"No veil to curtain o'er her beauteous brow,

In its young bashfulness more beauteous now!"

Her eyes and hair were of the glossiest black; in her cheeks the lily and the rose appeared to contend for supremacy, and her face was one of those that limners would gaze on as a model of perfections, and such as "youthful poets fancy then they love." But I did not long enjoy this beautiful sight; for Niobe soon veiled her charming face, rose from her seat and mixed with the giddy, thoughtless tribe.

Late in the evening, we proceeded to the apartment fitted up for refreshments, where I partook of a collation which I did not think superfluous, after the pleasant agitations of the evening.

LETTER XXVIII.

Haud pigebit referre in illis prætentata crimina; ut quibus initiis quantâ arte gravissimum exitium irrepserit, dein repressum sit, postremo arserit cunctaque corripuerit noscatur.

TACITUS.

Dublin, June 9, 1819.

ONE of the early names of this city, (for it has been distinguished by several,) was Auliana, from Auliana, daughter of Alpinus, who was drowned in the Liffey. In the reign of Antoninus Pius, Ptolemy, a writer of celebrity, called it Eblana, or Dublana Civitas. It is probable that the Dublani were the ancient natives,

this co

but it is not known from what country lony came. Ireland was never subject to the Roman power; which, by the way, was no advantage to it as those conquerors were, at the same time, the civilizers of the world. Henry II. of England, having obtained from pope Adrian, a bull, authorising him to take possession of Ireland, in 1167 this country was invaded by the English. A favourable opportunity presented itself to Henry, to put his designs in execution. Dermot M'Murrough, King of Leinster, being expelled from his dominions, on account of his enormities, applied to the English monarch, then in France, for protection and assistance, promising subjection to him during life. A letter patent was granted him; being a general license to all the English, to aid Dermot in the recovery of his kingdom; the latter was victorious, but died soon afterwards. In 1172, Henry II. landed at Waterford; he then proceeded to Dublin, and took possession of the government. The country was parcelled out among a few greedy English adventurers-it was their chief care to exterminate the natives, whose feuds and rebellions prevented every attempt at civilization. Thus Ireland was not perfectly submitted to the crown of England, either by conquest or otherwise, till the vigorous administration of queen Elizabeth quashed the last hopes of Irish independence.

After the revolution in 1688, James II. arrived in Dublin, where he conducted himself

with his usual violence and absurdity. After his signal defeat at the Boyne, he fled to this capital, which was menaced with all the horrors of anarchy. James remained only one night at the castle, where he assembled his officers, told them his misfortune, and on the following day fled to Waterford, where he embarked for France.

King William was not much disposed to govern Ireland with lenity and prudence, although his disposition was decidedly tolerant. Victory on the banks of the Boyne, seemed to impose a necessity upon the conquerors, of preserving what their swords had won, by a harsh coercion of the vanquished. The severe laws against popery, date from William's time; that, in particular, which shuts the doors of Parliament against Catholics, was passed in the 3d year of his reign. His stupid successors have done every thing in their power to irritate the people against their rulers. The execrable popery laws divided the nation into two distinct bodies, without common interest or sympathy, or connexion. "One of those bodies, (says Burke,) was to possess all the franchises, all the property, all the education; the other was to be composed of drawers of water, and cutters of turf for them!" In 1798 and 1803, the flame broke out and raged over the country with the most horrible violence; and the fire which has been smouldering since. the Union, seems ready to burst forth again: indeed matters have been pushed to too great

F

lengths between the two countries, ever to admit of a sincere or lasting reconciliation.*

To have a general idea of the appearance of the capital of the Land of Erin, I ascended to the terrace on top of Nelson's monument. I saw the bay to the east gradually disappearing in the azure of the horizon; the mountainous scenery appeared to me less romantic, but more meekly beautiful than the Highlands; the variegated appearance of the adjacent country, the neatness of the blue slating, with which the houses are covered, and the noble architecture of the public buildings, contribute to the grandeur of the prospect.-Dublin is seated near a large and spacious bay, into which the river Anna Liffey discharges itself. The city extends from east to west along the river, nearly three miles, and is about the same breadth. The streets are said to resemble those of London, and they have the same names; but Dublin jis much superior to the "Devil's drawing-room,' in the magnificence of the public buildings,

* "So great and so long has been the mis-government of Ireland, that we verily believe the empire would be much stronger, if every thing was open sea between England and the Atlantic, and if skates and codfish swam over the fair land of Ulster. Such jobbing, such profligacy-so much direct tyranny and oppression -such an abuse of God's gifts-such a profanation of God's name for the purposes of bigotry and party spirit, cannot be exceeded in the history of civilized Europe, and will long remain a monument of infamy and shame to England."-Again:" At this moment, in a period of the most profound peace, there are 25,000 of the best disciplined and best appointed troops in the world in Ireland, with bayonets fixed, presented arms, and in the attitude of present war: nor is there a man too much-nor, would Ireland be tenable without them." Edinburgh REVIEW, 1820.

and the beauty and extent of the quays on both sides of the Liffey. That beautiful river is imbedded between two walls, from which the streets extend to the houses, in a gentle slope. Seven bridges stretch over it; of these the New Iron Bridge is the most elegant; it spans the stream in one immense arch, of amazing narrowness and lightsomeness of workmanship. The Richmond Bridge extends from the Four Courts, which form one grand pile of superb architecture. In the middle of this edifice is a large circular hall, which, in Term times, (i. e. 4 times a year,) is crowded with lawyers and loungers. The lawyers appear to think that an enormous wig with 3 or 4 queues adds a great deal to their oratorical powers!

The city of Dublin is now an archi-episcopal see. Its ecclesiastical government is vested in its archbishop, archdeacon and other clergy. The archbishop, (Dr. Cleaver,) is primate of Ireland, and bishop of Glendalogh. You know my sentiments about the different forms of Christianity: I do not know that there is any human judge who can decide which is exclusively the best, and therefore I say, with bish

op Watson, that they are all good, and that I do not belong to the church of England, or the church of Rome, but to the church of Christ. The Catholic religion was professed for many ages by our ancestors, and by all Christendom -it is still professed by the majority of the civilized world-it was the religion of Sir Thomas More, of Fenelon, of Massillon: