ried to make all his neighbours live comfortably together,
by making them acquainted with each other's good qualities; by giving
them opportunities of meeting sociably, and, from time to time, of doing
each other little services and good offices. 'Fortunately, he had so
much to do,' he said, 'that he had no time for controversy. He was a
plain man, made it a rule not to meddle with speculative points, and to
avoid all irritating discussions; he was not to rule the country, but to
live in it, and make others live as happily as he could.'

Having nothing to conceal in his character, opinions, or circumstances,
Mr. Burke was perfectly open and unreserved in his manner and
conversation; freely answered all the traveller's inquiries, and took
pains to show him everything he desired to see. Lord Colambre said he
had thoughts of settling in Ireland; and declared, with truth, that he
had not seen any part of the country he should like better to live in
than this neighbourhood. He went over most of the estate with Mr. Burke,
and had ample opportunities of convincing himself that this gentleman
was indeed, as the innkeeper had described him, 'a right good gentleman,
and a right good agent.'

He paid Mr. Burke some just compliments on the state of the tenantry,
and the neat and flourishing appearance of the town of Colambre.

'What pleasure it will give the proprietor when he sees all you have
done!' said Lord Colambre.

'Oh, sir, don't speak of it!--that breaks my heart, he never has shown
the least interest in anything I have done; he is quite dissatisfied
with me, because I have not ruined his tenantry, by forcing them to pay
more than the land is worth; because I have not squeezed money from them
by fining down rents; and--but all this, as an Englishman, sir, must be
unintelligible to you. The end of the matter is, that, attached as I am
to this place and the people about me, and, as I hope, the tenantry are
to me--I fear I shall be obliged to give up the agency.'

'Give up the agency! How so?--you must not,' cried Lord Colambre, and,
for the moment, he forgot himself; but Mr. Burke took this only for an
expression of good-will.

'I must, I am afraid,' continued he. 'My employer, Lord Clonbrony, is
displeased with me--continual calls for money come upon me from England,
and complaints of my slow remittances.'

'Perhaps Lord Clonbrony is in embarrassed circumstances said Lord
Colambre.

'I never speak of my employer's