I am answered that, the land being very bad, the distress is terrible; the people are literally dying of hunger, and that emigration is the sole resource of the population! But then, in that case, the crisis has not arisen from the land laws, and they cannot cure it by making the peasants landowners. I had always doubted it, but I am well pleased to have my opinion so convincingly proved.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Mr. Toler was at the time (as well as my memory serves me) Solicitor-General, but sitting as Judge of Assize.
[2] Since my visit to Ireland, this estate has been seized by creditors, who have driven out all the farmers. The most lamentable scenes took place, and have been much discussed in the newspapers.
CHAPTER VI.
DEPARTURE FROM KENMARE—A BAILIFF UNDER PROTECTION—HOW PLAIN DAUGHTERS CAN BE ADVANTAGEOUSLY DISPOSED OF—BLARNEY CASTLE—TRALEE—BARON DOWSE’S SPEECH—AN IRISH MARKET—THE GRAND JURY AND ITS PRESIDENT—MEDITATIONS.
July 9th.—To-day the grand jury opens at Tralee, the capital of county Kerry. In his double office of magistrate and grand juryman, my host, Mr. Trench, is obliged to attend this ceremony. Besides, this year his presence is doubly necessary, because he must plead the cause of the taxpayers in the barony,[3] according to the promise given yesterday. He kindly suggested that I should accompany him, an offer which I hastened to accept, for I am very curious to see how this strange institution works.
In consequence of these arrangements, the faithful Dick brought his carriage to the door about eight o’clock this morning, just as we finished breakfast. Experienced travellers assert that if one would have a correct idea of a country, one should see it at the season which most characterises it. Thus one should see Russia in the month of January, when it is covered with snow, and Naples in the month of August. A cold country is only curious when it is cold; a moujik sweating violently being as little interesting as a lazzarone shivering in a corner by the fire.