CAR 



parturc. This singular phenomenon has i.aturally 

 attracted a good deal of attention ; and superstition, 

 as usually happens, has busied itself in converting it 

 into a sourer of alarm and terror. It may, however, 

 without difficulty, be accounted for upon natural 

 principles. The Carniolian Alps in general, as that 

 chain of mountains is called which traverses this 

 country from Dalmatia to Carinthia, may in fact be 

 considered as one great mass of calcareous matter, 

 which, hollowed into a great number of grottos and 

 extensive cavities, affords opportunity for the accu- 

 mulation in particular places of great quantities of 

 now or rain water. With reservoirs of this kind, 

 there is every probability that the principal cavities 

 in the bottom of the lake of Zirknitz communicate ; 

 whence it is, that when the water in these recepta- 

 cles is from any cause considerably lowered, the wa- 

 ter of this lake falls down to fill up the vacuity ; but 

 when, from other contiguous subterraneous lakes, or 

 in any way else, more water is brought into them than 

 they are capable of containing, then a quantity of it 

 is forced up through the cavities mentioned, and thus 

 the lake of Zirknitz is replaced in its original condi- 

 tion. In connection with these natural curiosities, 

 there may be noticed here a remarkable work of art. 

 This is the road known by the name of the pass of 

 Lobel, by which a communication is formed be- 

 tween this duchy and that of Carinthia, and which, 

 in respect of the length that it has been carried over 

 a very elevated tract of ground, is certainly not equal- 

 led by any thing to be found in Europe. 



Carniola was known so early as the 8th century, 

 by the same name which it still bears. Its more an- 

 cient name appears to have been Crania. It was at 

 the period alluded to, that the Christian religion was 

 introduced into the country. It was endeavoured, in 

 the 16th century, to communicate to the inhabitants 

 the benefits of the Reformation. The success, how- 

 ever, appears not to have been considerable, as even 

 at present the prevailing system in that quarter is the 

 Roman Catholic. A few Walachians, or Uskokes, 

 who have their residence here, are of the Greek 

 church. 



Thre is a material difference observable between 

 the different parts of this country, in respect of man- 

 ners, dress, and language. In Upper and Lower 

 Carniola long beards are worn. There are two dis- 

 tinct languages spoken in the country, the Sclavo- 

 nian, to wit, or Wendish, and the German, corre- 

 sponding, it may be observed, to the diversity, in 

 point of origin, by which this people are distinguish- 

 ed, of whom the commonalty, it is understood, are 

 chiefly of Sclavonic extraction, the nobility of Ger- 

 man. The Slaves, or Wends, are said to have taken 

 possession of this country after the year 548. In the 

 time of Charlemagne and his posterity, it waa go- 

 verned by the dukes of Friuli, and afterwards by 

 those of Carinthia. Under Otto II. it became a dis- 

 tinct margraviate. It finally was vested in the House 

 of Austria ; and from a marquisate, which it had 

 long been, it was, in 1231, raised to the rank of a 

 duchy. It participated with other provinces in the 

 effect of the division of the Austrian States, from 

 1.895 to 1496. Otherwise, it has, with little inter- 

 ruption, ever since its first accession to them, conti- 



CAR 



lo form a part of the Austrian dominion!. To* 

 wards the maintenance of the military power of that 

 state, it contributes annually 363,171 florins, 

 forces usually quartered in it, are o:,ly two regiments 

 of foot. 



The following particulars, relative to this duchy, 

 are extracted from a statistical account of the Aus- 

 trian monarchy, published by Messrs Raymond and 

 Roth, 1809: 



The population, in 1783, of the circle of Laybach, 

 133,239; of Neustadt, 145,479; of Adchbcrg, 

 133,085 ; and of the whole duchy, 433,000. Num- 

 ber of marriages, in 1791, including Friuli aud Trieste, 

 5533 ; of births, 23,723 ; and of deaths, 17,930. 



Dwellings. 1783. 1801. 



Cities 19 19 



Market-towns 18 18 



Villages 3.302 3,311' 



Houses 69,850 74,65* 



Ecclesiastics 858 



Nobles 328 



In employs 745 



Citizens 2,817 



Peasants 50,617 



Males 199,368 



Females 209,686 



Families 75,333 



Wendes 360.000 



Germans 28,000 



Convents 7 



Castles 200 



Parishes 134- 



The principal towns in Carniola, are Laybach, 

 which, in 1798, contained 1300 houses, and 20,000 

 inhabitants; and Ydria, which contained 312 houses, 

 and 3500 inhabitants. See Tableau Statist, de la 

 Monarchic Autrich. Sfc. par Raymond and Roth ; 

 Annales des Voyages, de la Gengr. ct de I' Hist. Pub- 

 lices, par M. Malte. Brun ; Dictionttaire Universel de 

 la Geogr. Commerfante, par J. Peuchet ; and Kutt- 

 ner's Travels. (K) 



CAROL AN, TWALOGH, a celebrated poet and 

 musical composer, justly stiled the Irish Handel, was 

 born in the year 1670, in the village of Nabber, in 

 the county of Westmeath, on the lands of Carolan's 

 town, which formerly belonged to his ancestors. It 

 is greatly to be regretted, that so little is known of 

 the early part of the life of this eccentric and surpri- 

 sing genius. His father was only a poor farmer, the 

 proprietor of a few acres, which yielded him a scanty 

 subsistence. The cabin in which our bard was born, 

 is still pointed out to the inquiring traveller. It is 

 now in a ruinous state, and must soon become a prey 

 to all-devouring time ; yet the spot where it st od 

 will perhaps be visited at a future day, by the lovers 

 of national music and song, with as much true de- 

 votion, as the birth place of Shakespeare, or the cot- 

 tage of Burns. The small-pox deprived liim of his 

 eye-sight at so early a period, that he retained no re- 

 collection of colours ; yet, from this misfortune, he 

 felt no uneasiness, and was never heard to ccraplain. 

 " My eyes," he used to say, " are transplanted to 

 my ears." It was early discovered, that young ' 



