Governments, to be resolutely withstood--the policy of trying "to
conciliate our enemies by giving away our friends." We shall hear of it
again in dealing both with Ireland and with certain colonies when
Germany claims their return. On the other hand, the first maxim in all
negotiation, the first principle of sound diplomacy, is always to give
to the other side, and give without grudging, all he wants, provided it
does not interfere with what it is important for your side to secure.
Never be afraid of giving the opposing party too much, provided you get
what your side really ought to have. How often has one heard in
discussing a settlement the objection raised that the other party is
getting too much! It is an old-time fallacy to think that practical good
sense and the highest philanthropy are antagonistic; only be certain
that if in any case they seem to be so, the latter is to prevail.

With a good map you may safely have Mr. Worldly Wiseman's company to the
village of Morality, and visit the "judicious gentleman named Legality"
and "his charming son Civility"--yet find a straight road thence to the
Celestial City without deviating to the "great town" of Carnal Policy.
An apology perhaps is due in the twentieth century for using the
language of an earlier day; but everyone naturally thinks in the
language in which he was brought up, and education is now no doubt
sufficiently general to make allusion recognisable and translation easy.
There are still some survivals from a past generation who prefer even
the "minor prophets" as literature to the most "up-to-date" modern
utterances, though they have long ago relinquished the idea that there
is the slightest personal merit in doing so. Even when the older
language was half forgotten there were within our memory some who would
use it if they could, and perhaps did so when they felt strongly, as a
Scotsman in strange lands may, when deeply moved, revert to what
convention insists on calling his "native doric."