THE IRELAND OF TO-DAY. 25 



towns in decay and revolting dirt. The rest 

 of the population live partly in village-like settle- 

 ments only distinguished from the towns by the 

 absence of self-government, partly in scattered 

 hamlets and in lonely cabins on the bogs or the 

 mountain slopes. The thinner the population 

 becomes, the lonelier will Ireland be ; the 

 emptier and stiller the life of this joyous people. 



