82 Real Characters of Proctors not known. 



which is greatly to be doubted, it is time such 

 oppressive conduct should be corrected : neces- 

 sarily it must create general aversion and dis- 

 content. The sacrifice of time and money was 

 a grievous hardship on the small farmers, who, 

 after all, would have to pay exorbitantly and to 

 the utmost farthing ! 



I could not help wishing that my place, by 

 some fortunate event, had been occupied by 

 the Duke of Leinster, or some other great Irish 

 proprietor ; that an opportunity might have 

 been afforded, to such an elevated character, 

 of learning in how little estimation the land- 

 holders are held, by these very men, to whom 

 they delegate their power and their property : 

 and also of witnessing the very improper man- 

 ner in which their humble tenantry are treated 

 by these overbearing despots, who truckle in 

 the presence of their superiors, and under the 

 semblance of humility and moderation conceal 

 their real characters. 



The loss of a night's sleep I do not regret, in 

 becoming personally certified of the cruelty thus 

 practised on the poor occupiers by tithe proctors, 

 which I could not otherwise have credited. 

 They had now been expensively detained nearly 

 two days from home, and were to sacrifice a 

 1 



