linen trade, and, with the falling off of whatever meagre supports it had, fell also the revenue. The reduction of the former produced a general discontent, and of the latter, an inability to pay for the necessary defence of the kingdom. In this state of things, the town of Belfast, which eighteen years before had been visited by invasion, applied to government for protection against the enemy who then menaced it with peculiar danger. Sir Richard Heron's answer was plain and candid-government could afford it

none.

To the many suggestions (idle, as they only produced irritation), of the illegality of the Volunteer army, this letter might, perhaps, be opposed as a substantial answer. Government was, as to national defence, abdicated, and the people left to take care of themselves. But if thus abandoned, their spirit soon supplied the defects and imbecility of administration. Antrim, and the adjacent counties, poured forth their armed citizens. The town of Armagh raised a body of men, at the head of whom Lord Charlemont placed himself. Every day beheld the institution expand-a noble ardour was almost every where diffused, and where it was not felt, it was at least imitated. Several, who had at first stood aloof, now became volunteers from necessity, from fashion. No landlord could meet his tenants, nor member of parliament his constituents, who was not willing to serve and act with his armed country

men.

The "spirit-stirring drum" was heard through every province, not "to fright the isle from its propriety," but to animate its inhabitants to the most sacred of all duties, the defence of their liberties and their country. At this time commenced the most active part of Lord Charlemont's life. That man must be cold-blooded indeed who can look back to those days without a lively enthusiasm, and becoming elevation of mind. We allude more particularly to the years 1781, and 1782, when trade revived, the volunteer army became disciplined, and a general harmony prevailed throughout Ireland. They may be regarded as the brightest which this country ever beheld.

Early in the year 1780 began the acquaintance of Lord Charlemont with Dr. Halliday, an eminent physician of Belfast, which afterwards improved into the most ardent friendship on both sides, and only ceased with Lord Charlemont's life.

We will pass over in silence the history of the conventions, and of the transactions of 1782, an epoch in Irish history, which a modern writer, (borrowing a fine illustration from the sacred volume, which we confess the dignity of the subject seems to us hardly to warrant,) splendidly describes, as "that memorable period when the Irish Parliament, in the very grave of its corruption, heard the sacred voice of Liberty saying, 'Come forth;' and the same warning voice said to England, Loose him, and let him go." Every history of Ireland will furnish ample information as to the occurrences of a public nature which took place about this time, which led to the establishment of the short-lived independence of the Irish legislature.

Shortly afterwards the King, having determined to create a new order of Knighthood in Ireland, to be styled the Knights of St. Patrick, Lord Temple, the then Viceroy, wrote to Lord Charlemont, in the most complimentary terms, alluding to his public services, and requesting his permission to place his name on the list then being prepared, in pursuance of his Majesty's commands. Lord Charlemont, with many expressions of thanks, accepted the honour so kindly and justly proposed to him. In the beginning of the following year, the installation took place, and was conducted with great magnificence. Immense crowds attended the procession of the knights from the castle to the cathedral, and Lord Charlemont, as he passed along, was received with applause and acclamation by all ranks of people.

Early in 1786, Lord Charlemont was placed in a situation as new as it was agreeable to him. He was elected President of that learned body, the Royal Irish Academy, then incorporated under the auspices of his Majesty. When this honour was conferred on Lord Charlemont, he did not regard it as a mere honorary distinction, to add another title to the solemn enumeration of his dignities at the Herald's office, and nothing to literature. Not one of

the members attended the meetings of the Academy oftener than he did; few so constantly. His contemporary Academicians were delighted with his urbanity, the graces of his conversation, and the variety of literary anecdote ancient and modern, with which he amused, and indeed instructed them, during the intervals of their agreeable labours at the academy. In such labours, he himself bore no inglorious part,

The greater portion of Lord Charlemont's life was now spent either at the house he had built in Palace Row, or at his elegant villa near Dublin, which he had called Marino, from its proximity to the sea, in the enjoyment of the society of his friends, or engaged in literary occupations. His house was uniformly open to all who had any claim on his attention, either from similarity of constitutional principles, or their cultivation of those pleasing and liberal studies, which in general employed his mind, and were his most agreeable, though too often only momentary refuge from severer labours. Every foreigner of taste congenial to his own, and every Englishman of rank and talent, who visited Dublin, made it a point to be introduced to him. As Edmund Burke once said of him, "he was indeed a man of such polished manners, of a mind so truly adorned, and disposed to the adoption of whatever was excellent and praiseworthy, that to see and converse with him should alone induce any one who relished such qualities, to pay a visit to Dublin."

