Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-03-15
GLADSTONE'S FACE.
Lecky on that Ever-changing and Ex-
pressive Countenance.

LeCky on that EVer-Changing and EX-
pressive Countenance.
The new edition of Mr.. Lecky's DE
mocracy and Liberty" has new introduc-
ton, IN which the author gives a some
what elaborate estimate of the character
and work Of Mr.. Gladstone. It may be
said that he does not indulge in undis-
eliminating eulogy Here is his picture
of the statesman:
Pitt, Fox and Burke were painted by
the best portrait painters that England
has produced. but | much question
whether q stranger who saw their por-
traits with no knowledge of the men they
represented would recognize in anyone Of
them man of pre-emlnent power. No
one could stand before q good portrait Of
Gladstone without feeling that he was in
the presence of an extraordinary man.
Yet the greatest painter could only repre-
sent one of the many moods of that ever
changing and most expressive cOuntc-
nance. Few men have had so many
faces, and the wonderful play Of his
features contributed very largely to the
effectiveness of his speaking. 1t was q
countenance eminently fitted to express
enthusiasm, pathOS, profound melancholy,
commanding power and lofty disdain.
There were moments when it could take
an expression Of intense cunning, and
it often darkened into a scOwl of passion
ate anger. In repose it did not seem to
me good. With its tightly compressed
lips and fierce, distracted gaze, it seemed
to express not only extreme determina-
ton, but also great vindictiveness, a
quality, indeed, by no means wanting in
his nature, though it was, [ think, more
frequently directed against classes or
parties than against individuals.
He had q wonderful eye-a bird of
prey eye-herce. luminous and restless.
When he differed from YOU, a great
friend and admlrer of his once said TO
me. there were moments when he would
give you a glance as if he would stab
you to the heart There was something,
indeed, in his eye in which more than one
experienced judge saw dangerous symp-
toms of possible insanity. It's piercing
glance added greatly to his eloquence
and was, no doubt, one of the chief ele-
mentS Of that strong personal magnetism
which he undoubtedly possessed. Its
power was, | believe, partly due to a rare
physical popularity. Boehm, the sculp-
tor. who was one of the best observers
of the human face | have ever known,
who saw much of Gladstone and care
fully studied him for a bust. was con-
WINGED of this. He told me that he was
once present when an alteration be-
tween him and a Scotch professor took
place and that the latter started up from
the table to make an angry reply. when
suddenly stopped as if paralyzed or fas-
cinated by the glance of Gladstone; and
Boehm noticed that the pupil of Glad
stones eye was visibly diIating and the
eyelid around the whole circle of the eye
drawing back, as may be seen in bird
Of prey"
Mr.. Lecky has his own special anec-
dote illustrating Gladstone's powers of
concentration and of throwing himself
from one subject to another: when he
was prime minister, and two days be-
| fore meeting of the Parliament which
wrecked his ministry on the Irish uni
versity question, [ have heard him at a
| little party of seven or eight persons dis
cOursing for a whole evening on certain
| cyprus antiquities which were supposed
to throw light on the Homeric age with
such a fire and passion that a stranger
might have imagined that he was in the
presence of some ardent antiquary who
had never come into contact with any
Of the practical affairs Of life