The million-peopled city
Garwood, John
1853
The Prevalence of Drunkenness among the Irish and English compared.
Drunkenness is a sin to which the Irish, and especially this portion of the Irish, are much addicted. Not that as a whole the Irish in their own country are materially worse in this respect than the English, to our shame be it written. Although the very cheap price at which spirits may be obtained in presents a special temptation beyond what exists here, it yet does not appear from the statistical returns of spirits consumed as compared with the respective populations, that there is a very material difference. The Irish consume rather the more per head. But with them here, as in their own land, the practice differs from that of the English in this respect. The English who are addicted to drink ordinarily do so more or less habitually, if not day by day, at least as often as the weekly wages come in. But the Irish reserve themselves for special festivals, and special occurrences, when they indulge in intoxication to a most fearful extent, outraging all bounds of order and propriety, and sinking themselves into brutes instead of men. In London, the Irish on the whole are greater drunkards than even the English. Father Mathew's efforts have effected much good, but they are an entire exception to the apparent general unconcern of the priests here to check so very serious an evil. | |