New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-21
VICTORIAN WORTHLESS
A Group of Half.Length Por'
traits and Sketches

PORTRAITS OF THE SEVENTIES. By The Hsn'
Hon George W r Russell With ~ inte-a
tioas. svo pp. ass. Charles scrioneEs SONS
Mr.. Russells volume. written as
sequel to the late Justin Mccarthy
Portraits OF the Sixties" appropri-
ately opens with kit-kat OF the Irish
statesman, novelist and historian
There are over fifty of these portraits
here, none of them full-length, since
this does not pretend 10 be book OF
biography, and some OF them no more
than thumb-nail sketches when il comes
to the minor figures, whose social gifts
and standing made them the hosts and
hostesses of these great Veterans
rather than great Nictorians them
selves. They lived in a reflected light
and by that light Mr.. Russell has
drawn them.
The dii mnjores of the period are
admirably well done. Mr.. Russells
picture of Beaconsfeld in his last days
closely resembles that drawn by Lord
Redesdale in his memories" with one
difference. Whereas Lord Redesdale
speaks of the statesman's lifeless eyes,
Russell declares that his general air
Of incipient para lysis" was only as
pelled by their brightness. And, OF
course there is still another anecdote
of "Dizzy" at his best. To lady's re-
quest that he should read and COM
ment upon "The New Republic:
81 am not as strong as | was"
answered Dizzy. "and cannot under
take your young friends romance.
But give me piece of paper" SO
then and there he sat down and
wrote: Dear Mrs. S: | am
sorry that | cannot dine with you
next week. but shall be at Hugh
enden. Would that my solitude
could be peopled with the bright
creations Of Mr.. Mallock's fancy
Two of Gladstone's judgments are
immensely interesting just now. In
1895 he said: "Asquth makes a very
good speech on a legal point-very
much So" And he added: But you
have left out the most important man
of all, and he is an Under Secretary
Edward Grey. There's a man with the
real parliamentary gift Mr.. Rus
sells portrait of John Bright Is drawn
with rather sober colors. u LORD
Harrington he says that he was abso-
lutely selfish and did not attempt TO
conceal the selfshness. He had no
manners. He observed no s0clp
usages. II he was engaged to dine at
8 he came at g." When, after the
socialist riots of 1887. people spoke
with horror of the probability of mob
in HYDE Park, he replied: mob ?
Whenever go into the park | see a
mob-only some Of the mobs are pettei
dressed than others"
parnell's portrait leaves him the
enigmatic, ruthless mystery he has al
WAYS been. It's merit lies in its
suggestion of the mans power. Lord
Randolph Churchill is done with all the
vorve that characterized his brief ca
reer. II is a curious fact that no clear
imnression of so picturesque a person
alitv as Henry Labouchere's has been
written since his death. Mr.. Russell,
too. is disappointing on the subject OF
the editor of Truth" who, we have
since been told, never edited II at all.
Tennyson was abrupt, his voice
pr1IF and his whole demeanor that Of
a man who expected and was accus-
toned TO be worshipped." He was IN
duly eager for a peerage. Some ebui-
litions of his, reported to me by dlscl-
pies who safe at his feet, warned me
that, though Tennyson was one or the
chief divinities of my poetical heaven
nv safest course was 10 worship MN
at a distance" Browning was not only
possible" socially, he was delightful.
The other poets of the seventies dealt
with are owen Meredith and Matthew
Arnold.
Bradlaugh was "the exact'image Of
a Dissenting minister" His oratory
was superb, but he appealed to the JUS
tice of the 'Ouse.
Enough has perhaps been said and
quoted TO give some measure OF the
quality of this most interesting book
Mr. Russell deals expertly with the
politics of the decade for the purposes
of the posing and backgrounds Of his
portraits. Others in his gallery. axe
Joseph Chamberlain, Lord and Lady
Salisbury, the Duke of Argyll, the
three cardinals Manning and
Howard Lord and Lady Spencer, Lady
Waldegrave and Mrs. Gladstone.