The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-07-09
The Most important Factors In Preserving
nr. 6ladstone's Wonderful Powers.
AvlVlDpoRrRAl1 ofIHE GRAND OLD MAN
The Statesman, scholar ana student
Spending the Evening of His Days
I'm the Retirement or Hawar,len
Pursuing still the Occupations That
Most Attracted Him In the Past.
BY w. T. STEAD.

q white haired old man comes out from
his library and sits himself on the stone
steps that lead from the Castle front TO
the lawn. He carries in his hand book
IN which. as soon as he has seated himself,
ne Is completely absorbed. The old man is
MIR. Gladstone, the book he is studying
Is one of the innumerable volumes which
he Is devouring in the prosecution of the
study to which he has devoted his closing
years. and he seats himself on the steps
IN order that his impaired eyesght may
catch and utilize the last rays OF the set
ting sun. The old statesman, scholar and
student to the last, Is now So years of age,
but his intellectual vigor is not abated,
nor has he lost the sinewy grip with which
he fastens upon the objects to which he
devotes his attention.
No one who reads the strenuous argu-
1ment with which Mr.. Gladstone sum-
m M. the re, reasoning of Bishop Butler ON
the future life, is conscious of any weak
ening In the vigorous dialctic which has so
often been employed with brilliant success
In the House of Commons
~ In that polemic MIR. Gladstone IS all
there. but as u recent visitor to Hawarden,
remarked. Although Mr.. Gladstone is
as Of old in keen debate. or whenyou listen
TO the ineNhaustiblc stream of his viva
cious conversation, you are regretfully
compelled to admit that II Is but u tenn
porary triumph OF mind over matter: when
ten minutes later you see him again I'm
the corner OF the pew in Hawarden
church, dimly visible in the subdued light
OF the chancel, you are bound to change,
however reluctantly, your recent opinion.
1t Is indeed a very old man who sits there
with bent back and pale wrinkled face
holding his book close to his eyes, nppar-
emily unable to find or TO follow the text
stray sunbeam. white rs sunbeams us
ivory white Of the bald majestic head,
CLEANS in the light, and the few silvery
hairs round the base of the head form IL
striking contrast to the glittering gilt
edges of the book he holds. The day is
fsr spent, and you turn sadly from the
contemplation OF the sad, quiet figure.
isrh Inn &c N,,,lz- L..
be. weighed down as he Is with the burden
of four score years and six, still Mr.. Glad
stone is far and away the most potent
personality in Great Britain. He has re-
tined from politics. but until death has
closed that eager eye and stilled that
ELOQUENT tongue. nothing can diminish or
the first among us all.
WHAT is MIR GLADSTONE'S SECRET?
What is Mr.. Gladstone's secret? How is
" that he has preserved unimpnired for
eighty,siN years. both his physical and
mental powers? That he hns done so is
admitted, although the body Is at last ex-
nipiting somewhat of the infirmities of old
age Mr.: Gladstone is still vigorous alert,
reSourceful, capable OF reading and writ
ing Tor hours together, and also able on
occasion to take long walks. We hear n
great deal OF the eight hours day and the
eight-hours movement, but Mr.. Gladstone
Well on to his nineticth year. does ten
hours work and no mistake. How has he
GSSntilved to do II. What is his secret?
FOR III so be that we can discover It, ii
may mean years of life to many men who
although they have no desire TO be great
SS.atessnen, DO not wish to trouble the UNI
oertakec before their time.
MI. Gladstone started well. He was
born OF healthy stock in comfortable cir
oumstances, with IL constitution of iron
He had enormous driving mower and my
sical energy; the evidence OF which NAV still
se seen palpable to all men In the massive
formation OF the back of his head From
his parents he had every ADVANTAGE Of
hereqIty and environment from his youth
up These things cannot he bespoken by
any one. and 1t is well therefore and it
will be more profitable TO devote attention
to the methods with which he was early
endowed.
HIS STRONG RELIGIOUS FAITH.
The first thing that forces itself upon
our attention fs the fact that Mr. Glad
stone frmo his youth up has contriyed in
some way or another to appropriate for
E Himseif all the advantages which came
from sturdy and assured faith in the
government of the universe Looking mr.
II altogether apart from the question of
me truth or falsehood of religious belief.
there Is no doubt that from a purely nv
sienic point of view a man who feels that
there is outside OF him and above him.
a moral order controlled by some being
Infinitely wiser than himself, has advan,
tages from the point of view of a life in
snrance society, greatly superior to those
possessed by man who has no such CON
Mr.. Gladstone has probably had his
ooupts like most men, but they have been
as waves to a strong swimmer which car
~ him onward to his goal. Mr.. Gladstone
Is one of those men who are never so
convinced of the truth of anything as
when they are set to work to defend II
against the arguments of it's opponents.
ana MIR. Gladstone's faith has waxed ali
the stronger because, like the oak planted
on.a wind swept-hill, 1t has been compelled
cause OF the tempest which hurls through
Its branches. over the mantel-piece in
Mr. Gladstone's bedroom, there is en-
olezoned text which explains a good deal
OF the tranquility which has saved Mr..
Gladstone from nervous exhaustion. The
text runs. Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace whose mind is set on thee"
HAPPY INFLUENCE OF A FORTU-
NATE MARRIAGE.
II Mr. Gladstone's simple, but fervent
religious faith is the first element in the
secret OF his continued and continuing
3v1gor, the second place must be award.
ed to the happy influence of q fortu-
nate marriage. If Mrs. Gladstone had
oeen O cleverer woman she might have
Oeen less helpful, for some natures have
such an overpowering. individuality of
their own, that what they seek in com
panion 10 not a positive so much as q
negative capacity. AS iron sharpeneth
Z OF hts friend. But Mr.. Gladstone was not
particularly. In need Of being sharpened,
but he was in need Of being rested There,
fore Mrs. Gladstone was not so much as
another sword blade clashing with his,
as the scabbard of his sword.
wrongly. held the view that II was the
wife.a duty to make life as "cushiony" as
possible for her husband; she would dis
play world OF patience and cunning di-
plomacy to keep any disagreeable thing
out of his way, even to the extent of sit
fVAr~ r1<arfr Mo