Belturbet is built upon an eminence above the river Erne, and consists pria-cipally of one long street, at the upper end of which is the tower and markethouse, and beyond it is the church, near, which the vestige of an ancient fortification is to be seen. Eighteen miles. and three quarters, in the county of Fermanagh, is Enniskillen. Whilst our horses baited at a small public-house, we walked up to a hill on the right, called Knockniney. We were most. amply repaid for our labour in ascending. The horizontal view on each side is wonderfully extensive, and the ap-. pearance of Lough Erne most singular. I cannot compare it better than to the: subsiding of an immense flood, and at: the time and moment when the land From Dublin to Chapelizod, two and a quarter miles. Is pleasantly situated on the banks of the Liffey, just on the, outside of the wall of the Phenix Park. It consists of a good number of well built houses, a church with a steeple, and a barrack for the royal artillery. Five miles and a half, Leixlip, county of Kildare, seated on the confluence of the river Rye with the Liffey, inhabited in summer chiefly by the spadrinkers. Beyond Leixlip, on the the right, is a seal of the Duke of Leinster's. Six and a half miles beyond is Maynooth, a modern built town, with a spacious iun, the houses regularly laid out and good: here is a Catholic begins to re-appear from under the wa college. Pass through Kilcock, and ters; so numerous are the islands, so turn off to the right to Trim, county of indented its shores: the general feaMeath, a small town on the river Boyne: tures, however, are flat and insipid, and, ruins of a church and castle; from Dub- many of the islands are destitute of lin twenty-three miles. Kells, nine wood. I must except those facing the miles, is picturesquely situated among seat of Lord Ross at Belleisle, an island groups of trees, with a fine waving on the lake of two hundred acres, which country and distant mountain. The is by far the richest part of the lake. town with its round tower, and church This lofty summit is also distinguished spire, placed upon rising ground at the by two carneds, or raised tumuli of upper end of the principal street, make stones. On the left to Enniskillen is a pleasing appearance. The round the scat of Lord Enniskillen, a large tower stands on the south side of the and high house with many windows, church, and in the church-yard is the resembling a manufactory; it is backed fragment of a cross, very richly de- by high ground, and well-wooded. corated with the figures of men, beasts, Enniskillen at length appears, like a flowers, &c. The market-place bears a town seated in the midst of the waters, castellated appearance, occupies the site between three lakes, presenting a long of an ancient fort, said to have been range of buildings extended erected in 1178. In a street opposites des of the river. We entered the town the castle, is a fragment of another over a stone bridge with lofty arches, fine cross, sculptured in the richest near which are the remains of a small castle. manner. To Virginia, county of Cavan, nine miles. On leaving Keils, look back from the top of the hill, and see a fine prospect, with Lord Bective's seat and demesne, and an ornamented tower on the left. The road to Virginia passes near the shores of Lough Kamor io Cavan, thirteen miles and a half, is situated in: vale near a small rives,, Europ. Mag Vol. LXXII. July 1917. on the Church Hill, nine miles; a desire to. see the navigation and the islands of Lough Erne, which had been described as well worthy of notice, prompted us to make the first part of our journey by water. The river soon expands itself into the form of a lake, and opens Devenish Island with its round tower, and several ruins. This island, which.. F was the principal object of our water excursion, presents a very naked appearance, being totally destitute of wood: its soil, however, is uncommonly rich, and produces most abundant crops of corn. The monastic ruins on this island are well deserving attention. Leaving Devenish Island, we proceeded on our voyage; the shores of Lough Erne continue flat, and cultivated for some distance. On the left are the deserted mansion and naked demesne of Castle Hume. Saw on the right an island with a church in ruins, and a simple stone cross near it, in good preservation. The usual place of landing is about three quarters of a mile from Church Hill. This small village has derived its name from the situation of its church upon a hill. Leaving Church Hill, we ascended along the edge of a steep mountain, enjoying the view of the most magnificent extent of water I ever beheld in our kingdom; and I doubt if the shores of the Lake of Geneva, in Switzerland, can prescut a more striking expanse of water. The surrounding scenery is highly appropriate; for the road is confined on the left by a bold line of perpendicular and rocky mountains. On the opposite shores are the rich woods of Caldwell Castle, the fine and delightful seat of Sir John Caldwell, Bart. The lake now assumes the appearance of a river, and winds its course through a flat and peaty vale, till it reaches Belleek, a village finely situated, and has a most romantic appearance. From Belleck