Benevolence of the Bishop of Meath. 1 77 



oats afterwards. A gentleman, who occupies 

 a considerable farm in the neighbourhood, 

 amused me by stating that he had already taken 

 from his land five or six white crops ; that he 

 thought of doing something by way of me- 

 lioration to the soil, and was disposed to sow 

 the next crop of oats with clover as preparative 

 to manuring it ; which, I afterwards under- 

 stood, was to be effected by a dressing of hot 

 lime. Fortunate indeed are the proprietors 

 and occupiers of soils capable of sustaining 

 a system of such exhaustion. The common 

 rotation of cropping is wheat, oats, fallow, 

 potatoes, clover, all without the application of 



any manure ! 



- 



The Bishop of Heath's domain contains 

 some excellent land ; the farms are small, and 

 principally let in con-acres by the year, at a 

 rent of eight pounds per annum. The atten- 

 tion paid to the comforts of the lower orders 

 surrounding the palace does great credit to 

 the feelings and humanity of his Lordship. 

 Greatly is the possessor of wealth to be pitied 

 whose pursuits are exclusively directed to the 

 search after gratifications of a sensual descrip- 

 tion. To confer and promote the happiness of 

 others, is to a benevolent mind the most en- 

 vfable prerogative of riches. The warmth 



VOL. II. N 



