“If what you say, Mr. O’Brien, be correct,” observed the Colonel, “you know the Irish peasantry much better than I do.  Decidedly, I have always thought them in conversation exceedingly candid and sincere.  With respect to testimonials from priests to landlords in behalf of their tenants, upon my honor I am sick of them.  I actually received, about four years ago, such an excellent character of two tenants, as induced me to suppose them worthy of encouragement.  But what was the fact?  Why, sir, they were two of the greatest firebrands on my estate, and put both me and my agent to great trouble and expense.  No, sir, I wouldn’t give a curse for a priest’s testimonial upon such an occasion.  These fellows were subsequently convicted of arson on the clearest evidence, and transported.”

“Well, sir, I grant that you may have been misled in that instance.  However, from what I’ve observed, the two great faults of Irish landlords are these:—­In the first place, they suffer themselves to remain ignorant of their tenantry; so much so, indeed, that they frequently deny them access and redress when the poor people are anxious to acquaint them with their grievances; for it is usual with landlords to refer them to those very agents against whose cruelty and rapacity they are appealing.  This is a carte blanche to the agent to trample upon them if he pleases.  In the next place, Irish landlords too frequently employ ignorant and needy men to manage their estates; men who have no character, no property, or standing in society, beyond the reputation of being keen shrewd, and active.  These persons, sir, make fortunes; and what means can they have of accumulating wealth, except by cheating either the landlord or his tenants, or both?  A history of their conduct would be a black catalogue of dishonesty, oppression, and treachery.  Respectable men, resident on or-near the estate, possessing both character and property, should always be selected for this important trust.  But, above all things, the curse of a tenantry is a percentage agent.  He racks, and drives, and oppresses, without consideration either of market or produce, in order that his receipts may be ample, and his own income large.”

“Why, O’Brien, you appear to be better acquainted with all this sort of thing than I, who am a landed proprietor.”

“By the by, sir, without meaning you any disrespect, it is the landlords of Ireland who know least about the great mass of its inhabitants; and I might also add, about its history, its literature, the manners of the people, their customs, and their prejudices.  The peasantry know this, and too often practise upon their ignorance.  There is a landlord’s Vade mecum sadly wanted in Ireland, Colonel.”

“Ah! very good, O’Brien, very good!  Well, I shall certainly inquire into this case, and if I find that Yellow Ham has been playing the oppressor, out he goes.  I am now able to manage him, which I could not readily do before, for, by the by, he had mortgages on my property.”