Still more rare is it to find a man who can face an audience even worse than a downright hostile one, and that is an audience which is indifferent, There are very few men I have known in my Parliamentary experience who could do it.
[Sidenote: A memory of Parnell.] Mr.Parnell was one.

I have seen him speak quite comfortably to an audience which consisted of himself, Mr.Biggar, the Minister in attendance, and the Speaker of the House--in all, four, including himself.

Indeed, he often said to me that he rather liked to have such an audience.

Speaking was not easy or agreeable to him, and his sole purpose for many years in speaking at all was to consume so much time.
Parnell was a man who always found it rather hard to concentrate his mind on any subject unless he was alone and in silence.

This was perhaps one of the many reasons why he kept out of the House of Commons as much as he could.