"Men were governed then, and could be and were moulded. I feel sure
that even in Ireland there is a stratum of men, above the working
peasants, who would understand, and make those below them understand,
the position of the country, if they could only be got to give up
fighting about religion. Even now Home Rule is regarded by the
multitude as a weapon to be used against Protestantism on behalf of
the Pope."

"I suppose the Pope is the great sinner?"

"They got over the Pope in France,--even in early days, before
religion had become a farce in the country. They have done so in
Italy."

"Yes;--they've got over the Pope in Italy, certainly."

"And yet," said Phineas, "the bulk of the people are staunch
Catholics. Of course the same attempt to maintain a temporal
influence, with the hope of recovering temporal power, is made in
other countries. But while we see the attempt failing elsewhere,--so
that we know that the power of the Church is going to the wall,--yet
in Ireland it is infinitely stronger now than it was fifty, or even
twenty years ago."

"Because we have been removing restraints on Papal aggression, while
other nations have been imposing restraints. There are those at
Rome who believe all England to be Romish at heart, because here in
England a Roman Catholic can say what he will, and print what he
will."

"And yet," said Phineas, "all England does not return one Catholic to
the House, while we have Jews in plenty. You have a Jew among your
English judges, but at present not a single Roman Catholic. What do
you suppose are the comparative numbers of the population here in
England?"

"And you are going to cure all this;--while Tyrone thinks it ought to
be left as it is? I rather agree with Tyrone."

"No," said Phineas, wearily; "I doubt whether I shall ever cure
anything, or even make any real attempt. My patriotism just goes far
enough to make me unhappy, and Lord Tyrone thinks that while Dublin
ladies dance at the Castle, and the list of agrarian murders is kept
low, the country is admirably managed. I don't quite agree with
him;--that's all."

Then there arose a legal difficulty, which caused much trouble to the
Coalition Ministry. There fell vacant a certain seat on the bench of
judges,--a seat of considerable dignity and importance, but not quite
of the highest rank. Sir Gregory Grogram, who was a rich, energetic
man, determined to have a peerage, and convinced that, should
the Coalition fall