yew, with its yellower tinge; and here the arbutus with its red stem and leaf of brighter green, and its rough, wild, uncontrouled growth, adorning, and at the same time disclosing the romantic singularity of the scene. I know not that ever I read of such a place, so wild and so beautiful-I think I recollect-Cervantes' description of the Sierra Morena, in Don Quixotte, with all its Ilexes, and oaks, and cork trees. Could it be at all like this? or is it like the grand Chartreuse near Grenoble ? As we drove along Mr. White's beautiful woods, and down to the shore-(of Mr. White's immediate improvements bye and bye)— we skirted along the extremity of the bay ; and directly from the shore rose a perfectly conical congeries of rocks, that seemed to be thrown on each other in regular irregularity, until they formed a sort of pike or reek, resembling a sugar-loaf. Oh, what a London banker would give to have in his grounds, such a rock, and such furniture and garnishing as this rock was adorned with !-what a pro fusion of evergreen variety!! from the close creeping ivy to the loose untameable arbutus, that is no where in character and at home, except here amidst its companionable rocks. There were two cottages directly under this native habitat of the arbutus. One was the white-washed abode of a Protestant: it had some of the conveniencies, and a few of the comforts, that the Protestants of English descent ever contrive to have around them. The other cottage, directly under the hill, was the habitation of a Milesian, one of the O'Leary's of Ivelearagh. Never was there such a position for a cottage "ornee." fancy roamed the world wide, it could not light on a lovelier spot, such perfect groupings for a landscape, such an entire place of happy repose; even a common English boor would have felt a pride in keeping it clean; and this was all it wanted. But this, O, this descendant of princes, this thick-blooded Milesian, strutting in all Spanish idleness, in his loose and lank great coat, stood himself, his house, his pig-sty and pig, all of a match. If They deformed the place instead of beautifying it. And yet, after all, in spite of this O'Leary, the place-even if it was defiled by a Hottentot's kraal was surpassingly beautiful. 66 With all the chivalry of a Quixotte, and elated with the picturesque, I took my glove, threw it down, and challenged the world, in island or continent, in tropic or temperate zone, to match me such a spot. Come," says Edward “I take up your glove. -I hold myself as craven, unworthy over hill and dale to explore nature's beauties, if I do not shew you, before we quit the glen, a more striking scene than this." The challenge made and accepted thus in solemn form, we proceeded onwards to where a stream, the child of the valley, gave up its pure untainted waters to the ocean-and such a lovely stream !! We came to where was an ancient bridge. It is not often that any thing good is associated with the recollections of the Irish concerning Cromwell; still this bridge was called after him, and yet no curse connected with its construction. C. O. SKETCHES IN THE SOUTH OF IRELAND. LETTER IV. TO THE REV. THOMAS P. M. -E. DEAR SIR, I will fairly confess to you that I was never more at a loss than how to get on or get out of Glengariff. I know that my poor pen cannot do justice to this scenery, and if you were for half an hour there, you would accord that he must be a felicitous describer, indeed, who could convey a suitable idea of this curious valley.-The draughtsman it is true, might catch the character and convey the idea of some insulated spot-the painter might arrest upon his canvass some of those combinations of light and shade that commu z 2 |