Exhortation to Absentees. 187 



Were I to address myself to the munificence 

 of the landed proprietors, whether resident in 

 Ireland or absentees, and say, Why do you 

 suffer such things? I should but betray my 

 ignorance. Rather let me call on them to do 

 justice to themselves to their tenantry to 

 study and consult their own interest to rescue 

 the lives of those who repose on them from a 

 state too calamitous for human existence, by 

 attending to their own interest, and promoting 

 the cultivation of their respective estates. 

 Policy* as well as humanity, have powerful 

 claims on their attention ; and would they but 

 condescend to the trouble of investigation only, 

 the object would be half accomplished ; as 

 much of the wretchedness of the people is suf- 

 fered because it is not properly seen. Doubt- 

 less the condition and happiness of man are 

 every where observable to be principally depend- 

 ant on his own exertions. But where his 

 range is so limited that he has not the power 

 of applying his persevering labor to the grate- 

 ful soil, from causes which ought not to operate 

 against him, he has a powerful demand on the 

 consideration of those who hold the means, yet 

 want the favourable disposition to promote his 

 honest industrious inclinations. By considera- 

 tion I beg not to be understood as soliciting 

 the benevolence of superiors. Were the stream 