About this time, an event occurred which afterwards proved to be fraught with consequences of the deepest concernment to Ireland; it in fact led to the removal of the legislature from this country to England. We allude to the malady with which the King became afflicted, and by which the personal exercise of the royal authority being interrupted, it was deemed necessary to provide for the exigency. A motion having been brought forward by Mr. Pitt, in the British House of Commons, that a committee should be appointed to report precedents of proceedings in such cases, it was objected to by Mr. Fox, as only tending to create delay; who further urged, that the Heir-apparent to the Crown was clearly entitled, during the suspension of the exercise of the royal authority from incapacity, to the exercise of the kingly power during such incapacity, as much as if the Crown had naturally demised. This position Mr. Pitt utterly denied, and in a lofty tone declared, that “to advance such a claim or right in the Prince, or any one, without the concurrence of both houses of parliament, was a species of treason to the constitution." Thus arose the famous regency question, to follow which through its details, would quite lead us away from our subject; suffice it to say, that in England the exclusive right of parliament to make provision for the exercise of the royal functions during the incapacity of the monarch to discharge them, was asserted by considerable majorities, while in Ireland the results were totally different. In the proceedings in the Irish parliament, Lord Charlemont took a most conspicuous and honourable part. The meeting of the legislature was deferred as long as possible, and every effort was made to secure a majority for Government, but in vain. Most of the members who had always voted with opposition, and many, who, on this occasion, left the Viceroy, proposed to Lord Charlemont to call a general meeting of such as were adverse to the proceedings in the British parliament. A large party therefore of the members of both houses met at Charlemont-house, on the 23d of February, 1789. In two days after, the session opened; when it was quickly found there was a preponderance against administration, as well in the Lords as in the Commons. In the House of Lords an address to the Prince of Wales was moved by Lord Charlemont, supported by the Duke of Leinster, Lord Granard, Lord Moira, Lord Donoughmore, and other Peers, requesting his Royal Highness to take upon himself the government of Ireland, with the style and title of Prince Regent, and in the name and behalf of his Majesty, to exercise all regal powers during his Majesty's indisposition, and no longer. Both houses now waited on Lord Buckingham, with their address to the Prince, which his Excellency refused to transinit. The consequence of this refusal (for which a vote of censure on the Lord Lieutenant passed both houses) was, that the Commons ap

pointed four of their members, and the Lords two of theirs, the Duke of Leinster, and Lord Charlemont, to proceed to England with the addresses. These proceedings terminated more happily than had been anticipated, by the restoration of the Sovereign to perfect health. The deputation, nevertheless, was received most graciously by the Prince, who particularly distinguished our good and venerable Earl.

On his return to Ireland, the health of Lord Charlemont began to fail considerably, he was now of rather advanced age, and his constitution had never at any time been very robust; he, nevertheless, continued to lead an active life, not only as a member of the legislature, but in forming the Whig club, which was established about this time, at whose meetings he often presided, and of which when his health permitted, he was the life and ornament. It consisted of the leading members of the opposition in both houses of parliament, with the addition of many gentlemen who were not in parliament, nor belonged to any party, but that of the constitution. At the same time, he was no less assiduous in forming the literary than the political character of his country; he attended constantly the meetings of the Irish Academy.

In the stormy debates of the House of Commons, in the session of 1790, Lord Charlemont took a deep interest, and spent so much more of his time in the lower house than in the upper, that it was said he should have been admitted ad eundem in the former assembly. It is true he never omitted his attendance in the Lords, but appeals constituted, at this time, the principal business of their Lordships.

