ed the furface of the water, affuming an alarming afpect, particularly to us who were unused to the fudden changes that are frequently experienced during this and the enfuing month. The boatmen declaring it would be fqually, preffed forward with all their might. Thick mifts hung down the hills, and hid them entirely. By degrees, a general gloom involved the whole, while the wind fwept down the fides of Glenaá and Tomish, lifting the waves to an alarming height, giving it all the appearance of the angry Atlantic. This was followed by heavy rain, which, with the waves breaking over us, foaked us entirely through; even the thick coats which the boatmen lent us proved infufficient to protect us from the spray. At length we gained the island, but not without fome difficulty. Blarney Cafile-Family of M'Carty, From the diftant view we had of Blarney Castle, on the evening we arrived at Cork, we determined on taking the first opportunity of vifiting it, which we did yesterday. It lies on the river Aubeg, about four miles from Cork, and was built by Cormac McCarty, furnamed Laider, who came into the lordship in 1449, and was esteemed one of the ftrongest fortreffes in Munster. In the Pacata Hibernia, it is defcribed as being composed of four large piles joined in one. These piles, I fuppofe, meant This great towers, one of which remains, to * He was pardoned by King William, on condition of leaving the country within a given period, and allowed a penfion of 300l. per annum for life, and never to take up arms against the Proteftant fucceffion. He retired to Hamburgh, and purchased a small island in the mouth of the Elbe, from the citizens of Altena, which went by his own name: on it he erected a convenient dwelling-houfe, and a range of ftorehouses, and made confiderable profit by fhipwrecks; but continued to give the diftreffed all the relief in his power, and faved the lives of many: his profit arose from goods thrown on his ifland, which he placed in his ftorehouses; and if demanded by their owners within the space of a year, he returned them, requiring only two per cent. for the ftoreroom; if not, he made ufe of them as his He died there October 22, 1734, aged fixty-four, leaving behind him two fons; Robert, afterwards a commodore in the English navy, and Justin M'Carty, Efq. own. Ed. Mag. July 1801. to James II. It is now the property of Mr Jeffries, being purchased from the crown. At prefent it is undergoing a thorough repair, and I muft own I felt a fincere pleasure in contemplating its renovation, and refumption of its ancient dignity. Were gentlemen to confider the refpectability which fuch refidences attach to their name and family, we fhould not meet with fo many noble piles mouldering away in ruined grandeur, the indifputable documents of our ancestors' power and magnificence. This caftle annoyed Cork exceedingly in the war of 1641, but was taken by Lord Broghill in 1646. Heap of rude Stones called the Hag's Bed. Near Glanworth is a curious monument called Labacally (i. e. the Hag's Bed.) From its fize, it muft have been defigned for fome eminent perfon, but of which nothing now remains even from tradition. It confifts of feveral broad flag ftones, fupported by others of various fizes, pitched in the ground. One of the upper ftones is feventeen feet long and nine broad, and in the middle fix feet thick, from whence it flopes to the edges; at the end of the great one are two others, which feem to be intended to lengthen the whole: the first of these is eleven feet broad and feven long, and the laft feven feet fquare. There was a fourth huge flag which lies on the weft fide; on each fide are double rows of broad flags, on which the great flags refted: fome are five and fix feet high, and three thick. At about fixteen feet another range of flag ftones encircled the tomb, rude and various in the fhapes and fizes. It is fingular to remark, that there is none of this kind of ftone nearer than five or fix miles, being a coarse grit, found in the mountains which feparate this county from Limerick. When we hear of those valt bodies being lifted and carried by the ancient inhabitants of this country, over hills and through valleys, we naturally wonder at the means which enabled them, not knowing that they poffeffed any knowledge of mechanical powers. De la Vega mentions, that there were flones in the fortress of Cufco, in Peru, upwards of forty feet long, and were drawn by the ftrength of men ten, twelve, or fifteen leagues, over hills and the most difficult ways to that place; and there is one ftone to which the Indians gave the name of Syacufa (i. e. the tired or the weary,) because it never arrived at the place it was defigned for, but remains still upon the road. This rock was drawn by 20,000 Indians fifteen leagues over very rugged. ways; but, notwithstanding all their care, it tumbled down a very steep hill, and killed feveral hundred of the Indians, who were endeavouring_to poife the weight, Thus thefe Indians, without pullies or other engines, lifted up vaft ftones to the top of fteep hills, in order to build the places of ftrength, long before an European came among them. Lifmore Caftle. The caftle was built by King John in 1185, and was demolished by the Irifh, who furprifed it 1189, flaying the garrifon, with Robert Barry the governor. After it was rebuilt, it continued to be the refidence of the bishops till the time of Miler Magragh, who, with the confent of the dean and chapter, granted it, with fome lands, to Sir Walter Rawley, at the yearly rent of 13. 