Key to the Peera rol, po bank and Nobility; or, 5. Crockford's; or, Life of the West, 2 vols. post 8vo. dedicated, by permission, to Mr. Peel. Nearly ready, in 12mo. with Plates, price 8. boards, THE FIRST LINES of PHILOSOPHITHE ing the recent Discoveries and Improvements in that Science. By Mr. J. S. FORSYTH, Author of the "Medical Pocket-Book," &c. Also, by the same Author, Including the Period from the Accession of Alexander III. to 2. Le Globe, Nos. 50 and 51, Tome VI. THE PHILOSOPHY of the ACTIVE and price 1s. 8d. for Two Numbers a week; per annum, 104 Numbers, "The Globe' is the most original, the most talented, the In a few days, in 2 vols. Evo. with Plates, MEXICO in 1827. By H. G. WARD, Esq. LONDON: Printed for the Proprietors, and Published every AND Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, &c. This Journal is supplied Weekly, or Monthly, by the principal Booksellers and Newsmen, throughout the Kingdom; but to those who may desire its immediate transmission, by post, we recommend the LITERARY GAZETTE, printed on stamped paper, price One Shilling. No. 589. REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS. SATURDAY, MAY 3, 1828. hope. I like English flowers in my garden- PRICE 8d. You say you my very good friend, sir. Yes, The Adventures of Hajji Baba, of Ispahan, sir, you my very good friend. You lie and in England. 2 vols. 12mo. London, 1828. swear for me to shah, that very good; but one J. Murray. thing little bad. You say because Mexico rich, HERE is laughter for a month," and enter. I very rich. That not very clever, sir. If Í tainment for a year. It is rare that an author say, because shah very rich, you very rich, that should be so perfectly master of the feelings of stupid. I same as was; but you great vizier two utterly dissimilar countries as to be able "And now (continues Mr. Morier), very now, and got very good house, and very good to portray both minutely, and by the clever probably, you will ask, How can you gather garden. I send you, Inshallah! some seeds grouping and juxtaposition of them make a encouragement from such a letter as this? for and roots by ship to India or Constantinople, work so curious and amusing as the present. it sounds very much like the story of the horse- and if you go on swearing so much to shah, But it is, in reality, not merely the acute dealer, who, in shewing-off his horse, received perhaps send some china and glass. I hope you observer and humorous sketcher of English a kick in his ribs, and, although smarting forgive me, sir; I not understand flatter peomanners, Mr. Morier: it is also Hajji Baba of under the pain, made up the best face he could, ples; you know very well I plain man, sirIspahan himself, with all his Persian notions, and exclaimed, Pretty playful creature, it is speak alway plain, sir; but I always good prejudices, and passions-two joined in one. nothing but play!' I proceed to assert, that I friend to you. But why you write such bad In fact, it is evident, from internal demonstra- look upon it as an encouragement to have pro- letter to me? God know I your old friend. tion, that though the former has written the duced any sort of sensation among a lively peo- "P.S. I got very good wife now, and very book, the sentiments are truly those of a Per-ple like the Persians, by which they may be led good child, sir. You grand vizier now, and got sian visitor to England; and two genuine letters to reflect upon themselves as a nation. Touch all silver and gold, and shawls, and turquoise. with which the volumes set out, will readily but their vanity, and you attack their most I like silver and gold and nice things. As you point to the person whose actual opinions and vulnerable part. Let them see that they can write such bad letter, and so much abuse, and adventures have furnished materials for this be laughed at, you will make them angry. tell me I say lies, I think you send me some most amusing publication. Reflection will succeed anger; and with re-silver and gold; and because I got good wife flection, who knows what changes may not be and child now, little shawls and turquoise for effected? But having produced this effect, let me very good." me ask what further good may not be expected As reviewers of good taste, we shall now beg by placing them in strong contrast with the leave to pass over all the preparations, &c. in nations of Christianity, and more particularly Persia, for the outfit and departure of the emwith our own blessed country? And it is this bassy to England, and hasten forward to the which has been attempted in the following contact of the strangers with our own country. pages. In talent and natural capacity, the The voyage to England affords a pleasant prePersians are equal to any nation in the world. lude of what the reader may expect when the In good feeling and honesty, and in the higher orientals arrive there; but we omit its whim, to qualities of man, they would be equally so, land them at Plymouth, where they are taken to were their education and their government an inn, or "caravanserai."