The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-13

upon Trept.
For an anecdotal chapter headed MFR.
Gladstone I'm Society" we are indebted partly
TO Mr.. @. W. Il. Russell. and partly 10 the
editor OF these volumes. Il characteristic
and conspcuou. feature OF Gladstone's social
demeanor seems to have been his feeling
about rank or course. in the case OF the
Queen. this feeling was reinforced by his
views about the functions OF the sovereign
but far below tho region OF royalty, rank
always received from him un old fashioned
homage. When lie was examined as a wit
ness IN the Lincoln divorce case, he was
asked II he and Mrs. Gladstone we're ac-
quninted with Lady Lincoln. His reply was,
"fcs. allowing for the difference in station,
we were well acquainted with her ladyship"
natural comment on this answer would
be that In 1t humility was carried perilously
near servllity But It seems that the ques-
| ton put by Lord Brougham with n GER
| tain brusqueness OF manner, and the reply
| may be susceptible OF an ironical interpre-
| tation. There Is no doubt, however. that he
regarded pomp, state, and ceremonious liv-
| Ing as becoming for persons in high posi-.
| ton. He counted it to Lord Randolph
| Churchill for righteousness that, being n
| Dukes son, he betook himself seriously to
the pursuit OF politics. Speaking Of politl-
cal candidatures. he once told George Rus
sell that lord was worth dozen OF a
commoncr In any popular competition; and
he greatly lamcnted the abolition OF the
noblemans gown, which. in the oxford Of
his youth. had marked the privileges OF
higher birth. This sense OF the claims of
rank had n curious effect on his bearing
in society. In virtue Of his parentage. he
had the infnitesimal rank OF a baronet's
younger son. Political Office had at an
early date made him Privy Councillor But
the strange system OF precedence which
prevails in England gives no rank to the
Prime Minister as such: that when, as
an octogenarian premier he was ruling
England for the fourth time. his place In
society was behind a baron's eldest son
This absurdity was always rectified by the
lady Of the house. who. letting her other
guests go in front. kept him for her own
companion in the march to the dining room
But, when dinner was over, and the other
guests courteously stood back to allow OF
his exit. he sternly refused to suffer such
a violation OF precedence. Pray go on
Mr.. Gladstone" said the Duke OF S. Il
will stand here till am turned into pillar
OF salt sooner than go out before you," was
Gladstones reply. AS to the story once
current that Gladstone was habitually un-
civil to the Queen, Mr.. Russell said that
the truth is that he had no small talk and.
consequently, bored her Majesty. He
speaks to me as II were a public meeting"
is a complaint which is said to have pro-
ceeded from her lips. The astute Lord Bea
consield used to engage the Queen in con
versation about water color drawings and
the -cousinships OF German princes
Gladstone would harangue her about tn"
poity of the Hittites. or the harmony be
tween the Athanasian creed and Homer
The Queen, perpleXed and uncomfortable
would try TO make q depression. would
address a remark to daughter or prof
fer a biscuit to a begging terrier Glad
stone would restrain himself with an effort
till the princess had answered or the dog
had sat down. and then would promptly
resume: II was about to say" Mean
while. the food had gathered force by delay
and when 1t burst forth again, it carried
all before It.
II seems that, when Gladstone was anus
ed, his amusement was intense and long
sust tanned. But his sense OF humor was ca
PRECIOUS. He had disconcerting habit OF
taking comic story in grim earnest and
arguing some farcical fantasy as II II wer,
a serious proposition OF law or logic. Once
speaking in his presence at public lunch
con, Mr.. Russell proposed Mrs. GladstOne's
health. He referred to her as the states
mans better half" and reminded his
hearers that. according to the ancient
Greeks. "the half was more than the whole"
Some hours later. Gladstone suddenly ask
ed Mr.. Russell, Where did the ancient
Greeks say that the half was more than
the whole" Tnluckily. his interlocutor had
forgotten both Hesiod and Plato's "Repub-
ic." and was forced to admit that he could
not then remember his authority for the
saying
II am not at all surprised" said Glad
stone. ''Do you suppose that the Greeks
the most logical race OF people that the
world has ever SEEN committed themselves
to proposition so preposterous as that
the half Is more than the whole? II the
half is more than the whole. the half OF
the half must be more than whole OF the
half and so you are indefinitely conduct
ed into absurdity." Mr.. Russell tells an
other story OF an Anglican clergyman in
the North OF Ireland, who wrote him an
Indignant letter alSut the Affirmation bill
OF 1888, and, turning in his wrath from the
dement's OF the bill to the crimes Of its
author. said: Before the Irish Church was
robbed, | was nominated to the Deanery OF
Tuam, but Mr. Disrael resgning. l was
defrauded OF my just right by Mr.. Glad
stone, and my wife. the only surviving child
Of an earl, was sadly disappointed; but there
Is a Just Judge above" This letter Mr.
Russell showed to MIR Gladstone, but 1t eli
cited no smile. Handing 1t back, he asked
with indignant emphasis, What does the
fellow mean by quoting an engagement OF
my predecessors as binding on me-" Mr.
Browning once told Gladstone a highly cha
and diyartInu Stpry of Isroalit