166 ON THE STATE OF IRELAND. [BOOK II. 



The comparative comfort of those who are maintained 

 by their children, and those who maintain themselves by 

 mendicancy, depends upon the means of the young rela- 

 tives, who are themselves often more destitute than the 

 vagrants, but are detained from a feeling of delicacy from 

 going to beg. 



The gentry scarcely ever subscribe regularly for their 

 support; even in the seasons of appalling distress (1831 

 and 1832), there were individuals of large fortunes who 

 did not subscribe one shilling. 



There are, however, some splendid exceptions. From 

 what has been already stated, the burden it appears is 

 thrown, in times of distress, by the affluent gentry on 

 their poorer but more benevolent neighbours. Orders are 

 often issued by the proprietors of large mansions not to 

 suffer such a nuisance as a beggar to approach their gates. 

 I could name the persons, but it would be invidious to do 

 so ; such individuals should be forced by law to give what 

 their inhumanity refuses. 



There are no almshouses. They disappeared with the 

 introduction of the establishment that has continued to 

 devour all the pious resources that fed those charitable 

 institutions. 



The general opinion throughout the country is favour- 

 able to a provision for the poor, in case such burden do not 

 fall upon those classes that are already taxed with their 

 support. Those who hesitate on the subject, do so from an 

 apprehension, first, that the morality of the poor might 

 be injured ; and secondly, that such provision would 

 aggravate the burden of the middle classes; whilst the 

 higher, as now, might be relieved from the onus of sup- 

 porting the poor. With regard to the first objection, the 



