Cooper cast the
blame upon the fogs; whilst Professors Lindley, Playfair, and Kane were
busy with their tests, and retorts, and alembics; and whilst others
again--microscope in hand--were in active pursuit of the _Aphis
vastator_, or _Thrips minutissima_, a not inconsiderable class of
persons, departing widely from all such speculations, discovered, beyond
all doubt, that _Popery_ was the true cause of the potato blight.
"As this predicted system" [popery], says a pamphleteer, "is an
idolatrous one, any treaty with it must be opposed to God's will, and
call down his wrath upon those nations who have commerce with it: more
particularly upon nations wherein its hideous deformities are most
signally manifested. Now, how have we seen in the first part of this
work, that He has repeatedly punished? By famine and pestilence! Oh,
beloved countrymen of every diversity of creed, in the heart-rending
scenes around us do we witness punishment for national idolatry,
systematic assassinations, performed occasionally with a refinement of
cruelty worthy of incarnate devils."[306]
"This much is certain" writes a public journalist, "that our country is
scourged with famine.
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