een the tobacco-culture introduced into
Pennsylvania only a quarter of a century ago, as a consequence of the
Civil War. The climatic conditions here are certainly not more
unfavourable to such an experiment in agriculture than they were at
first supposed to be in the Pennsylvanian counties of York and
Lancaster. Of course the Imperial excise would deal with it as harshly
as it is now dealing with a similar experiment in England. But the Irish
tobacco-growers would not now have to fear such hostile legislation as
ruined the Irish linen industries in the last century. The
"Moonlighters" of 1888 lineally represent, if they do not simply
reproduce, the "Whiteboys" of 1760; and the domination of the "uncrowned
king" constantly reminds one of Froude's vivid and vigorous sketch of
the sway wielded by "Captain Dwyer" and "Joanna Maskell" from Mallow to
Westmeath, between the years 1762 and 1765. On that side of the quarrel
there seems to be nothing very new under the sun in Ireland. But the
spirit and the forms of the Imperial authority over the country have
unquestionably undergone a great change for the better, not only since
the last century, but since the accession of Queen Victoria.

Upon the question of land improvements, Mr. Stacpoole told me, to-night,
that he borrowed L1000 of the Government for drainage improvements on
his property here, the object of which was to better the holdings of
tenants. Of this sum he had to leave L400 undrawn, as he could not get
the men to work at the improvements, even for their own good. They all
wanted to be gangers or chiefs. It reminded me of Berlioz's reply to the
bourgeois who wanted his son to be made a "great composer." "Let him go
into the army," said Berlioz, "and join the only regiment he is fit
for." "What regiment is that?" "The regiment of colonels."

In the course of the evening a report was brought out from Ennis to
Colonel Turner. He read it, and then handed it to me, with an
accompanying document. The latter, at my request, he allowed me to keep,
and I must reproduce it here. It tells its own tale.

A peasant came to the authorities and complained that he was "tormented"
to make a subscription to a "testimonial" for one Austen Mackay of
Kilshanny, in the County Clare, producing at the same time a copy of the
circular which had been sent about to the people. It is a
cheaply-printed leaflet, not unlike a penny ballad in appearance, and
thus it runs:--

"_Testimonial