intensely religious character of the people, and the want of
Catholic laymen qualified by education and position for social and
political leadership. What Bishop Berkeley said of them in 1749, in
his letter, _A Word to the Wise_, still holds true, 'That no set of
men on earth have it in their power to do good on easier terms,
with more advantage to others, and less pains or loss to
themselves.' It would be folly to expect that in a mixed community
the State should do anything to strengthen or perpetuate this
power; but this result will certainly not follow from the more
liberal education of the clergy, provided equal advantages are
extended to the laity. On the contrary, I am convinced that if the
void in the lay leadership of the country be filled up by higher
education of the better classes among the Catholic laity, the power
of the priests, so far as it is abnormal or unnecessary will pass
away; and, further, if I believed, with many who are opposed to the
better education of the priesthood, that their power is based on
falsehood or superstition, I would unhesitatingly advocate the
spread of higher education among the laity and clergy alike, as the
best means of effectually sapping and disintegrating it.[27]

I had for long indulged a hope that a university of the type which
Ireland requires would have been the outcome of a great national
educational movement emanating from Trinity College, which might, at
this auspicious hour, have surpassed all the proud achievements of its
three hundred years. That hope was dispelled when the cry of 'Hands off
Trinity' was applied to the profane hands of the Royal Commission.
Perhaps that attitude may be reconsidered yet. There is one hopeful
sentiment which is often heard coming from that institution. An opinion
has been strongly expressed that nothing ought to be done to separate in
secular life two sections of Irishmen who happen to belong to different
creeds. Whatever may be the logical outcome of the position taken up
towards the University problem by those who give expression to this
pious opinion, I do not for a moment doubt their sincerity. But I often
think that too much importance is attached to the danger of building new
walls, and that there is too little appreciation of the wide and deep
foundation of the already existing walls between the two sections of
Irishmen who are so