New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-08
LONDON NOTES.
Mr. JOHN MoRLEY's NEW LITERARY
woRK-AUTUMN ART sHOWs-A ME-
MORTAL. TO CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

THE announcement, which was able to make
,,,s IN March. that Mr. John Morley had been
,,horized 20 write the biography Of Mr.. Glad
.ora has been confirmed this week II
,,sn an inference ba sed upon :he fact. which
same to my knowledge. shat Mr.. Gladstone,
ener a belated ATTEMPT 10 write an autoblog-
,.nhv. abandoned the undertaking and sent his
Manuscript notes anG other papers TO Mr. Nor
.,.v The Gladstone family have placed all
enc material under Mr. Morley's charge. and re
&c now at Hawarden examining the files OF cor
,ssnondcnce with which the library is stocked
7, &c not thought probable that the work can be
com, leted within a shorter period than three
years.
Mr.. Morley. On all grounds except one that or
s,mnathv in religious convictions. is the one
rnsNshrnan who is qualified by scholarship,
rhilosophc dignity of style and reverence for
ere great mans memory for undertaking this
work He is the only English Liberal capable
y. writing the Home Rule chapters precisely as
Mr. Gladstone would have insisted upon having
,bern written He is also almost alone among
hiocraphcrs in having the sense Of historical
,orspectivc and literary proportion required for
what is virtually political history Of the VIC
,orion reign with the moral force OF Engnsh
civilization as the dominating theme. He VIII
moi no Mi GiadStonc's Boswell. II , commanded
,ho great leaders confidence and friendship as a
companion Of the heart md mind Ny Hlad-
stone had many devoted friends. but h" trusted
NJ Morley as he trusted no other EngNshmaA
outside the family circle. There has been no
friendship in English public life So noble IN
.nrit AS that which knit together these two
great n,en. Intimate friends assert that there
Was always a peculiar light in Mr.. Gladstones
,a,e and tenderness Of tone in his voice when
he spoke of Mi Morley.
This literary engagement If ur. Morley is a
noltcal event since L involves his practical re-
rrement from active public lie during The next
two or three wears He will not I've likely to re-
sgn his sea, in Parliament. but he will be pre-
coupled with arduous literary labor and VIII
nse a less influential part than ne has done
heretofore IN Liberal councils. The passage or
,he irish Local Government bill has effected a
.,aaranc. ~ the Unionist obligations to legIs-
late for the island in a large way. The party III
power has enacted its substitute for Cad
s,ortar Home I.ul, ana unless Roman Catho-
+, University bill be brought forward next year
or the year af,cr there will he no important
I,ish measures under debate while the present
Parliament is running Its appointed curse uh-
der tn Septenrial act. Mi Morley VIII con-
requenty have fer opportunities for discussing
in or out If Parliament The s.rgle question
.hi,h interests him. He Will be writing, as
cars.ic Unionlsts remark the obituary OF the
Home Rule movement during transition PERIOD
when the Liberal party is gradually breaking
away from the Irish alliance and pullns l'Sel
together FOR fresh appeal 10 the country OH
English. Scotch and Welsh issues 0f demo-
cratic reform. Mir Morley has been Sir Will
lam Halcour,'s Lieutenant. His literary en-
gagements and preoccupaiion will promote the
interests OF Lord Rosebery.
PORTRAITS AND ART EXHIBITIONS.
The exhibitions Of the Society of Portrait
Painters at tho Grafton Galleries steadily i'm
trove in technique and increase in interest every
wear This seasons show Is the best OF the
series # includes 1872 paintings and drawings.
Is2 miniatures and ten busts and statuettes
one Of the most attractive features is the col
lection Of miniatures which offers convincing
evidence OF the revival of public interest in this
beautiful branch Of art There is also a group
Of portraits ny French painters. The most con-
sricuous ~ these is NJ. Besnard's Madame
Rejane" theatrical in pose and deliberately i'm
rressonist in effect but a characteristic French
example Of the iluminative qualities OF color.
" Edouard Manet's portrait OF the poet Astrue
IS vivid in realism and power, although almost
wantonly brutal in the precision of its literal
works for 50 accomplished French master. are
fine examples Of technique. There Is also a
Fantin-L atour. a portrait Of himself. with fine
effects OF light and shade and distinct Rem
brandt effect The artist has ideazed himself
with poetic fancy. Nj. Blanches Mile. B"
IS a good example OF French portrature.
Mr. Whistlers Miss May Alexander" occupies
a prominent place in the octag6n room and en-
ables his admirers 10 repeat his tragic whisper:
That is the way the old masters used to paint
Mr. Watts has two fine portraits. one Of a child
and the other entitled THE Coquette' He al
ways succeeds in convey ing a distinct impress
sion of the immaturity and tren,uousness Of
childhood This little Maud" looks out Of her
bright setting Of blue. which is toned down
with brown and q touch Of green, with the
shrinking eyes of childhood unaccustomed to
the glare OF daylight. The Coquette" has the
rich Venetian background OF color which he
loves and while she is in naughty. petulant
mood Is not without charm and Individuality.
Between these gems OF colorins is hung Pro-
fessor Hubert Eerkcner's portrait or the Slrdar'
che great soldier Of the Soudan. whom England
Is welcoming with popular acclaim this week
The strong soldicrly figure is painted with
distinction Q. style worthy Of 50 commanding
a subject. Another Academician. Sir W. 3.
Richmond has a stately portrait OF Prince Bis
rnarck without suggestion Of the litteness
which an jniudicious Boswell has revealed In
great man
The new Scotch school, which has beer trained
70 realism in Paris is not well represented in
this collection Mr. James Guthrie. Mr. Robert
Brough. Mr.. George Henry and Mr. D. \ Came
ron. whose recent works have revealed srehg'h
and refinement are conspicuous only by reason
Of their absence Their colleague, Mr.. LaNety'
has two portraits each we'll painted. Inc presl-
dent Mr. Stuart Wortley, and the Vlce-presI-
dent the Hon John Collier have each SIX por-
frai,. Ar.orn .hosc the most COnsplCCOus 1Or