or the
lives of the poor, or for the useful application of capital to the
employment of labour, and has applied himself patiently and
steadily to the legitimate remedy--viz. Mr Poulett Scrope.

"It is true that we have many representations, from Poor Law
unions in Ireland, of the utter inability of the proprietors and
occupiers of the soil to bear the burden which the new Poor Law
has imposed upon them; and I give no opinion on the questions,
whether they have a claim in equity on further assistance from
England, or whether the rate has been imposed in the most
judicious way. But when it is said, that they are utterly unable
to support the poor of Ireland by a rate, the question presents
itself--How do they propose that those poor are to be supported
without a rate? I apprehend it can only be by begging; and of whom
are they to beg? It can only be from the occupiers of the soil,
and other inhabitants of the country. Now, will the ability of
those inhabitants to bear this burden be _lessened_ by a law which
will, in one way or other, compel the landlords (often absentees)
to share it along with them?--and will, at the same time, make it
the obvious interest of the landlords to introduce capital into
the country, and expend it there in 'remunerative employment?'

"On the present state of Ireland I can speak with some confidence,
because I can give the opinion of a friend, the Count de
Strzelicki, who is well entitled to judge, because he was
previously thoroughly acquainted with agriculture, and because he
nobly undertook the painful office of dispensing the bounty of the
London Association in the very worst district of Ireland, during
the worst period of the famine; and who expresses himself
thus:--The real evil and curse of Ireland is neither religious nor
political, but lies simply in so many of the landlords being
bankrupts, and so many of those who are well off being absentees;
others again, equally well off, resident, judicious, benevolent,
and far-sighted, being unsupported in their efforts, and isolated
in their action upon the masses, who, long since cast away by the
proprietary, have been dragging their miserable existence in
recklessness, distrust, and rancour. It is this dislocation--even
antagonism--of social interests and relations, combined with the
_irrespons