of the Institution work is taken in, which is given to poor room- keepers to make up. Above 200 bon- nets have been manufactured by the children in six months, and upwards of 120 plain-workers are frequently employed. THE MASONIC FEMALE ORPHAN SCHOOL, Which commenced in 1790, is situated in Dom- ville-lane, Prussia-street. The number of chil- dren maintained and educated here have varied from twelve to twenty, and the institution is sup- ported by a charity sermon, private subscriptions, and the fees paid by Freemasons on their initia- tion. The children are brought up in the reli- gious tenets of the profession to which they belong . PLEASANT’S ASYLUM, CAMDEN-STREET Was opened in 1818, for the orphan daughters of reduced citizens of the united parishes of St. Peter and St. Kevin, by that benevolent gentleman, the late Thomas Pleasants, Esq. of whose beneficent acts we have already had occasion to speak in the course of this work. The house is capable of accommodating twenty-one ; the girls receive a most respectable education, and are provided for m every particular. 265 THE RETREAT. This Institution was established at Drumcondra in 1814, and its object is to afford a temporary asylum to the aged, the widow, and the orphan, in case of any sudden emergency. The building cost thirteen hundred pounds, and in one year two hundred and forty-seven persons have been successively provided for in it. It is entirely sup- ported by the contributions of a few individuals. HOUSE OF REFUGE, BAGGOT-STREET. This institution, the first of the kind ever es- tablished, owes its origin to the benevolence and talent of the late Mrs. Theodosia Blachford. Having always taken a peculiar interest in the education and advancement of young females in the lower ranks of life, she observed that the cause which led many to decline from virtue, and exposed them to innumerable evils, was the want of a home and a shelter during that interesting period when the world is new, and the mind un- aware of its seductions: In particular^ she was struck with the desolate state of those whose in- fancy had been protected in charity schools, who, after having finished the period of their appren- ticeship, were left exposed to every danger, from improper lodgings and society, before they could obtain a new situation. To supply a place of temporary retreat and protection for such innocent and destitute young females, the House of Refuge 266 HOUSE OF REFUGE, STANHOPE-STREET. was opened in 1802, in Upper Baggot-street, un- der excellent regulations, and the management of an experienced matron. In the course of time, the usefulness of the in- stitution being universally acknowledged, but the funds and size of the building then occupied being inadequate to admit the increasing number of applicants for admission, the late Mrs. Benjamin Guinness, whose energy in every good cause was as conspicuous as her judgment in selecting pro- per objects for its exertion, made great and suc- cessful efforts to obtain an increase of public sup- port ; and in the year 1814, this handsome and commodious building, in the lower part of Baggot- street, was erected, and the number of inmates greatly increased. The house is conducted under the superinten- dance of a Committee of Governesses, who inspect the accounts, the domestic economy of the esta- blishment, and the conduct of its inmates. Those who desire it are taught to read, and all of them instructed in religious knowledge and an acquaint- ance with the Scriptures. They are employed in washing, mangling, plain-work, and other femi- nine labours, and every means taken to forward their moral and intellectual improvement. HOUSE OF REFUGE, STANHOPE-STREET. The object of this institution is similar to the preceding ; but it has been rendered remarkable, as having originated with a pious widow, who servants’ asylum. 267 kept a fruit shop at the corner of Bow-street, Mary’s-lane. Feeling sensible of the dangers which threatened young females of the lower class, when out of employment, she devoted part of her house to their reception. Her amiable and bene- volent conduct soon excited the attention of the Roman Catholic clergy, to which persuasion she belonged ; and, through their exertions amongst the opulent of their flock, a spacious house was purchased in Stanhope-street. This establishment is under the superintendance of the Religious Sisters of Charity, Stanhope-street. It gives an asylum and support to thirty young women until places are provided for them, as servants, in re- spectable families. From the moment they are received into the asylum, the greatest care is taken to confirm them in virtuous habits, and improve them in a knowledge of various branches of in- dustrious employments, which may enable them to become useful members of Society, and procure for themselves comfortable means of support. This establishment is supported by the private contri- butions of the benevolent, and by an annual cha- rity sermon. ASYLUM FOR AGED AND INFIRM FEMALE SERVANTS. This house was opened on Summer-hill in 1809, for a class of poor previously too much neglected. Certificates of good conduct from their masters or mistresses must be produced previous to admission 268 HOUSE OF INDUSTRY. into this asylum, where, besides neat and com- fortable apartments, each individual receives a sufficient quantity of coals, and 3s. 3d. per week. The number of individuals accommodated here is twenty-four, and the institution is supported by subscriptions, donations, and an annual charity sermon. THE HOUSE OF INDUSTRY. This building, which is situated in Great Bruns- wick-street, consists of a hollow square, 265 feet by 230, which, besides the lodging-rooms and dining-hall, contains apartments for the officers, work-shops, and a ware-house, where all the plain- work and quilting done by the poor are given out and received. Clothing is gratuitously furnished, and the in- mates who are able to work are allowed a fourth of their earnings. As no coercion is used with respect to religion, a Protestant and Roman Ca- tholic chaplain attend, and *the children in the house are educated in the religious tenets of their parents. This institution was established by Act of Par- liament in 1773, and is supported by parliamentary grants. The Corporation, which originally con- sisted of a much larger number, is now reduced to one governor and seven visitors. They were authorized and required to seize and commit to the House of Industry all strolling vagrants, &c. to keep them to hard labour from two months to MENDICITY ASSOCIATION. 269 four years, according to circumstances, and in case of bad behaviour, to inflict upon them reasonable punishment. The system appears now, however, to be totally changed, and the establishment con- verted into a great hospital for the aged and infirm, lunatics discharged as incurable from the Rich- mond Lunatic Asylum, orphan children, and the diseased. The latter are lodged in the Hardwicke Fever Hospital, the Whitworth Chronic Hospital, and the Richmond Surgical Hospital, which are all contiguous to the building. The whole of these are under the care of the Governor of the House of Industry. Attached to the House of Industry is the Tal- bot Dispensary, where many thousands of poor persons have been prescribed for since its esta- blishment. Through the whole of this immense concern, a degree of cleanliness, comfort, and convenience is apparent, which must gratify every visitor, and reflects the highest credit on the persons engaged in its superintendance and management. ASSOCIATION FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF MENDICITY IN DUBLIN. This Association, which is under the patronage of the Lord Lieutenant, and has been of the most essential benefit to the inhabitants of Dublin, freeing them most completely from the importunity and frequent insolence of the nume- rous crowds of needy or idle mendicants who 270 MENDICITY ASSOCIATION. formerly infested every street and avenue of the City, at present occupies the extensive house and concern on Usher’s-island, formerly the town re- sidence of Lord Moira. Its affairs are managed by a committee of sixty respectable inhabitants of the City. The paupers are divided into seven classes : — - 1st, Those who are able to work at productive employments, such as spinners, knitters, straw- plaiters, and rug-makers, to whom wages are paid for work done, at its full value, as rated by the Committee. 2dly, Paupers who are able and willing to work, but whose earnings are not ade- quate to their support, as street-sweepers, pickers of oakum, clothes-menders, &c. ; these are paid wages also, but at a medium low rate. 3dly, Such as are unable to perform full work, who receive barely sufficient to support life. 4thly, The in- firm, who are fed, lodged, and clothed. 5thly, Children over six years, who are educated and instructed in useful employments ; to these one meal a day is given, with a portion of their earn- ings. Othly, Children under six years, who are fed and taken care of whilst the parents are earn- ing their bread ; and 7thly, The sick and maimed, who are sent to appropriate hospitals, or receive medical attendance at their own habitations. The adults, who are able to work, are employed in the manufacture of woollen nets and hair quilts, mak- ing up clothes for the poor, picking oakum, pul- verizing oyster-shells, spinning flax and tow, &c. This Society was formed on the 20th of January, 1818, during the general prevalence of famine MENDICITY ASSOCIATION. 271 and of fever ; and, after contending for some time with the most appalling difficulties, its value has so risen in public opinion as to afford the surest pledge of its permanence and stability. The benefits that have already resulted from the establishment of this Association will be best learned by the following extracts from one of their Reports : — u It has introduced to habits of industry and morality, and restored to society as sound mem- bers, thousands who, but for this Association, had continued to infest the community as mendicants, or as worse characters ; and it has protected your children, your wives, and your daughters from the impertinent importunities, and depraved dis- courses of the sturdy and determined beggar. u It has educated and initiated into useful em- ployments hundreds of destitute children, who, but for this Association, had been sunk into the gulph of idleness and bad example ; and who would have increased the number of crimes, and have added to the too numerous class of juvenile delinquents. It has also, by furnishing employ- ment to the destitute female poor, greatly lessened the list of females on trial for criminal offences in the City of Dublin. u It rendered very important service to the community, during the late prevalence of sickness, by removing a mass of misery from the streets, and thereby cutting off a principal means of commu- nicating infection ; and must, in any future emer- gency of a similar kind, exert still more beneficial and extensive influence. 272 MENDICITY ASSOCIATION. u It has supplied, not only the bodily, but the spiritual wants of those who had seldom heard the name of their God, unless joined with impreca- tions ; the paupers attend public worship within the walls of your Institution, and Sunday Schools are also there maintained, where adults as well as children receive religious instruction from compe- tent persons of their own persuasions. u It has proved the practicability and advan- tages of this mode of suppressing mendicity in any district, however large ; and must, therefore, eventually lead to the establishment of similar in- stitutions in Ireland, and perhaps in other parts of the British Empire.” The wit of some of the Dublin beggars was at one time proverbial. The following may serve as specimens of their readiness at reply : Says Morose to a needy poor soul at bis door — “ 1 have nothing, good woman, so tease me no more.” “ You've nothing, Sir ; — the Lord preserve your store.” Gout in his legs, and dropsy in his air, To a lean beggar’s plaint Lord Plump cried “ No.” “ Well, Sir,” said she, “ Heaven still shall have my prayer “ To make your heart as tender as your toe.” “ I never give good people in the streets,” Says Snug to each petitioner he meets ; “ Y 7 ou give at home,’’ cries Nell, “ in proper stale, “ When shall we, then, upon your honor wait ?” 273 ASSOCIATION FOR DISCOUNTENANCING VICE. The object of this Society is chiefly the reli- gious education of the rising generation, which they endeavour to promote by assisting schools, both for building and for salaries, the distribution of premiums for proficiency in scriptural and cate- chetical knowledge, and by the circulation of interesting religious and moral publications. The exertions of the Society produced, in a little time, effects of the happiest kind. Catechetical examinations were established among the children of all the charitable seminaries in Dublin, and have since been extended throughout Ireland. Above 30,000 bibles, testaments, prayer books, &c. were distributed, insurance in the lotteries, which had in many instances produced the most deplorable effects, was suppressed, and measures were adopted for the reform of young criminals, which gave rise to the many important establish- ments now instituted for that purpose. In order to supersede those immoral books of entertainment in general use among the lower classes, a copious edition of Miss Hannah More’s tracts was pub- lished, 120,000 of which were distributed to the poor, the first year, at reduced prices. A fund was raised for the support of w r ell-conducted ser- vants in their old age, and another for alleviating the distresses of poor prisoners, from which ori- ginated the Debtors’ Friend Society. At the period when infidelity, and its constant attendant, immorality, were making rapid strides 274 HOSPITALS. on the Continent of Europe and even threatened the peace and good order of society in the sister country, the late Mr. Watson, bookseller, of Capel- street, conceived the plan of this Institution, which has since produced the most beneficial re- sults. His original associates were the Rev. Dr. O’Connor, of Castleknock, and the Rev. Singleton Harpur, curate of St. Mary’s. They held their first meeting in October, 1792, and in less than three years their numbers increased to nearly 500, while the Viceroy of Ireland proposed himself, and was elected their President. The Society was incorporated in 1800, and in 1805, with the approbation of the Bishops, they commenced a plan of parochial education. They have since built several school-houses, taken others under their patronage, and established a seminary for the education of parish clerks and school mas- ters. A vast number of bibles, testaments, prayer books, religious and moral books and tracts, have been distributed by the Society since its com- mencement. Its funds arise from private subscrip- tions and parliamentary grants. The office of the Association is at No. 7, Capel-street. ROYAL MILITARY INFIRMARY. This edifice is beautifully situated in the south- east angle of the Phcenix-park. The front con- sists of a centre and two wings, built of Portland stone, and extending 170 feet. The first stone was laid in 1786, by the Duke of Rutland, and HOSPITALS. 275 the work completed in two years at the expense of £9,000. The interior contains apartments for the officers, and thirteen extensive and well ven- tilated wards, in which are 187 beds. At the rere is a fever hospital. A few acres of the Phoenix-park are walled off, in which the conva- lescents enjoy air and exercise, while on every side a scene of the most beautiful nature is pre- sented to their view. The accommodations and attendance in the hospital are of the very best kind, and the expense is nearly £9,000 a-year, about one half of which is supplied by Parlia- mentary Grants, and the remainder by deductions from the pay of the patients while in the Infir- mary. STEVENS’S HOSPITAL. This noble Institution, which stands on the south bank of the Liffey , nearly opposite the Park, forms a spacious square of 233 feet by 200, hav- ing in the centre an area surrounded by piazzas, leading to the different parts of the building, which is capable of receiving 300 patients. The Chapel is neat and convenient, and for the sup- port of the chaplain considerable bequests were left by the celebrated Stella and Doctor Stearne, Bishop of Clogher. The library is a handsome room, 31 feet by 25. The books are a bequest of Doctor Edward North, for the use of the chap- lains and medical gentlemen belonging to the Hos- pital. In the west front is a theatre for surgical 276 HOSPITALS. operations, an apothecary’s shop, a laboratory, bath, &c. In 1710, Doctor Richard Stevens bequeathed an estate of £'750 per annum to his sister, Griselda Stevens, and after her decease he vested it in trustees, for the purpose of founding an hospital for curable poor persons. Mrs. Stevens, anxious even during her life time, to fulfil her brother’s intentions, purchased the ground on which this spacious edifice has been erected, and in 1720, commenced the building. The plan proving too expensive for the endowment, it was necessary to open a public subscription, by which the sum of £1,400 was obtained, which enabled the Gover- nors to complete the edifice, at the expense of £16,000. The annual income of the Hospital is about £2,500 a-year, besides a Parliament Grant of £1,500. SIR PATRICK DUN’S HOSPITAL. This building forms a handsome front of 194 feet, consisting of a centre and two wings, neatly ornamented. It is calculated to receive 100 pa- tients, and the wards are ventilated on the plan recommended by Mr. Howard, in his work on lazarettos. In the rere of the centre is a lecture- room, 42 feet by 31, in which the professors lec- ture twice a week on the cases of the patients, and explain the nature of their practice. Sir Patrick Dun having bequeathed estates for HOSPITALS. 