132 



DICKSON ON THE 



LETTER VIII. 



IF THE PEOPLE IN ULSTER ARE BENEFITTED BY CONNECTING THE 

 MANUFACTURING WITH THE AGRICULTURAL INTEREST, WHY SHOULD 



THOSE IN THE OTHER THREE PROVINCES LEINSTER, MUNSTER, 



AND CONNAUGHT BE IDLE SPECTATORS. 



Memento probaium esse, Meo prestino more, Forti et 

 fideli nil difficile. 



To the Editor of the u Taum Herald" 



11 Sir, — It is now two years since I first made an attempt 

 to draw the attention of the owners of property in the 

 above-named province, to the importance of encouraging a 

 more extended growth of Flax in this country, and the 

 manufacture of the fibre into linens, in the hope of making 

 (with the assistance of the press of Dublin) some converts 

 to my views, feeling anxious to do in Ireland what I have 

 since done in England, namely, to instruct, gratis, farmers 

 who never grew the Elax-plant before, how to grow it 

 equal to the best Belgian Flax. But, having received no 

 encouragement from the landed proprietors of those pro- 

 vinces, who now groan under the burden of the Poor-law 

 taxation, the evils of which they feel from being obliged 

 to support in idleness the able-bodied poor, who could 

 and should work for their living ; and not having received 

 more than two or three applications for information as to 

 my "method of Flax-culture, and the various processes it 

 must undergo before being made into linen cloth, I returned 

 home to London, satisfied that the day was not far distant 

 when those gentlemen would see their error, and that other 

 observers of Ireland's w r ants, following in my steps, and 

 convinced by personal experience, would publish those very 

 truths, which I have been for four years continually urging 



