LEASES. 51 



bourhood of large towns, with good capital, and in the 

 same position as tenants in England or Scotland 

 hiring farms ; and instances can be given of some 

 among them who have hired farms for short terms at 

 very favourable rents for themselves, and very natu- 

 rally desire fixity of tenure at the same rate. 



Nowhere in the world do questions so much re- 

 quire to be looked at from both sides as in Ireland ; 

 if for nothing else, because of the wretched want of 

 truth that is the prevailing sin of the country. The 

 Church has been overturned in order to conciliate 

 the Eoman Catholics, and at once demands are put 

 forward by them on education, that all other parties 

 agree cannot be conceded ; but which will give ten 

 times more active trouble than the Church question 

 ever gave. Both sides ought to have been looked to 

 from the first. 



It is the same with the land. There are, no doubt, 

 bad landlords to be found in Ireland, and there 

 are also good landlords, to whose example and exer- 

 tions a very large part of the present improved state 

 of things is due. There are also good tenants deserv- 

 ing every fair encouragement, and there are a large 

 number of tenants as hopelessly and incorrigibly bad 

 as can be, some from faults of character, some from 

 ignorance, some from circumstances; such as hold- 

 ing a small plot of land that no human skill in such 

 a climate could enable to support with comfort the 

 mouths upon it, or having such a holding scattered 