Soon after this, the Bath waters being recommended as beneficial to the health of some of his Lordship's family, he prepared, at the close of April, to go there. The journey was undertaken by him with cheerfulness. "It is not pleasant to me," says he, "to give up Marino; it is still less pleasant to me to give up my library; but it is least of all pleasant to me to absent myself from that sphere of public life where my endeavours may possibly be of some small utility to my country; my absence, however, will be, I trust, but short; and if wanted I shall be ready and at hand."

At Bath Lord Charlemont remained for nearly six months; and then returned to Ireland to resume his usual avocations. We find him during the succeeding years at his post in Parliament, though his health continued to decline. We have no particular event to record about this time, except a melancholy one, the death of his second son, James Caulfield, a fine youth of seventeen years of age, who died in September, 1793. His loss was long severely felt by his father. In 1796, the Government having determined to raise yeomanry corps throughout the kingdom for the internal protection of the country in case of emergency, infirm as Lord Charlemont was, he went down to his own county of Armagh, where he was of essential service in promoting this object. Upon the dissolution of Parliament in July 1797, the venerable Earl had the pleasure of seeing his eldest son, Lord Caulfield, elected for the county of Armagh, with the entire approbation and applause of those concerned in the election. Such marks of the esteem and affection of the people for himself and his family were always dear to him. The debate in which Lord Caulfield spoke for the first time, was on a motion of Sir Laurence Parsons (March 5th) for an inquiry into the state of the nation, and to suggest such measures as were likely to conciliate the people. Lord Caulfield was listened to with peculiar attention on both sides. He spoke with sound sense. Lord Charlemont happened to be present, and could not conceal his emotions. In writing to Dr. Halliday he thus mentions the occurrence; "You will see in the papers that Frank has broken the ice; an effort which gives me the more pleasure, as I feared that the sheepishness of the father might have been entailed on the son. For his first essay he was not deficient in matter, nor in manner; and he showed a bashfulness which indicates that sensibility without which no man ever yet succeeded as a speaker."

In the beginning of 1798, the health of Lord Charlemont began rapidly to sink, he was now subject to continued indisposition, daily sinking under his disorder, but still anxiously employed for the welfare of that country

which he so truly loved. His friends saw nim constantly, but saw him on every visit with augmented and sometimes ill-concealed sorrow. His fondness for literature remained the same to the last. But his valuable life now drew rapidly to a close. He had attended constantly in the House of Lords during the discussion of the question of Union, and the first temporary defeat of that measure had given him some transient spirits; but his health declined every hour, his appetite had almost ceased, his limbs swelled, and it was evident to his family and his friends, that he could not long survive. He was visited in his last illness by his numerous acquaintances, till his strength becoming more and more exhausted, rendered him incapable of seeing but very few. At last, for some days previous to his dissolution, he sank into a species of stupor, and at length expired at Charlemont-house, in Dublin, on the 4th of August, 1799, in the seventieth year of his age. It was at first intended that his funeral should be public and, though finally agreed on that it should be strictly private, it was most numerously attended. His remains were conveyed to Armagh, and interred in the family vault, in the ancient Cathedral there.

Of the character of Lord Charlemont it is hardly necessary to say much; it has been in a great measure developed in the preceding sketch; it is difficult to say whether it appeared to most advantage at home, and in the bosom of his family, or in public, where he so unceasingly contended for the constitutional liberty, and laboured to ensure the tranquillity of his country. Other characters may be more brilliant, but can any be more entitled to our affectionate veneration? His life, when in Dublin, and not engaged by the Volunteers, was extremely uniform. He was on horseback every morning, and afterwards employed in various business till about one o'clock, at that time, or soon after, he went to his library, and remained there till almost dinner-time. His friends had then constant access to him, and considering the frequent interruption of visitors, it is a matter of some surprize, that he was able to write so much as he did; but it is a proof that not one moment of his time was unemployed. When Parliament was sitting, he regularly attended his duty there; and as the Lords, if not detained by particularly important business, rose rather early, he was constantly to be seen in the House of Commons, where from long usage, he was almost regarded as a member. Those who sat next to him during a debate, were often charmed by the justness of his remarks on the different speakers. As President of the Irish Academy, he constantly attended their meetings, and, when his health was interrupted, the Academy, from their respect to him, adjourned their sittings to Charlemont-house. As to his person, Lord Charlemont was of the middle size, or rather above it; but he stooped considerably, especially toward the latter part of his life; the effect, I believe, of ill health. His eyebrows were large and black. His features, when a young man, to judge of him from one or two portraits, were of a soft and delicate cast, but pain and indisposition soon perform the work of age, and even before he had reached middle life, had much changed his features; they became expanded, strong, and rather more expressive than handsome; but when he spoke or addressed any one, the amenity of his mind was diffused over his countenance, and rendered it peculiarly engaging.

