-and a Mud Cabin in Ireland. 659 



no bedtick to put it in, and the straw is more easily kept 

 within bounds : he has no bedstead, but a few turves or raised 

 earth to keep the bed distinct from the rest of the floor. 



His young wife is all this while living with her own parents 

 or with his ; but now, being " as ladies wish to be who love 

 their lords," she is busy spinning blankets and coverlets ; and 

 she now goes home to her own new mansion to lie in. Her 

 household furniture consists of a spinning-wheel, a stool or 

 bench to sit on, a pot for boiling the potatoes, and a sort of 

 table to eat them off. Of other furniture there is none that 

 I remember, except a besom for washing the potatoes with. 

 As soon as the potatoes are boiled they are carried to the 

 door, the water is poured off from them, and they are then 

 brought in and emptied upon the table. The pot is set down 

 to receive the peelings as the potatoes are eaten ; a neighbour 

 who keeps a pig sends round and collects them, paying for 

 them with whatever he abounds in : if a publican, the com- 

 mon price of potato-peelings is a pint of ale with a penny roll, 

 every Saturday evening, for each potato-eater ; if a farmer, the 

 reward is generally a piece of ground to plant potatoes on. 



In the course of time, if the man be industrious and healthy, 

 he will muster up a pig of his own, to eat his own potato-skins, 

 to graze in the lanes, and sleep with the children. By and by 

 he begins to look up in the world, gets a nanny-goat, or 

 may-be two tied together with a hayband ; they graze in the 

 lanes, and really give a great deal of milk. He rents a small 

 corner of some field for a potato-garden, and formerly gave 

 his vote for members of parliament. His children grow up 

 to be men and women, come over to England, and make 

 their fortune either by serving the bricklayers or enlisting for 

 soldiers ; in either of which capacities they are made men of, 

 as the life of a private soldier is a king's life compared with 

 their former state. 



I dare say, Sir, you have observed the features of an 

 Irish peasant of the lowest grade; the curl of his lips, and 

 how he shows his teeth, something like the passion of fear, 

 pain, or disgust, just as if he were walking in snow, or on 

 sharp flints or thorns, with his naked feet; for how can he 

 afford himself proper clothing on 4id. or 6d. per day ? I had, 

 when gardener to Lord Doneraile, where your correspondent 

 Mr. Haycroft now is, I had, I say, ten men, four women, 

 and four boys, all of whom I paid, on a Saturday night, 

 with a two-pound note. I dare say their wages are not much 

 altered yet. I am, Sir, &c. 



John Howden. 

 Heath House, near Cheadle, May 10. 1830. 



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