—"What (observes favourable to their growth. What is wanted, the Persian) was our astonishment, when we then, but some strong incentive to reflection? alighted at the door of a house, at the gate of And if an insignificant work as the one in question can have produced the feelings with which the foregoing letter has been written, what might not the labours of some of the high and mighty in genius and ability produce, if applied to the same purpose? A change in the edifice may be made, that is certain; the only question is, on what side of it shall we begin to knock down ?" The author tells us that he has been chiefly encouraged to proceed with the Hajji, not so much by the popularity of his preceding work, as by the receipt of the following characteristic letter: "Tehran, 21st May, 1826. * "My dear friend,-I am offended with you, and not without reason. What for you write Hajji Baba, sir? King very angry, sir. I swear him you never write lies; but he say, yes write. All people very angry with you, sir. That very bad book, sir. All lies, sir. Who tell you all these lies, sir? What for you not speak to me? Very bad business, sir. Persian people very bad people perhaps, but very good to you, sir. What for you abuse them so bad? I very angry. Sheikh Abdul Russool write oh! very long letter to the king 'bout that book, sir. He say you tell king's wife one bad woman, and king kill her. I very angry, sir. But you are my friend, and I tell king, sheikh write all lie. You call me Mirza Firouz, I know very well, and say I talk great deal nonsense. When I talk nonsense? Oh, you "Adopting his style of language, I answered think yourself very clever man; but this Hajji my friend's letter; and the following can be Baba very foolish business. I think you sorry looked upon as of no consequence, excepting, for it some time. I do not know, but I think perhaps, to illustrate the sort of answer which very foolish. English gentlemen say, Hajji is likely to have weight with a Persian. Baba very clever book, but I think not clever at all very foolish book. You must not be "My dear friend, I have received your angry with me, sir. I your old friend, sir. letter, and I pray that your shadow may never God know, I your very good friend to you, sir. be less. As for Hajji Baba, what for you not But now you must write other book, and praise read that book before you write me such letter, Persian peoples very much. I swear very sir? Sheikh Abdul Russool great fool; he eats much to the king you never write Hajji Baba. dirt, and knows no better; but you, Mashallah!pliment that could be paid to a crowned head, who ought, I hope you will forgive me, sir. I not under- you very clever man, sir, now vizier, how you mortals. To these, as a specimen of the bodily strength of stand flatter peoples, you know very well. I not read before you write? You say Hajji our castern subjects, I added a pehlivan, or prize-fighter, plain man, sir—speak always plain, sir; but I Baba all lies. To be sure all lies. Thousand a negro whose teeth were filed into saws, of a temper always very good friend to you. But why you and One Nights all lies. All Persian story-his weight to the ground, carry a jackass, devour a sheep write "bout me? God know I your old friend. books lies; but nobody angry about them. "P.S. I got very good house now, and very Then why for you angry with me? You say good garden, sir; much better as you saw here, Persian people very good to me. Perhaps, not ir. English gentlemans tell me Mexico all kill me, not make me Mussulman; that very silver and gold. You very rich man now, I good; thank you, sir, for that; but that's all. "London, 10th Sept. 1826. ther for our gracious king." Considering (says Hajji) as ferocious as his aspect, who could throw any man of whole, eat fire, and make a fountain of his inside, so as to great difficulty, was a person" fitted to fill the high post of guardian over the wives of the shah of England. The by jealousy, at length submitted to part with his treasure; head of the law, with despair in his heart, heightened and Murturi, or the Pearl, for that was his name, was act as a spout." Another matchless article, procured with 274 which stood several denominations of Franks, rise, and that our star is labouring hard in our and pistols; and had made all the arrangewithout their hats, and two or three women service. We have not only the repose of para-ments usual in a caravanserai. There was no unveiled, all ready to receive us, and who, dise made ready for us, but also the houris end to the many strange things which we had placing themselves in a sort of procession, pre- thereof awaiting our pleasure.' Of a sudden a to say to each other. ceded the ambassador until they reached a great sensation appeared to be made in the through the country in a style worthy of kings, room fitted up with looking-glasses, and sur- caravanserai, and the ambassador was informed for their carriage was provided with every conrounded by many contrivances too numerous that the Circassian was arrived. The infidels, venience; horses ready harnessed at frequent They had travelled now to mention. The mehmandar then told still treating her with the same attentions intervals