the national recreations, though still sufficiently varied and numerous
are neither so strongly marked nor diversified as formerly. Fun, or
the love of it, to be sure, is an essential principle in the Irish
character; and nothing that can happen, no matter how solemn or how
sorrowful it may be, is allowed to proceed without it. In Ireland the
house of death is sure to be the merriest one in the neighborhood; but
here the mirth is kindly and considerately introduced, from motives of
sympathy--in other words, for the alleviation of the mourners' sorrow.
The same thing may be said of its association with religion. Whoever has
witnessed a Station in Ireland made at some blessed lake or holy well,
will understand this. At such places it is quite usual to see young
men and women devoutly circumambulating the well or lake on their bare
knees, with all the marks of penitence and contrition strongly
impressed upon their faces; whilst again, after an hour or two, the same
individuals may be found in a tent dancing with ecstatic vehemence to
the music of the bagpipe or fiddle.

All these things, however, will be found, I trust I may say faithfully
depicted in the following volume--together with many other important
features of our general character; which I would dwell on here, were it
not that they are detailed very fully in other parts of my works, and I
do not wish to deprive them of the force of novelty when they occur, nor
to appear heavy by repetition.

In conclusion, I have endeavored, with what success has been already
determined by the voice of my own country, to give a panorama of Irish
life among the people--comprising at one view all the strong points of
their general character--their loves, sorrows, superstitions, piety,
amusements, crimes, and virtues; and in doing this, I can say with
solemn truth that I painted them honestly, and without reference to the