ull
force of its inclemency.

Indeed, it may be observed with truth, that when people are met together
under circumstances of a painful nature, they cannot relax or melt into
that social ease which generally marks those who come together with no
such restraint upon the heart or spirits. Here, too, as in every other
department of life, all the various grades of poverty and dependence
fall into their respective classes. In one place, for instance, might be
seen together those more comfortable farmers who were able to meet their
engagements, but who labored under the galling conviction, that, however
hard and severely industry might put forth its exertions, there was no
ultimate expectation of independence--no cheering reflection, that they
resided under a landlord who would feel gratified and proud at their
progressive prosperity. Alas! it is wonderful how much happiness a bad
landlord destroys! These men stood with their backs to the wind and
storm, lowly conversing upon the disastrous change which was coming,
and had come, over the estate. Their brows were lowered, their dialogue
languid and gloomy, and altogether their whole appearance was that of
men who felt that they lived neither for themselves or their families,
but for those who took no interest whatsoever in their happiness or
welfare.

In another place were grouped together men who were still worse off than
the former--men, we mean, who were able to meet their engagements,
but at the expense of all, or mostly all, that constitutes domestic
comfort--who had bad beds, bad food, and indifferent clothes. These
persons were far more humbled in their bearing than the former, took a
less prominent situation in the crowd, and seemed to have deeper
care, and much more personal feeling to repress or combat. It is an
indisputable fact, that the very severe and vexatious tyranny exercised
over them had absolutely driven the poor creatures into hypocrisy
and falsehood--a general and almost uniform consequence of conduct
so peculiarly oppressive. They were all, at best, God knows, but very
poorly clothed; yet, if it so happened that one or two of them, somewhat
more comfortable than the rest, happened to have got a new coat a little
before gale day, he invariably declined to appear in it, knowing, as
he did, that he should receive a torrent of abuse from the agent,
in consequence of "getting fat, impudent, and well-dressed on his
Lordship's property;" terms of abuse, which