144 NOTES OF AN 



the Custom-house — the Post-office, with Nelson's pillar — the 

 Four Courts — and the Bank. The last-mentioned building, 

 formerly designed for the Parliament-house, is beautiful and 

 unique. We have nothing in London to compare with the 

 separate or combined elegance of its several fronts ; and the 

 Custom-house transcends ours in about the proportion that the 

 Thames does the LifFey. There are squares too, not so splendid 

 but larger, and in better taste than ours ; and one or two busi- 

 ness establishments that excel any we have to show, — not in 

 plate-glass and gas-lights, — but in size and appearance of 

 substantial respectability. On the other hand, we saw misery 

 and wretchedness enough ; but still, I suppose, did not happen 

 upon the worst parts of Dublin, often described in such harrow- 

 ing terms ; for, except in the somewhat greater proportion of 

 the shoeless and stockingless, which is only national, we saw 

 nothing but what there is unfortunately parallel enough to in 

 our own metropolis, in each particular of filth, destitution, and 

 density of population. Things which we see plainly abroad, 

 at home and beneath our eyes too frequently pass unnoticed; 

 and perhaps there is a habit of looking for misery in Ireland. 

 I believe there are thousands, both of visitors and residents, in 

 this vast metropolis of London, who may think too that they 

 are well acquainted with its every feature, and yet have no 

 idea of the extent of its pauper population, nor of the appalling 

 state of filth, disease, and squalid misery, of many of its 



quarters Of course, we visited Phoenix Park, which 



far exceeds in extent and variety any of ours : and the Zoo- 

 logical-gardens, which form one of its attractions, though not 

 large or very numerously stocked, are interesting and prettily 

 laid out. 



Travellers who wish to see things as they really are, should 

 not take letters of introduction. This is a particularly good 

 rule for those who cannot obtain them. The next least evil 

 to none at all, is as many as you can possibly get, and to 

 persons of all ranks and parties, professions, opinions, and 

 manner of occupation in life. You can scarcely help receiving 

 a bias from the channel in which you are thrown, more parti- 

 cularly when connected with kindness and hospitality. Letters 

 of introduction act as a groove or tram-road, confining you to 

 a certain course or direction. We had but two ; one to 

 J. Tardy, Esq. of Mount-pleasant, near Dublin, the esteemed 



