ched one point of the
greatest importance, and very poorly answered the main objection, that
the clothiers are defective both in the quality and quantity of their
goods.

For my own part, when I consider the several societies of handicraftsmen
in all kinds, as well as shopkeepers, in this city, after eighteen
years' experience of their dealings, I am at a loss to know in which of
these societies the most or least honesty is to be found. For instance,
when any trade comes first into my head, upon examination I determine it
exceeds all others in fraud. But after I have considered them all round,
as far as my knowledge or experience reacheth, I am at a loss to
determine, and to save trouble I put them all upon a par. This I chiefly
apply to those societies of men who get their livelihood by the labour
of their hands. For, as to shopkeepers, I cannot deny that I have found
some few honest men among them, taking the word honest in the largest
and most charitable sense. But as to handicraftsmen, although I shall
endeavour to believe it possible to find a fair dealer among their
clans, yet I confess it hath never been once my good fortune to employ
one single workman, who did not cheat me at all times to the utmost of
his power in the materials, the work, and the price. One universal maxim
I have constantly observed among them, that they would rather gain a
shilling by cheating you, than twenty in the honest way of dealing,
although they were sure to lose your custom, as well as that of others,
whom you might probably recommend to them.

This, I must own, is the natural consequence of poverty and oppression.
These wretched people catch at any thing to save them a minute longer
from drowning. Thus Ireland is the poorest of all civilized countries in
Europe, with every natural advantage to make it one of the richest.

As to the grand objection, which this writer slubbers over in so
careless a manner, because indeed it was impossible to find a
satisfactory answer, I mean the knavery of our woollen manufacturers in
general, I shall relate some facts, which I had more opportunities to
observe than usually fall in the way of men who are not of the trade.
For some years, the masters and wardens, with many of their principal
workmen and shopkeepers, came often to the Deanery to relate their
grievances, and to desire my advice as well as my assistance. What
reasons might move them to this proceeding, I leave to public
conjecture. Th