s of one
of the quickest, most sensitive, and most artistic races on earth are now
only distinguished for their hideousness.

I shall endeavour to show that this failure of the Irish people in recent
times has been largely brought about by the race diverging during this
century from the right path, and ceasing to be Irish without becoming
English. I shall attempt to show that with the bulk of the people this
change took place quite recently, much more recently than most people
imagine, and is, in fact, still going on. I should also like to call
attention to the illogical position of men who drop their own language to
speak English, of men who translate their euphonious Irish names into
English monosyllables, of men who read English books, and know nothing
about Gaelic literature, nevertheless protesting as a matter of sentiment
that they hate the country which at every hand's turn they rush to
imitate.

I wish to show you that in Anglicising ourselves wholesale we have thrown
away with a light heart the best claim which we have upon the world's
recognition of us as a separate nationality. What did Mazzini say? What is
Goldwin Smith never tired of declaiming? What do the _Spectator_ and
_Saturday Review_ harp on? That we ought to be content as an integral part
of the United Kingdom because we have lost the notes of nationality, our
language and customs.

It has always been very curious to me how Irish sentiment sticks in this
half-way house--how it continues to apparently hate the English, and at
the same time continues to imitate them; how it continues to clamour for
recognition as a distinct nationality, and at the same time throws away
with both hands what would make it so. If Irishmen only went a little
farther they would become good Englishmen in sentiment also.
But--illogical as it appears--there seems not the slightest sign or
probability of their taking that step. It is the curious certainty that
come what may Irishmen will continue to resist English rule, even though
it should be for their good, which prevents many of our nation from
becoming Unionists upon the spot. It is a fact, and we must face it as a
fact, that although they adopt English habits and copy England in every
way, the great bulk of Irishmen and Irishwomen over the whole world are
known to be filled with a dull, ever-abiding animosity against her,
and--right or wrong--to grieve when she prospers, and joy when she is
hurt. Such movements as You