Nay, what was more--he had not seen even the resident gentry enter into
the state and circumstances of those who lived upon their property. It
was a mere accident that determined him to become acquainted with his
tenants; but no sooner had he seen his duty, and come to the resolution
of performing it, than the decision of his character became apparent.
It is true, that, within the last few years, the Irish landlords have
advanced in knowledge. Many of them have introduced more improved
systems of agriculture, and instructed their tenants in the best methods
of applying them; but during the time of which we write, an Irish
landlord only saw his tenants when canvassing them for their votes, and
instructed them in dishonesty and perjury, not reflecting that he was
then teaching them to practise the arts of dissimulation and fraud
against himself. This was the late system: let us hope that it will be
superseded by a better one; and that the landlord will think it a duty,
but neither a trouble nor a condescension, to look into his own affairs,
and keep an eye upon the morals and habits of his tenantry.
The Colonel, as he had said, remained more than a fortnight upon his
estate; and, as he often declared since, the recollections arising from
the good which he performed during that brief period, rendered it
the portion of his past life upon which he could look with most
satisfaction. He did not leave the country till he saw M'Evoy and his
family restored to their farm, and once more independent;--until he had
redressed every well-founded complaint, secured the affections of those
who had before detested him, and diffused peace and comfort among every
family upon his estate.
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