277 establishing professorships in the College of Phy- sicians, and other medical purposes, it was re- solved in 1800 to found this establishment, which may be regarded in two different points of view ; first, as an asylum for the diseased poor ; and secondly, as connected with the School of Physic, likely to afford the young student an opportunity of seeing the most critical diseases treated by ex- perienced professors. CHARITABLE INFIRMARY, JERVIS-STREET. This institution was established at the begin- ning of the last century, and may therefore be considered as the parent of all the hospitals in Dublin. It was founded in the year 1721, at the sole expense of six surgeons, whose names deserve to be recorded, viz. George Duany, Patrick Kelly, Nathaniel Handson, John Dowdall, Francis Duany, and Peter Brenan. It was first established in a small house in Cook-street, afterwards on King’s Inns-quay, and finally, an advantageous bargain having been made with the late Earl of Charle- mont, it was removed to its present situation in Jervis-street. The Governors were incorporated in 1792, and in 18G3 the house was rebuilt. It contains a reception-room, apothecary’s shop, lec- ture-room, board-room, and fifty beds. The hos- pital is at present chiefly confined to the reception of those who have received fractures, and other casualties. The average daily number of extern patients prescribed for at this hospital, is 150, and 278 HOSPITALS. in 1808 a school was established here for medical and surgical education, and a small library, for the use of the students. Its funds arise from in- terest of money, Grand Jury cess, and annual subscriptions. MERCER’S HOSPITAL. In 1734, Mrs. Mary Mercer gave a large stone house at the end of Stephen-street, to be fitted up as an hospital for the sick poor. The bene- factions of the public enabled the Governors, in 1738, to make a considerable addition to the house, and in 1750 they were incorporated. There are six wards, in which are generally about forty or fifty patients. Three of the wards are appro- priated to the reception of persons labouring under accidental injuries, as wounds, fractures, &c. and physicians and surgeons of the first eminence at- tend without reward. HOUSE OF RECOVERY, OR FEVER HOSPITAL, CORK-STREET. The sufferings of the poor from contagious fever, and the dangers to which the higher orders of society were consequently exposed, had long been objects of serious consideration to the reflecting and philanthropic part of mankind. No measure wasi, however, adopted for separating the infected from the healthy part of the community till the HOSPITALS. 27 9 year 1801, when the public attention was excited by accounts received of the beneficial effects re- sulting from the establishment of fever hospitals at Manchester and Waterford. A subscription was entered into, which, aided by a grant of £'1000 from Parliament, soon amounted to £'8,935 7s. lfd. and on the 14th of May, 1804, the present hos- pital was opened for the reception of patients. It is situated in a field of about three acres on the south side of Cork-street, nearly the highest ground in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, and is composed of two parallel buildings of 116 feet in length by 35 in breadth ; the eastern build- ing contains the sick, and the western the con- valescent, and between both these is a covered colonnade, by which the patients are conveyed from the sick to the convalescent side of the house. That part of the building appropriated to the sick contains thirty-five wards, each 16 feet by 11, which are kept well ventilated and white- washed. The bed-steads are of cast iron, with boards laid across. The greatest attention is paid to cleanliness, and the management of the hospi- tal is conducted according to a general system of rules laid down by, and under the guidance of Doctor Curry, of Liverpool, and Doctors Percival and Bardsley, of Manchester. The convalescent wards are calculated to promote the restoration of the patient, being lightsome, cheerful, and com- fortable, commanding a view of verdant fields and distant mountains. The mode of treatment pur- sued from the period of the patient’s admission to the hospital to his complete restoration to health, 280 HOSPITALS. is as follows : He is conveyed to tlie house in a covered carriage placed on springs, and when stripped in the reception-room, his clothes are put into cold water. His face, hands, and feet, are then washed with warm water, and he is conveyed to bed, after being provided with clean linen. This removal from his own filthy and uncomfort- able habitation has often produced almost instan- taneously the most salutary effects. From this period he is visited every day by a physician, and when able to sit up, is provided with a white wrapper, stockings and slippers, and soon after passes to the convalescent building. When dis- missed from the house, his own wearing apparel are returned to him, after having undergone a thorough purification. The happy effects produced by this admirable system during the recent visita- tion of Providence throughout this island, are so fresh in the memory of the present generation as to render comment unnecessary. WHITWORTH HOSPITAL, DRUMCONDRA, A plain brick building, situated at the northern extremity of the City, a short distance from Drum- condra, on the side of the Royal Canal, was opened in the year 1818, for the accommodation, in particular, of sick and diseased poor residing in that neighbourhood, but patients from any quar- ter of the City are admitted, on the recommenda- tion of a subscriber. The interior is extremely well laid out for the accommodation and comfort HOSPITALS. 281 of the patients. The rooms are large and lofty, and are ventilated by tubes opening from the outside of the building, by which a current of fresh air is continually supplied. The establish- ment is supported by donations and private sub- scriptions ; each annual subscriber of one guinea being entitled to recommend one patient at a time throughout the year. One of the wards is appro- priated to private patients, who are charged one guinea per week while they remain in the house ; for this they are supplied with the best medical advice, the necessary medicines, and every other requisite. There is a resident apothecary and matron. There are four physicians, three of whom only occasionally attend ; but the hospital is vi- sited daily by Dr. Morgan, the regular physician to the establishment. The entire is under the management of a Com- mittee, selected annually from among the sub- scribers. There is a similar institution, though on a smaller scale, called St. George’s House of Recovery, St. George’s-place, near Dorset-street. The United Hospital of St. Mark and St. Anne was opened in 1808, for the relief of poor persons requiring surgical and medical aid.. Children are vaccinated there every day. 282 HOSPITALS. WESTMORLAND, OR LOCK HOSPITAL Is an extensive building, situated in Townsend- street, and capable of holding 300 patients. It was opened in 1792, for the reception of persons in indigent circumstances afflicted with the vene- real complaint. Trusses are given out at this Hospital to the ruptured poor, every Wednesday and Saturday. The expense of the establishment generally exceeds £10,000 a-year, which is sup- plied by annual parliamentary grants. HOSPITAL FOR INCURABLES. This benevolent institution owes its origin to the Earl of Mornington, father of the Duke of Wellington. This nobleman, it is well known, had a great love for music ; and a musical society being formed under his patronage, by whom pub- lic concerts were given, he proposed that the profits should be devoted to the humane purpose of making a provision for such poor persons as laboured under incurable diseases. The efforts of the society were for some time so successful, that they completed the hospital in Townsend-street, which was capable of receiving 100 patients ; but the establishment declined, from various causes, till the year 1790, when it experienced a revival through a legacy bequeathed to it by Theobald Wolf, Esq. The Governors, two years after, ex- changed the house in Townsend-street for a house and lands in Donny brook; which had been appro- DISPENSARIES. 283 priated to a Lock Hospital, and where the un- happy patients have the advantage of pure air and rural retirement. There are generally 50 patients on the establishment, and on the admission of ap- plicants scrupulous attention is paid to the misery of the complaint, the age of the patient, and for- mer good conduct. DISPENSARIES. The first institution of this kind in Dublin, was commenced in 1782, for the parishes of St. Tho- mas and St. Mary, by Doctors Law and Paul. The system is now happily adopted throughout the city, from which it appears that on an average between 20,000 and 30,000 poor persons annually receive medical advice and medicines, at the mo- derate expense to the community of about Is. 4d. per head. The Dispensary for Infant Poor was esta- blished in Clarendon-street in 1800, and there children from any part of the country may apply for relief. A vaccine institution has since been added, w here the infection is distributed gratis to all who apply, and the diseases of mothers and adult females are also attended to. This useful establishment is supported by a charity sermon preached every third year. The Vaccine Institution, Sackville-street, was opened in 1804, under the direction of some 284 DISPENSARIES. of the most eminent physicians and surgeons in Dublin. It is supported by the sale of infection, which amounts to about £250 per annum, and a grant from Government of £150. National Eye Infirmary. — This Institution was established in 1814, and is supported by pri- vate subscriptions. Great numbers have received benefit from it, and some have been restored to complete vision. It is situated in North Cumber- land-street. Charitable Institution, Kildare-street. — This Institution is for the cure of diseases in the skin and eyes. Persons labouring under the for- mer complaints (contagious eruptive fever and itch excepted,) are to attend at nine in the morn- ings of Tuesdays and Fridays, and those with diseases of the eye, at the same hours on Mon- days, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Apothecaries’ Hall. — The Corporation of Apothecaries was formerly blended with that of Barbers, but in 1745, they were constituted a distinct guild or body corporate within the city and liberties of Dublin. In 1790, a subscription was entered into for erecting an Apothecaries’ Hall, which produced £6,000, and soon after the present edifice was finished in Mary’s-street. It consists of a large shop for vending drugs, and a laboratory for compounding chemicals, under the directions of an eminent chemist, with other DISPENSARIES. 285 apartments. Every apprentice, assistant, and mas- ter, must undergo a strict examination before the governors and court of examiners, who are bound by oath to refuse a certificate to any one who shall be found incompetent. From the foregoing brief sketch of the different benevolent and charitable institutions in Dublin, it will, we conceive, be at once apparent, that no city in Europe of similar extent has made greater or more successful exertions to alleviate human suffering, and afford the rising generation those means of instruction, which are so highly calcu- lated to render them useful members of society. For every disorder incident to humanity there is an hospital, and for those diseases of the mind, vicious habits, which, alas ! are much more diffi- cult to be subdued, many Bethesdas have been opened, whose healing waters have already had the most salutary effects. A great portion of the funds appropriated to these different institutions arises from charity sermons, which are annually preached in almost every church, chapel, and meeting-house. Upon these occasions the most popular preachers are generally selected, and the whole parish or society strain every nerve to ren- der the collection productive. Bills are posted and letters circulated to invite all persons eminent for rank, opulence, and liberality ; and ladies are frequently the collectors. 286 ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL. This venerable edifice stands in a south-westerly direction, at the termination of a street of the same name. This Church was considered, for size and magnificence, as superior to all the Ca- thedrals in Ireland, and to many in the sister country. Ancient descriptions represent it to have been a building of great extent and splendour. The Choir was covered with a curious stone roof of an azure colour, inlaid with stars of gold, and the windows amounted to one hundred. The vaults and aisles were supported by forty great pillars, and in the walls were several niches^ filled with the images of saints. There were three en- trances, called St. Nicholas’s, St. Paul’s, and St. Patrick’s gates. Over the latter was a stately window, embellished with stained glass, but no part of this beautiful work now remains. The great stone arch which covered the west aisle, having fallen during the reign of Henry VIII. the rubbish raised the floor three feet above the level. The original floor has been lately discovered, and appears to have been a curious work, composed of small burnished tiles, four inches square. These tiles bear the representation of an indented figure. The fall of this arch also destroyed many ancient monuments. The entire length of the building is 300 feet, and its breadth 80. Of this space the nave oc- cupies 130 feet, the choir 90, and St. Mary’s Chapel, (appropriated until lately to the use of the French Protestants,) 55. The transept, which THE LIBB&RY OF THE tfW*SM»n OF ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL. 287 is 157 feet long, contains the Chapter-house, and the parish church of St. Nicholas without, which has lately been rebuilt, and contributes much to restore to this line edifice some portion of its ori- ginal beauty. The organ is said to be without a rival in this island. The tower of the steeple, which contains a ring of eight fine-toned bells, is 120 feet high, and the spire being 103 feet, the height from the ground to the top of the ball is 223 feet. Some years back, this venerable pile seemed fast verging to decay, but the indefatigable exer- tions of the then Dean, (Doctor Keatinge,) hap- pily preserved it from the ruin with which it was threatened. The Choir is truly beautiful, and the fine arch which forms its western termination, is at once bold, light, and elegant. The roof, composed of groined arches, formerly of stone, was taken down some years since, (with the exception of one of the arches,) from an apprehension that the walls were too feeble to bear the pressure of its weight. It is now of stucco, still retaining its ancient graceful form. The Archbishop’s throne and stalls are of varnished oak, neatly sculptured, and the altar-piece, which represents a glory under a half-drawn curtain, has a fine effect. Here are some curious monuments and inscrip- tions well calculated to gratify the lovers of anti- quity. The most conspicuous is that erected in 1631, to the memory of Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork, and other individuals of his family. It is placed on the south side of the communion-table, 288 ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL. and constructed of native marble. There are no less than sixteen figures of individuals of that great stateman’s family, in various postures. This monument was originally placed where the com- munion-table now stands, but its removal was effected by the influence of the Earl of Strafford, the Lord Deputy. It is a singular fact, that the active part which he took in this affair caused many of the misfortunes which afterwards befel that unfortunate nobleman.* On the same side is a handsome monument to the memory of Vis- countess Doneraile, who died in 1761. Brass plates, wfith the arms curiously inlaid in pewter, record the deaths of Deans Ffyche and Sutton, who died, the former in 1528, and the latter in 1557, Sir Edward Ffitton, Lord President of Connaught, 1569, Doctor Buttolph, Dean of Ra- phoe, and Mary, wife of Sir Anthony St. Leger, who died in 1603. At the opposite side is the monument of Doctor Thomas Jones, Archbishop of Dublin, and of Roger Jones, Viscount Ranelagh. Near it, on a plain slab of black marble, is a Latin inscription, from the pen of Dean Swift, over the remains of the brave Duke Schomberg, who fell at the battle of the Boyne, in 1690. In the choir are constantly displayed the ban- ners of the Knights of St. Patrick, who are in- stalled in this Cathedral. The banners, helmets, and swords of the deceased Knights are preserved in the Chapter-house, where is also shewn the * See Mason’s History of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. st. Patrick’s cathedral. 289 scull of the Duke of Schomberg, by which it ap- pears that the ball entered the upper part of his head, over the right eye. The cannon-ball which killed Adam Loftus, Viscount Lisburne, (not St. Ruth, as erroneously supposed,) at the siege of Limerick, while sitting in his tent, is suspended by a chain in the choir. Some curious pieces of antiquity were some time since discovered, by Mr. William Maguire, sexton of the Cathedral ; amongst others the arms of King John, over two of the arches. The Nave consists of a centre and side aisle, separated by octagonal pillars, and supporting Gothic arches, which, though ornamented with plain mouldings only, have a pleasing effect. The most remarkable monuments are the fol- lowing : — 1. A large tomb-stone, 7 feet by 4, in memory of Michael Tregury, Archbishop of Dublin in 1471. The prelate is represented, in bass-relief, in his pontifical habit, and round the margin is the following inscription, in old English characters — - a Jesus est Salvator meus. Praesul Michael hie Dubliniensi marmore tumbatus. Pro me Christum flagitetis.” 