se, it may be said, in the world, but that
manure. It is that which is to yield sustenance to his family, and if he
have it not, they starve. If put outside the precincts of his holding
it is lost to him, and that which he collects scrap after scrap from the
road side, or elsewhere--that upon which his life actually depends, is
too precious to be risked beyond his care. Why should he be blamed then
for the apparent "filth" which surrounds it? Whether is it his fault, or
that of the system which has driven him to this degrading necessity? Not
his, surely!

Then he is described as to be seen "supporting his door-frame, and
smoking his 'dhudeen,'[1] while he should be at work." It is true; but
whence his seeming idleness? The truck system again! He is engaged by
the year to some farmer, and is bound to do his work, for which he gets
his potato land; but the farmer is not bound, as he should be, to give
him continuous labour throughout the year. And many a day, and half-day,
and quarter-day is cut off his year's labour, when the weather, or the
farmer's absence, or his _mighty_ will and pleasure, may make him think
it fit to stop the work. When this occurs, and it is sadly frequent, it
is impossible that the poor labourer can either seek or find a half, or
even a whole day's labour. He has no garden, or patch of ground upon
which he might expend with profit his leisure, or his extra time; he has
nothing to occupy him; nor can he make an occupation perhaps, for he has
not the most trifling means to obtain even lime to whitewash his cabin.
Then, if he do smoke his "dhudeen, leaning against his door-way," where
so proper for him to be, as with his wife and children? And is the
so-named "weed of peacefulness" sought for by the highest in the land as
a soothing enjoyment; by those who have but to wish for and obtain every
luxury and blessing that wealth can give--is the scanty use of the
meanest portion of it, improper or slothful in him who knows no single
blessing but his wife and family? But it cannot be fairly deemed so. The
custom is universal, and the Irish peasant, declared by the Legislature
it may be said, to endure more privation than the peasant of any other
country in Europe, ought not to be set down as _slothful_, because, to
soothe his care, he smokes his "dhudeen."

Again, we are told by tourists of the fearful fact, that men, women,
children, a cow, a horse, a pig, congregate together at night in one
cabin; _one