297 



annual produce ; the fund, from which all taxes mull ultimately be 

 paid — but this annual produce muft be, in proportion to the capital 

 to be employed. 



Capital in England, is great, in proportion to revenue ; in Ireland, revenue 

 is enormoufly great, in proportion to capital. The number of unproduftive 

 hands, in this country is fweiled by the operation of various caufes. This ifland 

 has all the forms of a diftinft regal government ; a court ; and a civil eftab - 

 lifliment ; to this we may add, a large penfion lift. The colleftion of 

 the revenue, managed in a moft expenfive way, feeds a fwarm of un- 

 produftive people ; add to this, an immcnfe military force, and eccle- 

 fiafll^al eftabliflaments, vaftly too great for the means, and population 

 of the country. The different fefts, and various forms of worfliip, that 

 prevail in Ireland, augment the number of minifters of religion, in a 

 threefold or fourfold proportion ; for there is fcarce a parifli in the 

 kingdom, which has not, in addition to the clergyman of the eftab- 

 liflied church, its diffenting minifter, or paftor, and Roman Catholic 

 prieft. The number of perfons, who derive a fubfiftence, from the 

 adminiftration of juftice, and the praftice of the law, judges, officers 

 of the courts, door-keepers, tipftafFs, barrifters, and attornies, form a 

 very numerous body ; and many of them accumulate great vs^ealth, and 

 become the moft opulent part of the community. Confider, alfo, the un- 

 neceflary crowds of domeftic fervants, which are retained, and pampered, 

 in Ireland, in idlenefs, and infolence, not for ufe, but (how ; and the 

 numbers of thofe noxious vermin, half-gentry, the fpawn of land-job- 

 bers, the peculiar peft of Ireland; and you will perceive, that the 

 exertions of the man of letters, and the artift, are the only kinds of 

 unproduftive labour, in which we do not abound. 



Prodigality is the prevailing difpofition of the Irijh ; their apparef, 

 their houfes, their attendants, their tables, their equipages, all are in 

 a ftyle, refpeftively beyond their means. This, too generally begins, 

 with the higher orders ; and goes on, in a regularly graduated fcalc, 

 down to the loweft clafles. Every one afpires to a rank, above his 



Vol. IX. ( P P ) own. 



