book to be a bore; but we must occasionally fall in with the absurd fashions of our time. To begin then with the beginning, Mr T., in consequence of illness, was recommended, in 1820, a trip to Harrogate, and on his return took Scotland in his way. He bears high testimony to the celebrated, though villainously-tasted waters of Harrogate. "Our entrance into Yorkshire was rather discouraging, for we had to travel on a rough and generally ill-paved road, and to cross that high and broad range of moorland which separates the counties of York and Lancaster. The hills too are long, steep, and frequent, yet loaded carts and coaches appear to travel easily, though not smoothly along. The public coaches, generally loaded to excess, never have more than four horses, right good ones indeed, always in high condition, and rarely exhibiting any injurious marks of the collar. In sandy districts, and all this is sandstone country, pavement is absolutely necessary where wheels are much used, and heavy burdens carried. Though not good for the horses' feet, or conducive to the traveller's ease, the paved road affords such facility to draught, that all one wonders at in such a country is, that the pavements are not more carefully executed, and kept in better order. As we advanced, this great county improved upon the view, more with respect to the number and opulence of its manufacturing towns, than the beauty or fertility of the land. In other parts it is indeed rich and beautiful, but a large portion of the West Riding is coarse and high. Leeds is a great, and apparently a rich and flourishing town. We entered it on a market day, not without admiration of the prodigious quantity of articles exposed to sale, particularly vegetables, among which early potatoes, beautiful in appearance, but too watery and insipid for an Irishman's palate, bore a distinguished place. From Leeds we had a pleasant stage to Harrogate, passing close to the magnificent mansion of Lord Harewood, situated on the south bank of the river Wharfe. "Of all the British watering-places resorted to for health, Harrogate perhaps owes least to fashion, and most to the real virtue and efficacy of its medicinal springs. Of these, which are all cold, the most remarkable is the sulphur well at lower Harrogate, known from an early period, but at first only used externally for the cure of cutaneous and perhaps rheumatic complaints. Indeed, a stranger's first impression of wonder is, how any other use of a water, so extremely nauseous both to smell and taste, should ever have been ventured on. It is true that after a few draughts its offensive qualities disappear, and it becomes by no means disagreaable to the pa late. But the first taster could not have known this, and if he drank it on specula- We do not much wonder at the poor man's disquietude. Rheumatic as we are, we would not swallow a pint of that stuff for a Marquisate. Indeed, we have always found water of any kind to be a pernicious beverage, and in consequence abstain from it most temperately. We have heard many water-drinkers declare, that purespring water is a great luxury; but we are not inclined to be luxurious. Luxury, as our readers will remember, overthrew the Roman empire, and did many other bad things, and we shall therefore avoid any intemperate debauchery in the water way. "Six weeks sojourn at Harrogate would supply a professed tourist with matter for done locally might be done generally, were the same qualities of patient perseverance applied to the undertaking. The worst of the case at present is, that if all who were able were also willing to be imitators of the bright example, the number is not sufficient for the exigencies of the case. Some are absentees from necessity, and some from motives less excusable. There are many tracts destitute of respectable gentry, and too many of those who write Esquire after their names, are as idle, as ignorant, and as much in want of reformation, as the peasants among whom they live." We hope that such will not continue to be the character of Ireland; though her present condition inclines us to fear that a change for the better is not soon to be expected. He passes into Scotland through Northumberland, giving the Duke by the way a rap on the knuckles, for the shabby appearance of the town of Alnwick, just before his gates. We shall extract what he says about Edinburgh. "Edinburgh, standing very high in the ranks of beautiful cities, and still higher as a seat of arts and sciences, is too well known to render description, were it within my plan to enter into such details, necessary. It possesses, however, some peculiarities too remarkable to be altogether omitted. The general idea of a great city comprehends handsome squares, spacious streets, fine shops, magnificent buildings of various kinds, and all the animated accompaniments of a busy population. All these are certainly to be found in Edinburgh, but to these are to be added many singular and striking circumstances arising from the nature of the situation. What the romantic wildness of nature exhibits in