60 THE IRISH PEOPLE. 



CHAPTER III. 



WITNESSES FROM 1727 TO 1896. 



44. IN 1727, Dean Swift wrote, " The Irish were 

 generally esteemed the best forces in the French 

 service, and they have always behaved themselves as 

 such in the late wars ; their officers are of approved 

 courage, great skill, and experience in military 

 affairs. The gentlemen of Ireland, with all the dis- 

 advantages of being exiles and strangers, have been 

 able to distinguish themselves by their valour and 

 conduct in so many parts of Europe, I think above 

 all other nations. ... I do assert, from several 

 experiments I have made in travelling over both 

 kingdoms, I have found the poor cottagers here, who 

 could speak our language, to have a much better 

 natural taste for good sense, humour and raillery, 

 than ever I observed among people of the like sort 

 in England. I have seen the grossest suppositions 

 passed upon the English with regard to Irishmen. . 

 . . I have known crowds of English coming about 

 an Irishman in a country town, and wondering to 

 see him look so much better than themselves." 



Swift's statement is confirmed by Mr. Lecky, who 



