GENERAL STATE. 195 



BUILDINGS. 



Thefe improving, or falling into decay, are unerring figns 

 of a nation's increafing grandeur or declenfion : the minutes 

 of the journey, as well as obfervations already made, fhew, 

 that Ireland has been abfolutely new built within thefe twenty 

 years, and in a manner far fuperior to any thing that was 

 ieen in it before ; it is a fact untverfal over the whole kingdom; 

 cities, towns, and country feats ; but the preient is the sera 

 for this improvement, there being now far more elegant feats 

 rifing than ever were known before. 



R O A D S. 



The roads of Ireland may be faid all to have originated 

 from Mr. French's prefentment bill, and are now in a ftate 

 that do honour to the kingdom ; there has been probably ex- 

 pended in confequence of that bill, confiderably above a mil 

 lion fterling. 



TOWNS. 



The towns of Ireland have very much increafed in the Lift 

 twenty years ; all public regifters prove this, and it is a ftrong 

 mark of rifing profperity. Towns are markets which enrich 

 and cultivate the country, and can therefore never depopulate 

 it, as fome vilionary theorifts have pretended. The country 

 is always the rnoft populous within the fphere of great cities, 

 if I may ufe the expreflion, and the increafed cultivation of 

 the remoteft corners, fhew that this fphere extends like the 

 circulating undulations of water until they reach the moft dif- 

 tant fhores. , Befides towns can only increafe from an increafe 

 of manufactures, commerce and luxury ; all three are other 

 words for riches and employment, and thefe again for a gene- 

 ral increafe of people. 



RISE OF RENTS. 



The minutes of the journey fhew, that the rents of land 

 Lave at Icaft doubled in twenty-five years, which is a moft un- 

 erring proof of a great profperity. The rife of rents proves 

 a variety of circumftances all favourable ; that there is more 

 capital to cultivate land ; that there is a greater demand for 

 the products of the earth, and confequently a higher price ; 

 that towns thrive, and are therefore able to pay higher prices ; 

 that manufactures and foreign commerce increafe ; the vari- 

 ations of the rent of land, from the boundlefs and fertile 

 plains of the Miffiffippi, where it yields none, to the province 

 of Holland, where every foot is valuable, fhews the gradati- 

 ons of wealth, power and importance, between the one ter- 

 ritory and the other. The prcfent rental of Ireland appeared 

 to be 5,293,312!. and for reafons before given, probably not 

 iefs than fix millions. 



N a M A N U- 



