Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-07-14
THE EVENING STAR.
MONDAY,
AY..................July Ia. 1871


Gladstone as a Writer and Speaker.
Gas an orator." says writer In the Gentle
man, mans Magazine, Mr.: Gladstone Is incompara-
PIE and unapproachable. AS writer, he would
De, save for his name and personal reputation,
unIeadaDle. Some one asked Lord Beaconsfield
e,gnteen months ago whether he had read
particular article written by Mr.. Gladstone, and
at the time engaging good deal OF attention. Il
looked through 1t OF course the Premier re-
pneo; 'but cannot say read it. l can listen
speech, but 1 cannot, for the life OF me- read
what he writes This was criticism uttered
under circumstances that precIuded suspicion
dict OF man OF letters on the ESSAY of an ora
tor, and 1t would be difficult to question its 1us-
tice. Mr.. GladstoEe's literary style is about as
bad as it can be. His sentences are long. In
VOWED and wiry, and he is as difricut to read rs
he is agreeable to listen to.
at is fact quite apart from the general
argument, that he carries into his written
style habit that would in other orators
be regarded as serious drawback When he
addresses the house Of commons or public
meeting he always iilters his thoughts through
long sentences. His perfect command OF hifn-
self and OF his thoughts when he stands before
an audience prevents any ambiguity or Oh
sculity OF meaning. He always knows exactly
whittier he Is going, and II his hearers VIII but
be patient they too shall know. The parenthet-
ical construction Of his sentences, necessarily
involving dangerous length, is due to the nor
maj activity OF his mind and the force compell-
lDg heat at which he speaks. II he has fault
as q SPEAKER, be sees too much all round tnf
question: ne Is discussing. His acute PERCEPTION
AGteS contingencies ard possible deduction
when are hidden from the average man. AS
MS mlId advances along a line OF argument IL
sees, In passing vistas. which it must needs ex-
pierre. lie catches side-lights OF argument that
might not, and surely would not, see But Mr..
Gladstone perceives them, aud. with a eau
ton that justtieS his occasional boasts OF Scot
tish blood, he Is careful to provide against
their possible influence. He deals with his adj.
versary as English captains have dealt with the
Zulus after Isandula. With laborious caution
he entrencheS himself at every onward step: a
habit " hich, while 1t strengthens his position,
detracts from the SwiftneSs and brilliancy OF
his forward movement. An illustration OF his
idiosyncTasy may be found by taking up at ran
dom any or his speeches, more particularly one
In which he speaks under special sense OF re-
spohsibility. 1t VIII be found that every third
sentence is parentheucal, and parentheses in
crease In number, and perhaps In deviousneSs
as the critical portion OF his statement Is
reached. He sometimes carries this orauorical
trick TO an extreme that makes his speech Who'll
|y iDcomprehensible. have heard him speak
Tor twenty minutes on matter of great deli
cacy in which he fnterposed as sort OF anxious
cirloe between section OF the opposition and
the government. and when he sat down not
soul in the bewlidered house had The slightest
idea On which side he had spoken"