2. The monument of Doctor Narcissus Marsh, Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ire- land, consists of a tablet, bearing a long Latin inscription, beneath a canopy, well executed in statuary marble, and ornamented on each side by coupled Corinthian columns on pedestals, their entablature supporting urns ; the whole in varie- gated Italian marble. This excellent prelate, who 290 ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL. died in 1713, aged 75, was buried in the adjoin- ing cemetery, near the wall of the library, which, with a munificence worthy of himself, he opened for the use of the public. 3. Dean Swift’s monument consists of a plain slab of marble under his bust, which is esteemed a good likeness, and was the gift of T. F. Faulk- ner, nephew to Alderman George Faulkner, the Dean’s favourite bookseller. The inscription was written by the Dean himself. 4. Affixed to the contiguous pillar, is another tablet, to the memory of the celebrated Mrs. Johnson, so well known by the name of Stella, the intimate friend of the learned Dean. 5. In an obscure corner, near the southern en- trance, a marble tablet was placed by Dean Swift, to the memory of his servant, Alexander M‘Gee, whose discretion, fidelity, and diligence it re- cords. 6. The monument of Doctor Arthur Smyth, Archbishop of Dublin, was erected by his surviv- ing brothers, Charles and Edward Smyth. It is of the Ionic order, and consists of two columns and four pilasters, with their pedestals and enta- blatures, crowned by a circular pediment, which is filled by a shield, bearing his Grace’s arms. An urn of Parian marble, highly enriched, with a bass-relief of his head, fill up the niche between the columns. On the pedestal is a long Latin in- scription, from the pen of Dr. Louth, Bishop of London. The whole expense was £1,500. The monument was designed by Mr. John Smyth, and executed by Von Nost. The Archbishop was ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL. 291 the eighth son of Doctor Thomas Smyth, Bishop of Limerick. He was bom in 1706, and died in 1771. 7. A monument to the memory of Richard Lam- bert, Earl of Cavan, is affixed to one of the pillars on the north side. A Sarcophagus supports a figure of Minerva, surrounded with military tro- phies. In the back ground a column supports a funeral urn, and above the pedestal is a medallion of his Lordship. The inscription informs us that he was a Lieutenant-General of his Majesty’s forces, and Colonel of the 15th regiment of foot. He died on the 2d of November, 1778, aged 56. 8. In the south aisle is the monument of William Worth, Baron of the Exchequer, 1682. 9. 10. and 11, are three ornamental marble slabs, in the north aisle, consecrated to the me- mory of Doctor Meredyth, Bishop of Ferns, who died in 1597; Doctor Martin, a Prebendary of St. Patrick’s and Rector of Killesandra ; and H. Tomkins, a youth of 15, from Buckinghamshire. The last was erected by the Marquis of Bucking- ham, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1788. 12. A splendid monument of white marble, has been erected by the Gentlemen of the Irish Bar, to the memory of John Ball, Esq. Serjeant at Law ; it is placed over that of Mrs. Johnson, and adjoining that of Swift. 13. Near the west end of the south side is the vault which was granted, by the Charter, to John William Keatinge, late Dean of this Cathedral ; his body is here entombed, and in the same vault are deposited the remains of Mary Mervyn, his 292 ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL. second wife, and those of her father, Oliver Nu- gent, of Bob’s-grove, county Cavan, Esq. On the site of this Cathedral there formerly stood a parochial church, said to have been founded by the patron Saint of Ireland ; who is also said to have baptized his first converts at a well, situ- ated in the north close, near the present site of the steeple. This ancient Church was demolished to make room for a more sumptuous edifice, which, being completed in 1191, by John Comyn, the first English Archbishop, was consecrated on St. Patrick’s day, with great pomp and ceremony, by the Archbishops of Armagh and Dublin, together with the Legate O’Heany. Archbishop Comyn amply endowed it as a Collegiate Church, placing in it thirteen Prebendaries, which were after- wards increased to twenty-two. His successor, Archbishop Henry de Loundres, erected it into a Cathedral, constituting William Fitz-Guy the first Dean, and appointing a Precentor, Chancellor, and Treasurer. In 1362, the Church was much injured by an accidental fire, but it was quickly repaired by Archbishop Minot, who also built the steeple in 1370, upon which the spire was erected in 1750, Doctor Stearne, Bishop of Clogher, having left a bequest for that purpose. About the year 1430, Archbishop Talbot institu- ted six Minor Canons and as many Choristers in this Cathedral.. The choir service is performed in St, Patrick’s Cathedral every Sunday, at three o’clock in the afternoon. It affords a rich treat to the lovers of music. The splendid manner in which this vene- ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL. 293 rable structure is illuminated upon those occasions, during the winter months, renders the scene alto- gether uncommonly attractive. The close was surrounded by an ample wall, containing within its circuit the palace of the Archbishop, the houses of the Dean, Dignitaries, and Prebendaries, the halls and dormitories of the minor Canons and Vicars-choral, &c. The exterior appearance of this Church has been lately much improved, by the removal of several dilapi- dated houses from Patrick-street and the Close, as well as by the erection of the new Church of St. Nicholas Without, which is enclosed from the street by a light handsome railing, on a dwarf pe- diment of mountain granite. It is a generally received opinion, that the See of Dublin was founded about the year 448, soon after the conversion of the Irish to Christianity. The first Bishop, however, of whom we have any account, is Livinius, who is said to have suffered martyrdom in the Low Countries, in 633. St. Rumold, another Bishop of Dublin, was murdered near Mechlin, in 775. In 1121, it was erected into an Archbishoprick, Gregory being the first who held that dignity. The Bishoprick of Glan- delough was united to that of Dublin in 1214, and the union still subsists. The Archbishoprick is now fifty miles in length and thirty-six in breadth, including the whole of the county of Dublin, with part of Wicklow and two other coun- ties. The Archbishop is styled Primate of Ire- land, and his province includes the dioceses of 294 CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST CHURCH. Dublin and Glandelough, Kildare, Ossory, Leigh- lin and Ferns. The See of Dublin has two Cathedrals — St. Patrick’s, and that usually called Christ Church, which is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST CHURCH. This Cathedral, which is situated in the centre of the City, not far from the Castle, is in the form of a long cross, but nothing remains of the origi nal Nave except the northern wall of the great aisle, and the ruins of the northern side aisle ; but from these it appears that the whole, when entire, must have been very beautiful. Its length, from the western entrance to the transept, is 103 feet, its breadth 25, and that of the side aisle 13. The nave and side ailes were highly decorated with the various ornaments of Gothic architec- ture ; but in 1562, the south wall yielding to the pressure of the roof, gave way, and both fell to the ground. It was afterwards repaired, but without ornament of any kind. The Nave. — Against the southern wall are placed some handsome monuments. Over an an- cient piece of statuary, representing a man in armour, and part of a female figure at his side, which are said to be the statues of Strongbow, who invaded Ireland in 1169, and his wife Eva, is the following inscription : This : avncyent : monvment : of : Strangbowe : call- ed : comes : Strangulensis : lord : of : chepsto : mid : OF THE cs?}?*iw^n CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST CHURCH. 295 ogney : the : lirst : and : principal : invader : of: irland : 1169 : qui : obiit: 1177: the : monvment : was : broken by : the : fall : of : the : roff : and : bodye : of: christes : churcbe : in : An : 1562 : and : set : up : agayn : at : the : chargys : of : the : right : honorable : sr : heniri : sydnie : knyght : of : the : noble : order : 1 : president : wailes : 1 : deputy : of : Irland :. 1570. This ancient monument was greatly broken by the falling in of the roof and walls in 1562. Not far from the great entrance stands a beau- tiful monument of the purest white marble, erected to the memory of the late Right Hon. Sir Samuel Auchmuty, G. C. B. Commander of his Majesty’s Forces in Ireland, who died in the year 1822, aged 64 years. On a handsome pedestal stands a well executed bust of Sir Samuel. In the back ground is a small pyramid, in front of which, in alto-relievo, is the figure of Victory, four feet high, bearing on a scroll the name of the illus- trious warrior, and pourtraying in her countenance the strongest expression of sorrow. The monument consecrated to the memory of Thomas Prior, Esq. who died in 1751, in his 71st year, is also extremely beautiful and interesting. He was the Patron, and for many years the inde- fatigable Secretary of the Dublin Society, and spent his life in unwearied efforts to promote the the welfare of his native country. Two boys are represented standing beneath his bust, one weeping, while the other points to a bass-relief of Minerva, leading the Arts towards Hibernia. On a scroll, which he holds in his hand, is an ap- propriate inscription. There is also a long Latin inscription, from the pen of Bishop Berkeley. 296 CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST CHURCH, The monument of Lord Viscount Lifford, who died in 1789, aged 73 years, consists of a neat tablet of white marble on a variegated ground, ornamented with the insignia of Justice, above which are his arms, with the motto which he had selected when appointed to office, ec Be just and fear not .” Lord Lifford filled the dignified situa- tion of Lord Chancellor of Ireland for twenty-two years, with honor to himself, and the universal approbation of a grateful country. Among the other monuments in the nave, are those of Lord Chancellor Bowes, who died in 1767, and Doctor Welbore Ellis, Bishop of Kil- dare, who died in 1705, both well executed ; also two old statues of Charles I. and II. with some curious ancient inscriptions. The Choir, which is 105 feet by 28, is devoid of architectural ornament. The throne and stalls are of varnished oak in the Gothic style, neatly carved ; while, by a strange perversion of taste, the galleries are supported by Corinthian and Ionic columns. The organ is finely toned, and the choir-service is performed every Sunday, at eleven, in a superior manner. On the north side of the communion-table stands the noble monu- ment of Robert, Earl of Kildare, great-grandfather to the present Duke of Leinster. It represents the relict of the deceased, his son, afterwards the first Duke of Leinster, and his sister, mourning over the body of the Earl. The figures, which are as large as life, are beautifully sculptured in white marble. On the pedestal is a suitable in- scription. CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST CHURCH. 297 A plain tablet of white marble, on the south side of the communion-table, commemorates the virtues of Doctor Thomas Fletcher, Bishop of Kil- dare, who died in 1761. There are also various memorials of other persons, of whom little is re- corded, save that they lived and died. The steeple, which is an ordinary square tower without a spire, is raised over the intersection of the aisles on firm arches, supported by strong pil- lars of hewn stone. The Bishop of Kildare is generally Dean of Christ Church. This Cathedral was built in the year 1038, for secular canons, by Sitricus, son of Amlave, king of the CEstmen, and Donat, Bishop of Dublin ; but in the following century they were changed into canons regular, of the order of Arras. Donat also built the chapel of St. Nicholas on the north side of the Cathedral, that of St. Michael, (con- verted into a parochial church by Archbishop Talbot,) and an archiepiscopal palace. Other chapels were afterwards built by the Archbishop St. Lawrence O’Toole, Strongbow, Fitz-Stephen, and Raymond le Gros. In 1461, a great tempest threw down the great east window, the stones of which broke to pieces many chests and coffers in which the jewels, re- liques, ornaments and vestments of the altar, with the deeds and muniments of the Church were de- posited, and the foundation charter of Henry II. and others were so torn, that the former was no longer legible. While it continued a regular community, the r 3 298 PROTESTANT CHURCHES. Prior of Christ Church had a seat in Parliament ; hut in 1541, King Henry VIII. converted the priory and convent into a deanery and chapter. The new foundation consisted of a Dean, Chanter, Chancellor, Treasurer, and six Vicars-choral. Ed- ward VI. added six Priests and two Choristers. Three Prebendaries were also erected by Arch- bishop Brown, namely, St. Michael’s, St. Michan’s and St. John’s. ST. NICHOLAS WITHOUT. At a very early period the Church of St. Ni- cholas stood on the Coombe. In process of time, the north transept of the Cathedral of St. Patrick was used as the parish church of St. Nicholas Without, and in this place divine service for that parish continued to be performed, until it became rninous. The parishioners having then no place in which to perform divine service, to remedy this inconvenience they, in the year 1784, collected and subscribed a sum of money to rebuild the old Church; and in the years 1786 and 1793, Acts of Parliament were passed, to authorise and em- power the church- wardens and parishioners to assess the houses of the parish, in a sum not to exceed the minister’s money each year, to be applied for the same purpose ; and they actually raised the walls, but from want of means or some other cause, the work was discontinued. In the year 1818,* the Board of First Fruits, in compli- ance with the request of the Dean and Chapter, PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 299 granted £3000 for the purpose of completing the edifice. With this sum, and the money that was previously collected and assessed on the parish, the northern transept of the Cathedral has been rebuilt, and is now used as a parish church to St. Nicholas Without. It is enclosed on the north side by a handsome railing on a suitable pediment, and, as we have already observed when speaking of the Cathedral, the entire building, with the other improvements recently made, have contri- buted very much to restore to the ancient Cathe- dral some portion of its original beauty. The Dean and Chapter have the appointment of the curates of this parish, and of the parishes of St. Luke and St. Nicholas Within. ST. NICHOLAS WITHIN. The present Church of St. Nicholas Within, situate in Nicholas-street, was erected in the year 1707. Its front is of hewn stone, with a large arched door-case in the centre, over which, in the first story, is a large arched window, with a smaller arched window on each side. In the se- cond story is another arched window, immediately under the roof of the Church. Over this rises a square belfry, 12 or 14 feet above the roof, with openings on each side. This Church, if placed in another situation, would make a respectable ap- pearance ; but it is completely hidden on the north and east, and partly so on the south side, by the houses that are built up against it. The 300 PROTESTANT CHURCHES. west end, which is the front, faces to Nicholas- street, which is here so narrow, that a stranger, in passing, can hardly take notice of the Church ; if it should attract his attention, he cannot view its structure without inconvenience. The ancient Church of St. Nicholas within the walls of the city of Dublin, was built from the foundation by Donat, Bishop of Dublin, the first of the CEstmen that was raised to that dignity, and who, with the assistance of Sitric, the Danish king of Dub- lin, erected the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, or Christ Church, about the year 1038. ST. LUKE’S. This is a large stone building without any ex- ternal ornament, and dark and gloomy in the inte- rior. It is erected on rising ground at the rere of the houses on the north side of New Market, and has a passage leading to it from Skinners’ Alley, but its principal entrance is at the head of an ave- nue leading from the Coombe, and planted on both sides with rows of elm trees. It was erected in the early part of the last century, and has the appearance of being a durable building. In the 6th year of the reign of Queen Anne, (1707,) the parish of St. Nicholas Without being found too large for its parish church, was, by Act of Par- liament, divided into two distinct parishes, so soon as the parishes of St. Nicholas Without should become vacant by the death, cession, or surrender of the then incumbent. The expense PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 301 of building the new church of St. Luke was de- frayed by voluntary contributions, and by assess- ment on the parishioners. ST. WERBURGH’S. This fine edifice stands at the entrance of Wer- burgh-street, from Castle-street. The elevation of its front displays both elegance and delicacy, and is perfect in its proportions. The first story is ornamented with six Ionic pilasters, with their entablatures, a grand entrance in the Doric order, and two side doors ; the second story is in the Corinthian order, crowned by a pediment. Here the steeple assumes the form of a square, enriched