IRELAND. 309 



has never been explored, though it has been advanced into to the dis- 

 tance of a quarter of a mile, or more. But the most celebrated ca- 

 vern in Ireland is the cave of Dunmore, about three miles from Kil- 

 kenny. This has only been explored as far as a subterranean river 

 which runs through it about a quarter of a mile from the entrance, 

 where is a difficult descent of about 100 feet. One part of this 

 cavern resembles a grand Gothic structure in ruins; the other has 

 the appearance of a magnificent temple, from the ceiling of which de- 

 pend stalactic concretions, in the forms of inverted cones and pyra- 

 mids, which, when strongly illuminated, shine with astonishing bril- 

 liance, and produce a most extraordinary effect. 



The largest cataract in Ireland is that of Adragool, in Bantry-Bay. 

 On the top of a rocky mountain, which rises almost perpendicularly, 

 is a lake of considerable size, from which issues a sheet of water at 

 first 30 feet wide, which expands as it descends, and dashing from 

 rock to rock, forms a series of cataracts, till it is projected in the 

 form of an arch, over a lower hill into the sea. It is visible at the 

 town of Bantry, at the distance of 14 miles. 



Population.. ..At the commencement of the last century, the num- 

 ber of inhabitants in Ireland was thought to be about two millions ; 

 whereas, in 1672, there were, according to sir William Petty, no 

 more than 1,100,000. But from the accounts laid before the house of 

 commons in 1786, as returned by the hearth-money collectors, the 

 number of houses in Ireland amounted to 474,234. If we add to this 

 the probable increase since, and allow for the numbers intentionally 

 or unavoidably overlooked in such returns, we may reasonably con- 

 clude that the present actual amount is 500,000. 



We are next to consider what average number of persons we 

 should allow to each house. In the peasants' cottages in Ireland, 

 perhaps the most populous in the world, Mr. Young, in some parts, 

 found the average 6 and 63 ; others have found it, in different places, 

 to be 7 ; and Dr. Hamilton, in his account of the island of Raghery, 

 enumerates the houses, and discovered the average therein to be 8. 

 In the cities and principal towns, the houses, particularly in the ma- 

 nufacturing parts, generally contain several families ; and from dif- 

 ferent accounts the numbers in such are from 10 up so high as 70. 



From these data then, it will not, perhaps, be erroneous, if we fix 

 the average for the whole island at 8 persons to each house ; which, 

 multiplied by the number of houses, makes the population of Ireland 

 amount to four millions. 



National character, manners, and customs. ...It is justly ob- 

 served by Dr. Leland, with regard to the manners of the ancient 

 Irish, that if we make our inquiries on this subject in English wri- 

 ters, we find their representations odious and disgusting : if from wri- 

 ters of their own race, they frequently break out into the most ani- 

 mated encomiums of their great ancestors. The one can scarcely 

 allow them any virtue : the other, in their enthusiastic ardour, can 

 scarcely discover the least imperfection in their laws, government, or 

 manners. The historian of England sometimes regards them as the 

 most detestable and contemptible of the human race. The antiquary 

 of Ireland raises them to an illustrious eminence above all other Eu- 

 ropean countries. Yet when we examine their records, without re- 

 gard to legendary tales or poetic fictions, we find them, even in their 

 most brilliant periods, advanced only to an imperfect civilization ; & 



