Reasons which, it may be seen, appear to the English eye entirely ridiculous and unbusiness-like.
What strikes a Frenchman most, on the other hand, in the letters, is their touching simplicity, the appalling instability of a budget that the least domestic mishap is enough to upset, and the fruitless attempt of the poor man to penetrate into the real cause of the burden under which he is panting; in the comments, the utter incapacity of the British landlord to understand his Irish tenantry even when he is a good landlord, which is obviously (perhaps too obviously) the case here.
The letters are thus characteristic in more than one sense. Whatever the angle under which they are read, they undoubtedly remain first-class documentary evidence.
8th Jany., 1887.
To * * * *, Esq.
Sir,—I received a letter yesterday from Mr. G⸺ who demanded the payment of £31 0s. 6d., rent due up to 29 Sept. 1886. I was in with Mr. G⸺ this day & he told me that he had no further instructions than what was contained in his note. Now my Uncle has been confined through illness to his bed since last June, & my daughter has been under medical treatment since last September for a sore eye which proceeded from a bad tooth, & I even had to pay the Dentist ten shillings for extracting it, as the Doctor could not do so. I trust you will kindly take into consideration my position and stay proceedings, & I will send you £18 next Saturday & the remainder about the 13th February, the day after fair of K⸺.
Your obedt. Servant
* * * *
The following is also from the same man:—