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faithful followers, with the means to support them and to reward 
the deserving. These he enjoyed, and with these he was content. 
He took no pride in the life of a voluptuary, nor in the prospect of 
having one son born to loll in a carriage, and to be furnished with 
means to lead a life of luxury and libertinism. Neither had he the 
heart-breaking consideration, that some of his more deserving chil- 
ren would be, perhaps, compelled to prostitute their talents to un- 
worthy purposes ; or by a resort to the gambling-house, or by other 
infamous means, plunder the unwary and inexperienced, in order to 
procure for themselves the means of appearing like gentlemen. The 
necessity of resorting to such villainous shifts was prevented by the 
law of Gavelkind. The custom was therefore so far from being 
barbarous or productive of the evils attributed to it, that it may be 
considered as the source of many salutary consequences, and sup- 
plied the means of support, in an honorable way, to every member 
of the tribe, and precluded the necessity of poor laws or mendicity 
associations. 
The learned Attorney General blames the poor Irish gentry, be- 
cause “ they did scorne to descend to husbandry or marchandize, or 
“ to learn any mechanicall art, or science.”* If this were a crime, 
it is one in which they are imitated by the poor Irish gentry of the 
present day ; for we do not see the hopeful young slips of modern no- 
bility or “ gentility” much more desirous to make themselves useful in 
their generation, by learning a mechanical art, than were the sons of 
the ancient Irish chieftains. But, be this as it may, it is a fact, that, 
although the Irish gentry did not descend to husbandry or mer- 
chandize, or to learn any mechanical art or science, they gave libe- 
ral encouragement to those who followed such occupation. This is 
* Discovery of the True Cause, &c. London, 1747, p. 172. 
