Lord Crosby to Listowel. Called
in the way to view Lixnaw, the ancient seat of the Earls of Kerry, but
deserted for ten years past, and now presents so melancholy a scene of
desolation, that it shocked me to see it. Everything around lies in
ruin, and the house itself is going fast off by thieving depredations of
the neighbourhood. I was told a curious anecdote of this estate; which
shows wonderfully the improvement of Ireland. The present Earl of
Kerry's grandfather, Thomas, agreed to lease the whole estate for 1,500
pounds a year to a Mr. Collis for ever, but the bargain went off upon a
dispute whether the money should be paid at Cork or Dublin. Those very
lands are now let at 20,000 pounds a year. There is yet a good deal of
wood, particularly a fine ash grove, planted by the present Earl of
Shelburne's father.

Proceeded to Woodford, Robert Fitzgerald's, Esq., passing Listowel
Bridge; the vale leading to it is very fine, the river is broad, the
lands high, and one side a very extensive hanging wood, opening on those
of Woodford in a pleasing style.

Woodford is an agreeable scene; close to the house is a fine winding
river under a bank of thick wood, with the view of an old castle hanging
over it.

In 1765, Mr. Fitzgerald was travelling from Constantinople to Warsaw, and
a waggon with his baggage heavily laden overset; the country people
harnessed two buffaloes by the horns, in order to draw it over, which
they did with ease. In some very instructive conversation I had with
this gentleman on the subject of his travels, this circumstance
particularly struck me.

October 4. From Woodford to Tarbat, the seat of Edward Leslie, Esq.,
through a country rather dreary, till it came upon Tarbat, which is so
much the contrary that it appeared to the highest advantage; the house is
on the edge of a beautiful lawn, with a thick margin of full grown wood,
hanging on a steep bank to the Shannon, so that the river is seen from
the house over the tops of this wood, which being of a broken irregular
outline has an effect very striking and uncommon; the river is two or
three miles broad here, and the opposite coast forms a promontory which
has from Tarbat exactly the appearance of a large island. To the east,
the river swells into a triangular lake, with a reach opening at the
distant corner of it to Limerick. The union of wood, water, and lawn
forms upon the whole a very fine scene; the river is very magnificent.
Fro