164 STATISTICAL SURVEY 



been lately eftabliftied. Sewing, fpinning both linen 

 and woollen, manufacturing ftraw hats, &c. are the 

 chief occupations of the girls ; nor are their moral 

 duties neglected, but, on the other hand, ftri&ly at- 

 tended to. 



With refpeft to education, attainable from day- 

 fchools by the lower clafs, very little real benefit can 

 be derived ; as, when children are able to perform any 

 fort of work, fuch as herding of cattle, they are then 

 taken from fchool. From the age of fix or feven, to 

 that of ten or eleven years, is the ufual time for chil- 

 dren to be kept at fchool ; at this early period they 

 acquire but littk, and that little is generally forgotten, 

 before they come to the age of underftanding. 



Even the children of farmers and others, above the 

 level of common labourers, fare but very little better 

 than thofe of the lower clafs ; as their fituation in life 

 obliges them to early habits of induftry, without which 

 rents cannot be paid. 



From night-fchools alone, real benefits, to the fore- 

 going clafTes, are moft likely to derive. What I /hall 

 here offer on this fubjeft, is founded upon confider- 

 able experience. 



An extenfive night-fchool has been eftablifhed, un- 

 der the fanftion of the late Lord Mountjoy, for the 

 purpofe of inftrucling the labouring boys of the de- 

 mefne, being principally planters. This has been an 

 early inftitmion of his Lordfhip's, fo far back as the 



year 



