THE HERRING; 



"VOLUNTARY poverty" may be a merit in the eyes of 

 narrow-minded religionists, who have not sense enough 

 to know that God has given us all things richly to 

 enjoy : for a nation to be poor, by neglecting to avail 

 itself of the bounties of Providence, is political suicide, 

 accomplished by a lingering agony, to witness which is 

 pitiful. The wretchedness of Ireland was a scandal to 

 Europe, until the recent dawn of brighter days for that 

 unhappy land ; and however proud of our country, we 

 Scotch must sigh and blush when we think of the 

 miserable penury which is chronic in certain Highland 

 and maritime districts, and which elsewhere recurs 

 periodically with a severity necessitating spasmodic 

 efforts of charity, frowned upon by political economists, 

 and not approved of by the reason of the benevolent, 

 who follow the impulse of feeling even while their 

 judgment is not blind to the comparative uselessness 

 of a remedy known to be but temporary. 



Until remunerative industry is provided for those able 

 to work, charity is a makeshift which aggravates the evil it 

 can only palliate for a season. The astonishing fact in 

 connection with the penury of certain portions of the Brit- 



* ' The Herring : Its Natural History and National Importance. ' 

 By John M. Mitchell, F.RS.S.A., F.S.A.S., F.R.P.S. With 

 Illustrations. Edinburgh : Edmonston & Douglas. 1864. 



