Laurence Bloomfield in Ireland; Or, the New Landlord (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: " From grumbling to defiance they have pass'd; " With men and money help the Ribbon Lodge; 105 " Full time, I think, to ask our friends to budge! " To get his own, Sir Ulick would have paid, " But this have I, on principle, gainsaid; " These folk deserve no kindness, have no claim; " Count down fee-simple, they would yell the same. ' Faith, gentlemen, this country sorely needs in " A quicker clearance of its human weeds; " But still, the proper system is begun, " And forty holdings we shall change to one." Bloomfield, his inexperience much confess'd, 115 Doubts if the large dispeopled farms be best, ? Best in a wide sense, best for all the world, (At this expression sundry lips were curl'd)? " I wish, but know not how, each peasant's hand " Might work, nay, hope to win, a share of land; 120 " For ownership, however small it be, " Breeds diligence, content, and loyalty, " And tirelessly compels the rudest field, "Inch after inch, its very most to yield. " Wealth might its true prerogatives retain; 125 " And no man lose, and all men greatly gain." This, Bloomfield chiefly to the Vicar said, Who courteously demurr'd with shake of head. " Ah, my dear sir, our philanthropic dreams " Are fine?but human nature mars our schemes !" 130 If Boyd had such, he well knew how to shake Those dreams away, and thus live wide-awake. Loud hemm'd Sir Ulick, in his pompous tone, A platitudinarian too-well known, Whom meetings with respectful torpor heard, 135 And all his private circle duly fear'd. How polish'd, grave, and dignified he is, Strutting along in dull periphrasis, With mental back impossible to bend! Pinchbeck he quotes, his economic friend, 140 That ' tenant-right' is robbery or worse; That ' little holdings' are a cou...