[ 24 ] 



account of his extenfive travels, together with a fketch of the 

 hiftory of the countries through which he paffed. Neither is 

 there any reafon to doubt that the author was adually in Ire- 

 land ; his perfonal acquaintance with that ifland appears not 

 only from the accurate manner of his defcription, but more 

 efpecially from his exprefsly telling us that he had himfelf feen 

 there certain lakes, the peculiar qualities of which he minutely 

 details — Qui vid' io di piu natura Laghi*. This laft circumftance 

 I mention, as it ferves to fhew that Ireland was then of fuffi- 

 cient note to induce a learned and illuftrlous Italian, notwith- 

 ftanding the dangers of the navigation, which he feelingly de- 

 fcribesf, to vifit its remote fhores. 



The book from which thefe quotations are taken is extremely 

 fcarce, being the firft printed edition of the Dittamondi, printed 

 at Vicenza in the year 1474. 



* Here I faw lahs of various natures. 



+ Diverfi Venti con mugli et con fifcio 

 Sofiavan per quel Mare andando a piagia^ 

 El qual de Scogli e de gran Saffi e mifchio. 



Still varying ivinds luith hifs and hideous roar 

 Blow thro' that fea, coo/ling the dangerous Jhoal, 

 Of ijles and monflrous rods a mafs confufed. 