65. 8d. foon after it came into the hands of Sir Richard Boyle, who purchased all Sir Walter's lands, and who beautified and enlarged it confiderably. At the breaking out of the rebellion of 1641, it was befieged by 5000 Irifh troops, commanded by Sir Richard Beling; but was bravely defended by the young Lord Broghill, third fon to the Earl of Cork, who obliged the Irish to raise the fiege: however it did not long continue in the Earl's poffeffion, being taken by Lord Caftlehaven 1645. James II. dined in the great room, and going to look out of the window, started back in terror from its precipitate elevation above the river. One does not, on, entering the caftle, perceive it to be fituated fo high; nor can they fufpect the perpendicular fteepness of its rear. One of the rooms is celebrated for giving birth to the great Robert Boyle. This noble pile is now in the poffeffion of his Grace the Duke of Devonshire, whose agent refides here, and has made many alterations and repairs; but with fo little tafte and adherence to the great original, that I am confident, were the Duke to fee them, his Grace would feel a fenfible regret, and inftantly order these unworthy repairs to be replaced by others more conformable to the ancient ftyle of the building. The great flanking fquare towers are still rooflefs, except where the venerable and lofty afh-trees fling their fhady branches over their walls, and from a verdant canopy. This magnificent castle, at an inconfiderable expenfe, might be renovated and rendered one of the most respectable baronial dwellings, perhaps, in Europez as a picturefque object it cannot be excelled. The bridge is a fine ftructure, confifting of one great arch of about 109 feet in the fpan, over the main part of the river, and of fix fmaller ones underneath the causeway on the north fide: thefe laft are intended to carry off the floods, which in autumn fwell this river very confiderably. To the munificent and public fpirit of the prefent Duke of Devonshire, the county ftands indebted for this noble bridge, erected at his Grace's fole expenfe. It remains a moft honourable teftimony of a princely liberality and true patriotifm. THE INFLUENCE OF WEALTH AND POWER IN THE HAPPINESS OF SOCIETY. From Mifs Hamilton's Letters on Education. IT T must be obvious to every obferver, that the influence of power and wealth over the affections is in many instances inimical to the happinefs, as well as to the virtue of individuals. It is this prevailing fentiment which renders people, whom fortune has placed in the middling ranks of fociety, afhamed of their ftation; and this falfe fhame prompts them to live in fuch a manner as may induce a belief of their opulence at the expense of their independence. What must be the confequence to their unfortunate children? Accuftomed to confider honour and esteem attached to luxury, and to connect the ideas of penury with difgrace, how bitter muft to them be that poverty in which, by the folly of their parents, they must be inevitably involved! Never was there a period when the circumftances I have above alluded to, called for more serious confideration than at the prefent moment. Never till now, fince Britain first rose to diftinction among nations, were the middling claffes of her children held in contempt. But where is now that middling class, which used to be confidered the glory and the ftrength of the empire? Should one not imagine it to be extinct; and that genteel and ungenteel formed the fole known diftinctions in fociety? Even those whofe virtues would have done honour to the foil in which they sprang, have caught the contagion, and, by confidering greatness alone as worthy of regard and eftimation, have aimed a parricidal blow at humble virtuous mediocrity. I am well aware of the obloquy to which I may expofe myself, by ftand. ing forth the champion of that unfashionable virtue, which, by being connected with an independent fpirit, has been brought into difgrace, as favouring of republicanifm; but while the teft I have propofed is for me, it is of little confequence to me who be against me. Of thofe crimes to which the purfuit of wealth and power fo frequently leads, I forbear to speak; they are fo obvious and fo well known, that every parent who has the leaft degree of principle, will naturally endeavour to guard his child againft them. But it may be queftioned, whether thefe endeavours are always fo directed as to enfure fuccefs. If children have been taught to affociate every idea of felicity with grandeur, every idea of refpect and admiration with worldly honours and preferment, is it to be fuppofed that, by a few leffons on the danger of avarice and ambition, these affociations will be counteracted? Conftant witneffes of our folicitude to appear members of the world of fashion, of our inceffant pains to make acquaintance with the rich and great, while we defpife or neglect the good; can we imagine, that riches and grandeur will not become the predominant defire of their hearts? With this defire the principles of worldly honour may indeed be made to quadrate; but let us remember that with it the principles of religion, and of found fterling virtue, must be eternally at variance. We are taught to look upon the prefent period as an awful and portentous crifis, big with alarm to the rifing generation. In one refpect it certainly is fo. The increafing prevalence of luxury, with the univerfal decrease of the means of procuring it, in the middling