Page:My Life in Two Hemispheres, volume 1.djvu/222

Ours is an association of men of all parties, but if their wishes shall be systematically frustrated there is amongst them spirit enough not to die tamely. If, however, I correctly understand the terms of your note, the Landlord party, who are approximating to your views, are doing so in the expectation of reciprocal support. I am very sure that the Northerns would see every description of nationality everlastingly d——d, which would merely transfer them from one class of social despots to another—from a Landlords' Combination in London to a Landlords' Parliament in Dublin. Daniel O'Connell, during the latter years of his life, repeatedly forsook the people and tried to pander to the landed aristocracy, and if his successors shall adopt a similar line of policy they will inevitably go to—pot. All black-mouthed Presbyterian as I am, I have about me, perhaps, as much of Milesian feeling as the bulk of my countrymen of another class; but except for purposes of poetry I would repudiate a Milesian just as bitterly as a Sassenach landlordism, which should trample down the masses into veritable slavery.

"The 'Irish Council' have taken up one branch of the Tenant-Right agitation, viz., that relating to compensation for improvements, but they have still the subject of 'fixity of tenure' to discuss, and if they put this upon a generous and sufficiently comprehensive basis they will deserve some credit from the country. I am glad to see my old schoolfellow, Sam Ferguson, beginning to 'look alive' in public. He is a right clever fellow, and I hope he is succeeding in his profession. I have not seen his pamphlet noticed in the last Nation, and to which Chalmers refers in the North British Review. If he would send me a copy I would review it for him according to its merits.

"Is there anything doing in the way of Celtic literature? I have had no opportunity of adding to my small stock of Irish books, and with the exception of Walsh's late work, one half of which is a slavish reprint from Hardiman, the publishers do not send me works of this description—a neglect which, on their part, is very absurd. At one time you hinted something about the publication of a comprehensive Irish Dictionary—I wish something of this kind was undertaken by competent hands, on the plan of the great work published by