first seen, gushes out between two rocks at a great height up the mountain; and, after falling about thirty feet, spreads to a wide extent on each side. In every little dark recess, whether between the foliage or the stones, the water appears sparkling; so that each tree and each rock seems to yield a living spring. These innumerable rills at last unite again, and are collected in a basin deeply excavated in the rock; from which making a second sudden descent, through a contracted channel, the water falls in a sheet of white foam, and loses itself in the woods below.

The upper lake displays much greater variety than the other; but that variety arises entirely from different combinations of the same wild and uncultivated features: its shores display none of those contrasts observable on the lower lake, between the verdant. lawn and rugged heath; the graceful grove and thick entangled forest the scenery retains its native attire, and from this circumstance derives its principal interest. To him who prefers the gloomy mountain and hollow glen to smiling vales and flowery meads, the upper lake will display attractions that would be sought in vain in any other part of the island. Equally inviting will it appear to him, who, in contemplating the works of Nature, receives gratification from the discovery of subjects within the reach and adapted to the powers of the pencil. In picturesque scenery, indeed, it far surpasses all the other lakes. Occasional visitors, however, there are who are disposed to entertain a very different opinion; but the truth is, that the difficulty of getting to the upper lake, the want of accommodation when arrived there, and the great uncertainty of the climate, preclude most strangers from seeing it thoroughly: it is only by a patient examination of the shores, and particularly of the deep inlets along it, that its full beauties can be discovered; and this

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is a work of time and labour. In the annexed plate, where the reeks appear capt with clouds, I have endeavoured to represent one of the many interesting scenes of this delightful lake: it is taken from the head of the inlet which is guarded by the Coffin-point, a spot which abounds with picturesque views, and where an artist might remain for days without exhausting his subjects. Interesting, however, as this inlet is, there are several others not inferior to it: but to have given specimens of the scenery of each would have been incompatible with the plan of this work, and to enter upon a minute verbal account of them would only prove fatiguing to the reader. Besides, the powers of language are so limited, that by it no precise ideas can be given of such wild and varied objects; and we accordingly find that in nature they never fail to present an aspect widely different from the images which the mind receives from the details of the descriptive writer. Here then I take leave of the lake. Much more might be said on the subject; but I fear that I already have occasion to apologize for redundancies, rather than to ask indulgence for omissions.

SECTION III.

MAGILLICUDDY's reeks are generally supposed to be the most lofty mountains in Ireland; although their exact height does not appear to have been ascertained. The celebrated Mr. Kirwan made several barometrical observations both on them and on other mountains in the vicinity of Killarney; from which he concluded, as he informed me, that the reeks were at least three thousand feet in height: but at the same time he added, that his experiments were not sufficiently numerous fully to satisfy his own mind on the subject. A gentleman resident near Killarney gave me from memory a computation of their height, derived from a different source; according to which, their most elevated point was only one hundred and fifty feet lower than Snowdon. The latter mountain is somewhat less than six hundred fathoms high; pursuant to the most generally received calculation, three thousand five hundred and sixty-eight feet. This measurement, therefore, would leave the height of the reeks at three thousand four hundred and eighteen feet, which rather exceeds what Mr. Kirwan supposed it to be: I suspect, however, that that gentleman did not direct his observations to the most lofty point. He told me it was his practice to remain below, on one of the islands in the lake, whilst his assistant ascended the mountain;