CHAPTER I. 



TWENTY-FIVE YEARS' WORK IN IRELAND, 

 January 1, 1865. 



It may perhaps be useful to give some account of 

 twenty -five years' work in the management and 

 improvement of an estate in Ireland. 



Five years ago much was heard of the greatly 

 improved state of all classes in that country, and 

 their general prosperity. During the past two or 

 three years, however, statements very much the 

 reverse have been common. The gloomiest pictures 

 have been drawn by some, and it has been doubted 

 whether any substantial improvement in the condi- 

 tion of the people, especially the tenants, has taken 

 place. It has been said the land is not paying even 

 for outlay on drainage, that the settlers from England 

 and Scotland are not thriving, and in short that hope- 

 lessness is as much the fate of Ireland as ever. 



A plain narrative of what has actually been 

 done -on one estate may throw some light on these 

 opposing accounts, and enable a judgment to be 



B 



