New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
AnglO-American Memories
CXLNIII.
MR.. BAlFOuR.
Copyright. 1911. George W. smalley., /,

from tne general tone OF tne Rouse. but
J Mr.. Gladstone created the atmosphere in
which he moved and which the House
breathed You may still, II you are
there on a great night and Mr.. Balfour
/ is up, see something Of the same magical
| effect.
! Perhaps he expects from others what
he only is capable of--the power OF an
| instant response to demand. of instant
brainwork at full speed ahead.s I will
venture on one illustration. 1t was after
dinner at Wynyard Park, the house filled
with people, most of them celebrities.
was standing with Mr. Balfour, British
fashion, on the hearthrug before light
ed fire. He had heard ] meant to write
a hook, a comparative study OF English
and American politics. and other mat
ters. and asked some questions. Pres
emily he said
We'll, you have had great opportuni-
ties. You ought to write such book
Have you begun it?'
mo"
"Thep go upstairs nOc and write the
first chapter
Alas, 1t was a counsel of perfection
1t was what he himself would have done
But Lady Londonderry presented herself
at that moment and required Tie TO
make up a bridge table. and did not
write my first chapter that night; nor
have | written it since.
Whether from his philosophical studies
! or otherwise, he has mastered ana ap-
piled the doctrine which Taine said was
the result and root of all philosophy:
Take things as they come" Many years
ago there was a story that he was
ruined. Perhaps he used that ominous
word himself; at any rate, he did say:
They tell me am ruined. 1t may be
so, but / do not find that It makes any
difference in my life, still have all that
/ ever cared for; all that need for the
convenience and comfort Of existence.
Nay, | still have my friends. How can
, 1 be ruined?"
And in truth he was not ruined. II Is
not our business. but believe the story
grew out Of large purchase of land ad-
|
before the drop came in land values, and
this new property did not at once seem
a good investment.
For whatever reason, he was long
known as Prince Arthur. Mr.. Lucy, now
Sir Henry Lucy, perhaps gave him that
name; at any rate, he used it weekly In
his sparkling Essence of Parliament
in Punch" 1t was supposed TO give
offence in certain quarters, but there
was, and is, in him and in his bearing
| and in his remoteness from all that Is
! ordinary or merely conventional some
thing that may as we'll be called prince
! ly as anything else.
! ! do not try to draw a picture Of Mr.
| Balfour. His face. presume. is familiar
to Americans through the photographs
which now daily adorn the press. But
! l have never seen a photograph of
/ him which fully renders the benignity Of
his expression. Still less can any photo
graph reproduce for us the luminous
/ beauty Of his eyes. In repose the beauty
of them is almost feminine. When he Is
, on his feet in the House this softness or
] sweetness disappears the eyes fash and
| burn: the fire in them Is deep and in
anger or in a high mood their gentleness
/ turns 10 strength, sometimes 10 passion.
| The voice is melodious when not
strained. and has varied modulations
| What we in America humorously call the
/ English accent is not TO be expected from
a Scot, vet neither has he the method Of
| speech that prevails beyond the Border.
! If the features are not commanding the
whole figure of the man is instinct with
| dignity, and on a platform he dominates
when lie does not care 10 coax. Not
much gesture In caricaturcs you most
| Is see him with his hands on the lapels
! Of his coat: which is hardly a gesture,
nor does he seem to have studied the art
I of delivery as it is understood on the
stage.
What does all that matter? He is an
orator Perhaps he and Lord Rosebery
! are the last OF the orators, and both are
! Gebaters OF resource. If We put Lord
Rosebery first as orator, Mr.. Balfour Is
unmatched in debate. He learnt In the
! best school, indeed the only school IN
England. the House of Commons, which
| Lord Rosebery, to his lasting regret,
never had an opportunity to enter. 4
parallel between these two might be
| drawn 70 cover many other points of
| likeness and of unlikeness, but there is
no room, and no Plutarch to do It. Of
| Mr.. Bafour by himself there is still
much 60 say, and this at any rate must
| be said, that whatever the mperfections
OF his leadership or the untimeliness OF
/ his resignation, no man ever doubted the
| singeness or sincerity of his devotion to
public duty. II has carried him far from
/ the flower strewn fields In which he
would have liked best 10 wander, and
there Is in his whole career an unselfish
sacrifice Of his tastes and preferences to
the demands not OF Parliament only but
Of Empire. G. W. s.
| HOSPITAL CONGRATULATED
DR.. w. H. Welch Praises It's Con-
solidation with P. and S.
Or. William II. Welch. professor of path