214 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



exact temper wanted for dealing with them success- 

 fully is downright intelligent honesty that will not 

 be humbugged. The present agitation deliberately 

 aims at causing such a state of disturbance as may 

 be unbearable, and so force unjust concessions on 

 the ground that something must be done. 



In one word, all in Ireland is more or less mixed 

 up with scheming ; nothing is simply true. It is 

 quite as easy to advocate Mr. ParnelTs views as 

 Tenant-right views. Untruth is as necessary to one 

 as to the other, only slightly different untruth. The 

 real mischief of the sentimental flattery addressed to 

 these poor people is that it encourages this schem- 

 ing. If any of us who live here, and has to manage 

 his own concerns, and take his part in the local 

 business of the country (justice business, etc.), acted 

 or talked in this sentimental way, he would be simply 

 drowned in the flood of lies that would pour in on him. 

 Our mode of proceeding is the very opposite. We 

 believe nothing at all until it has been proved to be 

 true, and even then we know it is sure to be hugely 

 exaggerated ; or facts, more or less true, perhaps, 

 applied to circumstances in a relation that makes 

 them untrue. We are careful to raise no expecta- 

 tions, but simply to do what is just and right. 



The fault of Mr. Forster's Disturbance Bill 

 was this. There was distress last winter in the 

 western and mountainous parts of Ireland, but very 

 little in other parts, even of scheduled Unions. When 



