I9-J. GENERAL STATE, 



increafe of abfentees. 2. The want of a parliament for pro- 

 tection againft the officers of the crown. 3. The increafe of 

 taxation. To the firft and laft, fuppofing they followed, and 

 were admitted evils, the queftion is, whether a free trade 

 would not more than balance them ; they imply the impo- 

 veriihment of the kingdom, and were objected in Scotland 

 againft that union which has taken place ; but the fact has 

 been.directly otherwiie, and Scotland has been continually on 

 the increafe of wealth ever fince ; nay Edinburgh itfelf, which 

 was naturally expected moft to fuffer, feems to have gained 

 as much as any other part of the kingdom. Nor can I upon 

 any principles think, a nation is lofmg, who exchanges the 

 refidence of a fet of idle country gentlemen, for a numerous 

 race of induftrious farmers, manufacturers, merchants, and 

 failors. But the fact in the firft objection does not feem well 

 founded ; 1 cannot fee any inevitable neceffity for abfentees 

 increafing ; a family might refide the winter at London with- 

 out becoming abfentees ; and frequent journies to.England, 

 where every branch of industry and ufeful knowledge are in 

 fuch perfection, could not fail to enlarge the views and cure 

 the prejudices which obftruct the improvement of Ireland. 

 As to taxation, it ought to be confidered as a circum- 

 ftance that always did, and always will follow profperity and 

 wealth. Sa-vages pay no taxes, but thofe who are hourly in- 

 creafing in the conveniencies, luxuries, and enjoyments of 

 Jife, do not by aay means find taxes fuch a burthen as to make 

 them wilh for poverty and barbarity, in order to avoid taxa- 

 tion. In refpect to the fecond objection, it feems, to bear 

 nearly as ftrong in the cafe of Scotland, and yet the evil has 

 had no exiftence, the four-courts at Dublin would of courle 

 remain, nor do I fee at prefent any great protection refulting 

 to individuals from a parliament, which the law of the land 

 does not give ; it feems therefore to be an apprehenfion not 

 very well founded. So much in anfwer to objections ; not by 

 way of proving that an entire union is abfolutely neceifary, 

 as without fuch a meafure Ireland might certainly have great 

 commercial freedom, and pay for it to the fatisfaction of 

 England. 



SECTION XXIII. 

 General State of Ireland. 



IT may not be difadvantageous to a clear idea of the fubje 

 at large, to draw into one view the material facts difperfed 

 in the preceding enquiry, which throw a light on the gene- 

 ral ftate of the kingdom, and to add one or two others, 

 which did not properly come in under any of the former 

 heads, that we may be able to have a diftinct notion of that 

 degree of profperity which appears to have been, of late 

 years, the inheritance of her rifing induftry. 



BUILDINGS* 