To conclude, he was, in every sense of the word, an excellent man, of morals unstained, of mind and manners the most elegant; a patriot of the justest views, who kept his loyalty and zeal in the most perfect unison; his first object in life the good of his country.

His life was gentle, and the elements

So mix'd in him, that nature might stand up
And say to all the world, “This was a man !"

O'G.

FEMALE VIRTUE. The following interesting example of female virtue, is taken from the entertaining letters of Samuel Derrick.Dublin, 1767. He writes to the Earl of Cork :

My Lord,-In a large room, with white walls, badly lighted, and not encumbered with ornament, here is an assembly once a fortnight, at which you will find some very handsome females, dressed in the pink of the mode, I was particularly charmed with the appearance of

whose name I conceal, on account of the short story I am about to relate. Let it suffice, my lord, that I assure you every body who knows her allows her to be well made; her limbs in the most delicate proportion; her air graceful; her countenance modest, elegant, and striking; her conversation easy and sensible; her manner polished and engaging.

At

This amiable girl, who is of a good family, and has a moderate fortune, was courted by a young fellow of the name of Sullivan, whom she looked upon as her inferior, and gave him therefore very little encouragement: but his visits being countenanced by her mother, she received him with her natural cheerfulness and good humour. length, urged by the violence of passion, and wearied out with tedious expectation, he broke into her mother's house at the dead time of night, and taking her forcibly out of bed, carried her off, placing her before him, almost naked, upon a horse, in spite of her tears, outcries and resistance. The place he had prepared for her reception was an old unfrequented castle, about twenty miles from Cork, in a desolate, uninhabited part of the county of Limerick; and here, with the assistance of some savage vassals, he satiated all the rage of his brutal appetite. The place of his retreat being found out, the castle was invested by the sheriff of the county, assisted by a party of the army. Sullivan was actually fool-hardy enough to attempt to defend it, and several shots were exchanged, without any person being hurt. The place being at length taken by assault, he endeavoured to make his escape through a back door, but was pursued and taken. The unhappy lady was found in a neighbouring field, concealed in a kind of arbour, which had been built for the same purpose, she was covered with leaves, had scarcely any clothing, and was half dead with fear, cold, fatigue, and ill usage. She had been conducted hither on the first approach of Lord L'isle, (who was then high sheriff) and forbid to move, on pain of death.

Sullivan was lodged in Cork gaol; and an indictment being found against him, he was tried, convicted, and sentenced to be hanged; a punishment which he afterwards suffered, but which was greatly inadequate to the flagrancy of his crime. Lord L'isle attended the execution in person, at the head of a regiment of horse, to prevent a rescue, which was threatened.

During the course of the trial, Lord chief-justice Caulfield, with infinite benevolence, and a warm reprimand, over-ruled one of the prisoner's council, who endeavoured to throw this amiable woman into confusion, by a question both impertinent and indecent ; "Ask your own heart, (says this good old man) if any one who had the feelings of honour, or the least touch of compassion, could ever think of putting such innocence, and so much beauty to the blush."

66

Before sentence was pronounced on the prisoner, he begged leave to ask the young lady one question, which was this: "Madam, matters have been carried on against me with a very high hand; they are now come to an extremity, which it is in your power to palliate; if you will marry me, the court may perhaps consider the case in another light, and save my life." Sir," answered this injured woman, with a spirit of resolution, void of rancour, and free from bitterness, "If I loved you to distraction, I would not stir a step to save your life; the punishment you are about to suffer will never restore my blasted honour, but it may stand as an example for protecting innocence from villainy." Every considerate person must, I think, applaud her resolution, and agree with me in this sentiment, that her image should be erected in the temple of virtue, as the guardian of the privileges of her sex, and the scourge of savage and illiberal passions.-I am, my Lord, &c., &c. CHARLES II. AND HIS IRISH ADHERENTS.-. -Derrick, in his entertaining letters, from which the story above is taken, and which are written in a graceful style, says, "The conduct of Charles the II. on his restoration, is notorious; he confirmed the grants made to Oliver's soldiers, while his most loyal subjects were betrayed, and abandoned to misery. Among these unhappy sufferers no man's case was more deplorable than that of Lord Viscount Fermoy, the head of the Roches, a numerous and loyal clan in the county of Cork. bleman, refusing to compound with the usurper, abandoned a very fine estate, and in 1652, went abroad, and entered into the Spanish service. When Charles was at