claffes, muft inevit ably expofe the rifing generation to all the evils refulting from luxurious habits and dependant fortunes. The unhappy confequences must be forefeen by every thinking mind, and deprecated by every generous foul, abhorrent at the ideas of vice and slavery. Were children taught by the conduct of their parents, as well as by the leffons of their preceptors, to eftimate the advantages of wealth and power at their proper value; were the virtues of frugality, temperance, and economy, once more recalled from their long and hopeless banishment, to fome degree of refpect and estimation; and were that approbation and efteem, which is now beftowed on greatnefs, once more to become the meed of merit; have we not reason to expect that this portentous crifis would terminate in national profperity, built, not on the quickfand of extended commerce and flourishing manufacture, not on the blood-ftained treasures of the Eaft or Weft, but on the folid rock of public and pri vate virtue ? Let every mother who has a fuffi cient degree of patriotism, and of parental tenderness, to feel a glow of heart in the contemplation of such a picture, confider herfelf as an inftrument in the hand of Providence to contribute to its realization. Let her reflect, how much the proper education of one fingle family may eventually contribute towards it; and that while the fruits of her labours are a rich harvest of peace, happiness, and virtue, which may defcend through generations yet unborn, fhe will herfelf enjoy a glorious and eternal reward. It is because they are hopelefs of being able to ftem the torrent by individual exertion, that individuals permit themfelves to be carried down by the ftream: for I am perfuaded, that were all the joys of ambition, luxury, and diffipation, to be pursued by thofe alone who find pleasure in them, them, the number of their votaries would foon be confiderally diminished. We are far more folicitous to appear happy than to be really fo; and to this appearance of happiness the reality is often facrificed. Health, peace, and competence, are effential to human felicity; yet health, and peace, and competence, are despised as vulgar bleffings, of which we make a willing offering at the fhrine of fashion. Even the pleasures of society, pleafures fo congenial to the human heart, are now almoft exploded. When the feaft of hofpitality is fpread by friendship for the objects of efteem and affection, it never fails to produce fatisfaction, complacency, and delight. By convivial cheerfulnefs the cares of life are fufpended, while fympathy opens the heart to the impreffions of benevolence. The powers of converfation are then called forth with peculiar advantage. Sentiments are developed, and obtain a value from their currency, which was unknown even to the utterer. This is fociety, and for what is it now exchanged? For parties, where pride and oftentation open their doors for the reception of the vain and idle; for well-dreffed mobs, who meet to complain of crowd, and heat, and noife, or to wrangle at the card-table; or, as Mifs Edgworth expreffes it, "to fhow their fine clothes, to weary "and hate each other." And this is called happiness! but let the heart be afked, whether it deferves the name? If, by false affociation, the mind had not been enslaved to the name of fashion, is it not probable that we fhould have continued to prefer the focial and improving intercourfe of friendship to the tiresome and difgufting infipidity of a ftupid crowd? "condemned for ever to affociate "with their equals.' Let people who argue in this way, reflect what they really gain by this fort of acquaintance with their fuperiors;-a knowledge of their perfons, and the privilege of exchanging bows and curtfeys. And is this a recompenfe for the facrifice of time and fortune, and the focial intercourfe of friendship, and all the joys (to fay nothing of the duties) of domeftic life? Surely it could never be fo deemed, were it not for the abiding and powerful influence of early affo ciation, which has connected the idea of happiness with a certain style of life, that has been adopted by those who are in poffeffion of that wealth and power to which we are taught to bow with the implicit reverence of devotion. "But it is only in fuch crowds "that people in a certain fphere can "hope to mix with thofe of a fupe"rior rank. But for this bleffed con-"trivance, they might have been This unhappy affociation is, indeed, a floodgate to a tide of evils, fo extenfive, fo beyond the power of calculation to enumerate, that all I can fay upon the fubject must be confidered only as hints, intended to draw the attention towards it. Different as its operation is upon the fexes, we fhall find it equally inimical to the happiness and virtue of both. From habit and fituation, the love of wealth and power is in the female mind fomewhat circumfcribed in its effects; but the affociations arifing from it do not fail to influence the heart and the conduct as effentially, though in a different direction, in the female as in the male part of the fpecies; the ambition of vanity being little less injurious in its confequences than the ambition of pride. The paffion for diftinction is, it is true, apparently' gratified at an cafier rate in the one fex than in the other. But when diftinction is fought after thro' the medium of vanity and fully, frivolity and diffipation, what is the refult? Let us look around, and we shall be at no loss for an answer, a melancholy answer. EXTRACTS |
