WHAT WILL DO GOOD IN IRELAND. 219 



in the debates on the Land Act of 1870, is proposing 

 to do that which is worst for the country. The 

 vanity of the ill-affected class in Ireland is pleased 

 by flattery, as it is by every word of respect and 

 every empty compliment they can pick up ; and so 

 that self-important, fractious, untrue character is 

 formed, without a grain of sense, even for attaining 

 its own ends, which is now so common in the 

 House of Commons and elsewhere, and which it is 

 impossible to deal with reasonably. Sound principle 

 and strong downright common sense can alone 

 answer. Let the flattering way of dealing with in- 

 dolent men be tried in any other industry, and the 

 results will be the same as have been produced in 

 Ireland. 



The business of landowning or of farming can no 

 more be regulated by Act of Parliament than any 

 other business. Each is a true business, and can 

 only thrive when conducted on business principles. 

 No bolstering up, or favouring, or helping by Parlia- 

 ment, or any other way, will make the business 

 thrive. Industry and skill and capital can alone do 

 this. All else is only an attempt at protection. Like 

 other systems of protection, it is popular with those 

 who think they shall gain by it. It may seem to 

 succeed for a time. But the state of Donegal, and 

 other parts of Ulster where the linen trade does not 

 exist proves clearly that one such mode of protec- 

 tion, viz. Tenant-right, is unsound. Moreover, more 



