The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-07-19

bloom with Q richer fragrance than almost any
whose early promise l have Witnessed"
After leaving Elton. Gladstone read for six
months with private tutors. aud In October
1923. went up to Christ Church, Oxford. where
IN the following year he was nominated 10
studeutship. Among the undergraduates in
that college at the time we're Lord Canning.
Lord Lincoln. afterward Duke Of Newcastle:
Sir Robert Phillimore Charles Wordsworth.
afterward Bishop OF st. Andrews; Lord Aber.
corn Lord Douglas. afterward Duke OF Ham.
ilton, aud II. g. Liddel now Dean OF Chris.
Church. Among conspcuous undergraduates
at other colleges wore Henry Edward Man
ming. now nal-Archbishop Archibald
Campbell Tat. n!terward Archbishop of Can
terbury; Lord Elgln. Sidney Herbert. after
ward Lord Herbert OF lea; Robert Love. now
Lord sherbrooke. and Sir G. c. Lewis.
Tho course OF study At this time was very
much what 1t remained thirty five years alter
ward. The man who aimed at a FIRST class in
classics would take In list comprising from
twelve to twenty books. which hs was supposed
to have mastered very completely 80 as 10 bear
. very close examination In their subjects
and language. These books might be Homer.
Eschslus. sophocles. Herodotus Thucydides
perhaps Polybius). Virgil. Horace tpsrhaps
Lucretins). portions Of Livy and Tacitus.
Aristotle's Ethics. Politics. and Rhetoric
perhaps the Republic OF Plato). and Botler's
Analogy or Sermons. As regards quallca-
tons in divinity the candidate was supposed
10 be at homo In the Four Gospels. had to
know something OF st. Paul. AMI was expected
to exhibit close knowledge Of the language
and general meaning OF the Thirty nine Arti-
clea Metaphysics was not formally reoog-
nized. but the asrirant for . first class might
In his logic sxpect questions from Aristotle's
Orgsuon aud other philosophical treatises. Tho
examination was designed to try not mans
general cleverness. or even knowledge. but his
power OF mastering books intelligenty and
usefully-to enforce. in other words thorough
ness OF study Not content with tho eXertton
involved III the fnal examin alton for honors In
classics, Mr.. Gladstone also read for mathe.
NAUTICAL distinction. and 1t was his good for
tune. rs 1t had been Sir Robert Peel's before
him, to lake double first. Among tho purely
intellectual effects produced BY The Oxford
discipline. Mr.. Russell is no doubt right in
reckoning an almost excessive exactness In
the statement OF propositions. habit OF rig
orous definition. microscopic care in tho
choice OF words. and . tendency to analyzs
every sentiment and every phrase. aud 10 dis
tinGuish with intense precaution between
statements mainly similar. 1t is also obvious
that the Tory prepossessioDs plantsd in Glad
stone at home would be Intensified In uni
versity where the claims OF rank and birth
were admitted with childlike cheerfulness.
whore Charles ]. was regarded as . saint and
martyr. and whore loyalty to the Stuarts was
. sentiment which fingered almost to the
present day. The religious influence Of OK
ford on Mr.. Gladstone's mind Is less distinctly
Il f0h h.IJ
the field. the Catholic revival not having yet
bsgun. MIR. Russell b.lisves IL probable and
his surmiss seems supported by tho ground
subsequently taken in his subjects treatise on
the relations OF State and Churoh-that hal
Mr.. Gladstone entered Oxford q few years
later. whom the genius OF Newman had begun
to lea,sn the university. he would have been
numbered with the disciples who followed the
great Oratorian. As 1t was, after taking = B. A.
degree. Mr.. Gladstone's native earnestness i'm
PEELED him to clerical career. But his father
had resolved otherwise. and had marked his
third son for public life Leaving Oxford in
the spring OF 1882 Mr.. Gladstone spent six
months in Italy. and in the following Sep
TENDER was suddenly recalled to ENGLAND to
undertake his first Parliamentary cam paiRn.
Before passing from the preliminary stage OF
his career We should note that Mr. Gladstones
gift OF oratory had shown itself unmistak ably
during bis UNDERGRADUATE days In December.
1929. . dsputation from tho Union Debating
Society at Cam bridge paid a visit to Oxford
and took part In discussion OF the respective
merits OF Byron and Shelley. Byron. it will DO
remembered. was n Cam bridge and Shelley an
Oxford man. One OF the orators from Cam
bridge. Robert Monckton Mines (sfterward
Lord Houghtonh IN . letter describing his
visit. said: Tho man that took me most was
the youngest Gladstone Of Livsrpool-I am
sure a very superior person" One who hoard
Gladstones speech In tho Oxford Union against
the Reform bill has recorded that whom he sat
down. all who had heard him felt that an
epoch 10 their lives had occurred. Another
auditor. Bishop Charles Wordsworth. says that
his observation of Mr.. Gladstone ut that time
made me land. doubt not. others slso) feel
NO less sure than OF my own existence that
Gladstone. then an undergraduate. would one
dAy rise to be Prime Minister OF England"
A. Edmund Burke found patron in ths
II -.