fine view of Lock
Derrevaragh, a noble water eight miles long, and from two miles to half a
mile over; a vast reach of it, like a magnificent river, opens as you
rise the hill. Afterwards I passed under the principal mountain, which
rises abruptly from the lake into the boldest outline imaginable. The
water there is very beautiful, filling up the steep vale formed by this
and the opposite hills.

Reached Mullingar.

It was one of the fair days. I saw many cows and beasts, and more
horses, with some wool. The cattle were of the same breed that I had
generally seen in coming through the country.

July 5. Left Mullingar, which is a dirty ugly town, and taking the road
to Tullamore, stopped at Lord Belvidere's, with which place I was as much
struck as with any I had ever seen. The house is perched on the crown of
a very beautiful little hill, half surrounded with others, variegated and
melting into one another. It is one of the most singular places that is
anywhere to be seen, and spreading to the eye a beautiful lawn of
undulating ground margined with wood. Single trees are scattered in some
places, and clumps in others; the general effect so pleasing, that were
there nothing further, the place would be beautiful, but the canvas is
admirably filled. Lake Ennel, many miles in length, and two or three
broad, flows beneath the windows. It is spotted with islets, a
promontory of rock fringed with trees shoots into it, and the whole is
bounded by distant hills. Greater and more magnificent scenes are often
met with, but nowhere a more beautiful or a more singular one.

From Mullingar to Tullespace I found rents in general at twenty shillings
an acre, with much relet at thirty shillings, yet all the crops except
bere were very bad, and full of weeds. About the latter-named place the
farms are generally from one hundred to three hundred acres; and their
course: 1. fallow; 2. bere; 3. oats; 4. oats; 5. oats. Great quantities
of potatoes all the way, crops from forty to eighty barrels.

The road before it comes to Tullamore leads through a part of the bog of
Allen, which seems here extensive, and would make a noble tract of
meadow. The way the road was made over it was simply to cut a drain on
each side, and then lay on the gravel, which, as fast as it was laid and
spread, bore the ears. Along the edges is fine white clover.

In conversation upon the subject of a union with Great Britain, I was
informed that n