Besides, if you who count ten so often can count five, you must
perceive that it is better to have four friends and one enemy than
four enemies and one friend; and the more violent the hatred of the
Orangemen, the more certain the reconciliation of the Catholics.
The disaffection of the Orangemen will be the Irish rainbow: when I
see it I shall be sure that the storm is over.

If these incapacities, from which the Catholics ask to be relieved,
were to the mass of them only a mere feeling of pride, and if the
question were respecting the attainment of privileges which could be
of importance only to the highest of the sect, I should still say
that the pride of the mass was very naturally wounded by the
degradation of their superiors. Indignity to George Rose would be
felt by the smallest nummary gentleman in the king's employ; and Mr.
John Bannister could not be indifferent to anything which happened
to Mr. Canning. But the truth is, it is a most egregious mistake to
suppose that the Catholics are contending merely for the fringes and
feathers of their chiefs. I will give you a list in my next Letter
of those privations which are represented to be of no consequence to
anybody but Lord Fingal, and some twenty or thirty of the principal
persons of their sect. In the meantime, adieu, and be wise.



LETTER IX.



Dear Abraham,--No Catholic can be chief Governor or Governor of this