tion and industry, to be diminished and coun→ teracted? It is evident that this can never be effected by either compulsory, or penal laws; many favourable circumstances must concur entirely to remove evils which are be come so inveterate. Education, however, will accomplish a great deal: it will impart to the mind something by which its powers may be exercised, by which its latent energies will be developed, and by which its activity will be increased and properly directed.

The immediate cause of the indolence of the Irish, is the facility with which they pro cure the means of subsistence. "In Ireland,' says Sir William Temple, " by the largeness and plenty of the soil, all things necessary to life are so cheap, that an industrious man, by two days labour, may gain enough to feed him the rest of the week: which I take to be a very plain ground of the laziness attributed to that people. For men naturally prefer ease before labour, and will not take pains if they can live idle."--Wherever any people obtain by the labour of four days, potatoes sufficient to feed them for six, it cannot be supposed that they will be industrious during the whole of the week. Though it must be confessed, that this very circumstance tends ultimately to coun teract the evils of such a condition, by limit

ing the quantity of labour to the extent of the capital destined for its support.

I feel, a difficulty in saying whether the state of the Irish peasantry in general be greatly improved. Where there is so much poverty and wretchedness it is nearly impossible to ascertain with much precision the comparative advantages of the present generation, above those of their fathers. It is certain that little improvement has taken place in the comforts of the peasantry and lower orders in many counties; nor, indeed, is it possible that there should be any great amelioration in their con dition, while they continue to give, as they now do, almost the whole produce of the land to the proprietor, content to live on a scanty and comfortless subsistence.

The number of mendicants in Ireland, especially in those parts where the population is chiefly Catholic, is extremely great. The very lower orders of farmers, or, rather, such as in England would be called cottagers, after they have planted their potatoes, often leave home on a begging excursion, and continue. their tour till harvest. In such a country,. where it is not thought dishonourable to beg, and where it is deemed extremely meritorious to relieve beggars of every description, their number must necessarily be great. In

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OBSERVATIONS ON IRELAND.

circumstances where such opinions are prevalent, the introduction of a system of poorrates, like that in England, would only increase and perpetuate the evils of poverty.

*

In answering the question, how are we to relieve the wants of the indigent without increasing the number of the poor, regard should uniformly be had to the moral and religious instruction of the lower orders. It is this, chiefly, that produces that spirit of independence, which attaches meanness and shame to the provision of a workhouse,-which leads the parent to care for his offspring, and the children to console and support the age of their parents, and which will render the humblest cottage, the abode not only of comfort, but of virtuous and generous exertion.

THE END.

H. Bryer, Printer,

Bridge-street, Blackfriars, London.

NOTES.

A. (P. 53.)

THE Highlanders denominate the nearest relative of the heir apparent Tànister. This name seems to imply, that the usages of Tanistry were originally common both to the Highlanders and Irish: they were afterwards modified by the different circumstances in which these nations have been placed.

The Tanister of a chieftain was always a person of considerable distinction with the clan. This was the case also among the Irish.

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By the Irish custom of Tanistry," says Davies, "the chieftains of every country, and the chief of every sept, had no longer estate than for life in "their chieferies; and when their chieftains were "dead, their sons, or next heirs, did not succeed them, but their tanists, who were elective, and purchased their elections by strong hand." "The Irish hold their lands by tanistry, which is 66 no more than a personal estate for his life time "that is tanist, by reason that he is admitted thereto

"by election." The manner in which the tanist was appointed is thus described. "Presently after "the death of any of their captains, they assemble "themselves to chuse another in his stead, and nomi"nate the next brother; and then next to him do "they chuse next of the blood to the tanist, who shall "next succeed him in the said captaincy."-Spencer's View of Ireland.

The custom of Gavelkind has doubtless been derived from the same origin. "The partible quality "also of lands, by the custom of Gavelkind, which "still obtains in many parts of England, and did "universally over Wales till the reign of Henry VIII. "is undoubtedly of British original. So likewise is "the ancient division of the goods of an intestate "between his widow and children, or next of kin; "which has since been revived by the statute of "distributions.”-Blackstone's Commentaries, Vol.

iv. p. 408.

"I have heard that the beginning and cause of this "ordinance among the Irish,was especially for the de"fence and maintenance of their lands in their poste

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'rity, and for excluding all innovation or alienation "thereof unto strangers, and especially to the English. "For when their captain dieth, if the Signiorie should "descend to his child, and he perhaps an infant, an"other peradventure step in between, or thrust him out "by strong hand, being then unable to defend his right, or to withstand the force of a foreigner, and, therefore they do appoint the eldest of the kinne to have the Signiorie, for that he commonly is a man of strong years, and better experience to maintain the inheri