1903] Wyndham and Redmond Meet 59 



conciliatory attitude, the Bill will be wrecked. I went at once to Bel- 

 grave Square and found George preparing a speech he had to make 

 in the evening. I explained to him the danger, especially of Dillon's 

 attitude towards the Bill, and he agreed to meet Redmond at my house 

 on Tuesday morning at n. 15. I hope they may patch up their differ- 

 ence, as it would be ruinous now for all concerned if the Bill falls 

 through. 



"21st June (Sunday). — Mesaoud is sold to the Kleniewsky Stud in 

 Poland for £240, a small price. But his going there will be an advan- 

 tage to him and an advertisement to us. I have been calculating the 

 price at which we have sold his stock, sons and daughters, and it 

 amounts to over 5,000 guineas for 40 animals. We purchased him as a 

 yearling colt for £50. 



" 22nd June. — Messrs. Boyes and Collier, English farmers from 

 Basutoland, came to see the Stud. They are much impressed with 

 our mares, and in raptures over the four stallions, especially Seyal 

 and Nejran. Boyes has a commission to buy two for the Basutoland 

 Government. They are violent anti-Boers, and spoke with contempt 

 of the natives. They complained that the English colonists everywhere 

 were being starved out, while the Boers lived on, on rubbish, and pros- 

 pered. 



" 23rd June. — On coming up to London this morning I found George 

 already established in Chapel Street with his red official despatch box ar- 

 ranging his papers. He told me he had had a regular Irish Parliament, 

 consisting of Lords and Commons, debating Clause I of his Land Bill 

 for the last day or two, which was a begining of Home Rule. Red- 

 mond joined us in five minutes, and they set to work at once on Clause 

 I, George expounding his views of a possible compromise. He had 

 drafted an amendment which he thought would obviate delay in the 

 sales, but Redmond preferred Duke's amendment, and to something of 

 this George in the end agreed. I was much struck with the lawyer- 

 like ability both showed in seizing points as they rose, and develop- 

 ing them. The discussion was carried on in all possible good humour, 

 and much personal sympathy. The contrast between the men was strik- 

 ing, though both were in their way good Irish types — for George is 

 far more Irish than English — George gesticulating a good deal with his 

 hands, and very eager, Redmond sitting with his hands nursing his great 

 double chin seriously, but expanding from time to time in genial smiles 

 when the points of agreement were reached. Both were intensely anx- 

 ious to come to an understanding and carry the Bill, the real diffi- 

 culty lying in the vacillation of the landlords, who are most of them 

 too stupid to understand the Bill, and whose only firmness is ob- 

 stinacy. 

 " The final agreement was that George should adopt the Duke amend- 