regions of al. pine character, is there immediately combined with the labours of social combination, with those splendid exertions of human art and ingenuity, which we only expect to find on the extensive area of a level, rich, and cultivated country. The Castle of Edinburgh, once looking down on the city from the north side, but now almost a central situation, occupies a basaltic or greenstone rock, rising from the bottom of a deep ravine to the height of three hundred feet, nearly circular in form, and perpendicularly steep in every point but one. where it admits a narrow approach from the east. On the south side of the city, are Salisbury Crags, and Arthur's Seat, a mountain eminence, from which is one of the finest prospects imagination can conceive a beautiful city at the spectator's feet; a little further on, the noble inlet of ocean called the Frith of Forth, on each side of which are some of the best cultivated lands in Great Britain, and a superb outline of pointed mountains, bounding the view in a very distant horizon. These, with the addition of the Calton Hill, another greenstone rock, on which a handsome monument erected to the memory of Lord Nelson stands, combine such a con trast of beautiful singularities as is no where to be paralleled. ' The castle,' says Mr Stark, author of an excellent ac. count of Edinburgh, is at least as old as the city, and perhaps the security derived from the protection of the one, might have been the chief cause which gave rise to the other.' The observation is undoubtedly just, for though many singular beauties have been thus combined, it is obvious, that did no city now exist, and were a new metropolis to be built, considerations of social and commercial convenience would easily find a situation very preferable to the present. We had some letters of introduction, which were received with so much polite and friendly attention, that I regretted very much my inability to remain more than a few days. Most of what was particularly worthy of notice we had an op. portunity of seeing, but we were aware that much gratification was lost, by wanting time to form a more intimate acquaintance with Edinburgh and its inhabitants." We have a misty recollection of seeing Mr Townsend in the front shop; but we sincerely regret, for his sake, that the shortness of his stay has hindered him from entering minutely into the history, &c. of Maga, which must otherwise have drawn forth many observations from an intelligent traveller. His Irish feelings peep out at the sight of the prosperity of Glasgow, the metropolis of the West Country, though he says nothing whatever of its celebrated rum-punch, which is a strange omis sion. "Although Edinburgh, in literary cha racter, political importance, and the number and magnificence of public buildings, maintains a decided superiority, yet in po pulation and commercial prosperity, Glasgow is at least her equal. The situation, considered merely with relation to internal convenience, has greatly the advantage, inasmuch as the ground occupied is more level, and there are no natural impediments to prevent Glasgow from spreading in any direction. Both cities enjoy the inestimable benefits of the sandstone formation, supplying at once a cheap and beautiful material for building, and an inexhaustible abundance of the finest fuel. These circumstances combined with facility of navigation, one on the east side by the bay of Forth, the other on the west by the Clyde, want nothing to insure prosperity but what Scotland happily supplies, intelligent, industrious, and enterprizing inhabitants. Were Doctor Johnson now living, and to follow our route, he would find little ground for jest or sarcasm in the inferiority of Scotland. The Highland character probably, is not much altered, but a prodigious change has taken place in the Lowlands since the date of his entertaining tour. As the rapidity of motion in posting was one of his most favourite excercises, itis a pity he did not live to enjoy the velocity of a steam-boat, a pleasure unalloyed with the reflection that animals are suffering pain to procure it. It would also have afforded safe as well as speedy conveyance to the romantic lakes and islands which so profusely adorn the western shore of the Clyde. This noble river, or bay, is quite alive with steam-boats, moving in various directions, independent of wind and tide, and affording a most lively and animated scene, particularly to eyes unaccustomed to such an exhibition. As vessels of heavy burden cannot pass above Greenock and Port Glasgow, there is a constant intercourse between these places and Glasgow carried on by steam-boats, which are perpetually passing and repassing. Finding that there was a weekly communication between Glasgow and Belfast by steam-packets, we determined to avail ourselves of it, in preference to a long and not very interesting journey by land, and for that purpose, after a very short sojourn at Glasgow, we posted to Greenock, at which pla place the packet stops to pick up passengers. The distance is great, not less probably