The Irish System. 77 



accepted by the landowner. He had security 

 for his rent in the money paid by an incoming 

 tenant, who, for his own safety, required the land- 

 owner's consent to the change of tenancy, and 

 the landowner's agent then received the " price " 

 of the farm (for that was the term used), and 

 handed it over to the outgoing tenant, after 

 deducting all arrears of rent. This suited the 

 convenience of landowners, the most of whom 

 had no money to spend on improvements, many 

 of them non-resident and taking little interest in 

 the country, and dealing with a numerous body 

 of small tenants with whom they seldom came 

 into personal contact. In the north of Ireland 

 this custom of sale became legally recognised as 

 tenant-right. The want of it in other parts 

 of Ireland produced an agitation which ulti- 

 mately led to the Irish Land Act, under which 

 legislative protection is given to customs capable 

 of proof. The custom of " selling " the farm, 

 subject to the approval of the landowner, by 

 a tenant on yearly tenure, is rapidly gaining 

 ground in Ireland ; and so firmly are the people 

 imbued with this idea of their rights, that the 



