An English View of Dublin in 1776

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 29, 26 July 1923, Page 33

An English View of Dublin in 1776

“Having lived more than two months in Dublin, I am able to speak to a few points which, as a mere traveller I could not have done. The information I before received of the prices of living is correct. Fish and poultry are plentiful and very cheap. Good lodgings are almost as dear as they are in London; though we are well accommodated (dirt excepted) for two guineas and a half a week. All the lower ranks in this city have no idea of English cleanliness, either in apartments, persons, or cookery. “There is a very good society in Dublin in a Parliamentary winter—a great round of dinners, and parties, and balls, and suppers every night in the week, some of which are elegant, but you almost everywhere meet a company much too numerous for the size of the apartments. They have two assemblies on, the plan of those in London—m Fish amble Street and at the Rotunda; and two gentlemen’s clubs— Anthry’s and Daly’s—very well regulated. I heard some anecdotes of deep play at the latter, though never to the excess common in London. “An ill-judged and unsuccessful attempt was made to establish the Italian opera, which existed, but with scarcely any life, for this one winter; of course they could rise to no higher than a comic opera. ‘La Buona Figliuola,’ ‘La rascatana,’ and ‘lll Geloso in Cimento ’ were repeatedly performed, or rather murdered, except the parts in ‘ Sestmi.’ The house was generally empty and miserably cold. . . Before I conclude with Dublin, I shall only remark that walking in the streets there, from the narrowness and populousness of the principal thoroughdares, as well as from the dirt and wretchedness of the canaille, is a most uneasy and disgusting exercise.” Arthur Young's Tour in Ireland (1776-1779.) W _