on each side by two composite pillars with their pedestals and entablatures. A spire surmounted the whole, which has been taken down, from well grounded apprehensions of its insecurity. This spire was extremely light and elegant, forming at some distance from the base an octagon, and sup- ported entirely by eight rusticated columns in the Composite order. A gilt ball and vane terminated the whole. This steeple and spire having been 160 feet high, and placed in an elevated situation, formed one of the principal ornaments of the City, from whatever side it was approached. The interior of the Church possesses a noble simplicity. It is 80 feet in length by 52 feet in breadth. An extensive range of Doric pilasters with their entablatures, support the gallery, in which is one of the most elegant organs in the 302 PROTESTANT CHURCHES. City. Under the organ is a seat for the Lord Lieutenant, (the Castle being in this parish.) It was much frequented previous to the rebuilding of the Castle Chapel. The altar-piece is finely ornamented by a range of Ionic columns, with suit- able compartments, ornamented with drapery and festoons of flowers. Previous to the English invasion, this parish was called the parish of St. Martin; In 1715, the second year of the reign of George I. the old pa- rish church of St. Werburgh was so decayed and ruinous, as to make it unsafe for the parishioners to assemble therein, to perform divine service, and so small in extent, that several of the inhabitants of the parish were forced wholly to neglect the worship of God, or resort to other parish churches. On this account it was found necessary to rebuild the church in a more capacious manner* But as the parishioners were mostly shop-keepers and tradesmen, they were unable to bear the expense, and to assist in this necessary work, the king made a grant to the ministers and parishioners, of the plot of ground on which the Treasury for- merly stood, to be set or sold by them for the building of the Church. By Act of Parliament passed in the same year, Commissioners were ap- pointed for carrying on the building, and calcu- lating the necessary expense attending the same. And as the money produced by the sale of this ground was not found sufficient to defray the ex- pense, the minister, church-wardens, and parishion- ers, to the number of twenty at the least, assem- bled in vestry, were empowered to assess the PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 303 houses, lands, &c. of the parish, for the purpose of making up the deficiency. In the year 1754, this Church w as burned, and was restored in its present beautiful form in 1759. ST. MICHAEL’S. The old Church of St. Michael, in High-street, was a large building, of which the steeple, still standing and attached to the new Church, was a part. It remained in ruins for many years, during which time divine service for the parish was per- formed in the chapel of St. Mary in Christ Church. It was taken down a few years since, except the steeple, which was then repaired, and pinnacles were erected on its angles. The present edifice occupies only a part of the site of the ancient Church. It is a very small but neat structure, built in the Gothic style of architecture, hand- somely fitted up within, but void of all external ornament. The ancient church of St. Michael was origi- nally erected by Donat, Bishop of Dublin, w ho succeeded to that see in the year 1038, and died in 1074 ; and who also built Christ Church and the Church of St. Nicholas within the walls of the city of Dublin. St. Michael’s was erected into a parish church by Richard Talbot, Archbishop of Dublin, who was consecrated in the year 1417, and died in 1449. This Church is a prebendary of Christ Church. 304 PROTESTANT CHURCHES. ST. AUDEON'S. This venerable edifice, which is situated in Au- deon’s Arch, was erected previous to the English invasion, but at what period is now uncertain. It is constructed of common quarry stone, with a steeple at the west end, in which there is a good ring of bells. Its external appearance is rude, and the interior gloomy and inelegant. About the year 1190, it was made a Prebendary of the Cathedral of St. Patrick, by Archbishop Comyn, who made a grant of the Church to the Convent of Grace Dieu ; but his successor, Henry de Loun- dres, revoked that grant ; and in lieu of the Church of St. Audeon’s, bestowed upon the nunnery, the parish church of Ballymadon, with the chapel be- longing thereto. The patronage of this parish is in the Archbishop of Dublin. In the year 1670, the spire of this Church was rebuilt. There are some monuments of antiquity to be seen here, on most of which the dates and inscriptions are ille- gible. ST, PETER’S. This building was erected in Aungier-street early in the last century. It is built in the form of a cross, with a belfry on the gable of the west transept, in which are hung two bells. It ap- pears to be better, and more neatly built, than the other churches that were erected in Dublin about PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 305 the same period, but still its external appearance is uninteresting. The interior, however, is fitted up with elegance, and no church in the city is resorted to by a more fashionable congregation. This parish has been united to that of St. Kevin for a number of years, and was, until the year 1707, much more extensive than it is at present ; but in that year it was thought that the parish w as too large for the church, and therefore, by an Act of Parliament then passed, that part of the parish which lay north of Stephen’s-green was detached from it, and, together with a part taken from the parish of St. Bridget, formed into the new parish of St. Anne. The ancient parish church of St. Peter stood a little to the north of the present church, within the precincts of the Carmelite Convent, founded in the year 1230, by Sir Robert Bagot, Chief Justice of the King’s Bench, to which convent the church and parish of St. Peter belonged. The parish of St. Peter is a Rectory, and the patronage is in the Archbishop of Dublin. ST. KEVIN’S, The present parish Church, which stands in Upper Kevin-street, is a stone building, of modern erection, without any exterior ornament. It is built on the site of the ancient Church, nearly in the centre of the cemetery, which is much used as a place of sepulture, and in which there are several handsome monuments. Amongst these, 306 PROTESTANT CHURCHES. there is one in the form of an obelisk, surmounted by a cross, erected to the memory of the Rev. John Austin, a Jesuit, formerly P. P. of St. Au- deon’s, and a celebrated preacher. The ancient church of St. Kevin was erected before the English invasion, but the exact period cannot be ascertained. It was a parish church, dedicated to St. Caoimhgin, (pronounced Kevin,) first Abbot and Bishop of Glandelough, which see formerly extended northwards to the walls of Dublin. The church of St. Kevin is now a Cha- pel of Ease to St. Peter’s, to which parish it has been for a long time united. It originally w r as part of the parish of St. Kevin. ST. STEPHEN’S. This commodious little building is also a Chapel of Ease to St. Peter’s, the Protestant population of that parish having of late years encreased to such an extent as to require two new chaplaincies. The portico in front is of the Ionic order, and is extremely handsome. Over the pediment rises the belfry tower, which is of an octagonal form. The chancel is 66 feet long by 44 broad, and the apex of the dome is 100 feet high. The galleries are spacious and well constructed. The entire length of the building is 110 feet, by 50 feet in breadth. PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 307 ST. BRIDGET'S. The exterior of this building is inelegant, but the interior is lightsome, well ventilated, and, if not handsomely, is at least comfortably fitted up. It was erected in A. D. 1684, and is 72 feet long and 40 feet broad, with its east gable, (in which are two large arched windows,) towards Bride- street ; and, what was intended for its front, stretching along Bride’s Alley. In this front are two large arched door-cases, now built up. In the Church are several monuments ; amongst the rest, one to the memory of Mrs. Pleasants, wife of Thomas Pleasants, Esq. whose beneficence and liberality we had occasion more than once to no- tice in the course of this work. The old Church of this parish was built before the English invasion, but the date cannot now be ascertained. This ancient parish was once more extensive than it is at present. By Act of Parliament made in the year 1707, a part of it was taken off ; which, together with a part of the united parishes of St. Kevin and St. Peter, were formed into a new parish, called the parish of St. Anne. ST. ANNE’S. This edifice, though of modern erection, has nothing in its external appearance to recommend it to notice. Its interior, however, is lightsome, and tastefully laid out. The parish of St. Anne 308 PROTESTANT CHURCHES. was formerly part of the ancient parish of St. Bridget, and of the united parishes of St. Kevin and St. Peter ; but in the sixth year of the reign of Queen Anne, (1707,) Joshua Dawson, Esq. having laid out for building a large scope of ground, lying between the road leading to St. Patrick’s Well, (now enclosed in the Fellows’ Garden of Trinity College,) and the north side of Stephen’s Green, then in the united parishes of St. Peter and St. Kevin, it was conceived that when the buildings should be finished, they would contain more inhabitants than could be well ac- commodated in the parish church of St. Peter ; and Mr. Dawson having given ground for the site of the church and church-yard, &c. was, in con- sideration thereof, to have the first presentation of a Vicar, or Minister of the parish; but the right of presentation, collation, &c. was for ever after to be vested in the Archbishop of Dublin. ST. JOHN’S. This Church stands in Fishamble-street, on a piece of ground 75 feet long by 33 feet in breadth. It is a handsome building, with a front of moun- tain granite, the pediment of which is supported by four Corinthian columns. There are three cir- cular arched windows in front, between the co- lumns ; and the interior of the building is lighted by a number of circular arched windows in the flank-walls. The original church of the parish of St. John was built before the English invasion, in PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 309 A.D. 1168, and was a prebend of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity or Christ Church. This old church having fallen into decay, it was rebuilt from the foundation by Arnold Usher, who, ac- cording to an inquisition taken post mortem , died in 1529. But that church also having become ruinous, it was found necessary again to rebuild it. For this purpose, an Act of Parliament was passed, in the seventh year of the late king (1767,) by which the sum of £1000 was granted in aid of the parishioners, towards defraying the expense of the building, gnd in the eleventh of the same king, (1771,) a similar grant of a like sum was made by Parliament for the same purpose. ST. JAMES’S. This edifice is a modern structure, without any external decoration, and is built, probably, on the site of the ancient church, within the cemetery at the rere of the houses on the north side of James’s- street. The ancient parish of St. James extended, east and west, from the great bridge, and new gate of the City, to the bounds of Kilmainham. The parishes of St. Catherine, St. James, and St. John of Kilmainham, were at one time united. But in the sixth year of the reign of Queen Anne, (1707,) being found too large to continue longer as one parish, an Act of Parliament was passed, by which they were, from the 25th of December in that year, divided into two several and distinct vicarages, or parishes, and to be called by the 310 PROTESTANT CHURCHES. names of the Parish of St. Catherine and the Parish of St. James. Under a monument, with a long inscription in Latin, in the church-yard of St. James, lies interred the celebrated Toby Butler, one of those who drew up the Articles of Lime- rick, on the part of the Irish, in the year 1691; and who afterwards pleaded the cause of the Ca- tholics at the bar of both Houses of Parliament in 1703, when the Articles were about to be broken through by passing the Act for preventing the further growth of Popery. The original parish church of St. James, in the suburbs of Dublin, being built before the English invasion, the exact time of its erection cannot now be known. ST. CATHERINE’S. The front of this building, which is situated in Thomas-street, is of mountain granite, in the Do- ric order : four semi-columns, with an entablature enriched by triglyphs, are surmounted by a noble pediment in the centre. The entablature, which is continued the entire length of the front, is sup- ported at each extremity by two pilasters. In the centre, between the columns, is an Ionic arched door, with a circular pediment, and in the inter- mediate space between the columns and the pilas- ters, are two series of well proportioned circular- headed windows. On each side of the pediment is a handsome stone ballustrade. The interior of the Church is eighty feet by forty-nine, and every part is solid and convenient. Eight Corinthian PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 311 pillars rise from the galleries, on which the roof seems to rest,, though in fact it extends from wall to wall, without any intermediate support. The communion-table is decorated by Composite co- lumns, interspersed with stucco-ornaments. The architectural beauty of this Church is much ad- mired. It was originally built in the year 1105, and rebuilt in the present form in 1769. ST. MICHAN'S. This respectable old Church, though one of the largest, and said to have been the best for distinct hearing in Dublin, is now taking down for the purpose of rebuilding. Antecedent to the seventeenth century, there was no parish Church in the City of Dublin, north of the Liffey, except that of St. Michan. But at that period it was found necessary to increase the number of churches at that side of the river, to answer the increase of the population and extent of the City. For this purpose an Act of Parlia- ment was passed in the ninth year of the reign of King William III. for dividing this parish into three several parishes, to be called the new parish of St. Michan, the parish of St. Mary, and the parish of St. Paul, each to be independent of the other, and to have parochial rights as separate parishes, from the 20th day of November, 1697. By this Act it was provided, that the new parish church in the parish of St. Michan and the rectory thereof, should be, and be called the prebend of 312 PROTESTANT CHURCHES. St. Michan, belonging to the Cathedral of Christ Church, Dublin, as the old rectory was : and the same church, with church-yard, vestry-house, &c. belonging to the said old parish should for ever, after the said 20th of November, be for the use of the minister and parishioners of the said new pa- rish of St. Michan. ST. MARY’S. This Church is finely situated, presenting three sides to public view, but its style of architecture and its external appearance altogether, are mean and uninteresting. The principal entrance from Stafford-street is ornamented with Ionic columns, and over it is a tower of wretched architecture. The interior of the Church, which is 72 feet by 52, is not inconvenient. The galleries are sup- ported by heavy octagonal pillars, over which are Ionic columns, that sustain the roof. Numerous monumental inscriptions crowd the walls of this Church, two of which are consecrated by public gratitude to distinguished worth. A handsome tablet of white marble in the north gallery records the virtues of the Rev. Robert Law, D.D. for seventeen years rector of this parish, who died June 11th, 1789. In the south back aisle is a similar tablet, to the memory of Mr. William Watson, A. B., T.C. D., who departed this life May 26th, 1805, aged 72 years. The inscription informs us, that this worthy citizen first conceived the plan of the Association for Discountenancing PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 313 Vice, and promoting the knowledge and practice of the Christian religion. This memorial was erected at the expense of the society of which Mr. Watson w as the founder. Until the commencement of the last century, this Church did not exist, nor was there any pa- rish in Dublin of this name. In the ninth year of William III. an Act of Parliament was passed for dividing the ancient parish of St. Michan into three distinct parishes, from the 20th day of No- vember, 1697, to be called by the names of the new parish of St. Michan, the parish of St. Mary, and the parish of St. Paul. By the same Act a considerable plot of ground was appropriated to the building of a Church, on the south side of Mary-street, opposite Sir Arthur Cole’s house, where the Lord Chancellor then dwelt. ST. PAUL’S. This is a small handsome edifice recently erected, in the north-western part of the City, in King- street, near the Blue-coat Hospital. It is built in the Gothic style, with a neat small spire. In its exterior appearance it has nothing very parti- cular to recommend it to notice ; but it is com- fortable and commodious in the interior. The old Church, on the site of which the present one stands, was built at the close of the 17th century, when the division of St. Michan’s parish took place, a plot of ground lying at the south end of Oxmantown Green, containing from east to west s 314 PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 120 feet, and from south to north 250 feet, -being granted for that purpose ; but having fallen into decay, it was taken down, and the present edifice erected in its stead. There are several handsome monuments in the body of the Church, and in the burying ground