’A tenant, who held a farm of considerable value, when his lease was out, besought my father to permit him to remain on the farm for another year, pleading that he had no other place to which he could, at that season, it being winter, remove his large family.  The permission was granted; but at the end of the year, taking advantage of this favour, he refused to give up the land.  Proceedings at law were immediately commenced against him; and it was in this case that the first trial in Ireland was brought, on an act for recovering double rent from a tenant for holding forcible possession after notice to quit.

’This vexatious and unjust practice of tenants against landlords had been too common, and had too long been favoured by the party spirit of juries; who, being chiefly composed of tenants, had made it a common cause, and a principle, if it could in any way be avoided, never to give a verdict, as they said, against themselves.  But in this case the indulgent character of the landlord, combined with the ability and eloquence of’ his advocate, succeeded in moving the jury—­a verdict was obtained for the landlord.  The double rent was paid; and the fraudulent tenant was obliged to quit the country unpitied.  Real good was done by this example.’

Edgeworth objected strongly to a practice common among the gentry, ’to protect their tenants when they got into any difficulties by disobeying the laws.  Smuggling and illicit distilling seemed to be privileged cases, where, the justice and expediency of the spirit of the law being doubtful, escaping from the letter of it appeared but a trial of ingenuity or luck.  In cases that admitted of less doubt, in the frequent breach of the peace from quarrels at fairs, rescuing of cattle drivers for rent, or in other more serious outrages, tenants still looked to their landlord for protection; and hoped, even to the last, that his Honour’s or his Lordship’s interest would get the fine taken off, the term of imprisonment shortened, or the condemned criminal snatched from execution.  He [Edgeworth] never would, on any occasion, or for the persons he was known to like best, interfere to protect, as it is called, that is, to screen, or to obtain pardon for any one of his tenants or dependants, if they had really infringed the laws, or had deserved punishment. . . .  He set an example of being scrupulous to the most exact degree as a grand juror, both as to the money required for roads or for any public works, and as to the manner in which it was laid out.

’To his character as a good landlord was soon added that he was a real gentleman.  This phrase, pronounced with well-known emphasis, comprises a great deal in the opinion of the lower Irish.  They seem to have an instinct for the real gentleman, whom they distinguish, if not at first sight, infallibly at first hearing, from every pretender to the character.  They observe that the real gentleman bears himself most kindly, is always the most civil in speech, and ever seems the most tender of the poor. . . .