Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-09


hand, the superstition that God made the world
only for few has received its death blow and
the imprint of manhood been placed on the
brow Of Englands democracy-sixty years of
devotion to the cause Of human Advancement,
a devotion not confined to the limitations of
the tight little island" but taking in its en-
brace the oppressed of all lands-sixty years Of
ceaseless activity, Of a pure life. during all of
which runs perfect faith in God and sub
lime belief that without His aid and blessing
al human effort would be fruitless.
TEMPORARY RETIREMENT.
On January Is, 1875, over seventeen years
ago, Mr.. Gladstone announced in a letter to
Earl Granville his determination to retire from
the leadership Of the liberal party. "At the age
of sixty-Tiye. he remarked, land after forty
two years Of a kbOrious public life, / think my
self entitled 10 retire the present oppor-
tunity. This retirement il dictated to me BY
NV personal views TO the best method of
spending the closing years of my life" He
handed over the Leadership TO the Marquis Of
Harrington ami stepped down, full of years
and honOrs. and the political world believed it
had said farewell to him But fortunately it
was not TO be For some months his ap-
pearaEce= in the house Of commons we're few
and far between ard then he took such small
par. III debates thIt on one occasion q a speaker
referred t. hm - that grim specter sitting
there. l'y and by. however. the grim spec
ter became 81 acti.a that the leadership nat
urGliy retired to him. and now in his eighty
third year there il 40 one to dIre question his
hvelinsSs. 10 pat It ydig.rly
'loI val never kuOw, said Canon Liddou
on one occasion. none Of Us viii ever know
how great Mr. Gladstone Is; we shall never be
able to meas ure hin until he is gone" There
WI be many ''Amens' to the prayer that that
day may be far distant.
the GLADSTONE FAMILY
IL Of Scotoh origin. the chief stock having been
originally settled al Liberton in the upper ward
OF Clydesdsle- After many years a younger
branch effected a settlement in the town of
Bggar. in Lanarkrhire. and from this branch
the statesman Il descended. Mr.. Gladstone's
father, John Gladstone. was a famous merchant
OF Liverpool In politics he was originally q
whig, but toward the close of his life he became
liberal conservative and was q warm admirer
and friend Of George Canning. He died in 1851
at the venerable ags of eighty-eight. Mr.. Will
liam Ewart Gladstone Is the second Of family
OF ak children-four sons and two daughter
and was born on December 2s, 1909 IN the
house No. 81 Rodney street, Liverpool He was
educated At Eton and at Christ Church. Ok
ford, and when he graduated at the latter in
stitution in 1881 he had attained the highest
honors, taking double first class
As scHooLBoz AT Erox
There Is an interesting story in connection
With his career at Elton. He had excelled in
verse making and in his last year. 1927, he was
largely instrumental in launching the Eion
Assceliasy, 20 whose pages be We. the most fire.
quens contributor. The introduction for the
magazine was written by Mr.. Gladstone and i,
contained the following passage: In my presen,
undertaking there is one gulf in which I fear 10
sink and that gulf Is Lethe. There Is one stream
which I dread my inability to stem. 1t is the
Is something within me that bids me hope that /
may be able 70 glide prosperously down the
stream OF public estimation" Among his con-
oibntions was paper on "Eloquencs," in
which be seemed TO have visions of parlia-
mentary oratory, and Of a successful debut in
me house OF commons. with perhaps offer
from the prime minister. a secretary ship of
state and even the premiership itself in the dis
lance.
EARLY MANHOOD.
From Oxford he wrote home that he disliked
mathematics and intended to concentrate his
attention upon classics. This was a great blow
TO his father, Who at once replied that he did
not think q man was a man unless he knew
mathematics. The son gave way to his fathers
wishes. changed his studies and nodded his
mind In the direction that led to his becomina
the greatest Of chaneellors Of the exchequer
His original bent was not toward politics, bu,
the church. and 1t was only at the earnest do
sire Of bis father that he ultimately decided &c
enter parliament That he contemplated bar.
ris.srs wig and gown is shown by the fact tina,
he entered Lincoln's Inn in 1888, but after be
had been q member six years and three months
be petitioned 10 have his name removed from
the book Of the society on the ground that hs
had given up his intention Of being called X
tbs bar.
IN POLITICS AT TWENTY-FIVE.
When he was twenty-five years of age he re-
esiTed an invitation from the Duke of New
castle to stand for Newark This, Of course,
meant - election, for it was in the daya