Aptitude for Expedients in the Irish. 277 



out of patience, and often out of humour, be- 

 fore he found a remedy for evils which are here 

 constantly met by an expedient ! Whilst I 

 write, a proof of the fact is at my elbow. A 

 chest of drawers in which the paraphernalia of 

 the females, as well as the table linen, clean 

 and dirty, are kept, has no lock ; the want of 

 this security is supplied by the absence of 

 handles, so that whenever the drawers are 

 resorted to, recourse is had to some new ex- 

 pedient. Three times have I been disturbed 

 the first essay for a rummage was by the assist- 

 ance of a fork this failing, the damsel went in 

 search of a key, which on her return proved to 

 be the sugar breaker ! equally judicious were 

 the other attempts, none of which were made, 

 but in full confidence of a successful expedient ! 

 Simple as is this instance, it presents a strong 

 trait of the Irish character. The want of me- 

 thod and order, and the careless indifference in 

 not profiting by the experience of the past, 

 produce and establish inconveniences that get 

 confirmed, and descend to succeeding genera- 

 tions : " Sufficient for the day is the evil there- 

 of," is here construed literally into taking " no 

 thought for the morrow." The same want of 

 reflection and forethought seems to pervade all 

 persons, and every department. How different 

 are the arrangements of an inn in England ? 



