The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-13
GLADSTONE'S LIFE.
The Great Statesman's Simple Habits.
Plain Food, Plenty of Sleep.

81 JEHlt5 0dZctlo
MIR. Gadstane is in the best of health,
sleeps remarkably well. and. so far from
having shown signs of decreasing vitality
through an inability to maintain an appetite
for food, the right honorable gentleman en-
joys his meals with the zest of a young man.
When he rises he invara bly, takes tepid
bath, and every morning before breakfast
while at Biarrtz he attended church, and
since his return to London has frequently
taken little walk in the grounds ofDOwning
street. His first meal usually consists Of a
hard boiled egg, a slice of tongue, with tea
and toast. After breakfast he devOtes him.
self TO bis correspondence, and for several
hours is busy with his private secretary
and receiving such political callers as may
arrive.
For luncheon Mr.. Gladstone takes cold
meat, milk pudding and cheese lie drinks
a couple of glasses of light wine, and some
times finishes with glass Of port. AT
o'clock, If dsengaged, he has afternoon tea.
His dinners are selected 10 his taste. He
takes SOUP, fish Of II is TO his fancy. but
usually dimes off one dish, which lie selects
and does not depart from. He is very fond
of rice pudding and prunes and rice, and
upon either of these, but more especially
the former, he would, If the etiquette of the
dinner table permitted ii, make an entire
meal. He drinks claret, aud TO his cheese
/ =
this he takes with his cheese, and sips the
remainder in conversation over dessert.
| When dining out Mr.. Gladstone takes two
| or three glasses of champagne. concluding,
as usual, with port He does not drink
coffee because it is seldom made to his llk-
ing, and being astrngent keeps Linn awake.
While at BiarIitZ a rule was made that
| Mr.. Gladstone should be left alone at 10
O'Clock every night. This rule is likely to
be adhered to still. and the other evening,
while the guest OF friend, he left at
! quarter past ten and was in bed fifteen
minutes later. Mr.. Gladstone has, with
very rare exceptions, always slept we'll and
| for some time was In tn habit of remaining
| in bed until noon. This was when he felt
| fatigUed or desired TO think cut some matter
| which specially engaged him. But at Blar-
| ritz he never lay IN bed but once ard that
| was TWO days before the time fixed for his
| departure, when he was attacked By a cold
| in the head and reverted to bis old rule,
kept his bed for twenty-four hours and ia US
regained his usual health. Since the right
| honorable gentleman Teiurne 10 London
he has risen early, and is as vigorous and
| hearty as his friends could wish. Mr.. Glad
stone lives very plainly. his regimen being
guided by authority. but his appetite In
London is good. On one occasion at Biar-
ritz he was asked how he slept, TO which he
replied gayly. We'll. have done my nine
hours"
H1s memory is as keen as ever. and at the
BiarritZ dinner table, as when lie dimes at
home or with friends in London. he was the
life OF the party. On one occasion when
Mr.. Tollemache was present there was a
discussion about classics, and Mr. Glad
stone quoted not single lines OF Greek. but
whole passages On the voyage from Calais
the channel was very stormy, aud Nj. Glad
stone lay down, but did not suffer from
seasickness. The reports of his i'll health
and lessened vitality have caused the
Downing -street postbag to be unusually
heavy, and a great deal Of ill-afforded time
has consequently been expended in Tefutin z
these idle inventions.