314 



ON THE STATE OF IRELAND. [BOOK III. 



this country ; the old people remained in Ireland, but the 

 children said they disliked the habits and customs in Ire- 

 land, and returned again to Scotland in a very few months, 

 and sent part of their earnings here to support their aged 

 parents at home/ 



" ( The regular employment which the Irish settlers find, 

 either in the factories or in unskilled labour, has likewise 

 a beneficial effect in producing habits of steadiness, and 

 keeping them from the various demoralizing pursuits 

 which idleness too often suggests. Many of the Irish in 

 their own country being idle, first from necessity, and 

 afterwards idle through choice ; and having been originally 

 unable to obtain work, afterwards do not seek it.' 



" The chief improvement visible in the condition of the 

 Irish settlers in Great Britain is when they live in the 

 neighbourhood of country factories, and are thus placed 

 under the immediate control of their master or his manager. 

 Here they inhabit well-built houses, belonging to the 

 manufacturer himself, who has an interest in the good 

 state of his workmen, who can enforce cleanly and decent 

 habits, and can prevent several families from herding to- 

 gether in one dwelling ; and under these circumstances, 

 as may be seen at Hyde and Dukinfield, near Manchester, 

 and several of the country factories in the West of Scot- 

 land, there is a marked improvement in their mode of life. 

 But where speculators have built small houses in bad 

 situations, without proper conveniences, who do not at- 

 tempt to prevent the accumulation of persons, or even 

 encourage it for the sake of ensuring the rent, and have 

 no check on the tenants, there the Irish settlers retain 

 their old habits unchanged. An illustration of this differ- 

 ence is afforded not only by comparing the condition of 