were awaiting their arrival to carry us that this was to be our habitation for the that we had remarked on board ship, were them on with increased rapidity; and they had present, and added, that whenever we wanted bringing her straight to Mirza Firouz, when not once had recourse to either sword or carany thing, we had only to pull a string pen- they were prevented by the sagacity of Seid bine, such little impediment had they found. dant from the wall, when slaves ready to obey and Mahboob. Not one of them could under- 'Tis true they were obliged to proceed whether our orders would appear, quicker than even the stand that she was only a slave; the mehman- they would or not; for the inexorable driver gins did to Aladin. All this bewildered our dar himself, when he reached England, seemed would not give them time even to prepare a senses. Here we were in a house which no to take part with his own countrymen in pay-kalioun; but they found so much pleasure in shah of Persia, since the days of Noushirvan, ing her a respect that was not her due. being as it were masters, whilst every body could have seen, not even in a dream-fitted Where shall we put the lady?' said he to the seemed slaving and toiling for their advantage, up with more luxuries than decked our largest ambassador. Lady, indeed!' said Mirza that, to hear them talk, they would not have palaces with windows glazed with the purest Firouz; what words are these? You know cared if the journey had never come to a close. glass-with carpets of such little account, better than I that she is no lady; that she is On arriving at the house in London, they that every one walked over them in their only a poor slave; and, therefore, for the love were at a loss, amidst the variety of rooms shoes with walls beautifully painted-with of Ali, do not allow her to be treated as a lady. which it contained, where to deposit them. chairs enough to seat all the elders of Tehran; Give her a corner, and there let her sit."'" in short, with such inconvenient abundance, that it was long before we could be convinced of wonders; but his reception in the capital gether, and to sleep under each other's protec All the way to London was equally full more convenient and safer it was to keep toselves; but knowing from experience how much to look upon it as the abode of the stranger. was still more displeasing to the ambassador, tion, they settled to remain where I found them, Adieu,' said we, adieu, the vaunted hospi- than the conduct of the worthy admiral at rather than to take separate beds and separate tality of the East, if this is the way the the outpost. stranger is received by the European!' He expected all the world to rooms at the top of the house. They were what was still more extraordinary, we had enraged at being trotted quite unceremoniously a doctor, so they thought, who had been But have been turned out to meet him, and was visited every morning by a good old infidel, remained in this state of surprise not a few to his appointed residence. minutes, when in came a fair-faced daughter of England, asking us through the mehmandar, the carriage with his temper all crooked, totally rously felt his pulse, and had sent his deputy "The ambassador (we are told) got out of the fatigue of the journey. very kind to the cook, who felt unwell from whether we should like to see our beds;' at ignorant whether in so doing the hour was for- to give the proper medicines. We were exHe had geneleast so we understood her. We knew of no tunate or unfortunate. Nobody appeared be- pressing our admiration of Frank doctors, other beds than those which we carried about fore him to say, you are welcome;' no one when, at this very moment, the said old man and spread on the floor, and therefore we all with a present in his hand to greet him; not came in, accompanied by the mehmandar. We willingly pressed forwards to the sight; and even a pomegranate was offered him; and all rushed to have our pulses felt, and our here our wonder was again excited. The rushing up a rapid flight of stairs, he threw tongues looked at, which is the Frank mode shah's throne, on which he sits to administer himself in despair upon a sofa. In vain was he of ascertaining health, when the mehmandar, justice, and to make the two extremities of the invited to partake of a magnificent repast of to our astonishment, burst into a fit of laughter. world tremble, was not more magnificent than sweetmeats, fruits, and ices, which had been What news is this?' said he; what do you the bed intended for the ambassador. It must prepared, and which the English mirzas and do thus for ?' He is our doctor, praise be to have been constructed upon the model of the the mehmandar assured him had been provided God!' said the cook; he has cured the pain famous peacock-throne of the moguls. Upon at the express orders of the government-in my heart.' Doctor!' exclaimed the Frank: four pillars of curiously wrought wood was nothing would console him he swore his face he is no doctor - he is my uncle! Well,' raised a canopy of rich stuffs, from which were was black, and black he swore it should remain. said I, and