The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-08

Gladstone as young lOuI ScOTeahQ DCe6 years
man. that have passed over his
head. which is now adorned with gray
fringe of locks that once were curly and
brown. The lines Of the face are sharper
and the.sense of hearing is dulled, but of
the ordinary signs of senility in spirit and
body there are few. Mr.. Gladstone is al
most as fresh in nature. his laugh as joy
Gus, his capacity for work as enduring and
as ardent as twenty years ago. He aston
ishes friends and foes alike by wonderful
perennial activity and by the eagerness with
which he still plunges into the pursuits OF
his lifetime. His interest la politics, relig-
ious subjects, books, classical studies and
multifarious diversity OF matters Of prac-
teal moment has not waned. The fires of
enthusiasm still burn within him, and when
ever he chooses. in debate or In literary crit
icism, he still scars into the prominence of
easily distinguished superiority. In the
greatness of services in public life there is
no man OF his time to compare with him.
He has been n member OF Parliament 60
years, and 5S years have passed since he en-
tered upon uffiee. and 80 years since he had
his first portfolio in the British Cabinet.
Queen Victoria will, in all probability, be
the sovereign who has sat longest on the
English throne. and Mr.. Gladstone will
rank as one of the Ministers who have long
est served the Crown.
1t takes us back TO England In another
age to glance at William Ewart Gladstone
as scho0lboy and Undergraduate. II we
follow his ancestry back TO Edward the
Firsts reign and connect him with the
Gledstaues OF Gledstanes, near Biggar,
Scotland, we do indeed get into medieval
darkness. There is not a drop Of English
blood in Mr.. Gladstone's body, but he was
born in England. His father was Liver
pool merchant, the eldest son of Thomas
Gladstone corn merchant of Leith His
mother was daughter Of Andrew Robert
son of StornOway. who was for some time
Provost OF Dingwall. John Gladstone, the
father, rose to wealth IN his business, was
created a barOnet and was q man of much
influence in Liverpool. He was an inti-
mate friend of Canning and was his disciple
as Tory, and thus William E. Giadstones
early predictions in politics are not OBJ
scure in origin. Two elder brothers were
already at Elton when William went there
| at the age Of II. His studies were pursued
| diligently and even with ardOr, especially
| in classics, and he was soon pronounced in
| college slang a sap" When he left Eton
! he bad made his mark as debater and also
as contributor 10 college publications. AT
| Oxford his scholastic career was carried TO
| higher flights and he graduated brilliantly
as a double first class. He had worked hard
in all the branches of study he took up and
had not even left earnest reading out OF ae-
count during his holidays. Men of discern
ment TOOK note Of his intellectual promise
| duu pIUpHeSlcu luluI6 sf6alu6SS. AT TX
| ford also his gifts Of oratory were con-
| Sidered remarkable, but above all, he was
| distinguished as student of pure charac-
ter and high moral principle, profoundly
stirred by the spirit Of religion.
Upon leaving the university In the spring
! OF 1882 II was the young graduates desire to
enter the church. but his father had other
views on the choice OF profession, and sent
bin to Italy for six months OF travel lie
returned TO England in September, and OBJ
tanned O seat ia Parliament for Newark,
one of those small pocket boroughs virtual
ly owned by the Duke OF Newcastle. At
this election he defeated a sergeant-at-law,
and may be said to have entered Parlia-
ment possessed of a reputation for ability
and success. He took his seat as a COnser-
vatiVe IN the first reformed Parliament IN
1888, and was one of 900 new members. His
to eXtiDguish slavery In the British colo
MES, and in it he supported gradual eman-
cipatiOn and defended the treatment OF
slaves on his fathers estate In Demerara.
His earnest manner Of addressing the
House on this and subsequent occasions
produced most favorable impression. A
change OF Government in 1884 saw Ar.
Gladstone installed as Junior Lord of the
Treasury, and very shortly afteTHard he
was made Under Secretary for the Colo
MES, but was soon again in private life,
when Sir Robert Peel resigned. He WAS
not again In Office until William the Fourth
had been succeeded by QueenNYictoria, and
meanwhile his bent as thinker on eccIesi-
astical subjects was shown by the publica-
ton of his work on the Relation OF Church
and State" This work is no longer heard
OF except in the original editions. 1t drew