74 Winter-Hay-Making. 



stance ; which, most probably, arose from the savour, 

 and not any other bad quality of the hay. It ^eems 

 that I am not singular in the view I took of Irish 

 harvests, and their consequences. Yet we should not 

 be alarmed, who are not subject to the like misfor- 

 tunes ; and can* gather our crops in propitious seasons; 

 with very few exceptions. My fellow citizen of Mas- 

 sachusetts writes, on this part of the subject, in the fol- 

 lowing words. 



'* Many of your observations relative to the injured 

 ** state of Irish harvests, occasioned by the excessive 

 *' humidity of their atmosphere, I have frequently 

 ** noticed myself, I passed two thirds of the year 

 " 1798, in the cities of Dublin and Cork^ and in the 

 '^ counties of Wexford and Limerick ; and have often 

 ** expressed my astonishment at the musty smell, so 

 *' very perceptible (to me) in ihtir fodder and grain; as 

 ^* well as the insufferable smell and taste of turf in their 

 '* culinary articles ; but more especially in their drawn 

 ** butter. They, one and all, denied the existence of 

 " any thing of the kind." He mentions a distinguish- 

 ed Irish gentleman, with whom he was well ac- 

 quainted, and whose candour and freedom from 

 other prejudices he well knew, who joined in the dis- 

 avowal of any perception of the taste and smell so dis- 

 gusting to him. He might have named many ethers ; 

 for of the candour of Irish gentlemen there can be no 

 doubt. But all animals, as well human as others, are 

 subject to the indelible impressions, and the dominion, 

 of inveterate and long continued habit. JFe should be 

 ridiculously presumptuous, in affecting to exempt our- 

 selves from this common propensity ; which, undoubt- 