suppose he is? he may be a doctor, suspended curtains as ample as those which The mehmandar then presented him some food and your uncle too: there is no harm in that, screen the great hall of Tehran. The seat was in a dish, and asked whether he would not eat. is there?' But he is one of the omrahs, a overlaid with the softest and most luxuriant Eat!' said the ambassador; if all your re- lord, and a man of the sword; he never made mattresses, and pillows to recline upon were ceptions are like this, and if you think to wipe up a drug in his life. How should we know raised one above the other in heaps. Here off the disgrace which my shah has this day that,' said the cook: how are we to distinour moonfaced conductress proposed that the received, by giving me to eat, you are much guish between your lords and your doctors ?' ambassador should pass the night; and the mistaken. Let me see some one to say wel-This puzzled the mehmandar; for truly every invitation, as may be expected, was greedily come' on the part of your shah, and then, per- body seemed to be on an equality in this accepted; an event to which she appeared perhaps, I may eat. fectly accustomed, inasmuch as it was settled then.' No salt will be lawful till strange country. without the least indication of a smile or a for nothing?' said the mehmandar. Mirzas, was not the criterion: for if it were, then But do you count the British mirzas dress here was impossible. Finery certainly To judge of people by their blush on her part. Allah! there is but one indeed!' exclaimed he in a fury; did we those who drove the coaches in the streets, Allah!' exclaimed Mirza Firouz; I am in a send a writer of firmans, and a clipper of paper and those who stood behind them, must be state of amazement. To eat dirt is one thing, to your ambassadors? What words are these? the nobility of the land,- for they were the but to eat it after this fashion is another. If Don't beat the air with more useless words! finest drest people we saw. pollution did not meet us in the face at every My face is black; your face is black; and your we came to draw inferences from all that met turn, I should say that our fortune is on the government's face will also be blackened (praise our eye, that our difficulties increased; and We found, when delivered over into my custody. For the information of fact is known! Seeing that nothing could be more expanded, we thought the best plan for be to God!) throughout the world when this therefore, until our senses should have become the curious, I must take the liberty of describing a speci-made of him in this humour, we left him to the present was to seat ourselves upon the men of such rare and precious deformity. In the first roll on the sofa, whilst Seid rubbed his feet, and hill of patience, and open the eyes of astonishplace, he had a head of enormous size, placed upon a thin shrivelled neck, that seemed by much too slender a pedes- Feridoon, the barber, kneaded his back and ment upon the prospect of novelty." tal for its support. The face was composed of a succession loins, which produced relief more effectual of wrinkles, which festooned over his features in folds of than either speeches from the mirzas or the loose skin. The eyes, large, watery, and bloodshot, possessed the heavy dulness peculiar to the snake. The nose mehmandar. I consoled myself for the miseries was merely an indication of that feature; but the mouth of the last hour by seeking the company of my who was constantly endeavouring to acquire was that upon which the value of the deformity principally rested, for it was more a rent than an opening, the countrymen. I found them settled near the good reasons for what we saw, was of opinion, "Mohamed Beg, the Locman of our party, lower lip falling prone upon the chin, shewing an inside entrance of the house, in a large room, sup- that England being an island, it was necessary of flesh seemingly on the brink of mortification. In short, ported at one end by two pillars, surrounded to save ground; for if all her houses, as in Perthan any other sound; and, altogether, when his features with chairs, and encumbered by a large wooden sia, were spread over the surface of her terriwere set into motion, and when, at the same time, he case mounted on four legs. Here they had tory, she would form one vast city, and no exerted his lungs, it is positive that no woman, be she spread their carpets; arranged their saddles room would be left for agriculture. But Perdemon or angel, could ever for one moment dare to op- and trunks; hung up their carbines, swords, sia being a country the limits of which were pose him." Their early visitors are whimsically painted; but for the present we pass them by, as well as a royal audience, in order to give in this Num. ber the entertaining account of the calls of the English dames. (A continuation in our next.) unknown, it signified little how much of her knees. And we found too that our own house woman who is not married to the man she surface was covered by buildings; there would was undergoing the same ceremony; for, to lives with? It was as much as their repualways