Clear-sighted as he was, he realized how desperately difficult a choice was imposed on Nationalists by Parnell's situation, and he knew how honestly men had differed.

He could command completely his intellectual judgment of their action, and there were many whom in later stages of the movement he trusted none the less for their divergence from him at this crisis.

But he was more than commonly a creature of instinct; and the associations of his intimate life were all decided in these years.

His affection was given to those who were comrades in this pass of danger.

The only two exceptions to be made are, first and chiefly, Mr.Devlin, who was too young to be actively concerned with politics at the time of Parnell's overthrow; and, to speak truth, it is not possible to be so closely associated as Redmond was with this lieutenant of his, or to be so long and loyally served by him, and not to undergo his personal attraction.
The other exception is Mr.J.J.Mooney, who entered Parliament and politics later than the "split," but whose personal allegiance to Mr.
Redmond was always declared.