than one hundred and thirty miles, and we were given to hope, that the voyage would be accomplished in fifteen or sixteen hours. That it did not often take much more, seemed pretty evident from the state of the packet boat, which provided rooms for sitting, but not for sleeping. Disappointed, however, we were most grievously, being two entire nights and one day on board; for the wind unfortunately changed after we set out, and rising to a very smart gale, continued adverse during the whole passage. We gained by it, indeed, what we should have been better satisfied to learn at the expense of others, a convincing proof of the great safety as well as power of such vessels. Our boat, though of old and clumsy construction, went with perfect steadiness through a heavy sea, and in constant opposition to a high wind. I suppose a Holyhead steamer would have made the same voyage in almost half the time. "This novel and unlooked-for contrivance, enabling man to brave the hitherto unconquerable force of wind and tide, and to move with more velocity in a calm, than a light-sailing cutter can with a fair wind, beheld by landsmen with astonishment, and by old sailors with equal envy and surprise, forms an era in the science of navigation. The ingenious application of a power long known indeed to exist, but to the extent of whose capabilities even phi Steam losophers, until lately, have been strangers, has already done much, and opens a prospect of doing much more. How it may succeed in long voyages, and vessels of heavy burden, remains yet to be proved; but there seems little doubt that as passage boats and packets, during a great part of the year at least, the steam-boat will shortly supersede all. Among other benefits, the increased facility of intercourse between Great Britain and Ireland, extremely advantageous to both, will be incalculably so to the latter. Even nautical phraseology will experience a change; and however odd it may sound to a sailor's ears to say, 'we set fire,' instead of we set sail,' the expression will be strictly just. packets for conveyance of his Majesty's mails are already established between Dublin'and Holyhead--steam-boats already ply with passengers and light goods between Dublin and Liverpool, as well as between Belfast and Glasgow. Generally speaking, the passenger knows to an hour when he sets out, at what time he shall land; and he that breakfasts in Dublin, may be mo. rally certain of eating his dinner in Wales. Surely there seems nothing to prevent the establishment of a similar conveyance between Waterford and Milford, and between Cork and Bristol. There is indeed nothing to prevent it but want of money, and want of enterprize at this side of the water; for as we would be most benefitted, the undertaking should begin here. Unfortunately we wantcapital, andare likely to want ituntilour trading people begin to be more economical, conomical, and until they have learned that the acquisition of a few thousands, affords no just pretext for throwing off the frugal merchant and putting on the extravagant gentleman. Vanity of this kind, the bane of Irish prosperity, were it merely occasional, would only excite ridicule or contempt, but when it is general, must be lamented as a national calamity. Extravagance, by which I mean, in a trader living up to, if not exceeding his gains, and in a country gentleman living up to, if not exceeding his income, as long as it continues to be a general practice, will keep Ireland poor, in spite of any alleviation of her tax burden, and in spite of her natural fertility and maritime advantages. A reformation of this kind is in truth the great Irish desideratum, and not the imaginary prosperity of political experiments. What was Glasgow fifty years since, and what has made, it that which it now is? During her short progress from comparative poverty and insignificance to great affluence and splendour, the empire, of which she is a part, has been struggling with difficulties and danger, and sinking in an ocean of debt. It would, I apprehend, have made no difference in her prosperous career, whether she had returned ten members to Parliament, or whether she had returned none. Whence did her capital accrue? not certainly from the discovery of hidden treasure, not from a Greenock; she had a white bear on board, and had been tolerably successful in kill. ing whales. When, thought I, shall we see a Cork whaler? But there is fair ground for hope, the spirit of improvement is in many places appearing, and time will bring about the rest." of our Irish readers. The concluding "Observations resulting from a View of Scotland," are written in a spirit which we cannot too much applaud. change in the state of parliamentary representation, but from the frugality, the perseverance, the intelligence, and the enterprize of her inhabitants. One great natural superiority the south of Scotland certainly possesses, and that is her coal fields; but when it is considered that neither LonHe gets across the Channel, and don nor Bristol are situated among coal fields, the advantage, great