be plenty to spare. And this remark, our astonishment, we discovered that women, tations were worth.' There was one person he argued, was confirmed by the well-known provided no doubt by the government for our to whom the ambassador offered various ad. circumstance, that every man in Persia thought use, had slept under the same roof with us, vantages, if she would live with and educate it incumbent upon him to build a new house and were doing that which is the business of his slave, who became quite outrageous at such for himself, and leave the house of his father our ferashes, or carpet-spreaders." a proposal. She would walk and talk with to fall into ruin: whereas in England the son men in the open streets, look at men, take came into possession of his father's house, and them by the arm, be visited by men, and felt himself bound to keep it in repair: as nobody would think the worse of her for such naturally as in Persia the son becomes the doings; but she became all rage and fury the owner of his father's fur coat, and the daughter moment it might be said of her, that she did of her mother's state trowsers, feeling them- "Our house was thronged with the women of the like with one of her own sex, who stood in selves bound to cherish and preserve them." London, and with those tongues of theirs, the predicament of the unoffensive Dilferib. "We passed," continues the author," the which, as Saadi saith, make the heart to talk, Now, what should we say of such a woman in first night very ill. Each of us had a bed, and the foot to walk, without the mehmandari our country! Why, her hair would be cut the curtains of which were so pretty, that we of the head,' they set on foot a sort of pilgri- off, and she would be paraded throughout the longed to cut them up for alcoloks, or to bind mage to the shrine of this unfortunate maiden. city on an ass, with her face to its rump, and them round our waist; but we were unaccus-But in so doing, Allah! Allah! wonderful its tail in her hand, and then thrust out into tomed to their heavy coverings, and found, sights did they exhibit to us poor sons of the the open desert, as one soiled with impurities, after we had been a short time under them, faithful. Marvellous eyes! without mercy, Such is the difference of manners in different that our coat and trowsers became disagree-without compassion were they! I really saw countries!" ably oppressive. We all agreed, that certain some beauties among them, before whom our white pieces of loose linen, which accompanied blessed king of kings (upon whom be mercy each bed, would make excellent shirts; and and peace!) would be happy to creep on his Ireland; its Evils, and their Remedies. By Taki, the ferash, who had only one, deter- hands and knees. They, however, cared so M. T. Sadler. 8vo. pp. 414. London, 1828. mined immediately to improve his stock. The little about being seen, that it never occurred Murray. whole household was on the stir long before to them once to attempt to throw a veil over THIS is a valuable work; but there are some the Franks thought of moving; but Mohamed their faces. Poor Franks! thought we, to circumstances connected with it which are not Beg was much puzzled about the true hour for be restricted only to one for life! If our a little singular. In the first place, it is written saying his morning prayer, for we heard no divine prophet had set up his staff here, instead by a gentleman who, as far as we undermuezzins to announce it from the mosques; of the blessed regions of Mecca, he would have stand, is not connected in any way with Ireand besides, the nights were so much longer given his followers six instead of four. For land, and who at the present moment is than any we had been accustomed to, that we my part, I died daily; and as for our ambas- Mayor of the great manufacturing town of had almost settled amongst ourselves that the sador, we all saw how it would be! His heart Leeds: secondly, although a very large book of sun never rose in this ill-conditioned city. We would become roast meat before another moon the kind (consisting of nearly 500 pages), it is had walked about the house for several hours was over, and he would soon be reduced to the stated to be merely a prelude, or an avantalmost in total darkness, and were in despair veriest Majnoon' that ever got thin upon courier, to a three-volume work on Population: waiting for the dawn, when, at length, we cheek nurture and eye food. But day after and, thirdly, to add to all this singularity, the heard noises in the street, indicating that the day they came to see the Circassian, bringing Introduction, (which is extended to the space inhabitants were awake. During the whole with them all sorts of toys and presents; all of fifty-eight pages,) is solely confined to the night, at intervals, we had watched the cries out of compassion, said they, to her imprisoned forthcoming volumes, and has no reference of what were evidently guards of the night, and deplorable state of slavery. Some gave her whatever to the present essay. who, like the keshekchis on the walls of the pictures, others dolls, others books. Dilferîb