THE "BRITISH WEEKLY" AND HOME RULE.
[TO THE EDITOR 07 THE "SPECTATOR:'] SIR,—In view of the zeal presently manifested by the British Weekly for the men and the measures of the Home Rule order,
some former utterances of the editor of that paper on the Irish question may fitly be recalled. I subjoin an extract
from a British Weekly leader of September 18th, 1902. The article, for which Sir William Robertson Nicoll as editor is
responsible, breathes the fervour of the Passive Resistance Movement
"It is as patriots quite as much as Nonconformists that we must resist to the last the perpetuation of so frightful a crime as hand- ing over the education of England to the priesthood. To do t would be to sign the death-warrant of the nation. The sacerdotal snake has almost strangled Ireland to death, and every reader of Mr. 311oCartby's book must be persuaded that there is no use talking about Home Rule or anything else as a palliative for the evils of Ireland. Ireland must rise against the priest as France has risen before anything can heal her wounds."
These sentiments, it is evident, have a marked family` likeness to the sallies of " Ulsteria " which are now such an
affliction to Sir William Robertson Nicoll's cultured instincts- The discrepancy thus revealed between his present and his former self is serious and requires some explanation. It is not proposed, however, at this juncture to ask for his apologia, as anything in the nature of an appeal from Philip sober to Philip intoxicated would evidently be ill-advised and out of order.
Meanwhile we note the admission of the article that Ireland's brooding horror is priesteraft, and that Home Rule is a delusion and a snare so long as the sacerdotal snake predomi- nates. It is not pretended by Sir William Robertson Nicoll or anyone else that any alteration for the better has passed in the snake. Nevertheless, in defiance of the omens, Home Rule, it seems, is to be granted—Home Rule with its fresh opportunities for absolutism and priestcraft, Home Rule with
its new lease of life for the sacerdotal snake. To the anxious Protestants of Ulster Sir William and his confreres, from a safe distance, are preaching peace and prating about guarantees. Guarantees and pledges for the good behaviour
of a snake are, I opine, things of very farcical quality.
An important side issue that arises just now is the relation of affairs in Ireland to affairs in England. Saceraotalism, which is the problem of Ireland, is also the overshadowing
problem of England. During the late ferment of the Passive Resistance Movement the brotherhood of the British Weekly led a militant and busy life, and Sir William and the snake
was a heroic counterpart to St. George and the Dragon. Sir William's behaviour during the next phase of the crisis is, however, now rather a speculative affair. Coquetting with snakes in Ireland has a very compromising effect on one's attitude towards snakes in England. Commerce, on the part of British publicists, with the apostles of separation and intrigue is an adventure that costs something. Moral and
intellectual damage is the result, and so when the evil day of Nonconformity comes again, the Free Churchmen of England
may find that their vanguard has failed and that their defences
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