New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-29
MODERN IRELAND.
A PREyCHMAN's IMPRESSIONS.


or,ginol Until recently il was hardly possible
for an English writer TO treat the subject wlthoue
preiudice Even Thaclxeray. while heartily appre-
ciating the picturesquencss Of Erin ana the nunor
melting into pathos which character,zes her cii'u
rem could not divcst himself Of that truly br'ish
feeling of superiority which impeis the Anglican
traveller whether in the Emerald Isle, France
Germany, ITALY, or midas coral strand 10 look
down upon foreigners, Mt his worst arrog1'htV' anu
ut his best pityingy, poor devils who have very
oueer and uncnlightened ways. Thackeray him.
self saw clearly this habit Of his countrymen ana
observed in his Book of Snobs: am inclined
10 think il is this conviction, and the consequent
bearinr of the Englislman toward the foreigner
whom he condescends to visit, this confidence OF
superiority which holds up the head OF the owner
of every English hat-box from Sicily to st. Fetors-
burg. that makes us SO magnifcently hated
throughout Europe we are
The Frenchman undoubtedly thinks quite as
much OF his own country rs can any islander, but
he docs not 70 through Europe and the world in so
exasperatingly patronizng a way. In Ireland
above all places lie finds himself welcomed as an
old friend and ally, and though Irish manners and
customs have little in common with Gallo, and in
many respects are calculated to perplex and amaze
the Gaul he regards them without prejudice and
with indulgent interest. M Philippe Daryl has
had considerable trainin~ in observation OF for
eign people and things. and has proved his ability
10 report faithfully and with reasonable accuracy
and insight, what he His book about Ireland
must therefore be regarded as the work oil an cx-
ccptionally well equipped Frenchman, and Its
readers will soon ascertain that he possesses the
courage Of his convictions. There are indeed, a
few passages in his volume which may wound
Irish susccptibilities but in are they open
TO the charge of malice or wilful msstatemcnt
her. tn which
his observations, and which in the long run GER
tainy does not fall short Of doing full justice to
Ireland.
NJ. Daryl's first experiences Of Dublin do not
appear to have been altogether pleasing lie COM
plains of thu hotel fare thus feclngly:
There is not in all the city one toerable restaur-
ant or cafe where a stranger can read the papers
or obtain decent beefsteak The two or three
prctentous taveras that aspire to fulfill that pur
pose horrible dens where without the civilized
Daninent of napkins. they give YOU slices OF
cow, tough as leather, which are charged for at
HgnOn's prices
Necessity compcls you to fall back on the hotels
where they ptilcssly give you the same fare nlSht
after night-salmon and roast beef The ilrst day
this can be borne for the Shannon salmon deserves
ts rcputation the second day one begins TO ma i
1nd aest BILE the third, would like to see all the
salmon of Ireland choking the head waiter. Inc
fourth, takes the train rather than remain any
longer exposed 10 this implacable fare VAN
hope. il pursues you everywhere; on the shores of
kinestown those of Blaclroek in the pretty town
Of Bray or at the furtherinost end OF MickloWs
lakes. II is impossible to travel In Ireland Win
out taking dislike TO salmon that VIII last the
term OF your natural hfe.
In his wanderings through The Liberties of
Dublin, NJ Daryl was struck by the extraordinary
raggedness of the poor lie says:
Along these lanes yawn dark alleys from
which hundreds of hnf-naled children swarm
ing out. All ages represented; they are In the
most fantastical and unexpected attire. One has
got on brooches fastened under the shoulders by
piece Of cord in lieu OF braces the same is full OF
holes large enough for his head TO go through
Another has no shirt. and trails in the gutter inc
Jagged skirt of q coat slashcd like doubict, ana
with only one sleeve left They are all OF them so
extravagantly slovenly that it seems to be COM
petition for rags.
ticuiarly 1t is absolutely naked. and so very:
very dirty that dirt has formed q sort of bronzGd
skin over his little body and he is like juvenile
Niger. As he came into the world so he has
remained. Neither soap nor water ever moistcncd
his skin. lie has not even undergone the wash
inR that the mOthcr-cat applies so lndustrlously
will her tongue on her newborn kittens.
It is not quite clear whether the author really
believes the following statement concerning the
origin Of the queer costumes which impressed him
so much:
The rag and bone trade is extremely active in
Dublin. which numbers no less than 4OO shops OF
that description according to statistics; And
that IS not too many for population which from
times immemorial never wore garment that was
not second hand. To man Ireland dresses on
the rcach-me-down system, and wears out the
cast-off garments which have passed on the backs
of ten or twelve successive owners. Battered
hats dilapidatcd gowns, threadbare coats arrive
here by shploads. When the whole world has
had enough Of them when the Papoo savages ana
Guinea nigeprs have discarded their fncry, and
declare it TO be no longer serviceablc there are
still amateurs TO be found for it in Dublin. Hence
the most extraordinary variety, and the widest Hnts
white gowns. cooked hats-Paddy and his spouse
are ready for anything. So destitute are they OF
personal property, that they do not even possess
nm of gpt-uD
resembles a travesty, and their distress carnival
A good deal Of historical information is mingled
with NJ Daryls personal experiences during his
tour through Ireland, and no doubt this will be
useful to his French readers, but the interest of
the book consists in what he himself, and in
his differences from the facts. He was fortunate
in securing intelligent native guide to go with
him on horseback through Kerry. His gui lie soon
showed him. as he says, that all people here
from the most insignificant farmer to the biggest
landowner are in debt" He had expressed adj
miration of some large estates near which they
were passing and this is what his guide said
"All that glitters is not gold" he says, with a
melancholy smile. :" Do you see that large eX-
panse of land, sir Well those that own it are not
perhaps richer than l. and have not terhap zap.
venient for them TIER annual income goes to
pay the interest IL an enurmt3s dDbt, the hereditary
obligations which weigh on the property and the
Muckross, had TO cmigrate to Amerlta, where he
is Row an attorneys clerk, for his daily bread
The 81 Hing you give for entering his park goes
70 the scraping Of it. As for Lord Kenmare. he
never sees as much as the tenth part of the reve-
nue. OF his property let alone his being forbidden
. his own grounds under pain of being shot dead !
Lady Kenmare lives there alone with her children
under protection of a detachment of the police So
the masters of these two noble estates are eXlled
from them, one by mortgage, the other by agrarian
hatred O, irony of things!
But Lord Kcnmare's MT a bad landlord Is
hep said 10 M0cMahOn.
Far from It, His tenants are eight hundred
in number, and there are hot u rec evictcd IN
the year. / know personally twenty Of them who
owe him four years rent and are never troubled
about IL. But hc has taken position AGAINST the
hague--tbat Is enough Ard then, don't you
know sir the best of landlords is not worth much
and they will have it,
Kerrv heinr a rccinn of fertile land and the