“GodsaveIreland！“Byallmeans。ButIrelandcannotbesavedwithoutthehelpofthepeoplewholiveinit。Godendowedmen，thereaselsewhere，withreason，will，andphysicalpower；anditisbypatientindustryonlythattheycanopenupapathwaytotheenduringprosperityofthecountry。ThereisnoEdeninnature。Theearthmighthavecontinuedarudeuncultivatedwilderness，butforhumanenergy，power，andindustry。Theseenablemantosubduethewilderness，anddevelopthepotencyoflabour。“Possuntquiacreduntposse。“Theymustconquerwhowill。
Belfastisacomparativelymoderntown。Ithasnoancienthistory。Aboutthebeginningofthesixteenthcenturyitwaslittlebetterthanafishingvillage。Therewasacastle，andafordtoitacrosstheLagan。Achapelwasbuiltattheford，atwhichhurriedprayerswereofferedupforthosewhowereabouttocrossthecurrentsofLaganWater。In1575，SirHenrySydneywritestotheLordsoftheCouncil:“IwasofferedskirmishbyMacNeillBryanErtaughatmypassageoverthewateratBelfast，whichIcausedtobeanswered，andpassedoverwithoutlosseofmanorhorse；yetbyreasonoftheextraordinaireRetorneourhorsesswammeandtheFootmeninthepassagewadedverydeep。“
Thecountryroundaboutwasforestland。ItwassothicklywoodedthatitwasacommonsayingthatonemightwalktoLurgan“onthetopsofthetrees。“
In1612，Belfastconsistedofabout120houses，builtofmudandcoveredwiththatch。Thewholevalueofthelandonwhichthetownisbuilt，issaidtohavebeenworthonly5L。infeesimple。[19]“Ulster，“saidSirJohnDavies，“isaverydesertorwilderness；theinhabitantsthereofhavingforthemostpartnocertainhabitationinanytownsorvillages。“In1659，Belfastcontainedonly600inhabitants:Carrickferguswasmoreimportant，andhad1312inhabitants。Butabout1660，theLongBridgeovertheLaganwasbuilt，andprosperitybegantodawnuponthelittletown。Itwassituatedattheheadofanavigablelough，andformedanoutletforthemanufacturingproductsoftheinlandcountry。Shipsofanyburden，however，couldnotcomenearthetown。Thecargoes，downeventoarecentdate，hadtobedischargedintolightersatGarmoyle。StreamsofwatermadetheirwaytotheLoughthroughthemudbanks；andarivuletranthroughwhatisnowknownastheHighStreet。
Thepopulationgraduallyincreased。In1788Belfasthad12，000