146 ON THE STATE OF IRELAND. [BOOK II. 



One of the witnesses declares his belief that nine out of 

 ten rape cases are fictitious, got up merely for the purpose 

 of forcing the father to marry. Under this impression, a 

 regulation has been imposed upon the Catholic clergy of 

 this diocese, not to marry such parties while a prosecution 

 is pending. 



The facts stated by the witnesses cited in the other di- 

 stricts of Ireland are of the same kind as the preceding. 



One witness declares that the number of bastards in the 

 towns is two per cent, on the number of births. Another 

 states that in the country the proportion is one per cent., 

 and in parts where there is a garrison three per cent. ; 

 and that in this number one-half the parents marry 

 eventually. 



In some parishes the women pursue the father, smash 

 his windows, abuse him; and all the inhabitants back 

 them, and force the man to marry, or to quit the country. 



REMARKS. 



In all ages there have existed orphans according 

 to the decrees of Providence, and, according to the 

 human passions, natural children and foundlings. 

 As the various parts which compose the struc- 

 ture of society pass thus under the observation of 

 the reader, he is easily enabled to analyse them, or 

 rather to compare them one with another. During 

 the fifty centuries which preceded the Christian sera, 





