Ireland, with an excellent haven formed by the long estuary of the river Shannon. CIt is aes counted the third city in Ireland. There are three bridges over the river, one of which consists of fourteen arches. Inhabitants about 50,000. It has an export of pork, beef, and butter; but its chief trade is in grain, of which larger quantities are sent from this, than from any other port in Ireland.

(

GALWAY is a town of considerable note, and carries on an extensive trade with the West Indies. Inhabitants 12,000 BELFAST, on the N.E. is the centre of the linen manufactures, and may also be regarded as a Scottish colony. Inhabitants computed at 20,000. Chief manufactures, cotton, cambric, sail-cloth, linen, with glass, sugar, and earthenware. Its chief exports are to the West Indies. NEWRY is the second of the northern towns. Its butter trade amounts to about 300,0001. annually and the linens exported from itin one year, ending January 1803, amounted to 200,0001. The average of the weekly sales in the linen market is estimated at 4,5001. In the south east WEXFORD is remarkable for its woollen manufactures. Inhabitants 9000.—WA◄ TENFORD is a city of considerable importance, situated on the river Suire; its population about 35,000. The chief exports are pork, beef, grain and linen. Packet boats sail regularly between Waterford and Milford Haven. Of the interior towns of Ireland KILKENNY and CLONMELL on

the Suire, are the principal; the former contains above 16,000 inhabitants.lt

The chief river of Ireland is the SHANNON, which rises from the lake of Allen, and extends below Limerick into a vast estuary or frith, about sixty miles in length, and from three to ten in breadth. The whole course of the Shannon may be computed at 170 miles. The other rivers of Ireland, have little of this majestic character. The BARROW rises about forty miles to the west of Dublin, near the source of the Boyne, and after a course of about 100 miles enters the sea on the south east. It has been rendered navigable to Athy, where the grand canal joins it. The SLANEY forms the harbour of Wexford. The LIFFY is an inconsiderable stream. The BOYNE after a a course of about fifty miles also enters the eastern sea. The BANN is a considerable stream in the north, which enters the sea after a course of about 70 miles. The river FOYLE passes by Londonderry, and has a considerable estuary called LOUGH FOYLE. The SWILLEY is of inconsiderable lengthen a myra koko BAT

MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE.

Ireland, according to a memoir by the late Earl of Charlemont, in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, was early distinguished for her manufactures of woollen stuffs. Her woollen trade, however, as has been already seen, in the course of her history, became an object of jealousy tó England, and it was crippled in various ways, so that her efforts became directed towards the linen manufacture, in which she has eminently succeeded. The annual produce of this manufacture was com→ puted in the year 1780, at 2,000,000l. sterling. In the year ending January, 1799, the value of Irish linen exported to Great Britain exceeded 2,500,0001. exclusive of that sent to America, and consumed at home; and it has since considerably increased. But a great portion of the commerce of Ireland arises from her abundant stores of black cattle, the moisture of the climate rendering the pasturage remarkably luxuriant. In 1780, Mr. Young computed the average imports of Ireland at 1,240,6771. and the exports at 2,012,2021. From the annual average taken of the three years preceding the 5th of Jan. 1799, it appeared that the total value of exports from Ireland to Great Britain alone, was 5,612,6891. whilst the value of imports from Great Britain was only 3,555,8451. leaving a balance in favour of Ireland of 2,056,8441. C c

VOL. 11.

(See Appendix to Lord Auckland's Speech on the Union.) This balance has been considerably increased since the union, though it is in some measure counterbalanced by what goes out of the country in rents, &c. to absentees, and for the interest of loans raised in England. This latter evil, however, it is now endeavoured to obviate as far as possible by raising the loans in Ireland which was entirely accomplished in the last loan.

BOOK III.

THE MANNERS, CUSTOMS, LITERATURE, &c. of

IRELAND.

CHAP. I.

Literature of Ireland of great antiquity-Sir J. Ware's account of Irish authors-Its modern literature-List of the celebrated men it has produced-Curran and Grattan-Specimens of their eloquence-Character of Grattan -The manners and customs of the Irish-Ex tract from Dr. Crumpe-A philosophical investigation of the Irish character.

THE literature of Ireland has a claim to very high antiquity, for in the centuries immediately following the introduction of christianity many writers arose, whose works were not perhaps adapted to the popular taste as they consisted of lives of saints, and works of piety and discipline, but to the inquisitive reader, they present many singular features of the history of the human mind.