adjoining. ST, THOMAS’S. The front of this Church, which is situated in Marlborough-street, is an elegant composition of Roman and Grecian architecture ; two pilasters and two three-quarter columns in the Composite order, of excellent workmanship, support an en- tablature and pediment. In the centre of the front, between the columns, is a grand Corinthian door, with an angular pediment. The Corinthian entablature is continued at each side to the extre- mity of the building, with pilasters, architraves, &c. Connected with the front by a circular wall, are two advanced gates built in a handsome style, which form elegant and well proportioned wings to the body of the Church, and make the entire extent of the front 182 feet. The interior of the Church, which is 80 feet by 52, is extremely well designed, and decorated by columns of the Co- rinthian order, which support the gallery. The communion-table is also enriched by columns in the same order, which rise to the ceiling. The ornaments are numerous, though not crowded, and the stucco-work is particularly admired. It was four years in building, and was finished in 1762. PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 315 Towards defraying the. expense of this building, Parliament granted, in the year 1757, the sum of £2000 to Sir Ralph Gore, Bart, and Richard Dawson, Esq. to be by them accounted for to Par- liament. And again, in the year 1759, the sum of £1000 was granted to the same persons towards finishing the Church of St. Thomas, in the City of Dublin. The parish of St. Thomas was taken off the parish of St. Mary previous to the erection of this Church. ST. ANDREW’S. This Church was originally situated near the Castle, but it was rebuilt on the present site, in St. Andrew-street, in the form of an elipsis, from which it was generally denominated the Round Church. Becoming again decayed, it was, in the year 1793, found necessary to rebuild it with the exception of the lower part of the old walls. It now presents an elipsis of 80 feet by 60, and it is 43 feet to the cornice. The exterior is extremely uninteresting, presenting to the eye a low vesti- bule of mountain granite, with urns on the wings, and on the centre a statue of St. Andrew, with his cross. The interior is, however, a complete contrast to the outside, being light, finely propor- tioned, and highly decorated. The south side of the elipsis is occupied by the reading-desk and pulpit, over which rises the organ. The commu- nion-table in front, enclosed by a handsome semi- eliptical railing, forms one side of the oval area 316 PROTESTANT CHURCHES'. that occupies the centre of the Church, which is beautifully floored with black and white stone. From this diverge, like radii, the passages to the seats, which rise in the form of an amphitheatre. The gallery forms a graceful oval, nearly round the Church, and is supported by fluted columns, with highly ornamented capitals. From the cen- tre of the ceiling, which is on a plan of uncommon beauty, is suspended, by a gilt chain, the magni- ficent branch that formerly graced the House of Commons ; it having been presented by Govern- ment to this parish. ST. MARK'S. This is a large plain edifice, situated in Mark- street, near Townsend-street, the building of which was commenced early in the last century, before which period no such parish or parish church as that of St. Mark existed in Dublin. But in the year 170 7, it being found that the pa- rish of St. Andrew was too large for its parish church, an Act of Parliament was passed for di- viding it into two several vicarages or parishes, as soon as the parish should become vacant by the death, cession, promotion, or surrender of the then incumbent, John Travers, D,D. ; these parishes to be called the parish of St. Andrew, and the parish of St. Mark. For the site of this. church, church-yard, &c. Mr. John Hansard, of Lazy \Iill , (Lazor’s Hill, now Townsend-street,) gave the ground, containing from north to south 160 THE LIBRARY Of THE BMM-Swv 9f fttJKW <$b © mraaisi • Dublin. Published, by W! PROTESTANT CHURCHES. 317 feet, and from east to west 250 feet. The funds for erecting this church were to be raised by private subscriptions and by assessment on all the houses of the parish, except that of John Han- sard, which was particularly excluded from such assessment by Act -of Parliament. In the year 1729, the foundation of this building was laid, but the work was carried on at a very slow rate ; and upwards of 30 years elapsed between the foundation and its completion. To assist the parishioners in erecting the edifice, Parliament, iu the year 1753, granted the sum of £500, and in the year 1755, a similar sum was granted by Parliament: and again, in the year 1757, Par- liament granted an additional sum of one thousand pounds to the church- wardens, to enable them to build galleries in the church, and to hang a bell. ST. GEORGE’S. This truly elegant edifice stands to the north east of the City, and is completely insulated in the centre of a vast angular area, surrounded by regularly built houses, and terminating in the west in a graceful crescent, from which diverge three spacious, regular streets. The exterior of the Church is 92 feet in front by 84 in depth, and in the rear is a projection of 22 feet by 40, which contains a vestry-room and parish school. The entire, cased with hewn stone, presents four re- gular fronts to view, of the antique Ionic order, with decorations bold and well executed. The s 2 318 PROTESTANT CHURCHES, principal entrance is from the Crescent, which is ornamented w ith a noble portico of four beauti- fully fluted Ionic columns, three feet six inches in diameter, supporting an angular, pediment, on the frieze of which is inscribed in Greek characters — a Glory to God in the highest.” The portico extends forty-two feet, with a projection of fifteen, and over it rises the steeple, which is also of hewn stone, highly decorated. It is divided into four stories, and surmounted by a handsome spire, and the whole measures in height 200 feet from the pavement. The dimensions of the interior are 84 feet by 60. The pulpit, reading-desk, and communion-table, are at the eastern end. There are no pillars under the gallery, which ren- ders the appearance of the Church uncommonly light and elegant, the gallery seeming as if sus- pended in air. The timbers which support it, projecting from the walls, rest on a partition which separates the aisles from the body of the Church, and thus this pleasing effect has been produced. The whole of the interior decorations fully cor- respond with the superb outside of this Church; this superb edifice cost <£*90,000. LITTLE GEORGE’S. Shortly after the erection of St. Mary’s Church, in the early part of the last century, the houses in the east end of that parish having increased very much in number, it was found necessary to build a Chapel of Ease, for the accommodation of PROTESTANT CI1U11CIIES. 319 the inhabitants of this remote part. For this purpose the old Church of St. George was erected in Temple-street, at the north side of the east end of Britain-street. Divine service is still per- formed in this old Church, the entrance to which is beneath an old square steeple, about 40 feet high. The interior is small, but comfortable ; there is a large circular window in the eastern end, and a small gallery. There are in this Church a few monuments, neatly executed. Some years since, the City having increased so much to the north-east, it was conceived necessary to create another parish in that district, and to erect a new parish Church, for the convenience of the inhabi- tants. For this purpose an Act of Parliament was passed in the 33d year of the late king, (1793,) disposing of a district adjoining the City of Dub- lin, and marking its boundaries, to be formed into a new parish, to be called the parish of St. George. By this Act a piece of ground was laid out near the bank of the Royal Canal, and vested in trus- tees, for the purpose of erecting a Church, and making a cemetery for the new parish ; leaving, however, a power in the trustees to change the site, with the consent of the parishioners, and to build the Church in any other place within the parish that might be considered by them more convenient. FREE CHURCHES. It having been found from the great increase 320 PROTESTANT CHURCHES. in the number of persons who regularly attend divine service at the various Parish Churches and Chapels of Ease through the city, that sufficient accommodation could not be given to the poorer classes of society, it was some time since resolved on to erect in various parts of the metropolis se- veral Free Churches, in which a certain number of pews should be reserved for their especial accom- modation. To carry this benevolent intention into effect, subscriptions were set on foot by several influential persons, and in a short time a very con- siderable sum was subscribed towards the accom- plishment of this benevolent design. In further- ance of the object in view, Wesley Chapel, which was erected in 1800 by members of the Methodist Society, and which can accommodate 1200 per- sons, was purchased from the lessee, and is at pre- sent used as a free Church for the north-east di- vision of the city. It is a very handsome build- ing, fronted with mountain granite, and orna- mented with an Ionic pediment ; and the interior is finished in a style of considerable elegance and taste. The Committee appointed for the manage- ment of the fund collected, intend building ano- ther handsome and extensive edifice in Harold’s- cross, in the south-western vicinity of the city ; and thus will the poor Protestants of this great metropolis be afforded an opportunity of attend- ing on the ministry of the Gospel, without being obliged to submit, as is too frequently the case, to those inconveniences which present themselves to the lower classes in attending many of our Parish Churches. DISSENTEltS* MEETING-HOUSES. 321 There are in all nineteen parishes, namely, St. Andrew’s, Anne’s, Audeon’s, Bridget’s or Brides, Catherine’s, George’s, James’s, John’s, Luke’s, Mark’s, Mary’s, Michael’s, Michan’s, Nicholas within, Nicholas without, Paul’s, Peter’s, Tho- mas’s, and Werburgh’s, to all of which Churches are attached. In addition to these, there are St. Kevin’s and St. Stephen’s Churches, united to St. Peter’s, as Chapels of Ease ; and St. George’s, Temple-street, which is a Chapel of Ease to Old George’s. The general hour of mid-day service in the Parish Churches on Sunday is 12 o’clock. STRAND-STREET MEETING-HOUSE. This commodious place of worship, as its name imports, is situated in Strand-street, at the rere of Ormond-quay. The congregation which meet within its walls are of that denomination of Pres- byterians termed 66 New Light.’* They have taken the appellation of Unitarians, and several of their ministers have written largely on their particular doctrines. They deny the essential Divinity and atonement of the Saviour, and con- sider him merely as an inspired prophet, who died to attest the truth of his mission, and that he should be looked on merely as a pattern of virtue and benevolence. The congregation of Strand-street is the oldest Presbyterian congregation in Dublin, and at one period it enrolled amongst its members many families of high rank. 322 dissenters’ meeting-houses. Attached to the church in Strand-street is a congregational library, consisting chiefly of theo- logical works, but it is now fallen into decay. There is also a fund, which was commenced in 1812 by the daughters of the late Rev. Thomas Plunkett, from which the widows of the ministers belonging to the congregation receive near one hundred pounds per annum ; a charity school, in which twenty-eight hoys are clothed, lodged, and dieted, and, when qualified, apprenticed to useful trades ; and a fund for the relief of poor widows of every denomination. In aid of the school, a charity sermon is preached annually, on the last Sunday in February. EUSTACE-STREET MEETING-HOUSE. This is also a neat and commodious edifice, situated in the street whose name it bears, and the appearance of which has been recently much improved by the removal of an unsightly high wall, with which it was barricadoed in front, and substituting in its stead a very handsome railing on a dwarf wall of mountain granite. The congre- gation which assemble here are Arians. They do not believe in the essential Divinity of the Sa- viour, but consider him to have been a being of higher order than man, and that he existed before the creation of our world. Connected with this place of worship are many highly respectable families. There is a male school of twenty children, and a female school of dissenters’ meeting-iiouses. 323 eighteen, attached to the congregation, which are supported by permanent funds, and a collection made at an annual charity sermon. MARY’S ABBEY MEETING-HOUSE, OR THE SCOTS’ CHURCH, Is a large and commodious place of worship, si- tuated in a recess off the street called Mary’s- abbey. The congregation are what is usually termed a Old Light” Presbyterians ; and the doctrines inculcated from the pulpit are strictly orthodox. In the year 1689, this church was in existence, as a distinct body, under the pastoral care of the Rev. William Jacque, who is supposed to have been the first minister of this flock. Of late years they have assumed the title of u The Scots’ Church not as implying any connexion with the Church of Scotland, but as maintaining the ecclesiastical discipline and form of worship adopted by the religious establishment of Scotland. To this Church there are attached two schools, a male school of twenty children, and a female school of ten. These schools are entirely sup- ported by the collection made at the annual cha- rity sermon, preached on the first Sunday in March. USHER’S-QUAY MEETING-HOUSE. This is also an u Old Light” Presbyterian congregation. Their creed is perfectly orthodox, 324 dissenters’ meeting-houses. and they adhere in every particular to the forms of the Church of Scotland. It is supposed that this congregation was first formed in the year 1695, under the pastoral care of the Rev. Hugh M c Master. In the year 1773, it was encreased by the union of the old Presbyterian Church of Plunket-street. To this Church are attached two charity schools, one for males, containing twenty boys, the other for females, containing an equal number. These schools are supported chiefly by permanent funds, and partly by the collection at the annual charity sermon, preached the second Sunday in January. The Presbyterians were a very numerous body in Dublin about a century ago, comprising within their communion some noble families. The cessa- tion of religious persecution under the mild govern- ment of the house of Brunswick, intermarriages, and other causes, have greatly tended to thin their numbers ; they are still, however, highly respect- able in this particular, as well as for their industry, opulence, and public spirit. UNION CHAPEL, OR SECESSION CHURCH, LOWER ABBEY-STREET. This is really a very chaste and handsome piece of architecture. The front is a portico of the Ionic order, of granite, executed in the most masterly manner. The pediment is supported by columns and pilasters ; the entrance to the lower, part is from the interior of the vestibule ; the door- dissenters' melting-houses. 325 ways to the galleries at either side. The interior of the house is arranged with much taste and ele- gance. It is lighted from the roof by a well con- structed lantern. The galleries are supported by rustic metal columes, over which are fluted co- lumns of the same material, which support the lantern. This place of worship is capable of com- fortably accommodating from 800 to 1000 persons. It was erected by public contribution, and finished in 1825. The people denominated u Seceders” form a very numerous and respectable body of Christians in Ireland, Scotland, England, and America. They derive their name from having seceded, or withdrawn from the Established Church of Scot- land. This secession took place in 1734. In doctrine, Seceders are decidedly Calvinists. The Westminster Confession of Faith and Ca- techisms, which, in point of doctrine , they con- sider the same as the Articles of the Church of England, are subscribed by every minister and elder on entering upon office. Their form of ec- clesiastical rule is the Presbyterian. Seceders state, as the grounds of separation from the judicatories of the Church of Scotland, the toleration of doctrinal error, the imposition of ministers upon congregations by the law of patron- age, in opposition to the wishes of the people, and the depriving them of the right of choosing their own pastors ; the general relaxation, and, in many instances, the total neglect of discipline ; the re- straint of ministerial freedom in testifying against mal-administration in church courts ; and, as in T 326 dissenters’ meeting-houses. their opinion, the prolific source of all, the incor- poration of the church with the state. The congregation meeting in this place is the only one connected with this religious community in the city of Dublin. ZION CHAPEL, KING’S INNS-STREET. This handsome building, which was completed in the year 1820, belongs to a very respectable class of Protestant Dissenters, denominated u In- dependants, or Congregationalists.” It is built of hewn stone ; the front of cut granite, ornamented with three circular headed windows, and a hand- some pediment, on which the nam^of the Chapel, and the year in which it was built, are inscribed. It is enclosed with a very handsome iron palisad- ing on a basement of dwarf granite. The interior is remarkable for the plain though neat manner in which it is fitted up. It has been built with the design of having galleries, which will very much improve its appearance, as at present it is rather lofty for the size of the building. It would accom- modate 1000 persons. The building cost £2500. While the class of professing Christians called Independants, or Congregationalists, hold the Scriptures alone to be the rule of faith and church discipline, their creed is in perfect accordance with the fundamental doctrinal articles of the Church of England ; they assent to the West- minster Confession of Faith, and the Assembly’s smaller Catechism ; they do not allow any inter- dissenters’ meeting-houses. 