THE Angling Excursions OF GREGORY GREENDRAKE, ESQ. IN IRELAND. PART II. COUNTY WESTMEATH. "And this our life, exempt from public haunt, SHAKSPEARE. DUBLIN: PRINTED BY ELLIS & ALCOCK, 2, EUSTACE-STREET; AND SOLD BY C. P. ARCHER, DAME-STREET; R. MILLIKEN, GRAFTON-STREET ; WESTLEY & TYRRELL, SACKVILLE-ST.; HODGES & M'ARTHUR, COLLEGE-GREEN; AND W. KIDD, MULLINGAR. ADMIRAL SIR THOMAS PACKENHAM, K. B. &c., &c., &c. SIR, IF the following pages detailed occurrences involving the destinies of nations, or recording the triumphs of the Britsh arms, I should have asked your permission, before assuming the appropriate sanction of your name in the Dedication; but, the "Angling Excursion of GREGORY GREENDRAKE," although, doubtless, considered by himself, if now existing, and by me, his Editor, an unparalleled composition in its way, may yet be deemed, by the world at large, as too trifling to demand any great observance of ceremony to precede its introduction to the world, in this its collected form. Accordingly, Sir, I take the liberty, "of my own free motion," to dedicate to you this little volume. I am led to do so, because, as our author appears to be, or to have been, a man of infinite taste, I think he would have graced his introduc his favorite water, the lake Derevaragh; because, I am sure, he would have liked to pay a tribute of respect to a brave man, who has signally maintained the honor of his national flag; because I am sensible that he respects, as much as I do, an amiable, worthy, resident country gentleman, a kind landlord, an impartial magistrate, a good neighbour, and a pleascompanion; and, above all because he has abused your brew-house, and I have never had an opportunity of knowing that he changed his opinion. So satisfied am I of the identity of my sentiments with those of Mr. GREENDRAKE, that I have no hesitation in assuming, for the moment, a personal identity with that very ingenious writer and excellent angler, and have the honor to subscribe myself, Sir, With great respect, Your faithful and obedient servant, INTRODUCTION. THE reception which the Excursion of GREGORY GREENDRAKE, Esq., to the County Wicklow, met with from the public, has induced the Editor to publish a second edition, combining with it the Excursion to the Lakes of Westmeath, both forming a volume creditable to the light and amusive literature of our country, and which cannot fail of affording considerable pleasure to the class of readers who are "lovers of the angle," and fond of the description of its associate scenery and manners. A strong evidence of the im pression made by the Westmeath Excursion, is to be found in the subsequent resort of strangers to Castlepollard, in the green-drake season, to enjoy the amusement of angling, many of them English Officers from the garrison of Dublin, and who have uniformly acknowledged that they never, in their own country, met with sport, in any degree to compare with that which the waters of Westmeath afforded to AL |