THE IRISH PENNY JOURNAL.
| Number 11. | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1840. | Volume I. |
CLONTARF CASTLE, COUNTY OF DUBLIN.
There are few things that afford us a higher pleasure thanto observe our metropolis and our provincial cities and towns,despite of adverse circumstances, increasing in the numberand splendour of their public buildings, for they are sure evidencesof the advance of civilization, with its attendant trainof arts, amongst us, and that we are progressing to the rankand dignity of a great nation. Yet we confess we enjoy astill higher gratification when we see springing up around usgreat architectural works of another class—those erected byindividuals of the aristocracy as residences for themselves andthose who are to come after them. Such architectural worksare not merely interesting from the gratifications they affordto the feeling of taste, and the epic dignity and beauty whichthey contribute to landscape scenery, but have a higher interestas pledges to the nation that those who have erectedthem have a filial attachment to the soil which gave them birth,and which supplies them, whether for good or evil, with themeans of greatness; and that they are not disposed to playthe part of unwise and ungrateful children. To us it littlematters what the creed or party of such individuals may be;however they may err in opinions, their feelings are at heartas they should be. The aristocrat of large means, who is residentnot from necessity but from choice, and who spends aportion of his wealth in the adornment of his home, is rarely, ifever, a bad landlord. Desiring to see art and nature combineto produce the sentiment of beauty in the objects immediatelyabout him, he cannot willingly allow it to be associated withthe unsightly and discordant emblems of penury and sorrow.To be indifferent about the presence of such accompanimentswould be an anomaly in human character, and only an exceptionproving the general rule. It is this class of men that wewant—men who seek happiness in their legitimate homes, andthe diffusion of blessings among those to whom it is their dutyto be protectors—lovers of the arts of refined society, not thegross and generally illiterate pursuers of field sports, which,by hardening the heart towards the lower animals of creation,prepares it for reckless indifference to the wants andsufferings of our fellow men. Had we more of such patriots—moreof such domestic architectural buildings starting intoexistence, evidencing as well their refined tastes and habits asthe sincerity of the love they bear their native land, we shouldsoon see the face of our country changed, and peace and happinesssmiling around us. We do not, however, indulge inany feelings of despondence for the future. Very many beautifulcreations of the architectural art have recently beenerected in Ireland, and we have little apprehension that they[Pg 82]will not increase in number till our island shall rival anyother portion of the empire in the possession of such characteristicfeatures of civilization and beauty. Cheered by suchpleasing anticipations, we shall endeavour to the best of ourability to make our readers familiar with the architecturalstyles of the chief residences of our nobility and gentry, aswell as with the general features of the scenery in which theyare situated; and, as a commencement, we have selected theseat of t