Mr. Froude has published as a preface to the most
imaginative historical work—" The English in Ireland. "—ever published by a professed historian, perhaps the most imaginative political essay ever published even by an amateur politician. In the book he states, contrary, unfortunately, to all the teaching of history, that from the early times, "everything which she ,[England] most valued for herself—her laws and liberties, her orderly and settled government, the most ample security for person and property—England'a first desire was to give to Ireland, in fullest measure." In his new political preface, as published in the Times, lie says, of the assault on the Protestant Establishment in 1868 : —"False dice had more than once been used in playing with the fortunes of Ireland. The Liberal party needed to be reorganised, and disestabliehment was a convenient subject to bring the various sections of it into harmony." Colour-blindness to historical truth is an unfortunate .quality for a brilliant historian. But it is not to be wondered at that a colour-blind historian makes a stone-blind politician.
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