A Tour Round Ireland, Through the Sea-coast Counties, in the Autumn of 1835

that are thickly scattered over the surface of Ireland; but I soon found that any attempt beyond that of a few outlines of the humble dwellings of the peasantry would entirely frustrate the plan I had laid down, by occupying too much of my time; but the reader will be more than compensated for the want of my indifferent sketches, by a few characteristic etchings from the graver of one whose knowledge of Ireland is surpassed only by his skill in expressing it.

I have avoided-as much as it is possible in Ireland to avoid the all-engrossing topics of Religion and Politics, the difficulty of doing which is increased since they have become so intimately intermixed. For the one, I trust I shall always feel a proper respect, whatever the creed of its professors may be-Christian, Jew, or Mahomedan-provided they act up to the precepts of the religion they profess, and do not convert it into an engine of dissension and oppression; but if the Ministers of the Christian Religion, be they Protestant or Papist, degrade themselves into political partisans-if they prostitute their sacred functions to such unworthy and inconsistent purposes, and desecrate their temples into theatres for the display of their political

animosities, and their altars for the denunciation of those who may differ from, or displease them, they render themselves, in my opinion, fit objects for public censure and animadversion.

With regard to Politics, the thorough dislike I have to engage in party discussions anywhere will secure me against coming in collision with conflicting parties in Ireland,-being equally indifferent as to Whig or Tory. I have my feelings both as regards Religion and Politics, and probably feel as warmly on both, as young men are generally apt to do; but however difficult it may be, particularly in Ireland, to restrain those feelings, I trust it will not be found that, in any statement of facts or opinions made herein, I have transgressed the bounds of propriety.

I have been induced to preserve the form of letters, the substance of which were, in point of fact, written to my family from notes made daily in the progress of my tour: much, of course, has been omitted from, and more, perhaps, added to, the original letters, to render them better suited to the public eye.

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