Ark,† announce that all is right; but those was grateful for their attentions, and deplored we now heard were quite different. At first, their degraded state; but she became indignant we thought they might be muezzins appointed when they endeavoured to persuade her, and to cry out the Frangi azan, the invitation to even to attempt force, to wear their stockings. the inhabitants to arise and pray; and, indeed, To her astonishment they protested that no looking at them through the twilight, we were thing could be more indecent than to appear confirmed in our idea, for they were dressed in with naked feet. How?' exclaimed Dilferid, black, as all the English men of God are; but you make such a point of covering your legs, we were evidently mistaken, because, although and still, in defiance of all modesty, you expose they uttered their cry in a variety of loud shrill your faces! Strange ideas of decency you must tones, yet still no one seemed to rise a moment have indeed! All women's legs are alike. the sooner, or to have the least idea of praying There can be no immodesty in leaving them on their account. And still we were uncer- raked; for nobody, by seeing them, could Lain; for when the day had completely broken, know one woman from another; but the face, Mohamed Beg came running in, in great joy, that sacred spot, sacred to modesty, sacred to erlamming, Muezzin! muezzin!' and point- the gaze of none but a husband; that which ing to the top of one of the minars, which are ought to be covered with the most scrupulous seen on all the houses, we there saw one of defency; that you leave uncovered, to be these street clergymen, crying out his profes-ared at, criticised, laughed at, by every imsinn of faith with all his might." Having premised so much, we shall proceed to the examination of the book itself. The first object of Mr. Sadler's work is to disprove two dogmas which are very common amongst a certain class of persons, viz. that the distresses of Ireland are owing to a superfluous population; and that those distresses are multiplied and magnified by the universal use of the potato. The principal arguments which he adduces on this subject are the following: first, that Ireland, instead of not producing sufficient for the sustenance of its inhabitants, produces far more of the necessaries of life than they ever consume, exporting as they do a greater quantity of edible products than probably any other country of equal extent in the whole world; and that Ireland suffered in former times from a contrary extreme-namely, a paucity of people. "With regard to the former," as he observes," it is singular enough, that in one and the same breath, Providence is arraigned for bringing too many human beings into existence, and for affording sure means of sustentation to their increasing numbers by a stupenmad? Has your brain become diseased? Give dous provision of nature, hitherto almost unme free legs, a muffled face, and the favour of touched, rather than exhausted, and probably, the holy prophet, and say no more. Strange in reference to any future population of the ill-luck has ours been that has brought us to a earth, inexhaustible. As it respects Ireland, country where the women cover their legs, and millions upon millions of acres, now totally uncover their faces! But with all their good waste and idle, a little industry, directed and nature towards Dilferib, there was part of aided by what is called capital, would enrich their conduct which we could in nowise un-with this subterraneous harvest, and at the derstand. Although they all freely came to same time clothe with cattle a thousand' of see her, yet not one would help to cheer her her barren hills,' so as to sustain and satisfy solitude by procuring her a companion. Who many millions of human beings more than are would keep company,' said they, with a now often almost starved (ten times as many, Indent varlet that chooses. Allah! Allah!' So much for the chimney-sweepers. exclaimed the offended Dilferib, to a young "As the day advanced, strange noises, such female infidel, who was one day pressing upon we never hear in our cities, became audible. her acceptance a pair of long cotton stockings, Among others, we distinguished a bell, whose Astafarallah! Allah forgive me! Are you sound, similar to that sometimes heard from the churches of the Armenians, at Julfa and Kuchmiazin, made us again suppose that this might be the true mode of calling the Franks to their devotions; but it appeared to be the signal for a general cleaning of houses and bone-doars. This operation was the business of wornen ; and we imagined that it must have something to do with their religion, for they performed it as an act of penance, on their • The under vest, usually made of flowered chintz. ↑ The king of Persia's palace is so called. After noticing the circumstance, that the food of the native Irish was principally, if not exclusively, vegetable, long before the potato was known in Europe, he thus replies to those who are eternally dunning us with the remark, that all the miseries of Ireland are attributable to the food of the peasantry : "It is the misfortune of the Irish, not to be able to afford themselves any thing more palatable than potatoes this is charged upon them as an evidence of their voluntary barbarism; they cannot obtain labour (for reasons which will be presently pointed out) this is to brand them with the crime of idleness!" is the lowest calculation of our ablest agricul- tempted to leave it for an establishment nearer | fertile land in the world to each family, one tural authorities): but this natural expedient, the focus of the empire; or, still more culpable, acre of which, we are assured on all hands, equally dictated by humanity, policy, and ne- who were thus enabled to spend their acquired would far more than suffice for the sustenance cessity, does not chime in with the current wealth beyond the boundaries of the British of each, as they are content to live; and, after notions. It is deemed more desirable to dis- dominions, then and thus was it that the evils all, only two-thirds of the island is are yet under sipate British capital in expatriating British of absenteeism commenced, and, by the sure culture." subjects; in planting dubious friends, if not and constant operation of this adequate cause, We certainly agree with Mr. Sadler, that to future enemies, in distant quarters; peopling the impoverishment of Ireland has been begun act in this arbitrary way towards those poor the northern deserts of America, or the arid and continued, and will never end, till, by some people is neither necessary nor justifiable; but, regions of Southern Africa, or even the con- means or other, this crying injury shall be notwithstanding all he has stated to the continent and remote islands of the Southern abated." trary, we are decidedly of opinion, that every Ocean; and thus, in a vast plurality of cases Having traced the origin of absenteeism opportunity should be taken by the landed terminating human misery, instead of relieving the poverty and wretchedness it occasions, as gentry of Ireland to encourage a better class of it. Such is the policy which is now beginning well as the injury it inflicts on society, he next tenantry, and not to hold out to the poorest of to be recommended from high places, even as proceeds to notice the expedients which have, the poor the prospect of a settlement, unless at it regards England: the very thews and at various times, been proposed in behalf of the same time they can give them the where sinews' of the empire are to be transferred to Ireland; and, first, emigration—or, as a cor-with-all to support the independence at which distant climes, in order to increase our internal respondent of Mr. Wilmot Horton's has re- they aim. prosperity and strength! Regarding the latter, cently called it, "the emigration trade." "I At page 169 our author commences his prothey may, indeed, differ a little at present; appeal to nature and to God," are the eloquent positions in behalf of Ireland; the first of which but, touching Ireland, the greatest unanimity terms in which he sums up his remarks on this is we give his own words :prevails: Ireland must be depopulated to be subject," whether, in this country, human "I would have the legislature pass a law, enriched." beings are superfluous. Let the thirty millions by which the great English owners of Irish of uncultivated acres, out of the seventy-seven estates should be empowered to cut off the enwhich these islands comprise, as well as those tail of their Irish property, in favour of the boundless unimproved wastes of the ocean' by junior branches of their family, on condition which they are surrounded, to use Lord Bacon's that those on whose behalf it should be done expression, finally answer this question. If you should be residents in the country, otherwise want food, therefore, here it is to be obtained their interest, thus created, to revert back to in supplies that defy calculation; if you want the heir-at-law. For example, I would enable labour, here it presents itself to an unlimited an Earl Fitzwilliam to will his Irish property, extent, and of the most practicable as well as under such limitation, to one or more of his beneficial kind. But our political economists, younger sons, any legal obstacle to the contrary disgusted with proposals so obvious and natural, notwithstanding." turn from them, like Naaman did from the prophet, in contempt; and require some great and imposing remedies to be applied, some His next argument is that food has in- mysterious incantations to be pronounced, and creased in much greater proportion than the cruel rites to be performed, in order to the repopulation; in proof of which, he adduces the lief of our country. Above all, it seems, we following facts: first, that in 1725, when Ire- are now to seek relief in an expedient which land" only numbered seventy-one inhabitants has hitherto been regarded as one of the deepest on a square mile, she imported grain, in ordi- of human punishments, and the most unequinary times, to the amount of twenty or thirty vocal proofs of the divine displeasure, the exthousand quarters annually; but when her pulsion and final dispersion of part of the tribes population on the same space became trebled, of our Israel." "And who, let me again ask," she not only (of necessity) subsisted that num- he adds, "is it proposed to send forth? ber, and certainly not worse than at the former Helpless infancy? I believe not. Decrepit period, but actually exported a surplus of much age and incurable disease ?