o overcome
ourselves.... Life is short, and we do well to remember it, but
each moment is eternal, and we do still better to remember that....
Heaven bless you and guide you through the pleasures and
perplexities, the sorrows and the joys, of this strange and
beautiful world, to the source of all light, and life, and
goodness, to that Being whose highest name is Love.

The everlasting Irish question had been coming again to the front. During
1867 the Fenians had attempted to get the grievances of Ireland redressed
by adopting violent measures. There had been an attempt upon the arsenal at
Chester, numerous outrages in Ireland, an attack at Manchester upon the
prison van, in which two Fenian leaders were being taken to prison, and a
subsequent attempt to blow up Clerkenwell jail. The crisis had been met by
suspending the Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland. Lord Russell, when Prime
Minister, had replaced Sir Robert Peel, as Chief Secretary, by Mr.
Chichester Fortescue, who later received the same office from Mr.
Gladstone. In February, 1868, Lord Russell published his letter to Mr.
Fortescue advocating Disestablishment in Ireland, but declaring himself in
favour of endowing the Catholic Church with part of the revenues of the
disestablished Church. In April Gladstone succeeded in carrying three
Resolutions against the Government on the Irish Church question, and though
Disraeli tendered his resignation, dissolution was postponed until the
autumn. The same month Lord Russell presided at a meeting in St. James's
Hall in support of Disestablishment. At the general election in the autumn
the Liberals came in with a large majority; Gladstone became Prime
Minister, and in the following year carried his Bill for the
Disestablishment of the Irish Church. [70] Lady Russell's views on the
question of Church and State are shown in the following letter:

_Lady Russell to Lady Dunfermline_

PEMBROKE LODGE, _May_ 20, 1868

MY DEAREST MARY,--...How can one write letters in such weather as
we have had? A fine May is surely the loveliest of lovely things,
and the most enjoyable, at least to lucky mortals like ourselves
who are not obliged to be "in populous city pent"--and those who
have never seen Pemmy Lodge in its May garments of lilac, laburnum,
wild hyacinth, hawthorn, and the tender greens of countless shades
on trees and shrubs, are not really acquainted with it.... I have