to Ballyshannon, county of Donegal, four miles. The town is prettily situated on the rising ground on each side the river, divided by a long bridge. Close to the town, the rives falls precipitately over a ridge of black rocks, forming a grand cataract at the spot where it discharges its waters into the sea. The salmon fishery at this place is very productive. The town is not inconsiderable. The church is situated upon an emiuence at the upper end of it. Not far from Ballintra, between Ballyshannon and Donegal, is Lough Derg. St. Patrick's Purgatory is in a small isle in this Lough. The isle is but one hundred and twenty-six yards long, by fortyfour broad, and the cave is sixteen and a half feet by two wide, and so low that a tall man cannot stand erect in it. It holds niue persons only. Ballyshannon to Donegal and Ballibofey, twenty-three miles. There is something pleasing in the scenery about Donegal: and the ruins of an old castellated mansion, with the river, bridge, &c. afford a good subject for the pencil. Immediately adjoining the town, which is small, is a small port; and a little lower down, on the banks of the river, are the remains of a Franciscan monastery. Near the village of Townavilly is a pretty lake on the right, called Lough Esk, diversified by islands and backed by mountains. Arrived at Ballibofey. Passed through Raphoe. Raphoe, county of Donegal, is a small place, but a bishop's see. The cathedral has no antique architecture to boast of, having been modernized both within and without, and neatly pewed. A cross celebrated for the performance of miracles stood formerly in the cathedral, but was removed to Armagh about the year 1435. The episcopal palace adjoins the church, and the deanery-house of the Rev. Dr. King, called Oakfield, is a little way out of town. The Iter says, the mansion-house of the bishop is a castle, was built at the expense of government in the reign of Charles the First. it stood a siege in the rebellion of 1641; it was beautifully repaired lately by Bishop Oswald, and is now a handsome dwelling. St. John's Town, Donegal, a market and borough town, situated on the river Foyle, which at this place is of considerable breadth, and divides the counties of Donegal and Tyrone. From Ballibofey to Londonderry, twenty miles. This city stands on a singularly situated pleasant verdant knoll, insulated and of an oval form, which rises from the bottom of a val ley, on the western side of the river Foyle, whose waters wash its foot through more than half its extent, and form, with the basin called Lough Foyle, an excellent harbour. This town, conspicuous by its situation, and the lofty spire of the church, is hardly an Eugiish mile in circuit within the wall. The city is walled, and its elevated terrace affords a dry and pleasing walk. In the wall are four gates, whence run the four main streets, meeting near the summit of the hill, in a square called the Diamond, where stands the Exchange. The length of the city, within the walls, from Bishop's tions, but totally insufficient to stand the siege of a regular army, particularly since the town has been commanded by hills. From Derry to Newtown Limavady is thirteen miles. On looking back, see a pleasing view of Derry, and its long extended bridge. The Lough appears to great advantage on the left. See at some distance its embouchure bounded by a bold and precipitate hill towards the north. At nine miles distance is a seat of the Beresford family; fine approach to the house, through a wood of stately oaks, and a rich underwood of holly, &c. with the Lough Foyle in front. At Ballykelly is a pretty little neat new church, the head of which is too large for the body. Lose sight of the Lough; mud cottages re-appear. gate to the Ship Quay-gate, is one thousand two hundred and seventythree feet; the breadth from Ferry Quay-gate to Butcher's gate, is six hundred and twenty-five feet. The main streets cross at right angles, the smaller streets in general form the same arrangement. The streets are well paved and lighted The houses are chiefly of brick. Over the city gate in Bishop's-street, are two heads well sculptured in stone. The cathedral is a neat building, partaking of the castellated, as well as the ecclesiastical structure, being turretted and embattled at the eastern angles. Some renovated white banners or colours, recording the bravery of the citizens of Derry in the year 1689, are suspended on each side of the altar. The interior of this cathedral resembles much a neat, handsome, modern parish-church. The bishop's palace is in the principal street. and the dean's residence nearly opposite. The communication of the city with the county of its name, formerly maintained by a ferry, has been rendered more commodious in the latter part of the eighteenth century, by a singularly long wooden bridge. It was constructed in North America, by Lemuel Cox, an American artist. Its length is one thousand and sixty-eight feet: its breadth forty feet. The piers consist of oak from fourteen to eighteen inches square, fifty-eight feet in length, giving it great support, and furnished with a draw-bridge, twenty-five feet wide, for the passage of vessels. The railings are four feet and a half high, and