places I have seen in Ireland. It
is a hill of some hundred acres broken into a great variety of ground by
gentle declivities, with everywhere an undulating outline and the whole
varied by a considerable quantity of wood, which in some places is thick
enough to take the appearance of close groves, in others spreads into
scattered thickets and a variety of single groups. This hill, or rather
cluster of hills, is surrounded on one side by a reach of Cork Harbour,
over which it looks in the most advantageous manner; and on the other by
an irriguous vale, through which flows the river Glanmire; the opposite
shore of that river has every variety that can unite to form pleasing
landscapes for the views from Dunkettle grounds; in some places narrow
glens, the bottoms of which are quite filled with water, and the steep
banks covered with thick woods that spread a deep shade; in others the
vale opens to form the site of a pretty cheerful village, overhung by
hill and wood: here the shore rises gradually into large inclosures,
which spread over the hills, stretching beyond each other; and there the
vale melts again into a milder variety of fields. A hill thus situated,
and consisting in itself of so much variety of surface, must necessarily
command many pleasing views. To enjoy these to the better advantage, Mr.
Trent (than whom no one has a better taste, both to discover and describe
the beauties of natural scenes) is making a walk around the whole, which
is to bend to the inequalities of the ground, so as to take the principal
points in view. The whole is so beautiful, that if I were to make the
regular detour, the description might be too minute; but there are some
points which gave me so much pleasure that I know not how to avoid
recommending to others that travel this way to taste the same
satisfaction. From the upper part of the orchard you look down a part of
the river, where it opens into a regular basin, one corner stretching up
to Cork, lost behind the hill of Lota, the lawn of which breaks on the
swelling hills among the woods; the house obscured, and therefore seeming
a part of your home scene; the losing the river behind the beautiful
projection of Lota is more pleasing than can be expressed. The other
reach, leading to the harbour's mouth, is half hidden by the trees, which
margin the foot of the hill on which you stand; in front a noble range of
cultivated hills, the inclosures broken by slight spots of wood, a