approached by a rustic bridge, which we were not permitted to cross, without an order, a circumstance regretted by the whole party, as we were naturally desirous so see all that was worth seeing in a place so celebrated. But, the immortal Shakspeare says-" There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flow, leads on to fortune;" so, we resolved to try our fortune some where else, and accordingly turned our horse's head to Luggelaw.

Our journey now assumed a different aspect. We soon experienced some of the inconveniencies and hardships attendant upon the explorers of secluded scenery. The road presented a succession of hills-hill after hill-till the eye was fatigued with looking upwards. I never was partial to much walking, and, I confess, I was heartily tired before my esteemed friend, who was very careful of his horse, invited me to resume my seat on the jaunting car. Some miles of tolerably level ground succeeded this multitudinous ascent, and I was inwardly congratulating myself that my toils were over, when we were again ordered to dismount, as the road now led down a steep declivity, to which there seemed to be no end. The walk was not, however, as fatiguing as the former one, the road being shaded by thick foliage, while a gentle breeze from the lake refreshed our drooping spirits. At length, we reached the object of our wishes. It is by no means an uncomfortable house, at least for a temporary visit, like ours. We were shown into a very respectably-sized room, where we soon made ourselves comfortable with a basket of provisions, supplied by the munificence of our Bray friends, whose kindness and hospitality I cannot sufficiently appreciate or too often acknowledge. I never enjoyed a thing of the kind so much. Our fare was excellent-cold hain and chickens, mutton pie and cream cheese, with a pint of excellent sherry and some bottled ale. I felt so thoroughly refreshed, as to enjoy a walk with the ladies, to the sandy shore of the lake, encircled by hill and dale, while their prudent relative stayed behind to see his horse fed. Our conversation was lively, though bordering on the sentimental. My fair associates were both persons of refined taste and extensive reading, and they at once detected my plagiarism, when pointing to a high rock, rising to the clouds in sublime perpendicularity, I exclaimed with enthusiasm

"Come one, come all, this rock shall fly

From its firm base as soon as I."

This lively sally produced a mellifluous torrent of poetical quotation from all parties, till we were so wrapt in Fancy's magic mantle, that we absolutely started at the sound of my friend's loud halloo, summoning us to resume our journey. It reminded us of the horn of James Fitzjames, and at the moment we should have felt no surprise, had a man started out of the bushes, and cried " Saxon, I am Roderick Dhu."

Certainly, Luggelaw is situated most romantically lonely, and, with a little exertion, might be rendered perfectly inaccessible. It may also be well called "meet nurse for a poetic child;" for I remarked in the Album, kept to record the names of the visitors, several very spirited effusions in rhyme—the greater part well worth rescuing from their oblivious solitude. I did not add to the collection, though pressingly iutreated by my fellow-pilgrims, but contented myself with merely inscribing my name, together with those of my amiable companions, adding a few simple expressions in adiniration of the surrounding precipices. I cannot conclude my description of "these dark solitudes and awful cells" without assuring the botanist that he will be highly gratified by the profusion of cryptogamic plants, clothing the rocks and embellishing the shores. I gathered a very fine specimen of the crysanthemum leucanthenium, and one very scarce plant of the class pentandria, that I never met with before.

The evening shadows were extending themselves over the unruffled surface of the dimpled lake, like saddening thoughts stealing over the contemplative memory, when we prepared to mount the Alpine ascent. I had fondly entertained a hope that some other way of egress might lead from this subterraneous excavation, but I was disappointed. We had to retrace our footsteps-literally footsteps, as my worthy and philanthropic fellow-traveller was particularly desirous of saving his horse, a very strong animal, who could have trolled up the hill with a heavier load than our united weights could average-and when we arrived at a village called Roundwood-I suppose from some circular plantation in its proximity, though I was too much tired to make any inquiries after it—where we purposed remaining the night-I merely sat up till I swallowed some

mutton chops, hastily undressed, and then embraced my pillow, with a degree of comfort only known to those who, like me, and Childe Harold,

"Restless and worn, and stern and wearisome,

Drooped as a wild-born falcon with clipt wing." Friday-Left my downy couch about seven o'clock, considerably recruited after a continuous slumber, unbroken from the moment I laid my head upon the pillow, till, roused by my active friend, whose buoyant spirits always inclined him to take time by the forelock. After "adoring the cosmetic powers," as Pope figuratively expresses the common occurrence of putting on one's clothes, I descended to the table d'hote, or salle a manger, as the French designate the breakfast table, and found my fair voyageurs, each, as I assured them, the personification of "a fay in fairy land," ready equipped for prosecuting our tour. The breakfast was quickly despatched, and we again resumed our vehicle, filled with the most delightful anticipations of the pleasures awaiting us.

