GOSSIP ABOUT MR GLADSTONE

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3183, 2 May 1879, Page 2

GOSSIP ABOUT MR GLADSTONE

; :A man who was not thoroughly sincere in his convictions could never have taken such liabilities with his country and party as Mr Gladstone has done. He would have been exposed long ago. Ambitious Mr Gladstone, certainly is, and he is not proof against a petty spitefulness, which he has wreaked at times in no very dignified way againit his great rival who sup; pJahted him in the good graces of the constituencies in 1874; but it must be remembered that the ex-Premier feels ;no belief in Lord Beaconsfield., He regards him as a clever but unprincipled opponent who is never actuated by any lofty ideal of.patriotism; or duty,' biit solely by the Wish to obtain power; and in proportion as Lord Beaconsneld's phantasmagoric policy dazzles the public eye, Mr Gladstone grows more and more impatient and ashamed at its delusiveness. Mrs Gladstone told an acquaintance of mine that during the progress of the Irish Church resolutions in 1868 her husband used to pace about his diningrpom'/atCarlton' House Terrace until far in the night, in a state of the most,nervous irritability, because he had been assailed by old friends who impugned his motives and warned him that he would repent of what he was doing. Having overcome all his own i doubts, he could hot cenceive that others | should be troubled by" any; and as he paced about/ he recited y fragments jof speeches in a sort of adjuring voice, as if he were beseeching Heaven to send fiery arguments wherewith to [blast the stubi born. At the height of the Tichborne agitation, again, Mr Gladstones sent for Sir John Colerige, and implored him; to state on his honour whether he believed the man to be an impostor,," because,'; said he, "I cannot mate up my mind about it, and I dread to seeany wrong done." When the question of; dissolving Parliament in 1874 was mooted in Cabinet Council, Mr Lowe strongly opposed; such a measure ; but the recent victory of the Conservative candidate at Gloucester had exasperated the Premier, who would not believe that the, country, was against him. Upon the definite triumph of the Tories on that famous day when the city of London returned three Conservative,

Mr Lowe, coming to Downing street, taunted Mr Gladstone drily with the error he had committed; then the beaten chief flashed out with such a fury as made hia colleague stand open-mouthed and uneasy• The gist of his denunciations was that it delighted him to have been beaten—that he had had enough of place—that he had served an ungrateful party all too well, and so forth. He was, in fact, wounded to the gall, and bile gushed out. On saying that, Mr Gladstone it apt to lose his temper about little things, one ..must.make a distinction. If Lord Beaconsfield had ordered a new hat for a; certain hour and it did not come, he would get cross. Mr Gladstone in such a case would be likely to /put on his valet's head-dress if he found it hanging up in the hall. He never worries about domestic trifles. He is a tender father, a devoted husband, a true and good friend. His disinterestedness about money matters is so great that he refused an augmentation of his salary whilst Prime Minister, and left office impoverished. He had to sell a goodly collection of china which he had amassed (for he is a connoisseur) and soon aftejr his library of books, which was ' bought back for him by Lord Wolverton. His readiness to succour all who appeal to his charity is only limited by his means, and he frequently returns from a country walk with his pockets. cleaned out/thanks to his distributions of gold and silver among the, sick or needy villagers. Some months ago he went ouiL^ for a walk of about 12 miles, intending toy feturntoHawarden by train; but in the evening he found he J hact' giveri ?iway everything, and had not money left to pay for his ticket, so he trudged home on foot, arriving so late that his family had become uneasy. Mr Gladstone doei more, than, give money, aw i ay,_fpr hejbai often'been" known to go arid read Bible to { tenants,.whp r ,were .bedridden; and this mission of charity he has always discharged in the most natural, unostentatious fashion, even when he was Prime Minister, and had work enough to occupy all the moments of such a sturdy- toiler as himself. He is, in truth, a most fervent Christian ; c and the explanation .of much of what is wayward in hia character may be found in his deep religiousness. Hii wrath is generally religious wrath, if one may so call it. I know that he has borne some family trials with angelic serenity, but here.no principle was involved., Mr Gladstone grows angry when hetrieito convert people.—Truth. " r , „ ,n.