That period was wiser than our own in one respect: nobody of any common sense thought of spoiling such exquisite blague by taking it seriously.

Its motive was universally understood in Ireland.

The orators of the movement never for a moment dreamed of levying war on Mr Gladstone, but they were determined to levy blackmail.

They saw that they could bluff English opinion into granting all manner of extravagant compensation for the extinction of their privileges and their ascendancy, if only the Orange drum was beaten loudly enough.

It was a case of the more cry the more wool.