IRELAND, 1840-1880. 



117 



the impression which visits to Ireland then made on 

 a public school boy. One felt the difference from 

 the tone in England all over. It was a totally 

 different state of society, and principle, and thought. 

 The very stories one heard about what was going on 

 were like those of another state of existence. Any 

 suggestion for improving an estate was laughed to 

 scorn by every one, as the dream of an enthusiast, 

 and no one then believed it possible to improve either 

 the Irish land or tenant. 



The communication with England then was very 

 different from what it is now. I can remember 

 crossing in a sailing packet from Cork to Bristol, and 

 having what was thought an excellent passage of 

 only three days. The passage often lasted for weeks. 

 I have heard of six weeks. I believe that nothing 

 has done so much good for Ireland, in all ways, as 

 the improved facilities of communication with Eng- 

 land. The effect has been incalculable in a hundred 

 unobserved ways. 



The best symptom in the present distress is the 

 number both of landlords and tenants who are 

 borrowing money for draining. It makes one hope 

 that knowledge is at length penetrating to the dark 

 places of the land, and that permanent good results 

 may appear hereafter. The previous apathy of land- 

 lords in neglecting to drain and improve their land 

 was incomprehensible and sadly wrong. 



To these difficulties let it be added that the 



