440 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XVIII 



the majority of our countrymen that government by 

 average opinion is merely a circuitous method of going 

 to the devil ; and that those who profess to lead but in 

 fact slavishly follow this average opinion are simply the 

 fastest runners and the loudest squeakers of the herd 

 which is rushing blindly down to its destruction. 



It is the electorate, and especially the Liberal electorate, 

 which is responsible for the present state of things. It 

 has no political education. It knows well enough that 

 2 and 2 won't make 5 in a ledger, and that sentimental 

 stealing in private life is not to be tolerated ; but it has 

 not been taught the great lesson in history that there 

 are like verities in national life, and hence it easily falls 

 a prey to any clever and copious fallacy -monger who 

 appeals to its great heart instead of reminding it of its 

 weak head. 



Politicians have gone on nattering and cajoling this 

 chaos of political incompetence until the just penalty of 

 believing their own fictions has befallen them, and the 

 average member of Parliament is conscientiously convinced 

 that it is his duty, not to act for his constituents to the 

 best of his judgment, but to do exactly what they, or 

 rather the small minority which drives them, tells him 

 to do. 



Have we a real statesman ? a man of the calibre of 

 Pitt or Burke, to say nothing of Strafford or Pym, who 

 will stand up and tell his countrymen that this disruption 

 of the union is nothing but a cowardly wickedness 

 an act bad in itself, fraught with immeasurable evil 

 especially to the people of Ireland ; and that if it cost 

 his political existence, or his head, for that matter, he is 

 prepared to take any and every honest means of prevent- 

 ing the mischief? 



I see no sign of any. And if such a man should 

 come to the front what chance is there of his receiving 

 loyal and continuous support from a majority of the 

 House of Commons ? I see no sign of any. 



