Parnell's death can have no political effect. The col-
leagues who betrayed him would fain join in honouring
his memory, and dare not. Their appearance would
provoke a riot. Mr. Parnell's grave would be the scene
of a hand-to-hand conflict. They have prudently and
wisely elected to stay away. Mr. Parnell, deserted by
the great body of his countrymen, for whom he had
done so much, deserted and ostracised by the Eng-
lish Liberals under Mr. Gladstone's imperious lead, re-
mained a formidable force ; and Parnellism may still be
a force.
It is idle to predict the course of Irish politics, or of
English either, for they turn on the Irish. Mr. Glad-
stone may regard Mr. Parnell's death as a direct
Providential interposition in his own behalf. It may
prove so, or it may prove the contrary. But the
chances are that the Irish party, as always before Mr.
Parnell's time, will again split into factions, dissolve
before the temptations of office, and become again the
tool of English politicians. Mr. Parnell kept it per-
fectly independent, and used it to one single end. It is
not merely that the only leader is gone. The one man
is gone who knew the whole Irish question. The others
know bits and pieces of it. Mr. Parnell was a master
of business, a master of details as well as of general
policy. He knew the historical, the political, the eco-
nomical, and the social sides of the Irish question, all of
them, and all of them thoroughly.
