‘Poor wretches!’ said Eugene, ‘they know not what they are doing; they feel themselves oppressed and miserable, and, like the inferior animals, they kick in the direction the pain is inflicted, but political aim they have none. In fact, the poor creatures who are associated with these parties by choice or compulsion, are invariably the most ignorant part of the community, and I believe have not sufficient ability among them to carry any organised measure into execution. I have had opportunities of knowing them more accurately than many, for I have been once or twice at their meetings; and whatever interested or designing men may advance to the contrary, I assure you they are only actuated by one feeling—revenge on their oppressors; and such a thing as an attempt to overturn the government was never agitated amongst them. That sufficient misery exists among the Irish to spur them on to desperation, I believe few people who know anything of the country will deny. Much of this misery is too deeply seated to yield to any of the nostrums prescribed for its cure; it is, like some of the diseases of the body, which are best cured by supporting the system, withdrawing all cause of irritation, and leaving the rest to nature. But the most prominent and apparent cause of it is, that there is no adequate employment for the inhabitants, no extensive manufactures among them; the people, therefore, are obliged to revert to the land for support, which, from being let at a rack-rent, to supply the extravagance of the proprietors in another country, barely yields a subsistence; and the poor cottar, even when he submits to live on potatoes three times a-day, exists in continual dread of being turned out, or having his effects distrained for the rent, which, with all his efforts, he is unable to raise. Living thus in continual dread of utter starvation, is it to be wondered at that they should feel irritable; and that, when they see their hard-earned gains rapaciously forced from them, under colour of law, to support clergymen of a different persuasion, or the non-resident landlord, who, “like the barren sand, imbibes the shower,” but yields no return—is it to be wondered at that the poor peasant, thus goaded on to destruction, should turn upon his drivers, and, overlooking the primary agents in his miseries, vent his blind fury on those who, from their subordinate situation, come in closer contact with him? Thus the tithe-proctor, the middle-man, or the stranger who is introduced to occupy the land from which he has been ejected, and has now no refuge left him from famine, are the common objects of his resentment. All these evils which I have described, are acknowledged and lamented, and lectured upon at great length by many _lazy_ good people, who do not put forth a finger to ease the burden, if we except the exertions of certain Societies, who, with the best motives, I have no doubt, distribute Bibles and Tracts among