Our destination was the vale of Glendalough; or, as it is more appropriately designated-the Seven Churches -from the remains of seven edifices

of that order of architecture occupy ing the space so denominated, with irregular intervals between them. Nothing can equal the Alpine effect of

the first view. Mountain towers over

mountain, and the vale sweetly blends with the secluded lake, that rests in the extremity of a rocky amphitheatre, like the "sorrowing sea-bird" in the peaceful covert of its mother's nest. A thousand retrospections rushed upon my memory, as I entered the precincts of this enchanted ground, all tinged with a melancholy cast of thought. I repeated, unconsciously, to myself, "Adieu, thou dreary pile"-then, "Ye distant towers, ye antique spires !"— then, audibly and distinctly,

"If you would see fair Melrose aright,
Go visit it by the pale moonlight."

Some minutes elapsed before I could give my attention to the four guides, who offered to show us the curiosities, and, indeed, they had so much to show and tell, that it was impossible to take in all the information as quickly as it was given. A good deal of fabulous matter was mixed up with wellauthenticated facts, which the judicious antiquary rejects, as unworthy a place in his memoranda. I shall, therefore, confine myself to what is instructive,

and leave the rest to be gleaned by the lovers of legendary lore.

Ireland was once the most learned, the most civilized, and the most polished nation in the known world. Various monuments of her ancient splendour remain to this day to attest the fact, if it should be questioned by sceptical ignorance. The Vale of Glendaarts and sciences were not unknown to lough is, in itself, a proof that the tical history. Witness the ruins that us at a very early period of ecclesiashave survived the wreck of time, rearing their heads in this most secluded nook of nature's wide domain.

The edifices are remarkable for extreme simplicity of design and a certain plainness in the architecture, quite Spartan. There is, in particular, a ve

curious stone roof still standing, perfectly devoid of adventitious ornament, and challenging admiration by its chaste severity. The soil, I should conceive, rather swampy in wet weather, and the proximity of so many mountains must conduce to a considerable humidity of atmosphere. But the object of greatest interest, where all is interesting, is one of those circular elevations, called round towers, which have set at defiance the researches of the most acute

antiquaries, challenging investigation, and, at the same time, smiling contempt on the puny efforts that would unravel their Eleusinian mysteries. They have been the subject of ingenious and peculiarly delicate inquiry, yet nothing satisfactory has been elucidated concerning their date, or the uses for which they were built. I have marked the word uses in italics, to prepare my readers for a little hypothesis of my own, which I venture to put forward with modesty, and yet, at the same time, with that degree of boldness, such as originality of any kind is entitled to indulge in. I say, therefore, that perhaps we shall never gain the right clue to this labyrinth of conjecture, while we obstinately persist in supposing that they were intended for any use. Why not throw off these shackles at once, and, taking a wider range in the field of speculation, inquire whether they were not simply meant for ornament? for the picturesque termination of a vista! like Pompey's pillar, or the Wellington testimonial, or the obelisks and pillars of ancient and modern times! I candidly confess, that in my judgment, this not improbable hypothesis solves the whole difficulty; for, consider what I have

before said about Ireland at that distant period-renowned for her progress in literature and civilization, far beyond the neighbouring countries, In such circumstances, may it not be easily conceived, that she would not expend all her wealth and ingenuity on the mere cravings of necessity, but would extend her aid to the gentle call of ornamental embellishment? It is the natural process of growing prosperity in every nation under the sun. First, appears the cottage with its woodbined lattice; next, the comfortable slated house; then, the castellated tower; then, the sumptuous palace; and when all the population is provided with tenements suited to their means, ever-creative and ever-restless fancy luxuriates in the construction of all kinds of useless buildings, in the Grecian, Roman, Elizabethan, Gothic, and Saxon orders of architecture.

But, I would not deny that these round towers, besides being primarily intended as picturesque objects, might not also be put to some use, as occasion required. They would make excellent belfries. They might be used as lumber rooms for the friars; and might serve as places of defence against the incursions of the numerous hordes of predatory savages that swarmed all over the face of the country. Nay, I fear, that in that gloomy time, when popery reigned predominant, they might, on an emergency, be converted into a living tomb for those unhappy victims, who, for three long years," like the unfortunate Constance de Beverly, in Marmion,

"bowed my pride

A horse-boy in his train to ride."

I expect to raise a host of criticizing hornets about my ears by this casual disquisition, but I have made up my mind to that kind of thing. From the very first, I was resolved to set reviews and reviewers at defiance, taking example by the celebrated Horace, who on something of a similar occasion, adopted the following aphorism for his motto:- ་ Populus me sibilat, at mihi, plaudo ipse domi."-A sentence hard to be translated, so as to make good English and good sense, at the same time; but it means, "the people hiss me, but to me I applaud it in my own house."

