102 



Dii tihi divitias dederunt, artemque fruendi. 



To these respectable Corporations I addressed a memoir, 

 premising, that though well acquainted with their libe- 

 rality, I did not call for their money. I went into the 

 subject of cut-out moss ; stating, I presume, the facts I 

 have mentioned here ; and showing, from the local circum- 

 stances of great population, and a most frequent dispersion 



peat hog over the whole surface of the County of Derry, 

 that it was more disfigured by unreclaimed cut-out 7noss, 

 than any other county, and might be considered as well 

 described by Tacitus — 



Terra in uiiiversum paludihus fceda. 



Relying on the influence these respectable Corporations 

 possessed, and secure of the attachment of th«ir tenants, 

 and of the prompt obedience that would be paid to every 

 thing recommended by them, I pointed out the directions 

 they should give tbeir tenants when cutting their turf ; a 

 compliance with which would effectually prevent the 

 further increase of these odious morasses. 



In case I should be mistaken in the disposition I had 

 - assumed to exist, 1 showed how, by the mildest measures, 

 their tenants might be compelled to consult their own in- 

 terests, and to improve without expense and to the greatest 

 advantage their own properties during their leases, with 

 other matters which I conceived interesting to the County 

 of Derry and its great proprietors. 



This memoir, together with a letter I addressed to 

 himself, were given to Mr. Slade their Secretary, by the 

 Lord Bishop of Derry : but neither were favoured 

 with any notice on the part of Mr, Slade, or the Lon- 

 don Society, to whom it was addressed. 



In the course of a long life, I had some experience of 



