88 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



natural outcome of the universal want of truth, 5. 

 Ignorance. Not the want of the three R's, but of 

 common-sense principles and facts, the knowledge of 

 which seems like an inheritance of light when one 

 has lived long in Ireland. The ignorance is equally 

 great whether it relates to farming or any other kind 

 of work or duty, either Magistrates', or Poor Law 

 business, or any other, for the right performance of 

 which a knowledge of sound social principles is 

 wanted. 



There are a few points I had perhaps better begin 

 by disposing of. 



The Land Act made little difference to me. My 

 work was done long before it was dreamed of. I had 

 very few bad tenants left. Most of the land was in 

 the hands of the good tenants, with farms of sufficient 

 size to employ a pair of horses thorouglily, the mini- 

 mum size with which it is possible for any one to 

 farm economically. The chief effect of the Land Act 

 on me has been, that when a tenant from any cause 

 has gone to the bad — I am obliged to wait for some 

 years longer until he hangs himself completely, before 

 I can get rid of him. It is mainly a matter of time, 

 and that he is thus able to reduce his farm more than 

 it otherwise would have been reduced. Once a tenant 

 has reduced his farm, he is sure to fail sooner or later, 

 whatever help he may get, or lucky seasons may hap- 

 pen to him. It is never a single fault that, in my 