327 ference with their form of Church government, each congregation choosing for itself its own mi- nister and deacons. In general they commemorate the Lord’s Supper once a week ; but in some con- gregations it is only observed monthly. They are very particular as to whom they admit to be members of their communion, no person being admitted who is not agreed in what is termed fundamental truth. YORK-STREET CHAPEL. The congregation meeting in this place of wor- ship are also of the Independant denomination. This is a fine capacious edifice, capable of holding 2000 persons. The front is of hewn stone ; the interior is badly constructed, and after various al- terations, in many parts it is difficult to see or hear the preacher. This house was erected in the year 1808. PLUNKET-STREET MEETING-HOUSE. The first regular congregation of u Indepen- dants” in Dublin was formed in this place of wor- ship in 1774. It had formerly belonged to the Presbyterian congregation which now assemble in Mary’s-abbey. At one time this was the most flourishing congregation belonging to the Inde- pendant body in this country, but latterly it has very much declined. t 2 328 dissenters’ meeting-houses. D’OLIER-STREET CHAPEL. This neat little Chapel also belongs to the u In- dependant” denomination. It was erected some years since by public subscription, collected by a few individuals who had seceded from York-street congregation. It stands at the corner of D’Olier and Hawkins’-streets. KELLY’S MEETING-HOUSE N Is situated in North Great George’s-street. It is a small plain brick building, capable of containing from 200 to 300 persons. This sect was founded by the Rev. Thomas Kelly, son of the late Judge Kelly. Having left the Established Church, he built a Chapel at Maryborough, and another at Black-rock, near Dublin. They acknowledge no stated mini- ster, every member exercising his gifts indiscrimi- nately ; and certain of them are appointed to assist in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. They are strict Calvinists, and although called Separatists, they do not object to join in prayer, or the other sacred offices of religion, with those who make a true profession of Christianity. They are left at perfect liberty with respect to baptism. WALKER’S SOCIETY. The Rev. John Walker, about the year 1804, established this Society on principles nearly re- dissenters’ meeting-houses. 329 sembling those held by Robert Sandeman. Mr. Walker had been a Fedow of Trinity College, Minister of Bethesda Chapel, and a member of several religious and useful institutions ; but, in the year above-mentioned, he resigned his fellow- ship, laid aside the clerical garb, and, with some other friends who were like minded, formed this Society. They strictly adhere to the Calvinistic doctrines, but rigidly prohibit the performance of any religious act whatever, without removing to a distance (if in the same room) from every person, w ho, however unexceptionable in essential articles of belief, refuse to obey any precept they may deem necessary. THE GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH Is situated in Poolbeg-street, and was erected for the use of all foreigners professing the Lutheran doctrines. This congregation was founded in 1697, by the Rev. Mr. Lightenstone, who, during the civil wars, had been chaplain to the Duke of Brandenburgh’s regiment. The resident congre- gation is at present but very small ; to which are added occasionally such sea-faring people as are acquainted w ith the German language. This place of worship is now' also used for preaching to Eng- lish, Irish, and Scotch sailors, by ministers of vari- ous persuasions. 330 dissenters’ meeting-houses. BAPTIST MEETING-HOUSE, SWIFT’S- ALLEY. This religious community was established in Dublin about the year 1650; the first Baptists having come over to Ireland soon after Cromwell’s conquests. They held their meetings in Swift’s- alley, and on the site of the old Meeting-house the present one was built in 1738. They hold the doctrine of adult baptism by immersion. The house is large, but the congregation has of late years very much declined. FRIENDS’ MEETING-HOUSE, EUSTACE-STREET AND SYCAMORE-ALLEY. This large and commodious place of worship was erected in 1692. It is in general well at- tended, 600 members of the Society being resi- dent in Dublin. This denomination of professing Christians was originally introduced into this country by William Edmundson, who had been a soldier in Cromwell’s army ; and who, after suffering much persecution, succeeded in establishing the first settled meeting at Lurgan, in the North of Ireland. In 1668, George Fox arrived in Ireland, and the first pro- vincial meeting took place in Dublin in 1670. Their numbers increased rapidly, and in 1686 a large Meeting-house was erected in Meath-street. In 1692, it was found necessary to build the house in which they meet to the present day. For a considerable period the religious sentiments and dissenters’ meeting-houses. 331 singularities of the Quakers exposed them to se- vere persecutions, and annoyances of the most vexatious kind; but various acts of the legislature greatly abated these grievances, while their inof- fensive and useful lives softened down the preju- dices of their bitterest enemies. It will reflect everlasting credit on the Quakers of Ireland, that from them issued the first censure, passed by any public body, on that abominable traffic the slave- trade. This took place at the national meeting held in Dublin in 1727, thirty-one years before a similar resolution was passed by the yearly meet- ing of Friends in London. The Society appears to have forty-two congregations in Ireland, where their habits of industry and frugality constitute them a most respectable portion of society. Among those of them who reside in this city are to be found some of the most active supporters of the numerous charities with which this great metro- polis abounds. The meeting-house in Meath- street continues to be used by the Society during the yearly meeting. During the remainder of the year it is occupied as an infant school. PRIMITIVE WESLEYAN METHODIST MEETING- HOUSES. In the year 1820, a very fine Meeting-house was erected in South Great George’s-street, by the Primitive W esleyan Methodists. It is 80 feet long, by about 36 in breadth, and has a gallery on every side. The greatest attention has been paid to neat- ness and convenience in the erection of this build- 332 dissenters’ meeting-houses. ing, which will comfortably accommodate 1500 persons. Those meeting in this place of worship are styled the u Primitive Wesleyan Methodists,” and still continue in communion with the Church of England. Another neat and commodious place of worship has lately been erected by this denomi- nation on Summer-hill. They also have preaching in various other parts of the city and suburbs. WESLEYAN METHODIST MEETING-HOUSES. 1 A spacious and substantial brick building, with- out any exterior ornament, except the two entran- ces, which are of neat granite stone, has recently been erected in Lower Abbey-street, for this de- nomination of professing Christians. There is a handsome palisading in front, and over the Chapel are apartments for the clergymen, and other rooms. The interior, if not handsomely, is commodiously fitted up ; and the pulpit and reading-desk are well designed and executed — the gallery seats ascend. It is capable of accommodating 1500 persons. The Meeting-house in Whitefriars-street is also a plain commodious building, erected in 1756, capable of containing about 1200 persons. They have, besides, a Preaching-house in Ilen- drick-street, formerly Gravel-walk, built in 1771 ; one in Cork-street, in the Liberties, built in 1815; and others in the vicinity of the metropolis. In doctrine they agree with the Established Church. Methodism was first introduced into .Dublin in dissenters’ meeting-houses. 333 1746, by a Mr. Williams, who was sent over by the English Conference. He speedily formed a small society; and the Rev. John Wesley, hear- ing of his success, arrived in Dublin on the 9th of August in the ensuing year. He landed on a Sun- day morning at ten o’clock, when the bells of the different churches were ringing for prayers, and immediately proceeded to church. At 3 o’clock, on the same day, he preached his first sermon in the Irish metropolis, at St. Mary’s Church ; and on the following dayihad an interview with Arch- bishop Cobbe. He continued in Dublin for some time, preaching to crowded congregations, at a house in Marlborough-street, which had formerly been a Lutheran Church. The Society soon con- sisted of near three hundred members ; but, after the departure of Mr. Wesley, a storm of persecu- tion broke out against them : their Meeting-house was attacked by a mob, the pulpit and benches torn down and burned in the street, and their preacher was rudely treated. But these outrages speedily ceased, and the Society continued to in- crease to the present, when the number of actual members in Dublin falls little short of 1800. The body of Methodists in Ireland who still adhere to the old preachers, exceed 23,000. Of these above 1100 are in Dublin. MORAVIAN MEETING-HOUSE. The Moravian Meeting-house is in Bishop- street, and near it is the house called the Moravian t 3 334 dissenters’ meeting-houses. House, inhabited by a number of unmarried per- sons, members of the church. The society of Christians generally denominated 66 Moravians,” but who call themselves u United Brethren,” or more frequently the u Church of the Brethren,” originally descended from the Sclavo- nian branch of the Greek Church ; and though they, since the year 967, were more or less subject to the National Church, they still retained the Bible in their own hands, and performed divine service according to the ritual of their fathers, and in their mother tongue. The doctrinal tenets of the Brethren’s Church differ in no essential point from those of the National Church of this country, and the government is Episcopal. In 1746, one of their ministers, the Rev. John Cennick, came to Dublin. His ministry was at- tended by great numbers ; and, being soon after joined in his labours by the Reverend Benjamin Latrobe, at that time a student in Trinity College, and afterwards consecrated a Bishop of the Bre- thren’s Church, several congregations in connexion with that Church, were formed in the north of Ireland, and likewise one in Dublin, which at pre- sent consists of 200 members. FRENCH PROTESTANT REFUGEES. After the revocation of the edict of Nantes, by Louis XIV. a great number of the French Hugow nots fled to this country, where they found a hospitable asylum 3 and they have since repaid ROMAN CATHOLIC CIIAPELS. 335 the debt, by the benefits they have conferred on the country of their adoption. In the pulpit and at the bar, some of them have shone conspicuously, while others have been eminently successful in the commercial and manufacturing world. They have at present so completely merged into the popula- tion, as to have lost their distinctive character. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPELS AND FRIARIES. The Metropolitan Chapel. — This spacious structure is situated in Marlborough-street, and exceeds in magnificence any building of the kind erected in this country since the Roman Catholic religion has ceased to be the religion of the state. The expense is estimated at £50,000. The prin- cipal front consists of a noble portico of six fluted columns of the Doric order, which, for want of funds, remain in a half finished state. Over the entablature is a pediment, to be ornamented with the figures of Faith, Hope, and Charity. This front extends 118 feet, and is taken from St. Mary Major’s, at Rome. The flanks extend 160 feet in depth, and in the centre of each are two large recesses, enclosed by a colonnade, which is to be surrounded by suitable emblematic figures. The interior is on the model of St. Philip de Roule, at Paris, and is divided into a body and side aisles by a splendid colonnade, which runs parallel to each side, and forms at the west end a circular termination, under which the principal altar is placed. There are also two side altars near the 336 ROMAN CATHOLIC CIIAPELS. grand entrance. The ceiling is circular, and beautifully laid out in compartments of ornamented pannels and fret-work. St. Mary’s parish, of w hich this is the chapel, extends from the boundaries of St. Michan’s on the west, to Ballybough-bridge on the east, and from the bounds of Finglas parish on the north, to the Liffey wall on the south. Attached to this parish are seven officiating priests, besides the Most Reverend Doctor Murray, Ro- man Catholic Archbishop of the diocese. The former chapel of this parish was situated in the west side of Liffey-street, and was a very old building at the time the present superb edifice was commenced. St. James’s Chapel is situate at the rere of the houses on the east side of Watling-street, and north side of James’s Gate. It is an old build- ing, but has lately undergone a thorough repair ; and a large and commodious house has been erected for the use of the clergymen of the parish. St. Catherine’s Chapel is a handsome octa- gonal building, with a gallery extending along five of its sides. It was opened for divine service about the year 1782, and at the same time was erected a good brick house for the use of the clergy. There is an Augustiniari Convent in this parish, situated to the west of John-street, and north of Thomas-street, and a Chapel attached, which is in good condition. Parish of St. Nicholas of Myra, or St. Ni- cholas without the walls . — This Chapel is situate on the ground on which the old Franciscan Abbey ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPELS. 337 formerly stood, on the east side of Francis-street and west of Plunket-street, with a passage lead- ing from each of these streets. It is an old, hut very firm building ; and, though one of the largest chapels in Dublin, is too small for the congrega- tion that generally resorts to it. St. Audeon’s Chapel. — The Chapel of this pa- rish is situated in a yard at the east side of Bridge- street, and north of Cook-street, to which a house for the use of the officiating clergymen is attached. These concerns were formerly possessed by the Dominican friars. United Parishes of St. Michael and St. John. — For this parish an elegant new Chapel has been lately constructed, on the site of the old theatre, on the east side of Smock-alley, and west of Lower Exchange-street, to each of which streets it presents a front of hewn mountain stone, in the Gothic style of architecture, but with very little ornament. The interior of the Chapel is handsomely laid out and decorated, and the orna- ments are all in the same style as the exterior of the building. The expense of this edifice was defrayed by public contribution. St. Andrew’s Parish Chapel is situated in a yard on the north side of Townsend-street, and south of Poolbeg-street, from each of which streets it has a passage. The house for the clergymen has been lately rebuilt. St. Paul’s Chapel is situated in a yard at the rere of the houses on Arran-quay. The present Chapel was erected in 1785, and is the third that has been built on the same site. 338 FRIARIES. St. Michan’s Chapel was some time since erected in North Anne-street, the rere extending to Halstein-street. The front in Anne-street is of mountain-stone, built in the Gothic style, with pointed arched windows, minarets, •& c. The in- terior of the Chapel is also laid out in the Gothic style ; and some of the walls are decorated with figures of Irish saints, in bass-relief. Adam and Eye Chapel is in the parish of St. Michael and St. John, and has a front in Cook- street. It is an old building, but is in excellent repair, and very decently fitted up for divine ser- vice, and for the accommodation of a crowded congregation. It is attached to a Convent of Franciscans ; the Friars have a house in Chapel- lane, adjoining the Chapel. Discalced Carmelites. — The chapel and con- vent belonging to this order is situated in Claren- don-street. The chapel is roomy, but the galleries are inconvenient, and at sermons the voice of the preacher is not distinctly heard. This convent is in the parish of St. Andrew. Calced Carmelites. — This Order formerly had their convent and chapel at the rere of the east side of French-street. The chapel is small, but convenient, and neatly fitted up. This con- vent is also in the district attached to the parish chapel of St. Andrew. Capuchins. — The chapel and convent belong- ing to this Order stand on the west side of Church- street. The chapel is old but firm. There is a passage from Bow-street. Dominicans. — The chapel and convent of this NUNNERIES. 