as it is, cannot proceeds homeward, making many jube deemed so preponderating as to prevent dicious remarks on the state of the Irish cities, admirably situated for foreign country which he passes through, trade as some of ours are, from advancing which we recommend to the attention to similar opulence and prosperity. One of the material impediments to that advancement, I have, I fear, but too truly related. Our countrymen are by no means deficient in talent, but they are under the seduction of bad habits. Let them adopt the above-mentioned qualities of the Scotch, and similar prosperity will be the necessary result of similar exertion. British merchants and traders sometimes suffer from injudicious speculation or excessive enter prize, rarely from excess of domestic expenditure. In Ireland the case seems to be precisely reversed. Private waste and prodigality, exemplified in the pursuit of unprofitable pleasures abroad, or luxurious living at home, are the great enemies to general prosperity and national advancement. The idleness, ignorance, and poverty of the lower orders, are just subjects of regret, but cannot be just subjects of complaint to those who contribute nothing to their instruction and amendment either by precept or example. Let the upper orders do their part, and the amelioration of the people will naturally follow. I do "That Spain contributed somewhat to the population of the south-west coast of Ireland, we need not have recourse to an. cient and uncertain chronicles to prove : the lank black hair, and olive complexion, the appellation of Spaniard still belonging to some families, and the names of a few places evidently of Spanish origin, afford abundant testimony; but as the Spaniards did not establish any dialect there, it seems manifest that they were local colonists, rather than early and extensive possessors. To the west side of South Britain, though so much nearer than Spain, Ireland does not seem to have been much indebted for early inhabitants; for the Welch language, though evidently derived from the same root, and a dialect or descendant of the ancient Celtic, is quite unintelligible here. But the Irish and the Scotch are manifestnot mean to question the utility of nation- ly the same race; using the same mother al schools for the instruction of the people, tongue with little less variation between when I say that they who seek to attain the Highlanders and northern Irish at this the desired object by such means only, day, than between the latter and their will be disappointed-it is beginning at the southern countrymen. Nor will this ap wrong end. A reformation of the people will never be effectually accomplished without the reformation of those to whom they look up for employment, encouragement, and protection. If the upper classes are irregular, idle, and disorderly, it is rather absurd to expect good order and quiet industry from their inferiors. We may depend upon it, that in every country, to a very great degree at least, the character of those who follow will take its colour from the character of those who lead. "Itis, Lam afraid, no injustice to my own country to say, that the ships of heavy burden belonging to Glasgow, are more in number than those of all Ireland put together. One does, it is true, see many large vessels in some of our own ports, but, unfortunately, when he resorts to the index at the stern, they are found to belong to some other part of the united empire. I believe all that we saw in the Clyde, making, of course, but a little portion of the whole, belonged to the city of Glasgow. One whaler arrived while we were at pear at all surprising to philosophic consideration. As the tide of primæval population flowed from the East, it seems perfectly reasonable to suppose that ancient Gaul was peopled before Britain, and Britain before Ireland. The state of naviga. tion being then too rude to admit of long voyages, the first migration from Gaul to Britain, and from Britain to Ireland, took place, it may be presumed, in the narrowest parts of the interjacent channels. There can be no doubt that subsequent supplies of inhabitants flowed in, some in quest of habitation, and others of conquest; but, that the British isles first began to be peopled in the manner here described, cannot I think admit of any question. The present state of their language seems sufficient to prove that Ireland either did people, or was peopled by Scotland; and the observations already made appear to preclude our countrymen from the honour of parentage. The truth is, that it is one of those points of precedence for which it is not worth while to contend." Sir Callaghan O'Brallaghan was of a different opinion, and there is many a heavy antiquary, on both sides of the Channel, who coincide in the sage sentiments of the worthy Baronet. What follows does high credit to Mr Townsend's head and heart. "The Union of Scotland with her more rich and powerful neighbour, however of fensive to her national pride, has, in its consequences, amply justified the wisdom of the measure, and surely analogy