Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-12
He Discusses the Beauties and Ad-
vantages of Sleep.
eLleHTINo DISTINGUISHED MEN
Old Homer Disliked the Lovely
Venus Aphrodite,
an UNSUSPECTED ARTIST.
MIR Gladstone Bctrays the Possession
Of True Art Instincts, and Styles
Millais a Charming Man
His Great Memory.
A Most Notable Gathering.

TCOppight 1889 bU James Gordon Beniett.1
LONDON, May 1l.-TNew York Herald
Cable-Special to THE BEE. MIR. Glad
stones dinner with Punch's staff is still the
talk Of London, political society beng much
tickled at the notion of a grave statesman
sitting down to meal with the merrymen
Of MIR. Punch's family.
The dinner was given at the house of MIR.
Henry Lucy Toby, M. p. John Tenniel, the
veteran cartoonist, who has drawn Mr.
Gladstone hundreds of times through his
various phases of political life, was OF course
there, and sat nextto Mr. Gladstone, who
much enjoyed his company. So did DuNiau
rier the creator of Postlethwaite and the
darling Of London society, Frank G. Bur
nand, the CHEEKY editor of Punch, was to the
fore. Linley Lambourne, the graceful de-
lneator of fancy portraits and pictures, was
another guest. Still another was Harry
Furniss, the illustrator of 'The Diary of
Toby, M. p" or outsiders there were Earl
Granville, the leader of the opposition in the
house of lords, and many times secretary of
state for foreign affairs; Lord Charles
Beresford Of "Candor" fame, and
thorn IN the side Of his late colleagues in the
late admiralty; Mr.. David Plunket her
maiesty's first commissioner of works, the
most brilliant OF orators and the most popu-
lar of men in the house OF commons; and Mr..
j. K. Robinson, who created the Daily News,
and who, after many years managing it's
commercial affairs, undertook the edtorship
on the resignation of Mr.. Lucy
l have had an opportunity Of talking with
some OF the guests, and have picked up u
few crumbs that fell from the table at which
MIR. Gladstone sat i find that the Punch
men are chiefly possessed with that feeling
of surprise at the Grand Old Mans amazing
physical aud mental virility, which strikes
every observer Of him in public life. The
only casual indications that he has entered bis
eightieth!year are an increasing deafness and
q slight huskiness in his voice, which wears
off rs he talks; and he talks with bounding
freeness, though, as some one observed, he
Is also q most attractive listener. One nota-
BILE thing about his personal appearance Is
the brightness OF his eyes. They are fuller
and more unclouded than those of many
man under fifty. Mr.. Gladstone was lowered
with a magnificent constitution, but all his
life he has taken great care of it. OF Mr.
Bright he spoke regretfully about the care
lessness with which his old friend dealt with
himself bright" he said, emphatically,
"dId nothing he should do 70 preserve his
health, ana everything he should not do If
he had only been wise, and wise in time,
there was no reason why he should not have
been alive to-day, hale and strong; but he
never would listen to advice about himself"
Mr. Gladstone told a funny little story
about Mr. Bright's habits on this score
Until the last ten years he had no recognized
medical attendant, but there was some anon
ymous and unknown person to whom he
went for advice and OF whom he SPOKE oracu-
larly, ''but," said MIR. Gladstone, with that
curious approach to a wink that sometimes
varies his grave aspect, "he would never tell
his name, or say where he lived. About ten
years ago Mr.. Bright surprised Sir Andrew
Clark by appearing in his consulting room.
Sir Andrew, who knew all about his peculiar
tiles in the matter, asked him how it was he
came to see him.
"'Oh,' said Mr.. Bright, IT'S Gladstone, he
never lets me rest"
The loug neglect had been accomplished,
but MIR. Bright acknowledged the immense
benefits received, and nothing more was
heard of that anonymous doctor.
Mr.. Gladstone seems to have acted as
mentor to Mr. Bright in other respects than
his bodily health, He used to advise him, as
the one panacea for preserving his health of
mind and body, never TO think of political
matters in bed or on waking In the morn.
ing.
Mr.. Gladstone said: AIN the most exciting
political crisis, dismiss current matter en-
tirely from my mind when 20 to bed, and
will not think of them till / get up in the
morning, l told Bright this and he said,
That's all very we'll for YOU, but my way is
exactly the reverse; / think over all my
speeches when i am in bed, like Sancho
Panza. MIR. Gladstone has the great gift of
being able to sleep the seven hours he al
ways gets, and, he added, with a smile, Il
should like eight; hate getting up in the
morning, but one can do everything by habit,
and when l have had my seven hours sleep,
my habit is to get up"
MIR. Gladstone evidently enjoyed the COM
pany IN which he founa himself, and was in
bounding spirits. Nothing was more sur
prising than the range of his topics, unless 1t
was the completeness of his information
upon them. Homer very easily came under
review, and for ten minutes he talked about
HIM, with Frightening eye and in the deep,
rich tones OF voice used only when he is
moved. One thing he said about Homer,
that struck as new 10 the company clustered
round him, was that he evidently did not
like Venus Aphrodte, as the great Greek
scholar preferred to call the goddess. He
cited half dozen illustrations Of Homer's
dislike for goddess unusually fascinating
TO mankind, pictures and artists. He dis
cussed the matter with special reference 10
he picture shows now open in London.
He said that he always liked to go round a
picture gallery with an artist. Artists, !"
he said, Sin looking AT picture always see
IN II less TO criticize and more 70 admire
than is possible 10 ordinary people. An
artist sees more in mans face than you
or l."
Thirty-hve times MIR, Gladstone has hat
his portrait painted. He had, he said, tn,
good fortune TO have fallen into the hands Of
great artist, who made only the minimum
Of demand upon Ills time. In his individua