This no

Brussels, Fermoy, being a Colonel of a Regiment, assigned to the King almost all his pay, reserving a mere trifle for the maintenance of himself and his family. This ge nerosity having ruined him, he was obliged to sell his regiment to pay his debts; and after the restoration, coming to London with a wife and six children, the King, though pressed by the Duke of Ormond and Lord Clan ricarde, far from restoring him to his honors and estate, refused to hear of him; and had it not been for the benevolence of these two illustrious noblemen, this unhappy Lord and his family must have been starved."

"How melancholy an object," Derrick adds, "a peer so ancient as to have been summoned to parliament as a baron even in the commencement of the fourteenth century be ing the reign of Edward the Second, almost dying for want, under the eye of a king to whom he had given bread!"

This is but one instance in a thousand of the ingratitude of that most heartless and profligate member of a race almost wholly worthless, After his restoration, his court was for a considerable time beset with the unfortunate Irish gentlemen who were beggared by their adherance to his cause, in the vain hope of obtaining some portion of their property, or some compensation for their losses, by an appeal to his honor and justice; and their descendants, even to this day, traditionally preserve, and relate with graphic spirit, many circumstances of the interview of their ances tors with the royal buffoon, which have not hitherto appeared in print. For a while these applicants were received without reluctance, for it afforded him an opportunity of amusing himself and his courtiers by acting the hypocrite with an indecent levity, and a perfection for which he had every requisite. To the several bodies of Irishmen, who usually went up to levee in groups, he had the same sorrowful countenance, and the same soothing and commiserating speech, beginning "my poor people, how my heart bleeds for you," &c. ; but the daily repetition of the farce became irksome and annoying. His hypocrisy was seen through, and the Irishmen, who found that they had nothing to hope from his honor or generosity, were accustomed to give vent to their feelings, with the bold spirit characteristic of their country. Such was the indignant reply of one of those unfortunate gentlemen, we believe a Colonel Costelloe,--to the king's usual address : "Please your majesty, I ask no compensation for my services and losses in your majesty's cause; I see that to your friends, and to my countrymen in particular, you give nothing; and that it is your enemies alone who receive favor and reward. For ten years' service, for many wounds, and for the total loss of my estates, I ask nothing; but in the ardour of youth, and in the belief that I was asserting the sacred cause of liberty, I fought for one year in the service of the usurper-give me back such portion of my estates, as that year's service entitles me to."

Such uncourtly visitors could hardly fail of becoming unacceptible to the royal presence, and in fact, at length their appearance used to inspire him with such vexation and horror, that he resorted to every practicable art to avoid encountering them. Having heard of a fresh arrival of petitioners from Ireland, he one day asked one of his merry courtiers-the Lord Falkland, to whom he bore a personal resemblance, to personate him at the meeting, and rid him of their importunities. Falkland consented, on condition that his majesty should be present. The Irishmen were introduced, and Falkland imitating to the life his usual look and speech, beginning, "my poor people," made it a difficult matter for the surrounding courtiers, and even for his majesty himself, to refrain from loud laughter. But the humour was irresistible, when, in conclusion, he directed their attention to the monarch himself, and added, in the following words, "there's my poor friend Falkland, look at his care-worn countenance; he has been a constant follower of my fortunes-has lost every thing in my service-and has had my royal word repeatedly given, that he should be restored to his property-and yet-there he is, poor Falkland still!"

DUBLIN:

P.

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THE

ST. DOULOUGH'S CHURCH.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUBLIN PENNY JOURNAL.

