Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-30

W
forms. The engagements he meets, the hours
be can sit st his tasks. the projecis De can
formulate, and the recreatton he allows
himself. He works, and always has, Win
superpatufal rapdltv. lie directs MIN
tstfy. and really Ia it, Alpha and Omega.
he outlines ali ministerial bills II at MS
post In the House; meets social ana iesuve
engagements; reads current Iiternturej
writes treatiscs. political, theolog'csl: CON
troversial. lie goes b. church, rcaos Tue
scrlptural lessons, walks on SUNDAY tsrougn
his mark and grounds ten miles at stretch.
and cuts down n great tree with bis Ame'-
ican axe on the Monday for exercise.
He Is proyerbially punctilious IN CORES
pontence. When conventionaIity or couf-
fesy demands II he writes bus own letters
In other csses his secretaries acknowiea9e
every letter, note, or postal-card, received
by him or for him. Neither he nor his rep
rcsentaiiyescy ever condescend TO the vulgar
,ty OF pleading want OF time as an excuse
for epistolary negligence. ~.
Uis speeches are spoken from notes. ue
never reads. He thus follows the ao,n'ra-
bic example Of most English preachers
statesmen. and lecturers.
MrsGlads,one. like all OF lis well.to-do
countrynen, IL a good liver. He not only
~.
earned A rood dinner, and he sleeps as
does the man with good conscience. His
country.house Is Hawarden castle, near
old Chester. lie was, In the English sense,
born a gentleman. His father-Sir John
Gladstone. Bart-was well.kn0wn and
W. nv merchant Of Liverpool. Mr..
Glac one was educated at Elton and
Christ Church, oxford. His academic
trimming was not only educational in text
books, but was prominently SO IN
aristocratic associations and conventional
ties. lie was born TO the highest and
framed to the highest English society. lie
was returned TO Parliament when only
twenty.tbree years OF age. and has contin-
uousv been member OF the House oil COM
mons for fifty years. His official residence
Il in Downing street, near the houses OF
Parliament, and he passes. perhaps, han OF
his time in London. lie has at his country
home and at his town house an adequate
retipue OF welltrained, and indeed we'll
bred, servants, and he rigidly conforms to
the usages Of aristocratic society. lie Is
a practiesl economist. He has Inherited
money, he has earned money and he has
saved Money. His habits OF economic ex-
penditure have occasiontd no end OF small
talk and afternoon tea-table gossip. III Is
commonly believed that he has the fault oil
parsimony. This Englishmen resent. They
pay their public servants not only munln-
Gently but magniticently, and they Ike
them 10 1--we rather gorge0usiy.
Those who know Mr.. Gladstone some
what intimately, perhaps IN his home. bear
testimony 10 the high respect in which he
is held by his family and neighbors. lie is
not demonstrative in his domestic affections
-. ia al inn n
somew hat arctic demeanor, and were he not
great and conscientious, would be conceited
and imperious. When his conscience for
gets itself he is Just little OF both. lie Is
uodtrote eater for an Englishman. What
he eats would be deemed daily feast
ingby an average American. He drinks rs
carefully "a be eats mOderately-that Is, he
would not usually take wine before his noon
lupch unless 1t were a glass OF sherry "to
20 on with" lie does not use tobacco and
dislikes lis use by others. In short, ana
i'm fact, Mr.. Gladstone is exemplary IN
eyeIy sphere of life. He isa great aud
conscientious minister OF the throne. lie
is a widcly-read and intelligent political
economist. He is a loving student, at
seyenty.five wears OF age, OF classic litera-
ture and philosophy. He is Il thoughtful
and rather obedient husbands he
should he. He provides. according 10
Scripture. for his fmily. He has put one
son into good church living, and
two others are in Parliament, not
upon their merits, but upon his Illus
tIious name. lie takes care of his admir-
Crs aud supporters. and sees that they aud
their sons Get good places in the Govern
ment whore they can serve their country
for their couniry's good. But he turns
not to the right hand or TO the left. He Is
open, honest, and strong. His gracious
SOVEREIGN has not wasted much love upon
BIN. The Qneen does not care for Prime
Minister who is quite so self-reSpectlng as
Mr.. Gladstone has uniformly been. Bea-
corsfield was IA courtier. He knew all the
little pleasant tricks and phrases of fattery.
Her Majesty likes more and mOre-as do
most people as they grow old-the incense
OF praise.
Gladstone goes his way. He respects
lis sovereign, but be does not swing the
csnser Of adulati0n before the throne. He
is tue cement OF the Literal party OF Eng
land to-day. lis grandeur OF character
ard hi, illUstrious career give him Influence
and prominence in English political life not
hitherto reached by any untitled man, and
which only supreme genius and absolute
integrity OF character can attain to in any
time or country.