TWENTY-FIVE YEARS 1 WORK. 21 



fifteen years before that time, the carts had solid 

 discs of wood by way of wheels. A clergyman, 

 still living, told me that when he got a large parish 

 in the neighbourhood there were three carts in it 

 that had spoke wheels. When one of these went 

 along the road people used to run down from their 

 work two or three fields off to look at the wonder. 

 I doubt whether in the same time greater progress 

 was ever made in any country; but bad years of 

 course check progress, and we are apt to forget how 

 long it takes to remove the recollection of past evils 

 and abuses, and to break clear of their effects. 

 There are many men still alive who can tell all the 

 incidents of the rebellion of 1798 in their own 

 neighbourhood from what they saw as boys. It is 

 only a few years since men were alive who could 

 tell what they had themselves suffered from the 

 penal laws. Numberless other facts could be men- 

 tioned, showing the utter backwardness of the 

 country fifty years ago. 



Finally, it must always be remembered there is 

 still plenty to do, and will be for many a long year, 

 and those who only look at what is wanting will 

 have no trouble in making a strong case. 



