That history, however, illustrates so vividly the English misunderstanding, that a short survey of one phase of it may help to point the moral.

The English intellect at long last began to grasp the agrarian, though not the industrial side of the wrong that had been done to Ireland, and the English conscience was moved; there came the era of concessions to which I have alluded, and for over a quarter of a century attempts, often generous, if not very discriminating, were made to deal with the situation.

In 1870, dispossession was made very costly to the landlord.

In 1881, it became impossible, except on the tenant's default, and the partnership was fully recognised, the tenant's share being made his own to sell, and being preserved for his profitable use by a right to have the rent payable to his sleeping partner, the landlord, fixed by a judicial tribunal.

These rights were the famous three F's--fixity of tenure, free sale, and fair rent--of the Magna Charta of the Irish peasant.