Past and Present State of Afjriciiltare in Ireland. 447 
(who had been himself among the first to adopt it) in his pamph- 
let upon the Poor Laws, naturally led to its being pretty gene- 
rally read in England, as well as in Ireland : and some landed 
proprietors, in districts where agriculture is in a backward state, 
are adopting at present the plan it recommends with such success 
as will most probably procure them many imitators. But, to re- 
turn to Ireland ; I cannot pass over the singular instance of the 
Rev. William Eames, near Tyrrell's Pass, having had the influ- 
ence with his parishioners to induce the farmers voluntarily to 
subscribe for the payment of an agriculturist for their own in- 
struction : and, by making the loan-fund available for the loan of 
lime, seeds, money, and the new manures, the system was at once 
put into successful operation.* 
A circumstance so creditable to the influence of the clergyman, 
and to the good disposition of the parishioners, well deserves to 
be mentioned, as a similar instance cannot, perhaps, be produced 
within the limits of the United Kingdom. But by much the 
most decided impetus which has been given to the spread of the 
system, and the general and systematic improvement of the king- 
dom, has been given by the Earl of Clancarty. This nobleman 
was the first to adopt the plan of engaging an agriculturist for the 
Poor Law Union in which his property was situated ; becoming 
himself responsible for his entire salary, leaving it open to all the 
gentlemen composing the Agricultural Society of the Union to em- 
ploy him, at a weekly salary, to go round their different estates and 
give instructions to their tenantry ; his lordship taking him, when 
not so engaged, to instruct his own tenants : thus the wages of the 
agriculturist were paid by those who employed him, leaving all 
the subscriptions and donations made to the Society to be distri- 
buted in premiums to those who most distinguished themselves 
amongst the competitors. For the valuable example thus afforded 
to the rest of the kingdom the public are indebted to the untiring 
zeal and active exertions of his Lordship, whose judicious arrange- 
ments and conciliatory conduct secured the support of all parties, 
* There can be no doubt that a loan-fund may be made productive of 
great good by rescuing the poor man from the extortion of the petty usurer 
when he is overtaken by any unforeseen calamity, and in many other ways, 
of which the case here stated may be said to be one of the most important ; 
but, on the other baud, it is to be recollected that the Irish character is 
naturally sanguine : Paddy is prone to indulge too much in favourable antici- 
pations of the future, and apt to rely upon them much more than he ought. 
He and his neighbour, therefore, join and go security for each other; and 
tlie failure of the hopes of either leaves his partner liable to pay for both, 
and both become paupers. I fear this is too common a case, and that 
evil vastly exceeds the good which results from these establishments, in 
which I am contirmed by the opinion of those who have the best means of 
judging. 
VOL. IV. 2 G 
