266 STUDIES, SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL CHAP. 



studied the subject, is a noteworthy fact, and one which 

 shows the importance of a thorough and fearless discussion 

 of all questions relating to the tenure of the land, in order 

 that we may arrive at some fundamental principles on 

 which to base our practical legislation. 



The total neglect of the study of this most important 

 subject is further illustrated by the way in which the 

 daily press widely promulgated, either without criticism or 

 with expressed approval, an objection to the Land 

 League's proposal which is more absurd than that 

 proposal itself, inasmuch as it involves and rests upon an 

 oversight so gross as almost to constitute a true " Irish 

 bull." Mr. W. J. O'Neill Daunt, an old colleague of 

 O'Connell, was the author of this remarkable piece of 

 criticism, the most important part of which, and that 

 which has been quoted as so especially crushing, is as 

 follows : 



" There are, roughly speaking, about half a million of tenants in 

 Ireland. But there are about five and a half millions of people in 

 the country. Suppose the half million of tenants are established as 

 peasant proprietors, what is to be done with the claims of the re- 

 maining five millions ? Have they not a right to say to the peasant 

 landocracy, ' You are only one-eleventh of the nation. Why should 

 one-eleventh grasp all the land ? Our right to the land is as good as 

 yours. We will not permit your monopoly. We insist on getting 

 our share of your estates. ' " 



But neither Mr. O'Neill Daunt himself, nor the writers 

 who approvingly characterized his letter as " remarkable," 

 and his criticism as " pertinent," can have given five 

 minutes' real thought to the matter, or they must have 

 seen the absurdity of their remarks. For surely the half 

 million of tenants have wives and families, and reckoning 

 the children at three and a half per family (which is 

 rather higher than the average for the whole country), we 

 arrive at a tenant population of two and three-quarter 

 millions, or about half the total inhabitants of the island. 

 And what will the other half consist of ? There are the 

 landlords, the clergy, and other professional men, the 

 army and navy, the members of the court and officials, 

 the manufacturers, the merchants, and all the mechanics 



