Nationalist Renascence 187
The next Nationalist split effected by Gorst might
also have been an unintentional consequence of a con-
ciliatory policy. For any British authority seeking some
association with nationalism would naturally first ap-
proach the Copts. As a Christian community, compact
in itself and conscious of interests distinct from those of
the Moslem and Arabic-speaking politicians, the Copts,
though allied, were not amalgamated with nationalism.
Their vestigial traces of Pharaonic culture had made
them the clerical class of Egypt, but they had found
their monopoly threatened by the preference of British
officials for the more adaptable Syrians. Spurred by this
grievance, they had agreed to an alliance with national-
ism ; but out of deference to Moslem prejudice the
Nationalists had kept them subordinate and segregated.
And after the death of Mustapha Kamil, el Azhar,
under guidance of Sheikh Shawish, offensively reasserted
the old Moslem contempt for this Christian sect of clerks.
It was at this juncture that Gorst, when looking for a
successor to Mustapha Fehmy as Premier, made an un-
precedented promotion by giving the post to Boutros
Pasha. He was not only a Copt, but the Copt who had
presided over the Denshawi trial This at once diverted
the offensive of Moslem nationalism away from their
British antagonists and against their Coptic allies. The
appointment was a challenge to nationalist Pan-Islamism,
and Gorst rubbed it in: " The first genuine Egyptian
who has risen to the highest position in the country/*
was his reference to Boutros in his report for 1909.
Which was more aggravating than accurate. But the
policy succeeded, and the rupture between the Moslem
and Christian Nationalists became irreparable for the
time being, when Boutros was assassinated (1910) by
Wardani, a Mahomedan Nationalist. So completely had