intersects a tract containing some rich land, and much beautiful scenery, in the county of Cork; and passes through the western part of the county of Waterford. It flows towards the sea in an easterly direction until it reaches Cappoquin, from which place it proceeds in a southern course to Youghal, where it enters the ocean. This river is navigable to Cappoquin, distant from the sea fifteen miles. Several smaller rivers of the same name occur in different parts of Ireland.

The Slaney rises in the county of Wicklow, passes through the counties of Carlow and Wexford, and enters the sea at the town of Wexford. It is navigable for barges from Wexford to Eniscorthy.

The Bann, a fine river in the north, flows along the borders of the following counties: Down; Louth; Armagh; Antrim; and Londonderry. It falls into Lough Neagh, and, issuing from the north end of that great expanse of waters, proceeds, in nearly a direct line, towards the sea, dividing the counties of Antrim and Londonderry. This river enters the ocean in the vicinity of Coleraine.

The Foyle, next in rank among the northern rivers, runs through the counties of Tyrone, Donegal, and Londonderry. At the distance of about twenty miles from Lough Foyle, where it enters the sea, this river forms a confluence with the Finn and Mourne, and is in most parts of its subsequent progress nearly half a mile in breadth. The Foyle is navigable to Lifford.

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The Boyne takes its rise in the county of Kildare, and passes through the central part of the county of Meath. Washing the southern border of the county of Louth, it enters the sea in the vicinity of Drogheda. This river is navigable to Drogheda for ships of a considerable burthen; and, with the assistance of a navigable canal, a communication is effected between that town and Navan.

The above are the principal navigable rivers, which, from their connexion with several distinct counties, require notice in a general view of the country. Many which are of great local importance, and constitute some of the most estimable natural

ornaments of the island, are confined to particular districts, and demand remark only as subjects of topographical description.

The Lakes of Ireland are numerous; and, in regard to those which communicate with the sea by an immediate channel, may be considered as objects of national advantage, in a commercial point of view. Several are eminent for magnitude, and more for grandeur of scenery. The most extensive lakes are those of Lough Neagh, in the north-east part of the island (which is supposed to occupy not less than 173 English square miles); Lough Erne, which intersects Fermanagh; and Lough Corrib, in Galway.

Although Ireland is now lamentably deficient in Wood, it is evident that nearly the whole of the island formerly abounded in trees of various kinds. Proofs of this circumstance, bearing reference to different ages, may be easily adduced. The immense quantities of timber discovered in the bogs, plainly indicate that those districts formed one immense forest, at an early period; and the names by which many places are distinguished, convey allusions to their former situation amidst extensive tracts of woodland.

The operations of agriculturalists naturally led to the reduction of the exuberant woods of this country; and the ravages of early warfare probably destroyed other extensive tracts of forest-shelter. But the united effects of these labours were chiefly of a salutary description, and merely cleared the island of an injurious redundancy. That woods, so spacious as to be undesirable, existed down to the latter years of the sixteenth century, is shown by a remark of Spenser, who suggests, among various improvements which he wished to take place in Ireland, the propriety of an order "for the cutting and opening of all places through woods, so that a wide way, of the space of one hundred yards, might be layde open in every of them, for the safety of travellers, which use often in such perillous places to be robbed, and sometimes murdered."*

* Spenser's View of the State of Ireland, Edit. of 1809, p. 258.-It may not be uninteresting to observe, on the authority of Sir John Davies, that

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Many leases are still preserved which contain clauses, obliging the tenant to clear away the trees on the estate; and every traveller through Ireland, who makes extensive inquiries concerning the topography of the country, is shown very numerous tracts, now entirely denuded, which, in the remembrance of aged persons, or their fathers, were covered with trees of a venerable growth.

Much of the devastation committed on Irish woodlands, in years comparatively recent, is said to have proceeded from the practice of burning timber into charcoal, for the manufacture of iron ore, in the latter part of the seventeenth century. But the consumption for the use of those works must have been trivial in regard to the produce of the whole country; and we believe that the true cause of the modern destruction which has taken place, must be found in the improvident conduct of land-owners, whose exigencies have led to the sale of flourishing timber, without the performance of that real duty to their successors and the public, the careful provision for a future equivalent growth.

