TO HIS GRACE

RICHARD-GRENVILLE-BRYDGES-CHANDOS TEMPLE,

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS, K. G. &c. &c.

a Nobleman

WHOSE PATRONAGE OF THE LITERARY INTERESTS OF IRELAND

IS SPLENDIDLY EVINCED BY

1

THE COLLECTION OF MANUSCRIPTS, RELATING TO THE ANTIENT HISTORY OF THAT ISLAND,

PRESERVED

AS THE MOST ESTEEMED TREASURES EVEN IN THE

PRINCELY LIBRARY OF STOWE,

THIS VOLUME

IS, WITH PERMISSION OF HIS GRACE,

MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,

AS A SMALL TRIBUTE TO HIS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE VIRTUES,

BY HIS GRACE'S MOST OBEDIENT SERVANT,

J. N. BREWER.

PREFACE

TO THE SECOND VOLUME OF THE BEAUTIES OF IRELAND.

ON completing the second volume of the Beauties of Ireland, I have to perform the pleasing duty of repeating my former acknowledgment of literary obligations to COLONEL HERVEY DE MONTMORENCY, from whose extensive topographical and genealogical collections I have derived much original and curious information.

W. SHAW MASON, Esq. has been unremitting in his efforts to serve this publication. The ability of Mr. Mason to afford valuable intelligence on subjects relating to the Statistics of Ireland, will be readily appreciated by those who have inspected his "Statistical Returns for the Barony of Rathvilly, in the county of Carlow," printed by order of the House of Commons, as a specimen of a work, that, when completed, cannot fail to prove of great national importance.

To SHEFFIELD GRACE, Esq. I am indebted for an undeviating politeness of attentions, highly conducive to the advancement of my undertaking.

The honour of several communications from other persons, whose names are likewise calculated to reflect credit on the work to which they have contributed intelligence, shall be duly acknowledged in pages prefatory to the concluding volume.-And here let me remark that, without the

advantage of such communications, it is scarcely possible for a topographical work to be performed in a manner bearing any resemblance of a satisfactory character. The mere tourist writes an account of what he sees, and his merit depends on the fidelity and spirit of the portraiture. But the present work is obviously of a different, and more comprehensive, kind. Its objects are not confined to a description of the country, with notices respecting the manners of the people. It aims at presenting a compendium of county and local history. To collect the intelligence that public sources may supply, concerning the history of particular places, is one of the first duties of my undertaking, and is readily performed. But the most valuable funds of information on such subjects, can be derived only from the possessors of estates, or persons long resident at the respective places which it is desirable to notice. Thus, the local examination that would prove quite adequate to the purpose of the tourist, is by no means sufficient for the satisfactory execution of the task in which I am engaged.

I profit by the opportunity of dwelling upon this circumstance, as most parts of Ireland are new to topographical inquiry, and many persons, capable of affording the information required, withhold such intelligence, not from a deficiency in literary liberality of manners, but from an erroneous impression respecting the nature of the work to which their communications would be of importance.

As I am now arranging my collections for Connaught and Ulster, I shall deem myself much honoured and favoured if the above remarks procure me any additional correspondents on the topography of those provinces.

Some casual errors are scarcely to be avoided, in a work treating on subjects so multifarious as those embraced by these volumes. One or two typographical mistakes, in regard to figures, have been discovered in the parts already

published. It appears, also, that, in following the authorities of Walker and Ryan, I have mis-stated the birth-place of Turlough O'Carolan. My authorities assert that the bard was born in the small town of Nobber; but it is said, in some papers published by the Iberno-Celtic Society, under the name of their Transactions, that he was, in fact, a native of Newton, distant from Nobber about three miles and a half.

It is an advantage of a work published in progressive parts, that time is allowed, before its completion, for a discovery of the errors peculiarly unavoidable in topographical labours. A notice of every inaccuracy that can be detected shall be carefully inserted in the final volume; since it is my anxious desire to render this work as correct, as it is, I trust, in every respect impartial.

PILLERTON HOUSE, WARWICKSHIRE,

March 30, 1826.

J. N. BREWER.