As for the legends of St. Kevin pronounced Cavan-I consider them as apocryphal, and beneath the notice of the scientific traveller, except by a

very cursory allusion. The story of his savage conduct to the interesting young woman who was fool enough to fall in love with him, stamps him as a bigot; and I think it tells badly for the magistracy of the county at that time, that such a flagrant offence--nothing short of manslaughter-should be passed by unpunished. Even in those days, when priests and friars may set the law at defiance with impunity, yet some stir would be made about so gross a violation of public decency. The newspapers would take up the cause of injured innocence; and though it would all end in smoke, and the matter be hushed up by both Houses of Parliament, still a certain degree of odium would attach to the perpetrator of such unmanly wickedness.

I did not chuse to hazard my neck by going into the hole in the rock, overhanging the lake, which he fixed upon for his bed. In fact, I felt too much disgusted with his character, as developed in the foregoing anecdote, to wish to know more about him:and I was not a little astonished to he told by the younger of my fair companions, that our national poet-Ireland's most gifted child—had eulogized his ruffianly conduct in a musical composition. But a Latin proverb says,

omnibus hoc vitium est cantoribus," that is, “this vice is in all singers,”and whatever is so general cannot be condemned in an individual-particularly an individual so celebrated for morality, decency, and mellifluous numbers.

I must not pass over an ornithological phenomenon in this deserted vale, which is, that no sky-lark will sing within its precincts. The first intimation I ever had, that solitude affects the spirits of birds pretty much in the way it works upon the human constitution.

ancient monument of sterility and We were so interested with this gloom, that we hovered about it for upwards of an hour and a half, and then bid it adieu, with feelings of unmingled pleasure, nearly allied to what the poet must have felt when he said

"Fare thee well, and if for ever,

Still, for ever fare thee well."

Time did not permit us to explore the, I suppose, profound abyss of the Devil's Glen; but we were pointed out the direction in which it lay; and also that of the Meeting of the Watersa most luxuriant scene of nature's finest

combinations, where the last rays of feeling and life are ready to take their departure, and mingle hearts in peace where the purest of crystal and brightest of green, fade before the soft magic of streamlet and rill, and the presence of friends makes every dear scene of enchantment more dearwhere, in short, there is always something more exquisite still to improve the best charms of nature.

I hate plagiarism in any shape; and therefore, notify to my readers, that the preceding paragraph, beginning at "last rays," and ending with "charms of nature," is but a transposition into prose, of one of the tenderest canzonets of our lyric bard, in praise of the Vale of Ovoca, the Meeting of the Waters, and reflected looks.

These contemplations, together with the heat of a noon-tide sun, induced a kind of pleasing stupor over my senses, which made me, in a great measure, regardless of time or passing objects, till I was roused from my reverie by the cheerful voice of my hilarious friend, recommending me to inspect the Glen of the Downs, which we were just entering. The umbrageous foliage was very grateful, and the steepness of the acclivity on one side verging close upon the romantic. The village of Delgany, which I did not see, is contiguous to this agreeable spot, and is, I understand, a collection of cottages very tastefully arranged. In this place we met with an adventure, by the horse starting at a picturesque looking beggarwoman, who, with her three children, suddenly extended their hands and raised their voices in supplicating attitude. Part of the harness gave way, the horse pranced a little, and we were all obliged to alight, not a little displeased with the cause of our sudden disaster. My friend was loud in his indignation, and I said some strong things, seeing my fair companions very considerably alarmed. But, "sweet are the uses of adversity," as some poet finely remarks.

The mendicant meekly offered her assistance, which was thankfully accepted, when she produced a strong piece of pack cord, and offered it to tie up the fractured leather. In a few minutes we were again in travelling order, and left the glen at a rapid pace, followed by the benedictions of the eleemosynary wanderer and her offspring, whose involuntary fault was rewarded with the gratuity of some halfpence.-Mem. The strata of rocks seem to lie in a

very confused manner, as if tumbled about by some convulsion of naturemost likely an earthquake. I forget whether it was in the Glen of the Downs or the Vale of Glendalough that I remarked mica to be the predominating geological mineral.

The road now assumed a smiling aspect. A closer approximation to my old acquaintances, the two sugar-loaves, disclosed new beauties on their verdureless summits. Hill and dale, streamlet and grove, cottage and hall swept by in tranquil succession. I refer to the well-known optical delusion which makes things at rest appear in sliding motion, as you are going in the opposite direction-till, precisely at twenty minutes before five, just in time to make some attempt at a toilet before dinner, we arrived at Lucca, the elegantly rustic seat of the amiable family, to whose hospitality we had before been so deeply indebted. A loin of the finest veal I ever saw sufficed to gratify my simple taste, without encroaching on the other delicacies of the season, which crowned the festal board. The port was excellent, and altogether I seldom made a heartier dinner. The evening was spent in improving conversation. I was drawn out by the young people, who were anxious for information upon all points connected with the sciences of astronomy, botany. and geology. I was again greatly disappointed at not being able to find Orion. However, at their particular request, I repeated" Orion's studded belt looks dim," and I explained the difference between a fixed star and a planet-the former twinkling very perceptibly, while the latter shines with a steady light.

