CHAPTER VII. 



POTATOES. 



265. I HAVE made no experiments as to this root, and I am now 

 about to offer my opinions as to the mode of cultivating it. But, 

 so much has been said and written against me on account of my 

 scouting the idea of this root being proper as food for man, I will, 

 out of respect for public opinion, here state my reasons for thinking 

 that the Potatoe is a root, worse than useless. 



266. When I published some articles upon this subject, in 

 England, I was attacked by the Irish writers with as much fury as 

 the Newfoundlanders attack people who speak against the Pope ; 

 and with a great deal less reason ; for, to attack a system, which 

 teaches people to fill their bellies with fish for the good of their 

 souls, might appear to be dictated by malice against the sellers of 

 the fish ; whereas, my attack upon Potatoes, was no attack upon 

 the sons of St. Patrick, to whom, on the contrary, I wished a 

 better sort of diet to be afforded. Nevertheless, I was told, in 

 the Irish papers, not that I was a fool ; that might have been 

 rational : but, when I was, by these zealous Hibernians, called a 

 liar, a slanderer, a viper, and was reminded of all my political 

 sins, I could not help thinking that, to use an Irish Peeress s 

 expression with regard to her Lord, there was a little of the 

 Potatoe sprouting out of their head. 



267. These rude attacks upon me even were all nameless, how 

 ever ; and, with nameless adversaries I do not like to join battle. 

 Of one thing I am very glad ; and that is, that the Irish do not like 

 to live upon what their accomplished countryman DOCTOR 

 DRENNAN, calls &quot; Ireland s lazy root.&quot; There is more sound 

 political philosophy in that poem than in all the enormous piles 

 of Plowden and Musgrave. When I called it a lazy root : when 

 I satyrized the use of it ; the Irish seemed to think, that their 

 national honour was touched. But, I am happy to find, that it is 

 not taste, but necessity, which makes them mess-mates with the 

 pig ; for when they come to this country ; they invariably prefer 

 to their &quot;favourite root, not only fowls, geese, ducks and turkeys, 

 but even the flesh of oxen, pigs and sheep ! 



268. In 1815, 1 wrote an article, which I will here insert, because 

 it contains my opinions upon this subject. And when I have 