there are twenty-six lamp-posts along the side of the bridge. The greatest depth of the river at low water is thirty-one feet, and the rise of the tide is from eight to ten feet. The gaol is a large and appropriate building. A new sessions-house is going to be erected. According to the Information of Dr. Patterson, the city with its suburbs, on each bank of the river, contains one thousand four hundred and fifty eight houses; at seven and a half, amount to ten thousand nihe hundred and thirty-five persons. With schools, paupers, and military, when garrisoned, thirteen thousand six hundred and thirty five. The high-rounded by very large sycamores; est point of ground in the city is near Bishop's-gate, where has been erected a triumphal arch with an equestrian statue of King William the Third. The wall was firin, and strengthened by, bas Newtown Limavady is a neat looking Jittle town; the main street is wide, built on an eminence. Added to this circumstance, the improved appearance of the fine country around at first sight, brings to recollection the idea of no mean English village. Neither its church or market-place are conspicuously ornamental. There is one meeting-house in the town, and two near it. We took a fresh chaise and pair of horses at Mercer's; a good inn; road good and wide; little variety in the general state of cultivation. We proceeded over a long mountain to Coleraine: this tedious mountain af fords an extensive view of Lough Foyle, and the distant country. Having reached the apex of the mountain, we travelled over a dreary track of wild and boggy ground to Coleraine. 1 observed during this day's journey seve ral earthen works and carneds distributed over the hills and plains, and a very fine one of the former descrip tion near the town of Coleraine. Coleraine is considered as the second town in the county in point of size, and carries on a considerable trade in linen goods. It consists principally of one long street ; in the centre and near the upper end is the market-house; above the market place, or diamond, is the church, small and neat, sur below it, the street is intercepted by the river Bann, a fine broad stream, influenced by the tide, over which is a neat wooden bridge, supported by stone piers. Below the bridge is Cap tain street, and the suburbs, called Killowen. Near the bridge is an oldfashioned large house, not long since occupied by the most respectable family of the Lysles, with some well-wooded grounds on the banks of the river. From Killowen along the road by the river about half a mile to the Salmon Leap, where the river makes a very considerable, and rather a picturesque, fall. On the right hand of the road, leading to the river, is a tumulus; and continuing my walk, I had a view advantageously of another fine earthen work, or rath, boldly situated on the opposite banks of the river, and partly covered with wood, and is one of the largest I have met with in Ireland. This is now called Mount Sandel, belonging to Captain Richardson, whose house and demesne are on this side the river opposite to the rath. The leap and fishery lets for a considerable sum, Jarge quantities of salmon being annually caught. The main stream is always left open for the free passage of the fish up the river; but on the twelfth of August the fishery should cease. The salmon are caught also by net at the Cranagh, where there is an ice-house about a mile on the other side of the bridge. Near it is the house of Griffin Curtis, Esq. The Rev. Mr. Sampson, in his Statistical Survey of the County of Londonderry, says, "perhaps Coleraine, with the suburbs, may be rated at about three thousand eight hundred persons." Should think it now too small a number. the From Coleraine I had an opportu nity of several times visiting that most wonderful natural phenomenon Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Carrick-a-Rede Bridge, and that whole line of coast, to great advantage, through the kindness of some hospitable acquaintances I had there formed: Mr. Neil, Surgeon, Coleraine; H. Wray, Esq. Bendfield; the Rev. Mr. Stewart, Rockfield House, Bush Mills, &c. Yet as it is impossible for me to add to, but diminish and spoil, those admirable descriptions of Hamil ton, Drummond, &c. by any attempts of mine, I copy the descriptions from those authors I have met with, as much better calculated to satisfy those who may peruse these extracts. (To be continued.) FRAGMENTA. BEING THOUGHTS, OBSERVATIONS, REFLECTIONS, AND CRITICISMS, WITH ANECDOTES AND CHARACTERS ANCIENT AND MODERN. No. XX. SUPERSTITION. THE ancients adopted a very pecu liar method of pacifying the wandering spirits of such as had been slain by treachery. The murderer never thought himself safe from being haunted by the spectre of the person whom he had killed, until he had cut off the feet, the hands, the nose, and the ears, from the slaughtered corpse, and hung them to his own neck, or under his arm pits. This appears from the Greek scholiasts on Sophocles, Eschylus, &c. Deiphobus, the husband of Helena, was probably treated in this way; which accounts for the uncouth appearance which he made before Æneas in the shades. "Lacerum, crudeliter ora, Ora, manusque, ambos, populataque tempora, raptis, Aurious