May I be permitted here to remark, though it may make a little episode, that astronomy is a most astonishing science. Without its assistance we should never have known any thing about light or heat, and might have supposed the moon to be very unlike what it really is. To the uneducated eye she appears to be bright, but astronomy incontestably proves her to be quite dark, and to have mountains exactly like our own. The planets also are remarkable for curiosities, particularly Saturn, whose ring is a most extraordinary production. It is supposed to answer the place of an atmosphere; but no good hypothesis has ever yet been formed for Jupiter's belts. Mercury is so near the sun that cold water is an ingredient not to be found there

all the water is boiling hot. And Venus is remarkable for nothing but her beauty, which her name well expresses, being called after a heathen goddess, much celebrated for regular features. Very little is known of Mars, except his red colour, which proceeds from causes not yet discovered.

This, and much more I told to my interesting and interested juvenile audience; besides dissecting a splendid specimen of the Digitalis purpurea, which they only knew by the common name of fox-glove; and shewing the two long and two short stamens, by which I satisfactorily proved it to be long to the class called Didynamia, signifying two long and two short. I found they had never considered the subject of geology; so I merely gave the grand outlines of the science, in a few words, explaining the meaning of the terms primitive, secondary, antemundane and stratification; and just as the clock struck eleven, I wooed "tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep," in other words, I took my candle, and went to bed.

Saturday. Rose at half-past eight; and before breakfast, which was not on the table till ten, arranged some of my notes in methodical order—a work not without its difficulty, considering the various subjects they were intended to embrace. The gratification, how ever, of adding even my mite to the extension of useful knowledge, repaid

the toil.

The country round Lucca abounds in natural and artificial beauties, well worth the observation of the naturalist-but we were satiated with variety, and preferred the repose of a wellfurnished drawing-room, and the lively interchange of colloquial reparteé to the society of the "woods and wilds, whose melancholy gloom accords with my soul's sadness." We accordingly remained in the house the whole morning, and at half-past four, after partaking of an early dinner at three, bid a final adieu to Lucca and its hospitable and fascinating inhabitants; feeling very indescribably what the poet so ably expresses, when he says "Remote, unfriended, melancholy, slow."

By the advice of our judicious entertainers, we returned by a different road; and by that means had the pleasure of passing through the enchanting little valetudinary village, called Enniskerry, where I remarked a very tolerably furnished butcher's stall, and a few flourishing evergreens in little courts before one or two small looking

houses, the residence, evidently, of people in a respectable line of life. There is no striking feature in its immediate neighbourhood, till you arrive at the Scalp, where nature sits arrayed in her wildest and most picturesque costume. I cannot describe the Scalp-it is beyond my powers of pourtraiture. It would be presumption in me to attempt it. The effect of its bold and irregular proportions is quite stunning. While gazing at it, the mind is bewildered in a chaos of conflicting emotions-viz : surprise, terror, admiration, dismay and fear. Imagine a gigantic quarry, worked by a thousand steam engines, till the very inmost recesses of the mountain are thrown open to public view-and the mail-coach road ruaning right through the mis-shapen mass, perfectly smooth, and defended from all accidents by a parapet wall, on the side next to the precipice. It is a splendid specimen of natural curiosi ties, superior, I have an idea, to the so much talked of Giant's Causeway; insomuch as there is an appearance of design in the one, from the regular shape of the pillars, which must take off considerably from the romantic effect.

The youngest of my fair fellow travellers, who has a very enquiring mind, asked me whether I thought the action of fire or water had caused this disruption of the mountain, and I answered, without a moment's hesitation—neither -resolving the whole into an ante mundane formation, which must have taken millions of years to bring to its present state of perfection. I shewed her that there was not the least appearance of volcanic matter, neither lava nor cinders in its entire locality: nor is there any outlet for a body of waters capable of committing such devastation, without taking a very circuitous route to the sea where it is generally supposed all rivers have a natural tendency to empty themselves.

constitution with considerable decision; I therefore speak of its aute-mundane and if any fossil remains of carniverous animals, such as hairy elephants, could be found there, experience would put its ipse dixit on it at once. In the mean time the millionary hypothesis beautiful system, which enables us to decides the matter. It is really a most work in the dark with unerring certainty, "to dive," like Hotspur,

"into the bottom of the deep, Where fathom line could never reach the ground, And pluck up drowned honor by the lock,"