OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 33 



dwelling houfe, which contains a kitchen, and two or 

 three rooms on the ground floor opening into each 

 other, without any apartments over head j and fel- 

 dom containing any other fire place than that of the 

 kitchen ; thofe in the other rooms having been fhut up 

 on the alteration in the hearth-money tax. Had par- 

 liament at that period made every houfe with two fire- 

 places pay for one, at the ufual rate, little lofs would 

 have accrued to the revenue, as very few would in 

 that cafe have built up the fecond ; but the additional 

 two and eight-pence-halfpenny, on one fide, paid for 

 two hearths, and the temptation of not paying any 

 thing by having but one, has operated both againft the 

 revenue and the comfort of the people, who for fo 

 trifling a confideration have deprived themfelves of 

 the fatisfadlion of a fecond fire, and confequently no 

 longer poflefs the advantage of ventilation, which from 

 an open chimney they formerly obtained in their bed 

 rooms, in which a circulation of air is not at prefent 

 known, the vent which produced it, in concert with 

 the cafual opening of the door, being now clofed ; 

 befides, the windows are feldom made to open, and 

 whtre they have been made with that intention, they 

 are fo often out of order, or have fo many things laid 

 upon the inner fafh, that being a work of time to ac- 

 complifli it, it is feldom attempted. It mufl in a great 

 meafure be owing to the clofenefs of thefe apartments, 

 to the total exclufion of frefti air, that fevers, when 



F once 