Sir,-The pursuit of architectural antiquities, which many of my cold, calculating prudential friends have stigmatised as idle and foolish, has had, at least one good effect,-it has, (if I may so speak) lifted me above my lot, and by giving full rational employment to iny mind, has, I trust, in some degree saved me from temptations to which many of my class are exposed, and in the indulgence of which so many fall victims. It has also created a desire for useful knowledge, the gratification of which has opened up new sources of pleasure, has assisted mental improvement, and contributed materially to my peace of mind, and consequently my happiness; to this I could have recourse at any time, and often when the horizon of life has darkened around me, (for I too have had my difficulties) I have retreated to the study of antiquity as to a strong hold, and, by sketching a view, or inditing a description,

have calmed my mind, invigorated my spirits, and given care his quietus

But for you, Sir, it is probable these sketches and descriptions would never have seen the light; they, with their author, would in a short time have sunk into oblivion, and been forgotten; but you have kindly given a few of them publicity, and by your generous patronage and remarks, brought me before the public in a manner the most flattering, and which I am not at all conscious of having deserved, and the result is, as you remark in your 32d No., "the house painter of Ranelagh is now transformed into the schoolmaster of Raheny."

I hope it will not be conceived that these remarks are dictated by a spirit of egotism; far from it. I wish, in the first place, to express my gratitude in as public a manner as the obligation was conferred; and secondly, I am anxious to stimulate, by my example, many of the members of the profession to which I have belonged, to some exertion, and to duly appreciate their own value. T

are numbers of house painters possessed of more talent than I ever could lay claim to, but unfortunately, they too often prefer talking to acting, or sketching on a tap-room table, to copying from nature; and by insensibly giving way to habits of dissipation, they undermine their constitutions, debase their minds, and ultimately destroy every glimmering of talent they may have possessed.

To these, particularly to the younger members, I would especially address myself, and endeavour to point out a source of rational amusement, which besides fitting them peculiarly for their business, may eventually become a substantial benefit.

We cannot in Ireland boast of many such religious edifices as are the pride and ornament of Britain. The state of insecurity in which our ancestors dwelt, exposed alike to domestic strife and foreign invasion, sufficiently accounts for this. Yet we possess religious remains such as no other country can shew, and which may be called indigenous.

The most prominent of these are the round towers, the original uses of which have occupied the attention of every successive generation of antiquarians from Giraldus Cambrensis to the present day. The next in order are the stone-roofed chapels and churches, the most remarkable or at least the most extensive of which is Cormack's Chapel, on the rock of Cashel, supposed to have been erected before the year 901. There are several others of this description in the kingdom; and having lately visited one, viz. St. Doulough's, in this neighbourhood, I take the liberty of sending you a drawing of it.*

Doctor Ledwich, in his antiquities, gives a view and description of this singular edifice, the latter of which I will take the liberty of transcribing.

"The Church of Saint Doulogh's, situated about four miles east of Dublin, on the road to Malahide, is a curious structure; it is 48 feet long by 18 wide. There is a double stone roof; the external which covers the building, and that which divides the lower from the upper story. You enter this crypt through a small door to the south. Just as you enter, the tomb of St. Doulough presents itself; the tomb projects so far into the room, that together with the stairs, of the tower and the legs of the arches, it can contain but few people, it seems designed for no other purpose but the separate admission of those who came to make their prayers and offerings to the Saint. From this room, by stooping, you pass a narrow way, and enter the chapel. This is 22 feet by 12, and lighted by three windows, one to the east and two to the south; the arches pointed and decorations gothic; these, with the tower, are later additions. The roof is of stone, and carried up like a wedge; the stones which cover it are not large, but so well bedded in mortar, that after many centuries this roof admits neither light nor water."

Thus far Dr. Ledwich-His description, it must be confessed, is meagre; but the fact is, to know St. Doulough's it must be seen, and as the distance is but trifling from Dublin, the gratification to be derived from its inspection will amply repay the trouble. There is also a beautiful octagonal well at the rere of the Church, which was formerly the baptistery, and which may probably form the subject of a future communication.

