manuring their fruitful land at home. And this idleness, with a conftant dread of danger, made the Irish the most inquifitive after news, of any nation in the world.

THE earl of Defmond by means of this exaction, banished moft of the freeholders out of the counties of Limerick and Kerry, taking for his own domains, and for his relations, what tracts of land he liked beft. He raised his estate in those counties to immoderate greatness, and was the first peer of Ireland, who refufed on the king's fummons to come to parliament. He was the only peer of the realm ever put to death before this period; and the only nobleman of English extraction, who was utterly destroyed by the hand of juftice. *

THERE were two cuftoms, Foftering and Goffiping, peculiar to this country, not known in any other nation; the remains of which are not quite abolished. The rich men fold or exchanged their children, and the poorer fort bought them. Foftering was confidered a ftronger alliance than blood, and was the caufe of many ftrong combinations and factions. The English lords and freeholders banished their own followers by intolerable oppreffion, and by means of thefe cuftoms, they became in one century, like the Irifh, in their language, their drefs, their manner of fighting, and all the cuftoms of life. As for oppreffion, extortion, and other trefpaffes, the weaker never had any remedy against the ftronger; therefore no man could enjoy his life, his wife, his lands or goods in safety, if a greater man had an inclination to take them.

Davis's Hiftorical Relations, page 44. t Id. 9.

BY

By the Irish cuftom of Tanistry, the chieftain of every country held his estate only for life; his fon did not fucceed him; his Tanift or fucceffor was elective, and often purchased the election with a strong hand. By the custom of Gavel-kind, the smaller estates were divided between all the male children, whether legitimate or baftards. From hence it appears, though the Irish were lovers of mufic, poetry, and all kinds of learning, and poffeffed a land abounding with every thing neceffary for the life of man; yet, ftrange to tell, they never built any houfes of brick or ftone-the religious houses excepted-before the reign of Henry II* Neither did they plant orchards or gardens, or improve their lands, for who would plant or build on the land, which he know not who fhould poffefs after his death. But the fcene is changed, Ire land feels the happy effects of order and good government; fhe participates in the mild operation of the best conftitution in the world; and while other states and kingdoms are going to decay, the nineteenth century will give to Ireland an unreftrained commerce, with all the elegancies of refined life.

• Davis's Hiftorical Relations, page 37

CHAP.

CHA P. II.

Of the EXTENT and SOIL

OF THE COUNTY OF LIMERICK.

T

HE extent of the different counties in Ireland having been often difputed, we think it neceflary to infert a comparative view of the thirty two counties, placing the largest firft, by which it appears, Cork is by far the largeft, and that Limerick is the tenth largest county in Ireland, and contains 375,320 Acres.

THE County of Limerick according to Drury's map lies between the 52d and 53d degrees of North latitude, and on the 9th degree of Weft longitude from London. Bounded on the fouth by the county of Cork, on the north by the river Shannon, on the weft by the county of Kerry, on the eaft by the county of Tipperary. In length from the eastern part of the barony of Coonagh to Abbyfeal forty miles, and from Limerick to Cloghnetifoy twenty miles. Being exposed to the winds from the Western ocean, and moftly low ground, the air is rather moift than dry, yet very healthful to the natives; in the firft part of this Hiftory we have given many inftances of the longevity of the inhabitants.

THE County fends fix members to Parliament, viz. two for the county, two for Aikeaton, two for Kilmallock. The baronies are Owney, Coonagli,

Ccc

Coonagh, Clanwilliam, Small County, Cothma, Cothlea, Upper and Lower Conello, Kenry and Pobble Brien. Limerick and Kilmallock enjoy many privileges, by virtue of their ancient charters. There are about fifty fix church livings in the county, for a particular account of which, and their patrons, fee page 161. The incumbents of thefe livings have the care of one hundred and thirty parishes; the ruins of many ancient churches and chapelries are ftill extant,

SPEAKING of the number of parishes and ancient churches, former writers have afferted, that instead of the human race, the country is over-run with fat bullocks, and dairy cows; but this does not seem to be the cafe with the county of Limerick, which contains twenty one thousand houses, and upwards of two hundred thousand inhabitants. Land having much increased in value, the gentry are numerous, opulent and hofpitable. Mr. Young, an intelligent writer, who made a tour through Ireland in 1778, fays, that between 1740 and 1750, there were only four carriages in and about Limerick, the bifhop's, the dean's, a clergyman's, and a country gentleman's, now there are in the city and liberties eighty three four wheeled carriages; in Limerick diftrict one hundred and eighty three four wheeled carriages, one hundred and fifteen two wheeled.

THERE are feveral English and Irish noblemen &c. who poffefs eftates in the county of Limerick, but, alas! they never fee the foil that yields them bread, or ask how fares the tenantry and peafantry, who contribute to their luxurious eafe. The fpirit of the legif

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