But before I say anything of Belfast, I ought to tell you that nothing more astonished me, in proceeding from Donaghadee to this city, than the extraordinary difference between the appearance of the country here, and that which I had left on the other side of the water. The long dry summer, as you know, had converted all the parks and the green fields of England, (and Scotland too had partaken of the same russet hue,) into the colour and appearance of a turnpike road; but from the moment of landing in Ireland, such was the fresh, vivid, and brilliant verdure, interspersed with fields of waving corn fit for the sickle, that I was ready to exclaim, "This truly is the Emerald Island!”

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LETTER II.

VISIT TO ANTRIM AND SHANES' CASTLE.

Route to Antrim-Country near Belfast-Massereene CastleShanes' Castle-Murder of the late Earl O'Neill in the rebellion of 1798-Grounds of Shane's Castle-Great extent of Territory -Moving Bog-Lough Neagh-Fishery and Fish-River Bann -Round Tower - Miss Beaufort's Opinion respecting it Danish Forts, or Raths-Favourable Appearance of the People.

Belfast, 31st August.

It was about midday when I drove into Belfast, and established myself at the Donegal Arms. My first visit was to your friend Captain Skinner, to whom you gave me a letter of introduction, and whom I found to be one of the chief magistrates of Belfast. He was residing with his father and mother, the latter of whom was overjoyed, as she told me, to see the son of one of the oldest acquaintances she had in the world, and whom she had known from her infancy. The father is a gentleman well known and esteemed by all ranks in Belfast, and one who rendered good service to the Government in the unfortunate rebellion of 1798. Finding that my first object was that of visiting Lough Neagh, Antrim, and Shane's Castle, Mr. Skinner the elder immediately and most kindly volunteered to ac

company me; and a more acceptable companion I could not possibly have had, as he was well acquainted with everything worth seeing in this part of Antrim. The next day was Sunday, and we therefore fixed on the following Monday for our excursion; and accordingly a jaunting-car was put in requisition for the purpose.

The environs of Belfast to the westward are very beautiful; numerous villas surrounded with plantations, the abode chiefly of the opulent merchants and manufacturers of the town;-neat and comfortable-looking cottages;-verdant fields, intersected by bleaching-grounds covered with linen as white as snow,—afforded a cheerful and lively prospect, more particularly to a stranger not accustomed in his own country to look upon the latter object. The linen is laid out in long narrow strips, the width of the web, and, with the blades of grass standing up between them, has the effect, from a little distance, which is produced just when the snow is in the act of dissolving with the warmth of the sun.

Our road took us near to the foot of Cave Hill, which is superior to any other in the neighbourhood of Belfast. It is remarkable for having a stratum of basalt on the summit, resting upon the great body of limestone of which it is composed. Between the basalt and the limestone are said to be many caves, lined chiefly with a conglomerate. To have visited these, and the fine view which this hill must com

mand, would have consumed more time than I had to spare, nor could I think of dragging my companion up such an ascent. After passing Cave Hill the country is flat and well cultivated, and continues to be so until the approach to Antrim, affording but little to interest the traveller, except the gratification to be derived from seeing what is always interesting-a country smiling with cultivation, and a peasantry well clothed, and dwelling in neat, comfortable houses.

The first object that catches the attention, on approaching Antrim, is the modern steeple or spire of the church, which has certainly an elegant appearance. It was erected on a plan and at the expense of Lord Ferrard, who inherits the Massereene property in the immediate neighbourhood, by virtue of his marriage with Harriet, Viscountess Massereene. Antrim Castle, or Massereene Castle (as I believe it is generally called), is in fact the residence of Lord Ferrard. It is situated at the extremity of the town, the garden-walls of which face the market-place in the centre of the great street; the only one, I may say, in the town, and which runs parallel with a sort of canal, called the Six-mile-water. The Castle is nothing more than an ordinary dwelling-house of a gentleman, with several small but comfortable apartments, leading into each other,—some of them hung round with pictures, consisting chiefly, however, of family portraits. The grounds, bordered on one side by

Lough Neagh, are laid out with great taste; and the lime-tree avenues are very beautiful.

At Antrim we procured another car to take us to Shane's Castle, the seat of the Marquess O'Neill, in order to give the horse which had brought us from Belfast an opportunity of feeding and resting himself, as we intended to return in the course of the evening. The distance to Shane's Castle is very trifling, and might soon be approached by walking through Lord Ferrard's park; but, as the chief object in visiting Shane's Castle was to go round the grounds, which I was told were very extensive and beautiful, and that we should not be able to do so on foot in the short time we had to spare, we proceeded thither in our car.

You are probably aware that the castle was burnt down in the year 1816, and that nothing was left remaining but the mere walls, which still present to the view a grand and melancholy ruin. The fire took place in the evening, when a large party of the Marquess's friends were at dinner. One of the chimneys, it is said, caught fire, and continued to burn till it approached near the top, when it burst out with great violence, and, communicating with the timbers of the roof, spread with such rapidity, that the upper story was instantly involved in one general conflagration. Every attempt to extinguish the flames was in vain, and the whole of this venerable pile was reduced to a ruin. The