The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-14
MAcAULAY ON GLADSTONE.

To THE EDITOR OF rHE HERALD:-
In an article entitled "Cnurch and sta en- while
giving praise 10 the author under review, Macau-
lay says:-
whatever Mr.. Gladstone sees Is refracted and
distorted by q false medium OF passions and pref
udices. His style bears remarkable analogy 10
his mode OF thinking and, indeed, exercises great
influence on his mode of thinking. HIS rhetoric,
though often good OF Its kind, darkens and p er-
plexes the logic which It should illustrate. Halt
his acuteness and diligence, with barren imagi-
nation and scanty vocabulary, would have saved
him from almost all his mistakes. He has one
Gift most dangerous to q speculator-a vast CON-
mand OF kind oil language, grave and majestic,
but OF wage and uncertain imporJ-of kind OF
language which AFFECTS Us much In the same way
In which the lofty dict1on OF the chorus OF clouds
Affected The smple-hearted Athenian.
"When propositions have been established and
nothing remains but to ampliy and decorate them
this dim magnificence may be In place. but II 1t is
admitted into q demonstration 1t Is very much
worse than absolute nonsense, Just as tnat trans
and mountains OF false size and in false bearings,
Is more dangerous than utter darkness Now, mr..
Gladstone Is fond OF employing the pnraseOlogy OF
which we ape AK In those parts OIL his work which
require the utmost perspicuity and precision OF
winch human language Is capable, and IN this way
be deludes first himself ana then his readers.
The foundations oil his theory, which ought to be
DutrreSSe6 Of adamant are mace out OF the nlmSy
materials which are 1T only lot perorstions. This
fault Is one which no subsequent care or industry
can correct The more strictly Mr. Gladstone
reasons on hts premises the more absurd are the
conclusions which he brings out, and when at last
his good sense ana good nature recOu from the
horrible practical differences to which his theory
LEADS he Is reduced sometimes TO take refuge IN
arguments inconsistent with his fundamental
doctrines and sometimes to escape from the leglt-
innate consequences OF his false principles under
cover OF equally false history" (see Macaulay's
Essays VOL g PIP 24s.7:) And asain:1
prove Q particular proposition 10 assume major
Of huge extent which includes that particular
proposition, without ever rejecting that It IN
ciudes great deal more. Inc fatal fncLltty with
which Mr.. Gladstone multtpies expressions, stately
and sonOrous, but Of indeterm4nate meaning emil
nently uuaiines him 10 practise tnis sleignt on
himself aud on his readers. re lays down broad
general doctrines about power, when the only
power OF which he Is thinking IL the power OF
governments; about conjoint action, when the
only cOnjont action OF which he Is thinking Is the
conjoint action OF citizens in q State. He first
resolves on his conclusion. He then makes q
major OF most comprehensive dimensions; and
having satisfied himself that 1t contains his con-
clusion never troubles himself about what else 1t
may contain. And as soon as we examine 1t we
find that 1t contains an infinite numDer OF con-
cuslOns, every one OF which Is monstrous al.
surcityh tSee MaCaulay's Essays, VOL g. pp. 256-1.j
n would appear from his recent pamphlet that
the late Premier has not improved In his logic
since mis- publication OF 1.-The State IN Its eatons
with the Church" IN 1889, probably because his
mind Is essentially illogical UDEL.