174 NOTES ON IRISH NATURAL HISTORY. 



what have politicians to answer for who try to teach these 

 people that they are unhappy ! I verily believe that there is 

 not a peasant in Tipperary who has not a lighter heart and a 

 clearer conscience than half the legislators of St. Stephen's. 

 To use the words of Lady Chatterton, " I have come to the 

 wise determination of allowing people to be happy in their own 

 way ; the more we see of the world the more convinced must 

 we be, how totally independent of every outward cause and 

 circumstance is happiness : that it springs entirely from the 

 mind the Irish are living and laughing proofs '." 



The fine range of Galtees forms the horizon on the left, the 

 Knockmildown chain on the right, and as I approached Ca- 

 hir, a rich and highly cultivated valley opened before me, 

 lying along the base of the Knockmildowns, and stretching 

 towards Clonmel. In England you meet with few more cul- 

 tivated scenes than this ; it is watered by the Suir, and is 

 exceedingly productive. A considerable part of this fine 

 tract belongs, as I was told, to Lord Glengall, and is let to 

 the actual occupier, at the high rent of S6s. to 40.9. per Irish 

 acre : I say actual occupier, because this enormous rent does 

 not go into the pocket of the freeholder ; the rent received 

 by his lordship being much less. 



Cahir is an interesting little town, situated on the Suir : 

 here I observed a well-fruited orchard, and several very good 

 gardens, in which I was particularly struck with the beauty 

 and luxuriance of some of the plants, more particularly 

 hydrangeas, fuchsias, myrtles and laurels; the walls, especially 

 of the castle. Lord Glengall's residence, are covered with 

 Polypodium vulgare, occasionally mixed with Asplenium Ruta- 

 muraria, Asp. Trichomanes and Asp, Adiantum-nigrum. The 

 castle is kept in good repair, but is not a remarkably orna- 

 mental building. 



I proceeded by Bianconi to Clonmel, through a rich flat- 

 tish country, finely wooded, where there were little hills ; 

 the land is highly cultivated and very productive. Clonmel 

 is pleasantly situated on the Suir, and is surrounded by gen- 

 tlemen's seats, in beautifully wooded demesnes. The coun- 

 try continues rich and well cultivated to Carrick-on-Suir ; 

 the hills continue to be luxuriantly wooded, and the river, 

 which runs near the road, is very picturesque ; the stone 

 walls are but few, and English-looking hedges tolerably 

 abundant. The crops of wheat, oats, and barley, pro- 

 mised well. Carrick is an old town, with abundance of spirit 

 stores, whence issued a swarm of beggars. Four miles from 



' ' Raml)les in the South of Ireland,' vol. i. p. 12. 



