"CROMWELL," wrote the _Daily News_ on ARTHUR BALFOUR'S speech, "was
the only man of his time who understood the principles of religious
freedom." Ahem!
"Papa," said _Polly Eccles_, referring to certain charges brought
against her revered father, "Papa may have his faults, but he's a
_very_ clever man." So the _D. N._ as to the Protector CROMWELL.
"OLIVER," says the _D. N._ in effect, "being human, may have had his
faults, as had other men of his time, but he thoroughly understood
religious freedom." Did he? In Ireland for example? With him
"religious freedom" was like the verb in grammar, either "expressed"
or "understood." It might have been "understood," but it certainly was
not "expressed" in action. If CROMWELL was such a model of "religious
freedom," then it will be as well to reconsider history under NERO,
DIOCLETIAN, & CO., not to mention the amiable Ninth CHARLES of France,
the genial HARRY THE EIGHTH of England, the gentle PETER, Czar of
all the Russia, and a few other kindly-disposed rulers, who were,
probably, the only men of their time thoroughly understanding the
principles of religious freedom. As the song says, "They wouldn't
ha' 'urt a biby, They were men as you could trust!" And for OLIVER
himself, "He was all right when you knew him, _But_--you had to know
him fust!" Rather; and then you had to accommodate yourself to his
little ways, or else so much the worse for one of the two, and that
one wouldn't have been OLIVER CROMWELL. But, of course, between
principles and practise there is a "Great Divide."
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THE SHAHZADA, weary of London life and English enjoyment, will at
last exclaim with the canny Scot, "For pleasure gie me Peebles!" (The
original remark was made by the author of _Peebles whom I have met_.)
* * * * *
NOTE, SATURDAY, JUNE 15.--Piece running last the week in Theatre Royal
Law Courts--"_Bébé_." For Monday's lunch Sir HENRY HAWKINS ordered a
Capon.
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