THE ENGLISH GENTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2522, 8 September 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE ENGLISH GENTRY.

Their Social Privations and Hardships. When 'landlordism' is talked about in England, do those who abuse it know anything of the real truth P Do they know of the social privations, and even hardships, which all over England have accompanied tho reduction of rent and tho remission of arrears ? They have still, it seems, to learn how largely the peaceable and uncomplaining attitude of the English farmers xinder their almost unparalleled misfortunes is due to the present consideration and sympathy of their landlords, and the influence of old associations handed down from generation to generation. And shall not tho men who, in an ago of revolution and lawlessness, contribute so largely to tho maintenance of a better class of feeling among the people, be rightly styled public benefactors ? And what shall we say to those who, cither from a desire to curry favour with tho mob, as the shortest road to political success, or, what is even worse, from ;social jealousy, villify, deride and calumniate the English country gentlemen from year's end to year's end, though he is all the time engaged in fulfilling some of the highest duties of a citizen, and in preserving those moral relations between the higher and the lowerorders without which no society can long prosper, and which really lies at the foundation of all national happiness?— From the English Gentry, in Blackwood's Magazine. AN ISLAND FROM WHICH WOMEN WERE EXCLUDED. ♦ St. Columba would not suffer a . cow to set foot on lomt, because, he said, " Whero there is a cow there must be a woman ; and where there is a woman there must be mischief." He would not allow the du4 of dead women; to mingle with the holy ground. Therefore, while the Macdonalds and Macquaries, Macleods, Mackinnons were taken to lona for burial, their wives and little ones were' laid on tho Isle of Finlagan. In like manner such tradesmen as w'ero indispensable to the monastic community, and yet insisted on having wives, were compelled to keep thorn on a neighbouring islet called "The Women's Isle.'' Of course tho women carried the day eventually ; but they had to proceed with caution. First, a company of devout women established themselves on a neighbouring islet, called " Tho I-le of Nuns." Thence in due time they pas.-ed on to lona itself; and tho Canoness of St Augustine there established a priory of Augustin nuns, tho ruins of which remain to this day.