A VIEW OF THE NATURAL, POLITICAL, AND COMMERCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF IRELAND. BY THOMAS NEWENHAM, Esq. AUTHOR OF AN INQUIRY INTO THE PROGRESS AND MAGNITUDE PRINTED FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES, IN THE STRAND. PREFACE. UNDER ER a well established government, exempt from popular controul, an accurate and comprehenfive knowledge of the various circumftances of a country, on the part of those who exercife the principal functions of the state, does not appear to be indispensably neceffary, when the obedience of the people is the fole, or paramount object of concern. To infure that obedience, a due proficiency in the art of government is the chief, or, perhaps, the only requifite. To promote the prosperity of a nation, a much more diverfified knowledge, than that of the mere statesman, must unquestionably be attained. Except in a country, where the nature of the system of civil polity authorises public difcuffions of the conduct of individuals in power; where popular diffatisfaction may be expreffed with impunity; where the language of cenfure may fafely be employed; where a spirit of refiftance to oppreffive or arbitrary measures may eafily be generated or roused; and where, confequently, there exists a neceffity of obferving a confiderable degree of deference to the prevailing fentiments of the governed, a comparatively limited and imperfect knowledge, of the circumstances of a country, will generally fuffice for the profecution of the business of government: human ingenuity feldom failing to diffipate emergent embarraffments; and the habitual craft of statesmen usually providing the means of reconciling the nation at large to almost any measure, or fyftem, whether the refult of policy, or paffion. But to govern a country merely with a view to the obedience, or practical acquiefcence of the subject, undeniably betrays a total want of that |