It lasted little more than three weeks,
and did not extend beyond a very decidedly English pale.... Of
the multitude of strange things distinctly Irish, he had little
chance of seeing much."
One of the "strange things" which he did not see was the resolve
of Ireland to be recognized as a nation; and that recognition was
the "something" which, as I said just now, England was unable or
unwilling to supply. Late in life Gladstone discovered that Ireland
was a nation, and ought to be treated as such. As regards his own
share in the matter, the change came too late, and he went to the
grave leaving Ireland (in spite of two Home Rule Bills) still
unpacified; but his influence has lived and wrought, not only in
the Liberal party. The principle of Irish nationality has been
recognized in legislative form, and the most law-abiding citizen
in Great Britain might drink that toast of "Ireland a Nation" which
aforetime was considered seditious, if not treasonable.
It was certainly a very odd prejudice of English Philistinism which
prevented us, for so many centuries, from recognizing a fact so palpable
as Irish nationality. If ever a race of men had characteristics of
its own, marking it out from its nearest neighbours, that race is
the Irish, and among the best of those characteristics are chastity,
courtesy, hospitality, humour, and fine manners.
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