OF THE DIFFERENT REBELLIONS IN IRELAND, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH: ALSO, A PARTICULAR DETAIL OF THAT WHICH BROKE Hoc illud eft precipue in cognitione rerum falubre ac frugiferum, -LIVY. THE THIRD EDITION. DUBLIN: Printed by Robert Marchbank, AND SOLD BY J. ARCHER, AND THE OTHER BOOKSELLERS: AND IN LONDON, BY J. STOCKDALE, PICCADILLY; G. ROBINSON, PATERNOSTER-ROW; R. FAULDER AND MESSRS. KIRBY, BOND-STREET. TO THE THIRD EDITION. IN the Preface to the two former editions, I inferted the following paragraph: "Though the Author has made truth his polar ftar in the course of this work, it is poffible that some errors might have occurred in it; he hopes, therefore, that if the reader should discover any fuch, he will be kind enough to communicate them to him, and he will amend them in the next edition." Some perfons had the goodness to point out a few trifling errors, fuch as mistakes of names or dates, which I corrected; but after the moft fcrupulous investigation, and after the circulation of 2350 copies, in the course of ten months, I could not discover a fingle error which affected the authenticity of any one tranfaction. On the contrary, I have received the most flattering affurances from the officers who campaigned in the late rebellion, that the military transactions have been faithfully defcribed; and I have had the fame teftimony from the civil magiftrates, and from those who were competent to decide upon the other events. A number of writers have attacked me with foul and acrimonious abufe, for having published this work; but I defy the envenomed fhafts of calumny. I represented VOL. I. b \R RK I represented in parliament a borough, and acted as a magistrate, in my native county of Waterford, a great part of my life; and I can appeal to my countrymen, whether I ever miffed an opportunity of doing publick or private good; and whether I was not as active in promoting both, as any other individual, in proportion to my fortune and abilities.* It was to be hoped and expected, that the conceffions made to the Roman catholicks, for above twenty years, would have attached them to the State, and would have united them, with their proteftant fellow fubjects, in the bonds of brotherly love and christian charity and yet, not only the late rebellion, but incidents which daily occur, afford inconteftible proofs, that the tenets of their religion, and the conduct of their priests, will always make it' impracticable. During a season of great and general distress, in the year 1801, a charity fchool was inftituted in the town of Wexford, in which the female children of poor people were fupplied with clothes, and were inftructed in reading, writing, and useful industry, in the course of the day; and they returned at night to their parents. As perfons of every religious persuasion were invited to attend it, the governors refolved never to interfere with the tenets of those who profeffed the popish faith. In aid of the inftitution, a charity fermon was preached at Wexford, last summer, by the reverend doctor The reader will find obfervations on fome fcribblers who have impeached my veracity, Appendix, No. XXV. and XXVI. |