—Certainly not; we above a million quarters!" And secondly, are hardly, as yet, prepared to remove the poor "that a century ago, the population, then being from our presence when debilitated by weakbut a little more than two millions, could not ness and disease; as it is said was the practice supply itself with grain; but that now, with of the Romans, who exposed such in the isle of its inhabitants trebled, it is not only enabled so Esculapius. No. The emigrants are to be to do, but to export at least ten millions of composed of the able-bodied, the young, and bushels, as well as six times the amount in the healthful-in a word, the élite of the emcattle (perhaps about thrice as many head), as pire; these are to be bribed, starved, and conat the former period." veyed out of the country. Such are they whom the standard of emigration is unfurled to collect, and a bounty of a sixty-pounds' loan offered; and while it is mustering its recruits, its language is, let the dead bury their dead; follow thou me!"" On the subject of absenteeship, the ancient enemy of Ireland, or, as it has been called, "the cut-purse of the empire," our author is equally clear and convincing. He attributes the origin of it to the extent of the forfeitures which took place in early times, and at various His next inquiry is as to the expediency of periods; and which have been estimated by enlarging or incorporating farms a measure Lord Clare to amount to more than eleven- which he decidedly opposes, as being cruel to twelfths of the whole island. These forfeitures, the present inhabitants, immoral in its effects, it is well known, fell principally upon ancient the cause of constant outrages and insurrecEnglish proprietors, who were successively dis- tious, and unnecessary as a remedial measure. possessed several times over. "Had the pro- In proof of the inutility of banishing these perty in Ireland, forfeited from time to time, poor persons from their homes, and thus leaving been conferred upon those who were residents them, as in many cases they would be, without in the country, or likely to remain so, such the means of procuring shelter,-he states the spoliations, though inflicting great individual following facts :-"There are in Ireland suffering, would not, perhaps, have materially 6,801,821 persons: calculating that there are impoverished it: but when they were bestowed between five and six persons to every family, upon those who did not reside in it, upon a and supposing that there were neither town mere unregarded engagement that they would nor city in the whole island-that there were do so; or who, residing there, were, in conse- no manner of employment or pursuit but agriquence of these accessions of fortune, too often culture, there are still ten acres of the most His next proposition is, "that a reformed system of poor-laws should be instantly established, founded upon the humane principle, but avoiding the errors, of those of England, in being more completely adapted to the altered circumstances of the times;-that there, as here, wealth should be compelled to assist destitute poverty, in proportion to its means; but that, dissimilar to our practice, that assistance should, in all cases, excepting in those of actual incapability from age or disease, be connected with labour." The introduction of the poor-laws into Ireland is a very important point; and as it is one which has already excited, and is likely to excite, great attention, we shall enter into it a little more fully than we otherwise should feel ourselves justified in doing. We believe at least we hope it will be admitted, that the poor of these islands-we mean the aged and infirm, and those who are incapable of exertion are entitled to some relief, and are not to be allowed to perish in the streets; or, as the poet has it, to be "Deserted in their utmost need, By those their former labours fed." We shall, therefore, only refer our readers to Mr. Sadler's book for the various facts which he has deduced from America, from the Netherlands, and from almost every country in Europe, in favour of such a measure; and having so done, we shall merely offer a few observations on the objections which have been started at various times to this charitable provision. A great deal has been said of late respecting the increase of pauperism, and the enormous expense it occasions; but it would seem, by a table which is given at p. 245 of this volume, and which has every appearance of being founded on correct data, that, compared with the public revenue 150 years ago, the poor-rate nearly amounted to one-half; whereas, at the present period it comes to little more than one-tenth. And as to the comparative number of paupers about the Revolution, they amounted to one-fourth of the people; at pre |