The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 08, August 22, 1840Various
History
The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 08, August 22, 1840
Various
Ireland -- Periodicals
This I am anxious to impress upon the class of labourers, many of whom I
hope can read what I write, for in them I take an especial interest,
probably because they are the least cared for of any class in the
community. Some of them perhaps will say, with a show of reality, “If
_our_ time were to bring us in such profits as the counsellor and the
doctor make, we would be busy too, and no one would see us standing idle,
sitting on a ditch side, or smoking and coshering by the fireside, or
talking to the neighbours, of a wet day, in a forge. If we could be
coining guineas as easily as the likes of them makes the money, sitting in
their soft chairs, and never doing a hand’s turn of work that would tire
their limbs, we would; but what _could_ we make, after our regular day’s
work, if we can get that same, out of a bit of a garden, that would better
us any thing to signify?”
Now, I shall show them by actual facts what they _could_ in many cases do.
Johnny Halfacre is a little farmer, whom I occasionally see, and who,
being in no way connected with me, nor even conscious that I am
particularly observing him, goes on in his own way, without any hint or
encouragement from me, or indeed from any one else, as far as I can
perceive.
Johnny two years ago had not as much land as would correspond with his
name, which is really genuine; he had for several previous years but a
rood, including the site of his house, and a shed for a pig, and some
poultry; but this rood produced more than half an acre usually does with
many, and entirely by his good management and judicious application of
_time_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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