strong drinks freely for many years, as an evidence of the erroneousness of our theory. This only proves that a few persons of strong constitutions have been able to stand against the destroying influences of the poison. The many fall early victims; it is the few alone who escape and live to attain a good old age. Health is impaired, and that wealth which would procure for us all needful comforts is wasted and destroyed.

We are unwise and improvident, and the good which we might enjoy evades our grasp; it is full time that we learned to pursue a more manly and self-reliant course.

We spend foolishly, and do not save prudently. We encourage extravagance in all classes, from the peer to the peasant, from the merchant to the tradesman and labourer. All are taught that to save money is mean and poor-spirited; to spend it is hospitable and manly. Hence arises the poverty of Irishmen. We must change these habits, or we can never become a wealthy people; and without some

accumulation of wealth, there can be few of the comforts of civilization. Without wealth

there would be no employment. The capitalist must be found, or there would be no work for the man who lives by his daily labour. We are far from recommending parsimony; but without thrift, neither individuals nor nations can attain independence.

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CHAPTER III.

"We don't want to punish any one for selling liquor. We want to protect ourselves and our families from the evils resulting from their sale. If mild measures would suffice, we should be satisfied; if they fail, severer laws must be passed, as we are determined to succeed."-NEAL Dow, Mayor of Portland, State of Maine.

We have given some reasons for serious reflection in the preceding chapter, and we now proceed with our argument.

The drinking customs of Irishmen must, if persisted in, always keep the country poor, as this bad habit will prevent the beginning of accumulation. The ocean is composed of drops of water, which, being collected in the clouds, supply, in the form of dew and rain, the little mountain stream; this, in its course to the

sea, is constantly receiving added supplies from numerous tributaries; until at last it is swelled into the mighty river; and the Amazon, the Orinoco, the Mississippi, the Danube, the Rhine, our own noble Shannon, and thousands of other accumulated waters flow into the ocean; and thus the waters of the sea never fail of a supply sufficient to compensate for the unceasing demands upon them, in the form of evaporation, to keep up the fertility of the whole earth. Beautiful provision of Nature! It covers the earth with verdure and loveliness, and points out to man how Almighty Goodness sustains the system of the universe by the minutest agencies. We should learn wisdom herein. There is no other course for us to pursue, leading to happiness.

We do not maintain that the practice of teetotalism secures all earthly happiness; but we do hold the opinion that, without it, all other agencies for promoting the prosperity of the people will fail of effecting any great or permanent good.

If we do not abolish our drinking customs, they will continue so to depress our energies, that it will be in vain we make efforts to shake ourselves free from physical or mental degradation. It is no sufficient reply to say that many drink alcoholic liquors, and yet become wealthy and intelligent. The great fact stares us in the face, that millions are on the verge of want continually; and that this, to a great extent, is owing to the national vice of drunken

ness.

If every working man in the community. were supplied with a good house to live in, neatly furnished in such a manner as to satisfy the wants of an intelligent human being; if all had decent clothing, and abundance of food, and that neither nakedness nor hunger were felt by the toiling millions who are the artificers of all the comforts and luxuries of life; if the families of these men were themselves furnished with a moderate portion of the good things of this life; if, on the Sunday, they were all seen wending their way to their dif