58 MxVNUFACTURING INDUSTRY 



People who dream of such imaginary schemes 

 forget to calculate the power and value of the 

 stupendous machinery of England ; and that 

 Ireland, before she can enter the manufacturing 

 field with any prospect of being able success- 

 fully to compete with her, must first adopt 

 the same artificial system. She must first 

 metamorphose two-thirds of her agricultural 

 labourers into artisans and tradespeople of all 

 kinds, before she can even enter the field on 

 equal terms with this country, or commence to 

 erect her machinery. 



Although Ireland and the Highlands of Scot- 

 land possess many natural advantages over 

 England for commercial and manufacturing 

 industry, and could, at one period of their history, 

 have entered the field of competition with every 

 prospect of success, taking the lead in the march 

 of improvement, that is no reason for the 

 opinion that they can do so at present. It 

 is one thing to shun danger or prevent con- 

 tagion by the use of preventives, but quite a 

 different thing to effect a cure after members of 

 the body have not only been bruised or diseased, 

 but the physical system reduced to the last 

 stage curable. Before a healing remedy can 



