112 IMPROVEMENT OF 



would evidently have enjoyed very different 

 circumstances from what she does at present. 

 On the part of the servant there are perhaps 

 fewer difficulties to overcome than there are on 

 the part of the master. In the majority of 



cases we found Irishmen as anxious and willin^ 1 



o 



to embrace every opportunity of ameliorating 

 their condition as we found Englishmen or 

 Scotchmen, if not the most anxious and willing 

 of the three, considering their peculiar situation, 

 and the difficulties in which they were in- 

 volved. A few no doubt would have rather 

 chosen day work and small wages, in preference 

 to exertion at taskwork; but these were the 

 exception in the one country, as they are in 

 the others. 



There is also a prevalent anxiety on the part 

 of employers to better the condition of their 

 labourers ; but very unfortunately, three-fourths 

 of this class know little or nothing as to the 

 value of labour, and still less as to how it ought 

 to be performed; while the remainder only 

 know how to handle an Irish spade and shovel. 

 The disadvantages under which both lie arc 

 obvious and almost inseparably connected with 

 each other, but can only be properly compre- 



