144 Compassion and Charity of the lower Orders. 



alms, had taken stations (some of which were 

 hutted) by the side of the road, to attract the 

 notice and benevolence of passengers. Several 

 even of those whose appearance denoted the 

 scantiest means, in passing contributed their mite. 

 As hospitality among the higher orders, so does 

 charity among those in the humbler walks of life, 

 rank high in the Irish catalogue of virtues. 

 An universal opinion prevails among the latter, 

 that whatever is bestowed for the relief of the 

 wretched, will be restored four-fold. I will not, 

 however, do them the injustice of attributing 

 their compassion to selfish motives ; I perceived 

 no appearance of ostentation, no expectation of 

 future remuneration, in their laudable acts of this 

 description : for whatever may be the defects in 

 the characters of Irishmen, want of feeling and 

 kind-heartedness cannot be imputed to them. 

 The store of humanity, however, must be pos- 

 sessed in abundance, to support the incessant 

 claims which are here made upon it; and it 

 may be questioned, whether the relief thus 

 readily afforded, may not have the effect of in- 

 creasing the number of supplicants. 



On our return, the bustle of bartering the 

 labor of individuals, for the supply of wants to 

 their families had ceased : the streets were no 



