native fprightliness and fociability, a franknefs and generofity in their general manner, that is confpicuous and engaging, and cannot fail of recornmending them to ftrangers.

The inhabitants are very far from being in the leaft deferving the epithet of want of genius, which Twifs and fome other ignorant authors have mentioned, who never had an opportunity of knowing their real charac ter, but being blinded by prejudice, mifre presented them. The contrary is too well known to need my repeating, that Ireland has produced men of as great learning, and of as elevated a genius as any nation in Europe can boaft of; in particular, the names of the undermentioned Irish authors deserve to be recited, viz. Swift. Sterne, Steel, Sloane, Berkley bishop of Cloyne, Dr. Goldfmith, Parnel, and the earl of Cork, and Orrery. Among the moft eminent dramatic writers are Farquhar, Southerne, Henry Jones, Mrs Sheridan, Henry Brooke, Ifaac Bickerstaffe, Kane O'Hara, Jephfon, Hugh Kelly, Sheridan, fen. and junior, Mr. Griffith, and Rev. Matthew Weft. Hifto rians, rev. Dr. Thomas Leland, Sylvefter O'Halloran, Dr. Charles Smith, Dr. Rut ty, Charles O'Connor, Thomas Wilkes, Sir William Petty, J. H. Wynne, Dr. Warner, and Sir James Caldwell. Mifcellaneous authors, Gorges Edmond Howard, Samuel Whyte, Mr. Dunkin, Walter Harris, John Cunningham, George Canning, Mr. An

thony

thony King, Sir Edward Barry, Richard Griffith, John Leflie, Mrs. Pilkington, Mrs. Barber, and lady Dorothy Duboies, counfellor Dobbs, and Sheridan, with many others who are well known to the literary world.

The antiquities of Britain and Ireland have been much the fubject of inveftigation fince the revival of letters in Europe. The fubject is important; and in the course of enquiry, many useful facts relative to the manners and civilization of the antient inhabitants have been difcovered: Many, however remain ftill in the fhades of doubtful evidence, or unfufpecting credulity; and fome efforts to bring them to light, either by documents infufficiently authenticated, traditionary tales impofed for true hiftory, or vifionary fyftems raised on ftrained etymologies, have been vain. But the knowledge we want, (as far as it is attainable) will be related in the courfe of the enfuing pages drawn from purer fources: from a nearer acquaintance with the languages, and writings of the antient inhabitants of this kingdom. In order to gain as much knowJedge as poffible relative to the antient history of Ireland, the Dublin Society, fo long celebrated in Europe, did lately appoint a felect committee of their own body to open a correfpondence at home and abroad, for the purpose of collecting every authentic account of the antient ftate of Ireland, which it is hoped that respectable fociety

fociety will in time favour the world with. To proceed,

Ireland is computed to be above a fourth part peopled, and it is reafonable to suppose that it might maintain eight times its prefent number, for it is evident the linen manufacture employs great numbers, particularly in the province of Ulfter, but how many more might it not find employment for, if that branch of trade was fpread through the other three provinces, for though it will appear in the courfe of this work what ftate. the linen manufacture is in, in all the different counties, yet that branch of trade it is. hoped may be more patronized in the provinces of Munster, Leinster, and Connaught.

If fisheries regularly established, or other profitable branches of trade were fet up in this kingdom, it would employ a very confiderable number of hands, besides the advantage which would derive from their having nurseries of seamen who would be at all times ready to defend this country in the prefent or any future war. Were the foil of Ireland lefs fruitful, or the climate more intemperate, a profpect of riches might draw ftrangers, here, and a multitude of people, as Solomon fays, is the glory of a prince; for it is neither the unhealthfulness or burning heat of the Indies, the cold of Ruffia, nor the inquifition of Spain, that hinder men from fettling in thofe countries; English, Dutch, and French merchants and

factors

factors refort to many parts of the Turkish dominions to advance their fortunes, and even to settle among the plunderers of Arabia and the pirates of Algiers; but in reland a ftranger has neither the severity of government, nor the intemperance of climate to ftruggle with, and the foil is fufficiently fertile to reward the most fanguine expectations of the husbandman, therefore this kingdom wants only to be more known to render it highly deferving the notice of ftrangers, and encourage them to settle in it, more especially as every encouragement is given by that patriotic body the Dublin Society and by the public in general to those who could improve our arts or sciences, or begin or fet up any new invention or art ufed in other countries, for the procuring of wealth and the employment of individuals.

It has been obferved by almost every writer that this nation is free from any ve nomous infects. It has been remarked by our antiquarians that Crete, the refidence of fome of the antient Irish in Greece, has been fuppofed like Ireland to be free from venomous infects, to which tradition, Junius, the Dutchman, applies thefe lines:

Illa ego fum Graiis, olim glacialis Ierne Dicta, & Jania puppis, bene cognita

nautis :

Cui Deus, & melior rerum nafcentium origo,

Jus

Jus commune dedit cum Creta, Attrice tonantis,

Noxia ne nofiris diffundant fibila in oris.

By an accourt taken in 1686 it appears that the numbers of inhabitants in the following places were,

In 1780.

705,000

496,000

Amfterdam 187,000

193,000

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

The ecclefiaftical hiftory of Ireland having been f, copiously treated by many perfons of the most distinguished abilities in their feveral ages; I fhall briefly mention fuch particulars only as may not be wholly uninterefting. A. D. 1152, in the reign of Morrough Mac Neil Mac Loughlin, a council was held at Meath, in which prefided cardinal John Paparo and Christian O'Connor, bishop of Lifmore, as the Pope's legates. In this council, four archbishoprics were then established, viz. Armagh, Dublin, Cafhel and Tuam, there being only two before, viz. Armagh and Cafhel; for thefe four archbishops the Pope fent four palls,

the