339 Order is situate in Denmark-street. The chapel is large, commodious, and lightsome, and is kept in decent order. The convent is in the Roman Catholic parish of St. Mary. Jesuits. — This convent is situate in Hardwick- street, in a part of the old building formerly occupied by the nuns of the order of St. Clare, before their removal to Harold’s Cross. In this house some of the Reverend Gentlemen of Clon- gowes College occasionally reside. NUNNERIES. Of these there are five in the city and four in the suburbs of Dublin. Disc.vlced Carmelites, Warren Mount, Mill- street. — This convent is but a few years established, though in its number of professed Religious it exceeds every other nunnery in Dub- lin. The community consists of the prioress and eighteen professed nuns. — They are a branch from the convent of St. Joseph, Ranelagh. Poor Clares, North King-street. — This is, at present, the oldest nunnery in Dublin. It is situate at the north-west extremity of North King-street, opposite St. Paul’s church. They belong to the Order of St. Francis, and are under the jurisdiction of the Superior of that Order. The community consists of the Mother Abbess and eight professed Sisters. Presentation Convent, George’s Hill, Mary’s-lane. —This convent is of late founda- 340 NUNNERIES. tion. The community consists of the Mother Superioress and ten professed Religious Sisters. Sisters of Charity, North William-street. This convent is of modern date ; indeed the order itself is but lately known in this country. The community of this house consists of the Mother Superioress, one professed nun, and five novices. Discalced Carmelites, Convent of St. Joseph, Ranelagh. — This convent was estab- lished about 30 years since, at which period the nuns removed to it from their former residence on Arran-quay. The community consists of the Prioress, fourteen professed choir nuns, and some- lay sisters. Poor Clares, Convent of Saint Clare, Harold’s-cross. — This convent was built some time since for the nuns that a few years ago re- sided in a large building in Dorset-street, a part of which is now the Jesuit chapel in Ilardwick- street. Presentation Convent, Richmond. — This convent is not long founded. It is occupied by the nuns who but a few years ago established a convent in James’s-street. The community con- sists of the Mother Superioress, four professed Religious, and three Novices. Dominican Nuns. — The sisters of this order have their Convent at Cabragh. The community consists of the Prioress, four professed Nuns, and three Novices. There are at present in Dublin nine parish Chapels, situated as follows : Arran-quay, North JEWS. 341 Anne-street, Michael and John’s, Lr. Exchange- -street, Bridge-street, Francis-street, Liffey-street, Meath-street, and James’ s-street ; the Jesuit’s Chapel, Hardwick-street ; 6 Friaries, viz. Church- street (Capuchins), Denmark-street (Dominicans), French-street (calced Carmelites), Clarendon- street (discalced Carmelites), Adam and Eve Chapel, Cook-street (Franciscans), John’s-street (Augustinians) ; nine Nunneries, viz. Harold’s- cross, James’s-street, Warren-mount, George’s- hill, Summer-hill, Ranelagh, King-street, North William-street, and Stanhope-street. Seventy re- gular clergymen officiate in the parochial Chapels, and forty regulars belong to the Friaries. Besides these, there are in the outlets three Chapels, attached to the city parishes, viz. Ha- rold’s-cross, and Miltown, belonging to the parish of St. Nicholas, and Dolphin’s-barn, belonging to that of St. James. In each of the parish Chapels and Friaries there is a regular succession of masses, generally from six o’clock in the morning till one o’clock in the day of Sundays and holidays. JEWS. It is a singular fact, that in the metropolis of Ireland, containing more than 200,000 inhabi- tants, there is not a sufficient number of Jews to constitute a synagogue. The case was, however, otherwise some years back, for we are informed that in 1746, there were in Dublin forty families of that persuasion, containing about 200 indivi- 342 RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS. duals. The Jews first settled in Dublin during the Protectorate of Cromwell ; many of them be- came opulent merchants, and they established a synagogue in Crane-lane, which was afterwards removed to Marlborough-street. They have since so much declined, that the resident Jews in Dub- lin perform their religious rites in their own houses. They still retain their cemetery near Ballybough Bridge, which is planted with shrubs, and gives evidence of their former respectability. RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS. Hibernian Bible Society. — This Society was established in 1806, for the purpose of circulating the Scriptures through Ireland. Numerous aux- iliary Societies have been since formed in various parts of the country. In 1814, a union was ef- fected with the British and Foreign Bible Soci- ety, by whom the New Testament has been pub- lished in the Irish character, with an English version in parallel columns. There are in Dublin several parochial associations engaged in further- ance of this excellent institution. Their funds arise from subscriptions, donations, and congrega- tional collections, and a general meeting is held annually in Dublin, the proceedings of which are of the most interesting nature. The office is at No. 16, Upper Sackville-street. The Dublin Naval and Military Bible Society. — This Association was formed in 1819, RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS. 343 as auxilary to the London Naval and Military Bible Society, the object of which is to provide Bibles and Testaments for sailors and soldiers, and to extend the circulation of the holy Scriptures, without note or comment, in the army and navy. The Parent Society is under the patronage of se- veral members of the Royal Family, and many naval and military officers. The office is at No. 15, Upper Sackville-street. Religious Tract and Book Society. — This Society was instituted for the purpose of diffusing religious tracts and books throughout Ireland, and thereby completing, as it were, the system of re- ligious instruction which has been pursued in this country for the last few years with such remark- able success. To give to the lower orders a taste for reading, without providing them at the same time with proper subjects, would be to do harm, perhaps, rather than good. The pernicious publications which have hitherto almost exclusively commanded the attention of the poor, and which can tend only to encourage an idle, dissolute spirit, and corrupt the mind, will thus meet the most effec- tual antidote for the poison they have so long in- stilled. By putting into the hands of so many thousands, books of religious and moral instruc- tion, which may edify while they amuse the reader, no small benefit will be conferred upon the popu- lation of this country. In this point of view, the Religious Tract and Book Society is entitled to a high rank among the national institutions of 344 RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS. Ireland. The depository of the Society is at No. 22, Upper Sackville-street. Irish Evangelical Society. — This Society was established in the year 1814, for the purpose of educating young men of approved piety and talent, for the work of the ministry, and sending them forth as preachers or missionaries through the various districts of Ireland. This Society is not connected with any particular denomination of professing Christians. In their fundamental prin- ciple they state, that u as it is the sole desire of the Irish Evangelical Society to enlarge the king- dom of our Saviour, it will not direct its attention to the exaltation of sects, or the establishment of parties, but will leave to the congregations col- lected the choice of their own modes of worship, and the formation of their own churches accord- ing to the opinions they may entertain, or the expediency which circumstances may point out.” Connected with this Institution is a theological academy, situated in Manor-street, and which is under the direction of the Rev. David Stuart, Minister of the Secession Church, and the Rev. William Haweis Cooper, of the Independent de- nomination. The Hibernian Church Missionary Society was established in 1814, as auxiliary to the Church Missionary Society for Missions to Africa and the East. The accounts contained in the various Re- ports of this Society are of the most encouraging nature. The office of the Society is at No. 16, Upper Sackville-street. RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS. 345 Hibernian Missionary Society, auxiliary to the London Missionary Society. — The ob- ject of this Association (formed of persons of vari- ous religious denominations) is declared to be, to send the Gospel to the Heathen, unconnected with any particular form of church government. The Society commenced in 1794, and have succeeded in establishing Missions in the island of the South Pacific Ocean, China, the East Indies, Java, Am- boyna, Malacca, in several of the West India Islands, the Cape of Good Hope, Malta, Canada, Newfoundland, and amidst the snows of Siberia. The office of the Society is at No. 15, Upper Sackville-street. Irish Auxiliary to the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews. — This Society, formed many years back, continues to proceed with considerable success. Through the blessing of God on the exertions of the parent Society in London, a very considerable number of adult Jews have been led to renounce the errors of Judaism, and embrace Christanity ; and many children, rescued from vice and want, have found in its schools a comfortable asylum, and been trained up in the knowledge of the Christian religion, and habits of industry. Several converted Jews have been sent out as Missionaries to their brethren on the Continent, and the New Testament, in Biblical Hebrew, with innumerable tracts, are received with avidity by this interesting people. The office of the Society is at No. 16, Upper Sackville-street. 346 RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS* Hibernian Missionary Society for Tartary And Circassia. — Several years back a few phi- lanthropic individuals in Scotland formed a Society for sending Missionaries to these uncultivated, and almost unknown regions. One of their first con- verts was the Sultan Katte-Ghery Krim-Ghery, whose family were, at no remote period, Khans of the Crimea. He had no sooner embraced Christianity than he became exposed to the per- secutions of his relations, which compelled him to accept a commission in the Russian service ; and in the course of his various travels in this ca- pacity, he endeavoured to recommend the gospel to all around him. The conversion of his coun- trymen was still, however, his supreme desire ; and to bring into effect his plan for this purpose, he, in 1816, presented a memorial to the Emperor Alexander, who graciously promised him his coun- tenance, and authorized him to visit Britain, to obtain such additional education as might qualify him for this important undertaking, giving him an ample allowance for his maintenance. He spent some time in Edinburgh and London, after which he studied with diligence and success at Old Homerton College. In the summer of 1819, the Sultan visited the Irish metropolis, and advocated, before a numerous and highly respectable auditory, the cause in which he felt so deeply interested. A Society in aid of his benevolent design was immediately formed, the object of which is to co-operate with the Scotch Missionary Society, in sending the gospel to the rich and luxurious tracts THE ROYAL BARRACKS. 347 of Tartary and Circassia, as well as the extensive and dreary regions of the Caucasus. The instruc- tion of children and the ransoming of slaves are leading features in this plan. The office of this Society is at No. 15, Upper Sackville-street. Methodist Missionary Society. — The Mis- sionary exertions of the Methodists commenced many years back, and have been crowned with great success. Through their instrumentality many thousands of the heathen have been brought to a knowledge of Christianity. Some of the preach- ers in Ireland travel as Missionaries, and preach in the Irish language in streets, fields, and mar- ket-places. Continental Society. — This Society was es- tablished for the purpose of spreading the know- ledge of Divine truth on the Continent of Europe. Its office is at No. 15, Upper Sackville-street. THE ROYAL BARRACKS Are situated in Barrack-street, near the Phoenix- Park, and are capable of accommodating 2000 men. They consist of several spacious squares, built on three sides only — the south side being open. There is a fine ball-room for the use of the officers. 348 PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. Dublin, as we have already observed, is en- compassed, or nearly so, by what is termed the Circular-road, which is about nine miles in length, and also by two extensive Canals, which terminate in wet docks on either side of the Liffey, and extend to a great distance into the interior of the country. The country around the metropolis, in a circuit of twelve miles from the Circular-road, presents to the eye a landscape of the most pleas- ing description. Nurseries and well cultivated farms, intermingled with noble villas and the rural residences of the citizens, are presented to the view in every direction. We have already, in our introductory observa- tions, directed the attention of the Tourist to the diversified and delightful prospects which meet the eye on either side the bay, on entering the harbour. We may, however, turn again for a moment to some of these objects which may be deemed worthy of his more particular attention. Approaching the sea from the City, north of the Liffey, we reach Marino, the beautiful seat of the Earl of Charlemont, surrounded by a demesne of about 200 acres. The late Earl, whose classic taste was so justly celebrated, spared no expense to embellish this delightful spot. The Cassino, in the midst of an open lawn, presents a fine model of a Grecian temple, while Rosamond’s bower, embosomed in trees, at the PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. 349 upper extremity of a lake, with its ornaments of stained glass and fretted mouldings, exhibits a pure model of the Gothic. The castle or mansion of the Earl of Howth is also well worthy minute inspection. It is situated on the west side of the stupendous hill of Howth, commanding an extensive view of the channel. It is a long battlemented structure, flanked by square towers at each extremity, embosomed in a dark wood, and in the front is a park, well stocked with deer. In the spacious hall are some curious memorials of this ancient family ; amongst others, the identical two-handed sword with which Sir Tristram defeated the Danes. In the centre of the town of Howth, impending over the sea, is a venerable abbey, supposed to have been built by Sitric, the Dane, in 1038. But that which will most demand the attention of the visitor is the new harbour constructed at this place. The first stone of this important work was laid in 1807, and for a considerable period, from 500 to 700 men were daily employed. Near Marino, the road leading to Malahide branches off to the left. Four miles and a half from Dublin is St. Doulough’s Church, erected at some period between the eighth and eleventh centuries, in a style of architecture different from any at this day to be found in Britain, or the western parts of Europe. It is well worth the attention of the antiquarian. About two miles from the City, in a northern direction, is the romantic village of Glassnevin, where is situated that magnificent national insti- u 350 PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. tution, the Botanic Garden, which occupies the space of thirty English acres, enriched with almost every known species of flowers, trees, plants, and vegetables, properly classed, and a variety of cu- rious exotics are preserved in glass cases.* The beauty of the situation cannot be excelled, and the vicinity may be truly called classic ground, having been once the residence of Addison, Tickel, Swift, Delany, Sheridan, Steele, and Parnell. — Near this is Claremont, the truly benevolent In- stitution for the Deaf and Dumb, to which we have alluded in page 241. On the north-west are Castleknock and Dun- sink, where an Observatory has been founded in pursuance of the will of Dr. Francis Andrews, Provost of Trinity College, who died in 1774. The situation and circumstances of this Observa- tory are considered as preferable to most of those in other countries. Near Drogheda, in the county of East Meath, is Mornington Castle, where the Duke of Wel- lington was born. It is situated at the mouth of the Boyne, the river rendered so famous in Irish history by the battle of William and James, which caused the latter to abdicate his throne. * The gardens are laid out in the following order : — 1st, a Hortus Linnaeensis; 2d, the cattle garden ; 3d, the hay gar- den ; 4th, the esculent garden ; 6th, the dyer’s garden ; Oth, the rock plants; 7th, the creepers and climbers; 8th, the bog and water plants; 9th, the marine plants ; 10th, variegations of trees, shrubs, and herbs ; 11th, the nursery ; 12th, a medi- cal garden. — Lectures are delivered here on botany, agricul- ture, and the useful arts. PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. 351 The Phoenix-park, situated south-west of the me- tropolis, contains 1086 acres, Irish plantation mea- sure, aud in circumference measures 5y Irish miles. It formerly belonged to the Knights Templars ; but being surrendered to the crown, it was con- verted into a deer park in the reign of Elizabeth. The Park is beautifully diversified with woodland, champaign, and rising ground, embellished with extensive sheets of water, and plentifully stocked with deer. It contains th& Viceregal Lodge, which, since the improvements made by Earl Hardwick, the Duke of Richmond, and Lord Whitworth, has become a residence befitting a Viceroy ; the houses of the Ranger and Princi- pal Secretary, the Powder Magazine, the Hiber- nian School, Royal Infirmary, and a fine plain, called the Fifteen Acres, where the troops in gar- rison are exercised. About the centre of the Park is a fluted column, thirty feet high, with a Phoenix on the capital, which was erected by the Earl of Chesterfield during his Vicerayalty. Beyond the Park, the road leads to Chapelizod, a populous village, Palmerstown, (where is the seat of the Earl of Donoughmore,) and Lucan, ce- lebrated for its sulphureous and chalybeate spa, which is much resorted. A little further on is Leixlip, famous for its w r aterfall, called the Salmon- leap ; about half a mile farther is the stupendous aqueduct-bridge of the Royal Canal carried over the river Rye, and a deep valley of great extent, 85 feet above the river. To the right of this is Castletown, the magnificent seat of Lady Louisa Conolly. Within a mile of Maynooth, where the 352 pleasure tours round Dublin. Roman Catholic College is situated, is Carton- house, the superb mansion of the Duke of Leinster. The College of Maynooth will also be found worthy the attention of the Tourist. From its vicinity to the capital, it may justly be classed amongst its literary institutions. The state of the Continent during the revolutionary war having pre- cluded the candidates for the priesthood amongst the Irish Roman Catholics from obtaining a suit- able education in the foreign colleges, it was considered necessary to devise some means for supplying that defect at home. The Government manifested great willingness to sanction the pro- ject, and in the year 1785, an Act was passed by the Irish Parliament in furtherance of the measure. A site was chosen for the College at the town of Maynooth, about ten miles from Dublin. The building consists of a centre and two wings, the whole extending 400 feet in length, and contain- ing a neat chapel, refectory, extensive dormitories, and a library of about 5000 volumes, chiefly on theological subjects. In front of the building is a fine lawn of two acres, laid out in gravel walks, and separated from the street by a handsome semi- circular iron railing. On the right of the lawn is the parish church, and on the left the ancient castle of Maynooth. The number of Students in the College is about 300 ; each Student pays eight guineas entrance money, and his personal expenses throughout the year are estimated at twenty pounds. The course of study comprehends humanity, logic, mathema- tics, divinity, and modern languages. There are PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. 353 two public examinations held in each year, and premiums are given according to the merit of the answerers ; the period of study is usually five years. The officers of the establishment consist of a President, Vice-President, Dean, Bursar, Sub-Dean, eleven Professors, three Lecturers, a Treasurer, Physician, and Agent. The salaries amount to above ^1800 annually. The buildings have cost ^032,000. This establishment is sup- ported by Parliamentary grants, aided by private donations and legacies. In Kildare large tracts of bog are met with, which appear to form a part and parcel of that which extends itself over so large a portion of Leinster and the adjoining country. This entire county is said to have been atone time covered with large oak trees, and from the immensity of decayed branches and boughs of trees which are every where met with in the bogs, this appears very probable. The Curragh, which is about 24 miles from Dublin, is said to have been a large plain in the centre of the wood, which the ancient Druids used as a place of worship, &c. There is now none of the wood remaining ; and it at pre- sent comprises 3000 acres of verdant lawn. It is now only famous for the races which take place from time to time. The King’s plate is run for here in April, June, and September. But a short distance south of the City, the villages of Rathmines and Rathfarnham present innumerable attractions. In the neighbourhood of Cullens wood, Ranelagh, and Rathfarnham, are numerous handsome villas. In Cullenswood 354 PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN* an event occurred on Easter Monday, 1209, which caused that day of the year for ages after- wards to be denominated Black Monday. A number of the citizens of Dublin, amusing them- selves (as was their custom during the holydays,) in Cullenswood, were suddenly assailed by a body of Irish, who lay in ambush, and five hundred of them were slain. A fresh colony arriving soon after from Bristol, the necessary means were used to accustom the citizens to martial exercises. They were trained and mustered four times a year, namely, on Easter (or Black) Monday and St. J ohn’s-eve, by the mayor and sheriffs of the city, and on May-day and St. Peter’s-eve by the mayor and sheriffs of the bull-ring. For some centuries, on Black Monday, the mayor and citizens repaired to the wood of Cullen, with a black flag before them, in defiance of their enemies, upon which occasion a costly dinner was given by the magis- trates. In our introductory remarks, we have already noticed Killiney; but we would advise the tra- veller in search of fine views and extensive pros- pects, to visit Killiney-hill, which is about three miles from the Black- rock, and within a short dis- tance of Bray. From this mountain or hill, the bays of Dublin and Killiney may be seen to great advantage. The peninsula of Howth, Lambay, Ireland’s Eye, the island of Dalkey, and Bray Head, which rises 807 feet above the level of the sea, are also to be seen with much effect from this point. The scenes which here present themselves are altogether of the very finest description. PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. 355 About eight miles from the Castle of Dublin, at the entrance of the county of Wicklow, there is a singular curiosity called the Scalp, which is a chasm in a mountain, apparently occasioned by some violent concussion of nature ; though many suppose it to have been effected by the dint of human labour. The rent at the top is very wide, though at the bottom it narrows to the breadth of the road. Two conical hills appear in the distance, called the Sugar Loaves, and about two miles from the Scalp is the village of Ennis- kerry. In this delightful neighbourhood the eye is charmed with every variety of rural beauty; hill and valley, water and landscape, the splendid mansion, or the neatly ornamented cottage, are to be met in every direction, to the almost total ex- clusion of those objects which excite feelings of compassion or disgust. Beyond Enniskerry is the noble seat of Lord Powerscourt, with a demesne of about 600 acres, laid out in the richest variety of rural scenery. Powerscourt House occupies a commanding station, on the right of the road from Dublin. The objects most worthy of attention in this princely mansion are, the grand ball-room, in which his Majesty George IV. dined in 1821, the hall, 80 feet by 40, the octagonal room, lined with cedar, and the parlour at the end of the hall, containing two beautiful pictures. On the oppo- site side of the river are Charleville, the fine seat of Lord Monck, and the rich lawns and shady woods of Tinnehinch, the residence of Mr. Grattan. Within a short distance of Powerscourt, is the 356 PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. Waterfall, so justly renowned for the beauty of the surrounding scenery. It is said that it was a subject of friendly con- test between Mr. Parnell, the possessor of a beau- teous cottage at the meeting of the waters, and his neighbour at the opposite side of the stream, in which of their demesnes Moore wrote his beau- tiful melody commencing — “ There is notin this wide w r orld a valley so sweet “ As the vale in whose bosorn the bright waters meet.’’ The town of Bray, from its situation, is gene- rally made the starting post from which travellers diverge to the various points of attraction through- out the county of Wicklow. Between three and four miles from Bray is tbe Glen of the Downs, one of the most beautiful scenes to be met with in this delightful country. It is formed by two hills rising abruptly from 12 to 1300 feet, covered thickly on either side with trees of various de- scriptions. At the north-east of the Glen is a handsome cottage, belonging to the Latouche fa- mily, above which is the octagon temple and the banqueting room. Belleview, the seat of the Latouche family, is a plain but extensive building, commanding tine prospects, and surrounded by charming grounds. The Conservatory is entitled to particular notice. A quarter of a mile east of Belleview Gate, is the pretty village of Delgany, with a Gothic Church, built by P. Latouche, Esq. in 1789 ; it contains a splendid monument in honour of D. Latouche, Esq. Not far from the entrance to the Glen, and about three miles PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. 357 from Delgany, is the small but neat village of Newtown Mount Kennedy, which is \7\ miles from Dublin. Here there is a very comfortable inn, which the tourist might make his head-quar- ters, as the scenery of the vicinity presents nu- merous objects worthy of a visit; such as the Devil’s Glen, where the Yartrey torrent forms a cascade 100 feet high, Dunran Glen, Glenmore Castle, Kiltymon Glen, Hermitage, and Alta- dore. The Dargle, so justly celebrated, is near Pow- erscourt, and forms a kind of amphitheatre, encir- cled by the sides of two lofty mountains thickly wooded. The approach to this scene is singu- larly grand, and the continued roar of the water through the gloomy forest fills the mind with the most sublime ideas. A brief description of the various and romantic scenes presented by the Dargle may not be unacceptable. At the opening of the Dargle gate, the travel- ler is, in a moment, immersed in a sylvan wilder- ness, where the mountains, the champaign, and almost the sky disappear at the bottom of a deep winding glen, whose steep sides suddenly shut out every appearance of the world. At the feet of the Tourist, a murmuring stream continues to struggle with those rude rocks which nature, in one of her primeval convulsions, has flung here and there into its current. The opposite side of the glen, that rises steeply and almost perpendicu- larly from the very brink of the river, is one pre- cipice of foliage from top to bottom, — one tree rising directly above another, (their roots and 358 PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. backs being in a great degree concealed by the profusion of leaves on those below them,) and a broken sun-beam now and then struggling through the boughs, sometimes contriving to reach the river, both sides of the glen completely enclosing the wanderer from the view of every thing exter- nal, except a narrow tract of sky directly over his head. On ascending from this enchanting glen, right over the opposite boundary, the top of Sugar-loaf meets the eye in dim and distinct perspective. The sensations of a mariner, when, after a long voyage without sight of shore, he suddenly per- ceives symptoms of land where land was not ex- pected, could not be more novel and curious than those which will be excited by this little silent notice of regions for a moment forgotten. After walking a short distance, the glen, still retaining all its characteristic luxuriance, begins gradually to widen, the country to open, and the moun- tains to rise upon the view, and at length, after a gentle descent, the delightful valley of Powers- court appears in sight. The valley, indeed, “lies smiling in its beauty,” — the river, no longer dash- ing over rocks, and struggling with impediments, is seen flowing brightly and cheerfully along, bordered by meadows of the liveliest green ; now and then embowered in a cluster of trees — one little field of the freshest verdure swelling for- ward beyond the rest, round which the river winds, so as, in appearance, to form an island. To the left the Dargle, where all the beauties which so much enchant now appear one undistin- PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. 359 guished mass of leaves. Right opposite, the Su- gar-loaf, with his train of rough and abrupt mountains, remaining dark in the midst of sun- shine, like the frowning guardians of the valley. These, contrasted with the grand flowing outline of the mountains to the right, — while far to the left the sea again discloses itself to the view, gives a finish to the picture which mocks the boldest effort of art and refinement. The Tourist may next visit Lough Bray, which is a romantic and magnificent scene, and lies about six miles south of Rathfarnham, in the northern part of the county Wicklow. It is a sequestered spot in the midst of a region of w ildest mountains and hills. There are two lakes, called the upper and lower, the latter of which is the more beau- tiful and extensive. It is situated near the top of an abrupt mountain, and is almost circular in its shape ; a circumstance which has probably given rise to the conjecture that it may be the crater of an extinct volcano. Its area is said to be thirty- seven Irish acres. Close beside it stands a preci- pice of several hundred feet, near the top of which is a dark overhanging cliff, commonly called the u Eagle’s Crag and the lake itself sometimes overflows, and glides down the side of the moun- tain in the opposite direction.* Almost on the confines of the county a scene pre- sents itself something similar to that viewed at Pow- * Some excellent graphic delineations of Irish scenery, with interesting specimens of ancient Irish story, may he seen in a volume entitled “ Sketches in the north and south of Ireland,’ * by the Rev. Caesar Otway. 360 PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. erscourt, but much more magnificent — the waterfall of Poula Foucha. The cascade of Powerscourt, except at particular periods, is insignificant in the extreme ; but here the waters of the LifFey, col- lected and boiling with impetuous fury, are seen precipitating themselves, with tremendous bound, over the rocky ledge, to the amazement of those who, a moment before, had witnessed them steal silently along. The various scenes in Wicklow have long since exhausted the powers of description and the pen- cil of the painter, where nature and taste have combined to fling with lavish hand such varied beauties as to set description at defiance, unless, as Sir Walter Scott has it, to the poet or the painter “ Were given “ To dip his brush in dyes of heaven.’’ Before closing this brief sketch of the pleasure tours which may be made in various directions around the metropolis, we feel anxious to prevent the traveller from forming a wrong estimate of the real state of the peasantry of Ireland and their habitations, from the specimens he may meet with in the county of Wicklow ;* for although here and there he may observe a mud-walled cottage and a certain portion of apparent misery and want, still * In a little work recently published, entitled “ Essays and Sketches of Irish Life and Character,” by Philip Dixon Hardy, the author has painted several scenes truly descriptive of the habits, manners, and present circumstances of the Irish. PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. 361 lie will see nothing, comparatively speaking, of the squalid wretchedness which is to be met with in other districts of Ireland. It has been well remarked by one of the authors alluded to, that “ while Irish gentlemen go to great expense in building stables and pig-sties for their horses and swine, in many instances their tenantry are condemned to hovels that would disgrace the in- habitants of Caffraria, and compared with which, the wigwams of the North American Indians are comfortable dwellings.” It is but too fashionable among the writers of the present day, when speaking of Ireland, to re- present the lower orders as semi-barbarians. The Irish peasant has been charged with laziness ; a charge having very little foundation. Numberless instances of uncommon diligence might be advert- ed to. Indeed, without the greatest industry and perseverance, one half of the poor cottiers could scarcely subsist at all. The simple fact, that during the harvest months, thousands travel from the interior of the country, and pass over to England in search of employment, in boats which are used for conveying the cattle, may be con- sidered as proof positive in contradiction of the charge of being lazy or idle. When in England, every penny is carefully hoarded up, in order to assist them in paying the rent of their potato- ground. Want of employment is the prime cause of the misery and wretchedness of the Irish pea- santry ; and until some means can be devised to procure permanent employment, no great change for the better can fairly be anticipated. The short x 362 PLEASURE TOURS ROUND DUBLIN. leases and high rents to which the Irish farmers are subjected, produce a reckless feeling in their minds. From the instability of their prospects, and want of interest in their tenures, they have no incitement to industry. They consider, that if they improved their land, or saved their money, it would only be wrung from them in higher rents and fines ; they therefore enjoy themselves while they may, employ as few labourers as they possibly can ; and having little to lose by change of circumstances, are easily induced to join in any plan which the political agitator may suggest, if therfe be but the faintest hope of their situation being thereby bettered or improved. In those parts of the country where the poor women can purchase a pound of wool, they knit mittins and stockings ; and the men, where they can procure a bit of wood, make spade handles, traheens, and bee-hives or baskets. In the county of Wicklow, however, and indeed throughout the various dis- tricts to which we have directed the attention of the Tourist, little that can offend the eye, or wound the feelings even of the most sensitive or delicate will be met with. We have deemed it our duty to advert to the subject, to prevent the traveller forming erroneous ideas from what he may meet with in the places of which we have spoken. PRIVATE COLLECTIONS OF PICTURES, Earl of Charlemont , Rutland-square. Judas returning the thirty pieces of silver Rembrandt. Ceesar Borgia 1 itian . The Lady’s Last Stake Hogarth . The Gate of Calais Ditto . A Dead Christ A . Carracchi. St. Paul Vandyke. A Tintoret , a fine Borgognone,