New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-26
SKETCH OF MR.. GLADSTONE
by PROF BONAMY PRICE

MI. GLADSTONE THE SPORT OF HIS OWN INTELLECT
THE MOST UNCERTAIN OF sTATEsMEN-HE
WAS NOT FORMED TO BE A LEADER, But WOULD
DE INVALUABLE AS AN AUXILIARY.
The notable features in the late career Of
the ex-Premier and specially his defeat the irish
university bill. his failure hold his party together In
the opposition, his practical abnegaton OF the leader
snip. and now his remarkable denomination in the
pamphlet against the Vatican Decrees give special inter
est 10 The following portrait Of Mr. Gladstone drawn by
not unfriendly hand. II IL extracted from article
in frasers Magazine for February 1864. entitled The
Pohtical Temper OF tho Nation" and aside from Its
timeliness in relation to Mr. Gadstones pamphlet, It
~ also OF special interest being from the pen OF Prof
Bonamy Price, the well-known lecturer political
economy at the University OF Oxford, and guest
in this country:
Few men have derived from nature peculiar
mental constitution Mr.. Gladstone Its singuarity
aud 1t Ia markrd-cOnsists IL this That he
pines the extreme OF representations with the ex-
IRENE Oh want OF intuOn Never, probably, was there
n statesman perfc city accessible to the influence
every IntlIeciua element OF question: ready
TO surrender himself IT, and yet so destitute OF the
gnt within OF the judging faculty. to enable hun TO
assign 10 each its proper weight aud power There have
been many skepics of strong intellectual force who
were aDc to penetrate to the depths OF every problem
ana anlN ~ their every element. and yet never
worked heir way ont to a comprehensive and final
COMBUSTION Bnt these men have been cola ana
indifferent intellectually, NJ Gladstone belongs
to inns class but morally he Is separated from
which sunders apart poles. EIch partial truth
that reveals Itself TO his understanding cnkndes pas
son Whch Tor while refuses 10 he controlled aud Mr.
Gladstone Is TINS led The opposite
OF hou3ht and principle by this peculiar enthusiasm
OF ms haine This tendency Of bis mind has been
much aggravated by education. Mr. Gladstone has been
cali an 0veredacdied man: ana IL reference to his
peculiar constitution OF character tho assertion Is true.
AoStrdctediy a an canuot be oyer-educated he can
MT nave too much knowledge TOO varied an insight
INTO human OK Nteuee. Sir George Lewis was inteiec
uaiy siili abier skill moro educated man than Mr.
Ga"StOne but no ono ever said that his education I'M
paired hls Judgment, or rendered his counsels more
uncertain, less surely to be trusted. Mr Glid
stones educIton-ina It is OF the most accom- shed
renders HIN more capable of diving into the depths OF
every problem; but iG has not bestowed on him inc
IL mas refined aud strengthened the power or his lnte
ect to detect the incest shades II distinction to track
oar the mo snhtc elements, TO appreciate the most
delicate iLl fences but IL has inspired aim with the
vision and the faculty divine, the instructive sense OF
cpe the aitl III the command NJ truth, which governs
ny s own gh and hrnsls aside objections as suborii-
Hence Mr. Gladstone IS TIE sport OF his own Intellect; IL
leads h about al ii. pleasure passionate and sincere
himself 80 often IN the House OF Commons
as Dir. Gladstone; no man has ever cOncnieu
with mucn vehement earncstncSs for tho most con-
nctlng views the same question: by no one can Mr.
Gladstone be 80 powelu. and so eloqueniy retu'ed
ceuty; but the word has grown more lust ana the
c0nadctne the most inconsistent. the most uncertain
Il statesmen not because he Is insineere OF cke NOR
ally, but because he cannot command MS own intellect
Jo principles conclusions which he advocates for
to day spring not from an intuition which Is always
same. gIIirautre to himself and others
TOR consistency they are the pro uctS of computation
OF detailed rraS0nnso-Jl proc, OF Ihud WINCH my
almost be- called arithmctical. When great sniJtct
is presented to Mr.. Gladstone. he addresses 'he
whole attention OF his powerful mind to IT'S InyeatlSL-
lion lie probes into hearG he brings TO IiSht
every element narshtiJ the arguments on the con-
tending sides; he adds the totals strikes tha balance
ami tnen decides on his opinion Bat there Is ICt
weakness III tnis method, and hr. GiIds one Is pro-
f0urdy bur perhaps not consciouSy aware ct me htte
conf ience wnlc Is 10 he placed III us results. lis CON
ciusion are no uctte o. an intutVc icdSOh' toy arc
sp5.tacion of which the figures dcpen1 on accl-
deAt AT one period iour reasons we're iOuhu IoI du M
tax aud hYo aSAnr. II; It's extinction was pas
-ionatcy advanced. Al later period two
reasons mad Deen discovered III l's
favor. Tae balance now lay the otlei
way and its retention was As as q, wn mn
Constituted to resi- IN conclusion 1t is never
sast.d for II does not iee itselI supported Dy genuine
Insight; 1t Is ever hdnhtrhs atsi more a, 1r
IcisOnnG8, more clements III thc cts more paoer lor
reconsideration. Tnc ksounesj OF tue intellectual
cuY ives zcs To the process; the IscoVSIy % - III"
feature oAeIciscs an uueonroaDe @ @
J. vilnin nins. ~ beyond which us cenVctlon' AM
MS principles wiii neVer wahdeG he can give no pcuRs
upon tucir Acceptance 30 lrrc-Isuby nA' not nc sd
q rs cG by tncr direct olpJsl'es 50 sooA - he" SEQ
SIcl u man was aot formed to he a leader. Leaders
must never doubt; aooyo all, thcir aims mus Dc uv
H. cd their main principles liked beyond all suspicion
oi uncertainty. No politician can or does ieel sure OF
an adXihary TIC Is Incompatible. For versatility Oh
talent for RANGE Of cIuedlOddl ACCOMPLISHMENTS, ~"
nwrr Of sencriiiziAg wh.h insructs as well "s de-
guts tho hearers, Ar Giastoh' nts no I'aI, i' t,o
necessities OF bis HttGrt demand thtt nc shtI " SUI
tcsd TO- OF rather he gddrd 10y, viii ana charac-
Ter stronger than ais OWh-hd whtfe can slch inIh
be .0und on the Liberal side one LGcic was. PIE
eminent for simplicity, strength Oh ihte'Cct, dcp.h
ana range OF knowledge aun h'm Jiu-'m1hj va.
ai,s united gland bewaiis ais untiiney loss IL
would nave his lOrunc one cauuot uOipJ 10 seIo
me rcins when dropped from the veteran pfcmlrts
hands he. too womb led tao TWO centers OF the
;Iou,e OF Commons; ana had Providence wlcd tha n
should have completed the full sptn OF Huihan c, IL
nl Ia ye been hard 10 have prescribed limit To the
duration OF ms power. bus i gone aud the Two
conendng rivs The t~o inpO. 'Dlltie' as we ain1,.
uig AT yentue TO call thcn, sand face To lace wtOut
any Visible solution for te uIdrc the House OF Com
nlf.I