The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-28
GLADSTONE IN PRIVATE LIFE.
A Great Statesman Whose Private Life 1
Without Stain.


Without Stain.
Lippincotts Magazine
l saw Mr. Gladstone first when he was about
sixty years of age. Happening to sit very near
him at dinner party, had good opportunity
OF examining his appearance closely and of max
ing mental notes of his conversation. had
heard him called "a sloven," but it struck me
that he was even scrupulously neat, from the ar
ragement of his already thnned locks to that of
the small bouquet in his button-h hole; and during
the number of years that had the good fortune
of seeing him from time to time, the same care
was always apparent. The most noticeable
point about Mr.. Gladstone's physique is his i'm
mense head, the extreme development of the
superciiary ridge, giving his dark eyes doubly
the appearance of being deeply set l had seen
many photographs Of the statesman, in all of
which the likeness was striking, but all of
which more or less exaggerated peculiarties,
and gave the impression Of a remarkably plain,
almost repulsive, person, whereas, at the peri
cd to which / refer, he was really
a handsome man; the women all
thought so, and with their hero worship there
mingled good deal of personal admiration. Mr.
Gladstone affected no mysterious reserve in
speaking of the political questions of the day he
was frank and evidently sincere. While avow
eddy the champion of the people, he occasionally
made remarks of startlingly conservative char
acter. heard him say, when some one present
spoke lightly of wedding the upper house of the
spiritual lords, y
mo, no; not one bishop could be spared"
He thought that in schools chose youths
should be classmates whose similar positions in
society would bring them in contact later in
life.n
He remarked quite earnestly to lady sitting
beside him: Il am sorry you like Cromwell; l
like Charles the First"
He spoke with affectonate reverence of the
present royal family, evidently approaching not
only their public position, but their private vir-
tues
His manner, nevertheless, had republican
simplicity, and when a chord was touched in
which the inaienable rights Of man vibrated,
his eye kindled and flashed, while his tongue
poured forth an eloquent appeal, or protest, as it
might be, and he showed himself q true Liberal.
Mr.. Gladstone is loved by his friends as firmly
as he is hated by his enemies. In society he is
very popular, in great measure because he as
sumes no air of superiority is entirely free from
arrogance and never monopolizes the converse
ton. He listens patiently and even politely to
bore, never showing WEAKNESS. He is not at
all unwilling that another star should shine
where he shines, and no diversion of attention
from himself ever appears to awaken his un
easlness. l was present on one occasion at a
table at which the famous but somewhat eccen-
trio Professor Blackie sat next but one to Mr.
Gladstone. The professor, who is very ener-
getic and vociferous, brandished his arms while
he was speaking, and that so wildly that lady
who was seated between the two distinguished
men had more than once to draw suddenly back
to avoid his clinched hand striking her face. He
interrupted Mr. Gladstone's remarks several
times, the interruption being borne with perfect
equanimity and met by SMILE not of superb
GRITTY, but of indulgence for the "God intoXi
Gated man." The subject under discu ssion was
one which both men had much at heart-Greece
and its modern explorers.
Mr.. Gladstone told me that he approved of ev-
cry one doing a portion of manual labor a
practice which he has always observed himself
and encouraged in those about him To this
habit good deal of the vigor of his old age is
doubtless due.
Speaking of his physical powers he once said
to me:
81 think preserve my strength by husband
ing it; if ! am obliged to sit up late at night, I
always rise proportonally late the following
morning. and never do, and never have done, a
stroke of work on Sunday" ..,
On another OCCASION we were discussing the
use and abuse of wine. He said, on being ques-
toned
''When am at mental work, 1 require and
take certain portion of wine; but | can, and
do, work hard with my hands while taking only
water"
1t was generally at dinner parties that met
the Prime Minister, and noticed that he was a
very moderate eater and drinker. yet without
the least affectation of abstemiousness.
The topic of discussion at one dinner-party
which l remember was Bismarck For time
Mr.. Gladstone was silent, then suddenly turned
to me, saying:
'If Cavour had had the same theater as Bis
marck he would have been more distinguished
man.
About his sixty-eighth or sixty-ninth year the
great statesman began to look old; he did not
stoop his step had not lost firmness but his face
became deeply lined, furrowed and careworn,
his eye less bright though it could still fash
with suddenly lit fire.
whole career in private life has been one of aus
tere virtue.