The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-10-29

T.
tice in Scribner for November, by writer
whose name, for political and personal reasons,
is withheld. The anonymous essayist, while
crticsing the English premier with fairness,
freedom, and even severity. still speaks OF him
as " perhaps, taking him all in all, the most re-
markable man that the English speaking race
has produced IN this century" The key Of Mr..
Gladstone's career is given in the statement: /:
" He is Scotchman who has been called to
deal with and govern EDglshmen" We quote
as follows:
"Mr. Gladstone is q Scotchman on both his
fathers and mothers side, and half Highland
(that is to say, Celtic) scotcbman. He is
(wlth the magnificent exception OF Lord Butte,
who was mere royal favorite) the first Prime
Minister OF England who has come frem the
northern half OF the Island. He is, indeed, the
first Scotchman, except Brougham, who has
ever played leading part in English politics.
Bolingbroke Walpole, Pultney, Chatham, Lord
North, Charles James Fox, William Pitt, Lord
Liverpool, Canning, Lord Grey, Lord Althrop,
Lord Melbourne, SIR Robert Peel Lord Derbv,
we're all OF them Engshmen by blood. The
Duke of Wellington and Lord Palmerston,
though nominally Irish, we're really English
men. Burke was an Irishman, and Burkes ca
reer (unllke as, in many respects, he is to Mr..
Gladstone) strikingly Illustrates some OF the
features OF the Celtic character. This Scottish
strain in Mr.. Gladstone has bad two remarkable
effects. 1t has kept HIM from ever quite under
standing and being in full sympathy with the
ordinary English character, and it has prevent
ed the English from ever quite understanding
him. 1t is not merely because Scotland is Lib
eral that be is welcomed there with such trans
ports OF enthusiasm. 1t is because, in spite OF
the contrast between his High Churchism and
their Presbyterianism, the Scotch enter into
and enjoy his modes of thinking and feeling in
a way which Englishmen, and especially Eng
hshmen of the upper clase, do not and cannot
He Is not typical scotchman, but his intellect
belongs 90 much more to the Scottish than to
the English type that the average educated
Englshman is perplexed, even frightened, by
features he cannot account for, because he
finds nothing in them like himself. Let US see
how this comes out
"The distinguishing note OF Mr.. Gladstone g
nature 10 the combination in it OF extraordinary
intellectual activity with extraordinary emotion
al warmth. For 6fty years he has given him
eels no rest. When he is not studying, he is
talking or writing. and that not merely upon
public affairs, but upon theology, history, schol-
arship, art, or social topics. HIS apprehension
is wonderfully quick. Long training enables
him to seize in moment the salient points OF
question; his mind falls to work upon them,
spins web OF argument, clothes the argument
with words-words that come fast as the snow
faxes driven before a storm. Whllo he is perc
ing to the heart OF subject be Is also working
all around it, discovering multitude OF reasons
for and against each OF the views which, in sue
cessiou, presents itself-a string OF limitations
and qualifications under which each OF the
propositions he accepts must be stated. This
ingenuity or fertility OF mind gives his speeches
and writings az air Of complexity which many
people find bewildering. They often call il
subtlety. But he is not unduly sabtle,-that is
to say, addicted to fine distinctions OF thought
In one OF his pieces of sustained argument
each sentence or paragraph is sufficiently clear
it is the perspective of the whole hich confusei
the mind OF listener who cannot recolect the
relation which all these windipgs and turning,
and y-patbs bear to the main direction OF tt,
track along which he is being led.
7 Together with this manifodness OF mind, h,
has, like most men whose intellectual Interest,"
are keen, fondness for abstract principles ant
7 passion for working them logically out. wher
other men see only scattered facts he discern
, principle, enjoys 1t, follows IL boldly. In
J lperson with less vide experience Of the worl,