Source and Outfall of River Shannon. 369 



vided, " that no Papist, excepting laborers and 

 fishermen, shall reside therein (Limerick) as 

 housekeepers ; nor are they to rent any tene- 

 ment above forty shillings a-year." It seems not 

 to have occurred to the politicians of those days, 

 that consulting the feelings and courting the 

 interests of mankind, were the most effectual 

 means of securing the affections and attachment 

 of a nation. 



The Shannon is a noble river : it derives its 

 source from the mountains near Swadlingbar, 

 passes through the Loughs of Allen and Ree, 

 and thence through Limerick, to the great 

 Western Ocean, a course of one hundred and 

 ninety miles. The fall of its waters, in the dis- 

 tance of the first one hundred and twenty-eight 

 miles, is one hundred and fifty-one feet. It is 

 navigable from Limerick only to the sea, a 

 distance of about sixty-three miles ; and near 

 the city, its banks are highly ornamented by 

 residences of opulent persons. A communica- 

 tion by means of the " Grand Canal" will be 

 effected between this city and Dublin as soon 

 as the canal is finished, which still wants four- 

 teen miles of cutting to complete this import- 

 ant work. 



There are a number of respectable families 

 VOL. i. 2 B 



