To conclude:  Now, and in every phase of the coming struggle, the strong mind is a greater need than the strong hand.  We must be passionate, but the mind must guide and govern our passion.  In the aberrations of the weak mind decrying resistance, let us not lose our balance and defy brute strength.  At a later stage we must consider the ethics of resistance to the Civil Power; the significance of what is written now will be more apparent then.  Let the cultivation of a brave, high spirit be our great task; it will make of each man’s soul an unassailable fortress.  Armies may fail, but it resists for ever.  The body it informs may be crushed; the spirit in passing breathes on other souls, and other hearts are fired to action, and the fight goes on to victory.  To the man whose mind is true and resolute ultimate victory is assured.  No sophistry can sap his resistance; no weakness can tempt him to savage reprisals.  He will neither abandon his heritage nor poison his nature.  And in every crisis he is steadfast, in every issue justified.  Rejoice, then good comrades; our souls are still our own.  Through the coldness and depression of the time there has lightened a flash of the old fire; the old enthusiasm, warm and passionate, is again stirring us; we are forward to uphold our country’s right, to fight for her liberty, and to justify our own generation.  We shall conquer.  Let the enemy count his dreadnoughts and number off his legions—­where are now the legions of Rome and Carthage?  And the Spirit of Freedom they challenged is alive and animating the young nations to-day.  Hold we our heads high, then, and we shall bear our flag bravely through every fight.  Persistent, consistent, straightforward and fearless, so shall we discipline the soul to great deeds, and make it indomitable.  In the indomitable soul lies the assurance of our ultimate victory.

CHAPTER IV

BROTHERS AND ENEMIES

I

Our enemies are brothers from whom we are estranged.  Here is the fundamental truth that explains and justifies our hope of re-establishing a real patriotism among all parties in Ireland, and a final peace with our ancient enemy of England.  It is the view of prejudice that makes of the various sections of our people hopelessly hostile divisions, and raises up a barrier of hate between Ireland and England that can never be surmounted.  If Ireland is to be regenerated, we must have internal unity; if the world is to be regenerated, we must have world-wide unity—­not of government, but of brotherhood.  To this great end every individual, every nation has a duty; and that the end may not be missed we must continually turn for the correction of our philosophy to reflecting on the common origin of the human race, on the beauty of the world that is the heritage of all, our common hopes and fears, and in the greatest sense the mutual interests of the