Page 206 - Third Book of Reading Lessons

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RE DING LESSONS. 205
CATHE'DRAL, 1i., the principal church of a diocess ; the seat of episc pal authority. F. cathedrale, om (G.) kata, and edra, a seat.
SPoNTA'rrnous, a., ee, un rced; applied to such plants as spring and ourish without culture. L. spontaneus, See p. 177.
CAN1NoN, n., an unportable gun. F. -canon, om G. kanna, a reed. For "Magni cence," sec p. l87; "Summit," p. 105 ; "Echo," p. 189 ; "Indented," p. 102; and "Boundary," p. 17.
1. THE lake of Killarney, in the province of Mun­ ster and county of Kerry, a ords the most beauti l and picturesque prospects in nat re. This lake is divided into three parts, called the upper, middle, and lower lake. The northern, or lower lake, is six miles in length, and om three to ur in breadth. On the side of one of the mountains is O'Sullivan's Cascade, which lls into the lake, making_ a noise which strikes the spectator with awe. The view of this sheet of water is uncommonly ne, appearing as if descending om an arch of wood, which over­ hangs it above seventy feet in height from the point of view. The islands are not so numerous in this as in the upper lake ; but there is one of uncommon beauty, called Inni. allen, nearly opposite O'Sulli­ van's Cascade, which contains t,,,enty Irish acres. In this island are the ruins of an ancient abbey, unded by St. Finian, the patr m saint of those parts, the situation of which is romantic and retired. There was rmerly a chronicle kept in this abbey, called the nnals ni allen. They contain a sketch of universal history, from the creation of the world to the year 430 ; but om that period, the an­ nalist has amply prosecuted the a airs of Ireland down to his own time, (1215). The promontory of Mucross, which divides the upper om the lower lake, is a per ct land of enchantment ; and a road is carried through the centre of this promontory, which un lds all the interior beauties of the place.
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Among the distant mountains, Turk appears an ob- 18