the house, as the agent’s drivers had given orders about him.  The aunt beat him away with a pitchfork, the uncle tied his hands with cord behind his back.  The poor child crawls to the door of a neighbour, and tries to get in.  The uncle is called to take him away, and he does so.  He yet returns with hands still tied behind, having been severely beaten.  The child seeks refuge in other cabins; but all were forbidden to shelter him.  He is brought back by some neighbours in the night, who try to force the sinking child in upon his relation.  There is a struggle at the door.  The child was heard asking some one to put him upright.  In the morning there is blood upon the threshold.  The child is stiff dead—­a corpse, with its arms tied; around it every mark of a last fearful struggle for shelter—­food—­the common rights of humanity.’  Chief Baron Pigot tried the case, and gave a statement of the facts in his charge which Mr. Trench ought to have quoted, as a faithful recorder of ‘realities.’

’On the western estate, that of Cahirciveen, there was some difference in the rules.  If a son or daughter married, the father was obliged to retire with an allowance of ‘a cow’s grass’ or grazing for his support.  ’Only the newly married person will be left on the land, or any portion of it, even though the farm should contain 100 acres, or even though there should be two farms.  This arbitrary regulation operates injuriously in point of morality, and keeps the land uncultivated.  The people have to go to Nedeen, a distance of forty or fifty miles, to get leave to marry.’[1]

[Footnote 1:  See the ‘North British Review,’ No.  CI. p.193.]

The Kenmare tenantry have recovered from the fearful shock of the famine, after thousands of deaths from hunger, and thousands shipped off to America at 4 l. 10 s. a head.  Mr. Trench’s son, Mr. Townshend Trench, the pictorial illustrator of his father’s book, is the acting agent, and an eloquent propagandist of his father’s principles.  The young marquis paid a visit to his tenantry in 1868, and he was almost worshipped.  It is gratifying to know that in a speech on that occasion he promised to see and judge for himself.

‘I feel,’ he said, ’that my visit to Kenmare has taught me a valuable lesson.  As you all know, I was called to my present position at a very young age, and I felt when I came in for my property that I had much to learn; and that is the reason why I was so anxious to travel through the country, and study the desires and comfort of the people.  That will afford me occupation for many a year to come, and it will afford me an occupation not only interesting but pleasing.  Nothing will do me a more hearty pleasure than to see the marks of civilisation and progress in Kenmare—­and not alone in Kenmare, but in the whole country; and I shall hail every manifestation of improvement with delight.’