Mr. Gladstone has the courage of his opinions. Prince Nicholas
of Montenegro recently sent him, through a cor- respondent of the Daily Chronicle, a complimentary message, and on October 18th Mr. Gladstone replied, in a letter in which he declares that, "in his deliberate opinion, the tradi- tions of Montenegro now committed to his Highness as a sacred trust exceed in glory those of Marathon and Ther- mopylte, and all the war traditions of the world." That is a little Irish, surely. The Montenegrins, assisted by their mountain fastnesses, have fought very well, but ought not the glory of a struggle to be increased in some degree by its results ? Marathon saved Europe from subjugation by Asiatics, as again did Sobieski's rescue of Vienna, and the destruction of the Armada prevented the rise of a universal and evil monarchy, while the capture of Vicksburg destroyed slavery as a suc- cessful social system ; but the defence of Montenegro has only preserved the liberty of Montenegrins. That is a grand achievement for that minute people, but the benefit to the world has been nil, the Turks continuing their career of destruction, rapine, and misgovernment, as if the Black Mountain had never existed. The liberties of mankind gained nothing by the heroism of the Vladikas, though the liberty of Montenegro gained all.
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