THE IRISH ARISTOCRACY
[To the Editor of the 8n:cc ATon.] - SIR,—I could scarcely credit my eyes, when I read the fol- lowing remark by Mr. Seim O'Faolkin in his letter on the State of Ireland. " The Government Party consider the Big Houses as parasites on the country, as unhappily they very often are. It has always been regrettable that the Irish aristocracy has not taken more—indeed, one might say any -- interest in the people." "The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones " ! Many were the faults of the Irish aristocracy. They have suffered bitterly for them, and as a matter of fact they were exactly' those of their people ! Shiftl6s, extravagant, careless of the morrow, given to overmuch hospitality. Alas ! " La Cigale ayant chortle tout rete se trouva fort depourvue quand la bise fut venue" ; but that they were deficient in kindness of heart, and' care for their dependants is simply not true. I belong to a family (Mr. Seim O'Faolain would call it English) which at any
rate has been settled in Ireland since the days of good Queen Bess, and has played a not entirely undistinguished part in
her history, and I can say with no fear of being contradicted,
except by people blinded by political bitterness, that the Irish aristocracy, except in a few isolated cases, were kind, generous
friends to their humbler, neighbours. Who that was a guest. in the Trish country house of old days, but remembers the
constant ring at the hail door, the perpetual figure sitting in the hall, waiting to see the master or mistress of the house, to ask for the help which was rarely denied ? Many of " the ould aback " were ruined by feeding their tenantry in the Parttime, lasting as it did for over two years. Let Sean O'Faolain read the description of Lady Louisa Connolly's fimeral given in Her Infinite Variety by E. V. Lucas. It is too long to quote, but she was one of many who spent a long life among their people, dying loved and mourned by all around them. What about the Edgeworths ? the Martins of Ross ?—but I cannot further trespass on your space.-1 am, Sir, &e.,
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