Some are of opinion this building is coeval with Cormack's Chapel mentioned above-namely, A. D. 901. while Doctor Ledwich contends it is not older than the beginning of the eleventh century, and that it is the work of the Ostmen or Danes, and dedicated by them to their favourite Saint Olave, of which name he says Julloch or Doulogh is a corruption. In my opinion both may be right. The western division is evidently much older than the tower or eastern end, which were probably added by the Danes in the age mentioned by Dr. Ledwich, to an original cell or crypt. The style of architecture is different, and each apartment has a separate stair, the windows, too, of the porch and eastern division are all different in design, and will be found on examination to consist in their ornamental parts and casings of disjointed parts and different mouldings. I have often thought, from seeing freestone chiefly employed in the ornamental parts of the churches and

The view of St. Doulough's, at the head of this communication is not taken from Mr. Armstrong's drawing, which will be given in a subsequent number, along with others, as stated in the note at the end of this article. -EDIT

castles, in situations where it could not be obtained in the vicinity, that these parts ready prepared, formerly made an article of commerce, and were imported from England, Normandy, &c. These becoming the spoils of the piratical Danes, were here used promiscuously, and helped to form the extraordinary church of St. Doulough's. ROBERT ARMSTRONG.

Raheny, Feb. 1833.

NOTE BY THE EDITOR.

The age of this very unique and remarkable building has occupied much antiquarian attention, and is still involved in great obscurity: but we cannot in justice to ourselves or to our readers enter into the subject in our present number, without exceeding the limits of an editorial note. We intend, however, very shortly to return to it, with other illustrations, necessarily connected with the investigation, and have no doubt but we shall be able to prove that antiquarians have strangely mistaken the period of its erection, which is accurately defined by its own architectural peculiarities.

TOUR TO CONNAUGHT.

LETTER VII.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUBLIN PENNY JOURNAL.

SIR-The country from Tyrrell's Pass to Kilbeggan is improved. The hills are generally well timbered, the low grounds are drained, and gentlemen's seats are to be seen on either side of the road. One in particular caught my attention, as well remembered, having, in my younger days, enjoyed the hospitality of its then owner. It has since more than once changed masters; on enquiring who now possessed it, I was informed by one of my fellow-travellers, that its present proprietor was not satisfied with his bargain; and he mentioned, as the common report of the country, how an ingenious trick was played off, in order to induce him to effect the purchase. "The land," said he, "is naturally very light-the upland a dry hungry gravel-the lowland, such as reclaimed bog generally is, wet, rushy, and inclined to return to its original unproductiveness. The gentleman struck with the beautiful forms of the grounds, and with the tasteful way in which it was planted, appointed a time on which he would come and view the house and land, and previous to that day the owner proceeded to some neighbouring fairs, and bought up some forty or fifty of the fattest heifers he could meet-these were, of course, grazing on the land the day the visitor arrived; accordingly, in passing along, he put the question, whether the land could provide good beef and mutton for the table." My object, Sir, is, if I take a country place, to live within myself, to go to market for nothing, to buy as little and sell as much as I can." Right, Sir," says the owner, “that is what I have always done-look yonder, pray, the proof of the pudding may be in the feeding, as well as the eating; do, Sir, come over with me and handle a few of these heifers-there is nice beef for you, fit for any market -not better made up cattle from this to Kells." The stratagem was successful-the admiring gentleman struck with such convincing proofs of good land, soon concluded the bargain. But, alas! since he became possessed of the title deeds, he has never yet been able to have a good sirloin on his table from his grounds. "Confound the blockhead!" exclaimed a farming man, who was listening to the story," he must have been some soft Cit to be taken in so-could he not have looked at the blackheads and fairy flax and the traneens? and they would have told him that he could not expect a fat goose, let alone a fat cow, from such sun burnt hills." "Sir Henry Piers, in his account of Westmeath," observed I, "written 160 years ago, describes the inferior Westmeath farmers, as follows:"The Sculloges, which may be Englished farmers, or boors, are generally very crafty and subtle in all manner of bargaining, full of equivocation and mental reservation, especially in their dealings in fairs and market, where, if lying and cheating be no sin, they make it their work to overreach any one they deal with, and if by slight or fetch they can hook in the least advantage, they are mighty tenacious