authorizes us to contemplate a similar result from the Union of 1800. That this was violently opposed by many, and continues to be obnoxious to some, is not surprising, for the feelings which dictated opposition were natural, and when uninfluenced by sinister motives, honourable. But, as far as national honour is concerned, it needs no great depth of reflection to tell us, that the independence for which so much anxiety was felt or affected, existed more in show than reality; and that a participation in one, great, imperial legislature, was more conducive to the dignity, as well as the commercial interests of Ireland, than the possession of a separate parliament, independent in name but subordinate in nature. In fact, nothing could render Ire. land ré verâ independent, but a separate king as well as a separate parliament; and it asks no labour of argument to shew, that such an independence could not be maintained if we would, and would not be worth maintaining if we could. Many years elap. sed before Scotland was able to lay aside the idle habits of her turbulent independence, and avail herself of the advantages afforded by an incorporation with her southern neighbour. This, however, she has at length accomplished, and with a degree of success surpassing the most sanguine expectation of its primary promoters. They, whose deficiency in manners, in ci. vilization, and in opulence, rendered them subjects of continual ridicule and contempt, and whose valour alone gave a title to re. spect, while they support their old reputa. tion in arms, have become the proud rivals of the English in arts, in literature, and in commerce. Scotland, as it appears to me, is the model which our countrymen should propose to themselves for imitation. The example of England, whose very early advancement throws us so far behind, is too discouraging. But the prosperity of Scotland is of recent growth, and its late similarity to Ireland affords us a favourable prospect of successful emulation. Nature, I fear, has denied, to the South of Ireland at least, an equal advantage in the article of coal, but in many other of her blessings we enjoy a considerable superiority. Though much may be due to her possession of this valuable article, yet it is to the qualities which enabled Scotland to avail VOL. XI. herself of it, that we should look, as our conductors to similar prosperity: these are diligence, perseverance, economy, industry and enterprize, cherished, incited, and confirmed by early discipline, and proper edu cation. How to turn the current of Hibernian manners and habits, so as to give a right direction to the talents and faculties of the people, is the difficulty, and to surmount it will require the full and entire exertion of all among us who possess property, power, influence, and intelligence. Every Irishman acquainted with Great Britain must acknowledge, that the people of his own country are not what they ought to be, and what they might be, and though the causes of disparity are manifold, yet the most operative are sufficiently obvious. What Scotland was some sixty or seventy years since, every novel-reader must have learned from the ingenious and entertaining tales of the author of Waverley; what Scotland is, it is well worth an Irishman's trouble to ascertain from personal observation. "That talent is not wanting in Ireland admits most satisfactory evidence. All professions, and particularly the senate and the army, bear ample and honourable testimony to Irish as well as to Scotch abilities; but in their respective endeavours to improve and advance their native lands, Scotland has taken a lead which leaves this island in a scale of mortifying inferiority. Some will perhaps say that we labour under greater political depression, but the deficiencies to which I allude have no reference to politics; and the advantages I propose are attainable by the use of faculties, which all who possess them are free to exercise. Is it to any political superiority enjoyed by Scotland that she owes her rapid advancement in husbandry, in commerce, in arts, and in literature? Have we not like means of exercising industry, of pursuing commerce, and of obtaining knowledge? To bring forward one instance: the time has been, and that not long ago, when the London press was deemed almost the only competent vehicle for the publication of useful and valuable works. All others did little more than publish temporary pamphlets, or bad_second-hand editions. With respect to Ireland, I am sorry to say, it is nearly so still. But Scotland has completely shaken off that dependence, and evinced her ability to be her own, and more than her own editor. How far the religious state of that country may have contributed to form the 3 present character of the people, I shall not pretend to determine, but there seems reason to think that its operation has been considerable. A free latitude of opinion, an emancipation from the trammels of spiritual control, though productive of occasional excesses, have generated a spirit of > inquiry very favourable on the whole to 2 P |