In addition to the injuries inflicted by wilful destruction or reprehensible neglect, it must be observed that the management of woodlands is very imperfectly understood in Ireland. An absurd opinion (remarks Mr. Hayes, in his work on Planting) was adopted some years back, " that wherever a wood was felled it was useless, if not detrimental, to leave a single reserve, and that no shoot from a tree once cut down could ever grow to

the early English settlers appear to have paid little attention to the preservation of woodlands, either for the purpose of the chace, or for the ornament of their respective demesnes. The following is the passage by which this information is conveyed:-" It seemeth straunge to mee, that in all the Recordes of this Kingdome I seldome find any mention made of a Forrest, and neuer of anie Parke or Free-warren; considering the great plenty both of Vert and Venison within this land; and that the cheefe of the Nobility and Gentry are discended of English race; and yet at this day," (reign of James I.)" there is but one Parke stored with Deere in al this kingdom: which is a Parke of the Earle of Ormond's neer Kilkenny.” A Discovery of the True Causes why Ireland was never entirely subdued, &c. Edit. 1747, p. 164.

timber. This ill-founded theory stripped whole counties at once both of their ornament and shelter; whereas a judicious thinningfall, repeated from time to time, would have kept up that appearance of woodland, which we remark in almost every shire in England."

There are no royal forests in this country; and hedge-row timber occurs in very few districts. The tracts most amply wooded are found in the counties of Wicklow, Kerry, and Fermanagh. Oak abounds in the glens of Wicklow, and on the mountains of Killarney; but, although greatly conducive to picturesque beauty, it rarely attains large dimensions, or individually approaches to the character of magnificence. Fermanagh appears to contain more wood than any other county of Ireland. Beech and ash are favourites of that soil, and the former attains a noble growth. Some majestic specimens of the Spanish chesnut are seen in the counties of Wicklow and Kerry.

The soil and climate, in most parts of Ireland, are peculiarly favourable to the growth of evergreens. In many places the laurel attains the size of a timber-tree; and the holly and the yew expand to a surprising bulk. The arbutus, exhibiting most luxuriant foliage, abounds at Killarney, and in the county of Wicklow. Myrtles, of various species, flourish in several districts without the assistance of art.

Independent of the counties mentioned above, the principal woods of Ireland are to be found as ornamental circumstances connected with particular demesnes. Of these we shall have occasion, in future parts of our work, to notice several fine instances.

MINERALS, FOSSILS, &c.-The subterranean productions of Ireland have not yet been explored with a sufficient degree of enterprise and perseverance, to afford important benefit to the inhabitants, or to gratify the curiosity of men of science. From the discoveries that have been made there is, however, ample cause for believing that this country abounds in mineral bodies, calculated to form potent auxiliaries in the attainment of national affluence.

We notice, in a previous page, the prevailing, and rational, opinion, that the island is formed of one immense bed of rock. The granite of which this bed chiefly consists, breaks through the surface in many parts of the country, and is seen in some of the most aspiring mountains. Limestone is the prevailing substance near the surface, but other kinds of stone, together with marble of an estimable quality, are found in great plenty, and in various districts. Amongst the most curious, although not the most useful, productions of this kind, must be noticed basaltes, which, on the northern coast of this island, stands displayed in some of the most awful forms that nature presents in works at once intricate and stupendous. The basaltic district occupies a line of coast reaching from the Estuary of Carrickfergus, on the northeast, to Lough Foyle, on the north; and extends inland to the southern shores of Lough Neagh. Some particulars respecting this august and interesting tract are presented in our description of the county of Antrim.

The precious metals have been found in small quantities, but with no indications of plentiful existence. Gold has been discovered in Wicklow, but not in continued, or regular, veins. A silver mine in the county of Kildare was worked about the middle of the last century, but was abandoned without individual or national profit. The ore of this metal is found, in small quantities, in several parts, but universally mixed with lead.

The more useful mineral substances are greatly abundant, and encourage the hope of much future advantage. Copper has been found, and worked, in several parts of the country; but hitherto not with any important benefit. Veins of lead are worked, with considerable success, in the counties of Donegal and Wicklow; and are found in various districts. Iron, which, from the valuable assistance it affords to human labour and the operations of the arts, would be entitled to primary consideration in a less cultivated state of society, is bountifully spread throughout nearly every part of the island. When treating on manufactures, we have occasion to mention the want of fuel, as a great impediment to the prosecution of iron-works in this country.