New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-28
NE-YoRK DAILY TRIBUNE THURSDAY MARCH IS PAGES

who was disconnected by meeting him must have
been timid indeed.
Many years ago took the late Dr. Ripley to
| see him. Dr. Ripley was n man of the world
as well as man OF books, and admired Mr..
Bright and was most DESTROYS to see him, yet q
little nervous at the prospect OF the meeting.
! We had an appointments and found Mr.. Bright
at breakfast in rooms he then occupied in Charges
ST. When the interview was over, and Dr. Rip
ley found himself in the street again, his first
remark was How completely Mr.. Bright puts
you at your ease.S He had been nevertheless in
| ono OF bis Hebraic moods Something had an.
gered him which had appeared in o certain Lon
don newspaper. He talked OF it a minute or
two, but finally ended with: What does lt
| signify what such paper saysP Il was never
anything but Pamerston's strumpeti" That
will give you notion how far his freedom Of
speech in private exceeded at times the freedom
Of his speech in public, which also exceeded per-
haps that OF any other great orator of his day.
His talk, always delightful had many quail
ties. II any one thing could be said to charac-
terize it more than another, 10 WINS directness.
PERHAPS downrightuess would be o more descrip-
tive word. he Sid what he thought. Out it came,
no matter 20 whom or about what he spoke his
mind. II was impossible to take offence. There was
not an atom Of malice in him: for all his power
of contempt and power Of invective. There was
q dinner during which India was discussed. A
very eminent man of science expressed some
strong opinions in favor of holding India by the
sword. Without much regard to the rights OF the
natives Mr.. Brights opinions are we'll known.
He turned on the eminent man Of science, who
was also man Of high spirit, and told him in
q few sentences what he thought; mnde him and
the company see that his opinions, whatever
their merits, were not according to knowledge
IL was done with energy, unsparingly, but with
unrufled sweetness of tone and manner L
never said the eminent man Of science, con-
tcmplatively, as we walked upstairs never
before realized how much pleasure a man may
have III being told he is fool Mr.. Bright Of
course had used no such word, but he had per-
hsps conveyed the impression.
There is at least one distinguished American
who win recall an occasion when q still stronger
word was in fact used. 1t was in the lobby Of
the House of Commons, and tho American had
just been introduced TO Mr.. Bright as f=iend of
Mr. Greeley, who was still living. Ah,' said
the great Free Trader, does your friend Mn.
Greeley still cling to the idiotic doctrine of Pro
tection?7 lie had, and often expressed real
regard for Mr. Greeley IN other characters, but
for Mr. Greeley or for anybody else
as Protectcnist, no had kind Of holy
adherence Another American was told
Of this little outburst and the same
evening met Mr.. Bright at dinner lie was still
in the combativc mood-on thar subject he was
always eombative ard always secondhand he be-
gan ON IL across the table Well, Mr. Bright
answered the American, when / talk on Pro-
lection with q Free Tnder. always begin by
admitting that am On idio;." IL was doubtful
thing TO shy, but Mr.. Bright, though staggered
for a moment, took it in good Part, and the con-
vcrsaton was turned.
He preserved his seriousness OF thought in The
most frivolous society. Nobody had more humor
or lightness in hand, but IL the subject was
serious or interested him deeply, be said his say
seriously. or, as in the story am going 10 tell
You bore his testimony urAnchlngly In the days
OF Mr. Gladstone's earlier unropularity-for socic-
~ bsd prejudiccs against him long before he took
Home Rule in hand-Nr Bright was once dining
NJ tho same table with q certain Princess Her
ROYAL Highuess made. remark dlsparaging to
Eve Liberal leader Mr.. Bright turned 10 her
eravely. May / ask you, lna'onn, have you any |
children %
Yes; why do you ask 3'
aLet me beg Of you, ma'am, to take them |
nt the first opportunity where they may see MI |
Gladstone When they see him. say to them |
that he is the Englishman 20 whom God has per-
mitted 10 do greater service to his own country |
than almost any other in his time
or Mr. Bright's home life have little or moth |
ing 20 say. ! paid visit TO Rochdale in 1866
two months after his invitation was given, but
10 WIS 900 hurried to be Of much avail. had
10 nrrivc and leave the same morning on my
way 10 Liverpool for the steamer. But at least
7 cav One Ash. his home, and the owner Of it
IN his library. Neither Rochdale, nor the suburb
or enyirons where Brght's house stands, would
no attractive but for him. His house WAS OF
brick OF no great size, nor anything other than
what might be expected of ouakor mansion.
Ills family chung to the tastes and habits OF his re-
lizon and of his people. There was nothing gay
but the bindings Of HIS boolos which 1 think had
been piyen him. Nor can repeat the talk, for
10 happened to be altogether about private mat
tiers. W. W. D.