STATE OF WARFARE. 367 



animals or men, the strongest and best-fed races are not 

 those which multiply most. Indifferent as to individual 

 life, nature's first care is to preserve the species. 



The second cause was altogether political. Ireland, 

 under its state of oppression, instinctively felt that it had 

 no other power to depend upon than numbers, and ''that 

 it was only in this way it could defend itself. At every 

 renewal of the grand struggle, England proceeded to re- 

 gular exterminations, but a few years sufficed to fill up 

 the gap. Like an army which closes the gap made in its 

 ranks by cannon, the Irish rapidly repaired the breaches 

 made among them by wars and famine. Attempts had 

 often been made to induce them to emigrate, but always 

 without success. Despoiled of all property in their native 

 soil, they covered it with their children, as a perpetual 

 protest against the invasion, and that they might at least 

 keep possession de facto, awaiting a period of restitution. 

 Population went on increasing, especially in the moun- 

 tains of the west, those Asturias of Ireland, which have 

 always been the last refuge of its nationality. 



All this sufficiently shows, without pleading the influ- 

 ences of race and religion, how it is that the Protestant 

 party of the provinces of Leinster and Ulster have suffered 

 less than the rest of the country. In Leinster an English, 

 and in Ulster a Scotch colony, had established them- 

 selves : the first around Dublin, which is the seat of the 

 government ; the other round Belfast, which is but a short 

 distance from the coast of Scotland. These settlers en- 

 j oyed all kinds of privileges, while severe laws, rigorously 

 enforced, interdicted all lucrative employment to the 

 Catholics. The splendour of Dublin, its dense population, 

 the military force kept there, the retinue of high-salaried 

 functionaries, all these making it, as it were, the citadel 

 of England in the heart of Ireland, had the effect which 