et truncas, inhonesto vulnere pares. "'* And this naturally introduces the Ro method of getting rid of those troublesome, nocturnal visitors, the Lemures, so named from a transversion of the word Remus, who was said to have haunted his brother, and murderer, Romulus. On this account, the hag-ridden prince instituted a festival, called Lemuria, to appease the unquiet dead. The baunted person was to rise at midnight, and to walk barefooted, silently, only making a small noise with his thumb and finger, to keep the disturbed spirit at some distance: he then must wash his hands three times in spring water, and fill his mouth with beans, which he was to throw behind him, for the spectre, who watched his motions, to pick up; he was at the same time to pronounce, With these beans I redeem me and mine"-without turning back his head. Then after one more ablution, after striking a vessel of brass, and after adjuring the ghost nine several times, by "Midst other barbarous devices, The Greeks had cut his face in slices, Of cheeks, nose, lips, they'd quite be reft him, And not an inch of car had left him.". name, to depart, he might turn his head, and the ceremony was ended.* In what manner are we to account for the difference between that noble wild ness found in the tales of superstition, handed down to us by our Celtic ancestors, and the uninteresting insipidity of all the ghost and witch stories which the latter ages have produced? Perhaps the cause may be found in that universal allowance of preternatural visitations, which, in former times, pervaded every rank of society, and, of course, encouraged the greatest and most fanciful wits of the time to busy themselves in inventing and recounting picturesque relations, while in modern days, since the belief of such events has been confined wholly to the ignoraut, the poor, and the superannuated, neither genius nor imagination are at hand to raise the tale one degree above a white sheet, or a pair of saucer eyes, nor to supply, the spectre with any language more expressive than that of scratching, knocking, or Buttering. Let us, for example's sake, recount one out of a hundred stories told by the ancient northern writers. Asuithus and Asmundus were heroes and companions in arms: they had, fought and conquered together during many years, and their friendship was spoken of as a`pattern to the warriors of the North. At length, the one, after a desperate conflict, was slain in battle: the survivor, after causing a spacious vault to be constructed for his friend's body, and after having seen his arms, his horse, and his favourite dog (as was the mode of the times), placed within his reach, besides a large store of provisions, entered the cavern armed as he was, and, in consequence of a mutual yow which had passed between them, insisted on being closed in with his deceased comrade. The orders of such a man were not to be disputed. The soldiers walled up the opening of the vault, heaped over the whole the usual nound of earth, and departed, lamenting the loss of two such leaders. It chanced that, a century afterwards, Eric, a Swedish Prince, marching, with his army, near the scene of this awful event, was incited by the hopes of find * It should seem that a person who had resolution enough to pass through a form so very alarming, must have too firm a mind to give any credit to such childish expiatory ce remonies. ing some vast treasure to violate the asylum of the dead. His pioneers instantly levelled the hillock, and the arch of the vault soon gave way; when, ina tomb, the ghastly figure of the survivstead of the expected solemn stillness of ing hero rushed forth all covered with blood, and deprived of half his visage. "As The tale he told to the Norwegian was frightful as his own appearance. soon," he said, "as the tomb had been closed, a hungry cruel spirit had taken possession of the body of his slaughtered friend, and had, without ceasing a moment, employed all the force and arms of the deceased in order to conquer and devour the buried survivor. He added, that the spectre had so far prevailed, as to have feasted on the horse, the dog, and half the face of the wretched narrator; but that he had at length, by the exertion of his old prowess, overpowered the spectre, and beheaded and buried the possessed carcase." of the most singular parts of it is, that Here the story ends; and perhaps one it was told to the Norwegian Prince in extempore verse.* A circumstance which, in the mouth of a man who had been one hundred years fighting with a goblin, and who had but half a face eft, seems uncommon.t But such * Quid stupetis, qui relictum me colore cernitus Obsolescit nempe vivis omnis inter mor tuos Nescio que Stygie numinis ausu, +A Mr. Child, of Plymstock, in Devonshire, was inspired by the Muses, if we may believe tradition, on an occasion almost as unpromising for a bard. He was benighted, half frozen, and on the point of perishing, when, with the point of his sword, he wrote, with his horse's blood, this testamentary distich: "Whoever finds, and brings me to my tomb The Land of Plimstock-that shall be his doom." The monks of Ford Abbey are said to have gained the estate so bequested by throwing a temporary bridge over a river |