THE LATE EARL GREY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 235, 22 June 1918, Page 10

THE LATE EARL GREY

A DISCIPLE- OF JOSEPH MAZZINI. , [Contributed.] "Albert I'ourth liarl Ifre.r: A. Last Word" is Uie title of. a suiaii volume by Harold liegbie, written at the requecTt of the late earl. 'I'ho volnme discloses a man of the highest and' I most nobility, and makes very intoit'igiblu to us tlic tributes of Lord Jdryce,, t.-uo said that "no more beautiful or 'lovable character has adorned our generation," and of Lord Milner, who sai-rt he had a record of public service of uuich auy man might be proud, lint il. is entirely dwarfed by hie personally. A feature of special interest in Iliis book is the place of honour given I o Joseph Massssini and his writings. ]]m son, the present earl, in the pref/iue says: "The whoio of Maxim's essay on tlie 'Duties of.Man/ from which the rulo of his life was taken, 'ivas read and reread by him. It wa*> 'the fouiitniii-Jiend of his inspirations, mid to the end of hie life it retained jt 3 influence over his mind and his T/fa."

Throughout Mr. JAegbie's pages Mazzini as an influencie its made prominent. "By Toynbee, Grey was introduced to the works of Wnazini. Toyubee gave him a living interest in social reform. Mazzini fired hinj' with enthusiasm for a better world. H» came to the political philosophy of Mi'a/zzini with the fervour created by Toy.nWee's extraordinary personality. ■ .

On another page we read:— "There is So question, however, that by far the greatest influence in his life at this time y.-as Mazzini. In the first conversation 1' had with him on his death-bed he, told me that Mazzini had been his Bil/lc, and in the last, speakin" ol those who had striven and longed to help huMSjiity. by the power.of love he said: "J. i.nean Christ and tlie Mazzims of hisiory.' " Hβ had no praise too high f/or the Itnliun fiatriot. On anot;iw;r page wo read:—• "Afterwaj.ds, ,when Ir.endship with Khodes ;i:,d personal knowledge of tlie Jiuipire .h/id given «, new direction to us cntl-fuHiasm, tlicse Mazzini principles became; to him the very pustulates of statesmanship."

On .-mother page we read:— "Ju;/t as he Hoped for » good National larlinment, inspired, by high and disinterested devotion to the Empire, so Lord (■.α-ey hoped for a great national churcn. inspired by the religion of huniaiuty. Here, of course, he was follow.vn/.■with a complete and unquestioning imth in the footsteps of Mazzini." Un the last page but one Mr. JJegbie the dying earl tluis:- '• L , w l allt J' o ," to try to make my voice sound Irom the grave. I want to say to l*c,ple that there is a real way out of nil tins mass materialism has got them into. Ive been trying to tell them for tl.iirty years. It's Christ's wnv. Maz»;M saw it. We've got to come toother. iVeve got to realise we're all members •of the same family. There's nothing that can help humanity, except love. ° Love is the way ont, and the way up 'Mint's my farewell to the world" < It is strange that, in some of our public libraries no place has been found for the writings of this great Italian teacher In one of our great civic libraries the only book there is "The Life ot Mazzini," by Bolton Kill"