Kilkenny. 3 1 



About seven miles before we reached Kil- 

 kenny we had a prodigious fine view of the 

 extensive plain in which it is situated ; the 

 country is rich, tolerably well wooded, and 

 abounds \\ith gentlemen's seats. As we ap- 

 proached the town, we found the land well 

 inclosed, and the fences admirable. We had to 

 regret the day so soon closed in. I should, 

 however, do injustice to the exertions of one 

 gentleman, were I to pass unnoticed his castel- 

 lated mansion. When the appearance of a 

 country suffers no deformity by the operations 

 of individuals, every One is pririleged to exercise 

 his own taste for its decoration. 



The Irish town, or suburbs, as we should call 

 them, are large, dirty, and comfortless, and, like 

 most other approaches to the larger towns in Ire- 

 kind, exhibited much wretchedness. We found 

 great bustle in the street, and every other in- 

 dication of a populous place. The inn is not 

 to be complained of; but the noxious fumes 

 from the fires are intoleraby offensive. Kil- 

 kenny coal has long been celebrated as forming 

 one of the wonders of Ireland, in its producing 

 fire without smoke ; which "has long ceased to 

 be a wonder in South Wales, whence the stone 

 coal for drying malt w procured ; it is a coal of 

 very similar quality to that found at Kilkenny, 



2 



