Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-16
MoRLEv's .RecoLLEcrloNs."
wv THlLE the venerable Gladstone
Nv played backgammon with
the venerable Armitstead on


n evening in Panuary, 1894, 1t fell to
ohm Morley, dining in Downing
treet. to tell Mrs. Gladstone of tn,
olitical overthrow Just decreed to heI
,usband. TO break to her the news
that the pride of her life was at last
n face eclipse. that the curtain wal
allinr on a grand drama Of fame
,ower. acclamation.' The even
ouId be postponed briefly. It coult
which abdication came about In tn,
February, Viscount Morle.
,iyes us in his "Recollections' e vols.
dacMillan), a short and impressivel!
,imple story, On Feb. % there was :
.abinet meeting at which Gludston,
presided in his usual form. Then:
At the close of the business he
said in a quiet, ordinary voice
something to the effect that when
the prorogation speech was set
tied 1t was understood that the
moment would have come ito end
his co-operation with the MEM
bers of the cabinet" The words
fell like ice on mems hearts, there
was an instant's hush, and we
broke up in funeral groups. The
end came a week later and the
last cabinet was held.
When the business was over
Kimberley, as our senior, said his
words of farewell. But almost in
an instant the honest fellows
voice gave way; he bravely forced
out a few broken sentences-good
honest sentences they were-and
not without tears he came to a
stop. His unaffected and manly
emotion touched every one of us
to the core. Harcourt followed in
words expressive of his feeling of
the, privilege he had enjoyed in
Tightening Mr.. Gladstone's toll,
realize that the congenial task was
at an end.
Mr.. Gladstone, who had sat
composed and still as marble,
closed the scene in little speech
of four or five minutes--the SEN
fences of most moving cadence, the
voice unbroken and serene. the
words and tones low, grave and
steady. He referred to differences
upon a question of vital moment,
and upon decision which he
could not but regard as fraught
with disaster. But "those who
could no longer cooperate with
honor, could at least part in hon
or" He was glad to know that he
had Justification in the condition
of his senses. He was glad, too, to
think that in spite of vital diff
ference on a public question, pri-
waite friendship would remain I'M
altered and unimpaired. Then he
said in tone hardly above a
breath, but every accent heard,
God bless you ALL"
This IL but one of many records
both personal and historic, whic
make viscount Morley's book one c
deep and particular interest and of
value which must gain with the year,
It is a work very inadequateiy de
scribed by the plain title, "Recollec
tons" since in its pages are include
criticisms and philosu
phies which are the fruits of a lon
life's fill of wonderful associations an
moulding responsibilities
From beginning to end the book cal
rles the impress Of an authority whic
also has come with years of provin
experience.
The quotation Just offered is frol
the early pages of Mr.. Morley's secon
volume. In the first volume a bril-
summary of the Morley ancestry
followed by refutation of the critic
who wrote contemptuously of the mid
Victorian age. He cites the stir
Darwin, Buckles powerful appeal
something or other in the publ
mind" the thoughtful criticism
Spencer. the music and human feelir
of Tennyson's TN Memoriam," Il
placing of George Eliot by her criti,
as "the most considerable literary De
sonality since the death Of Goethe" Il
rise of Ruskin, who, alone. amor
writer's of prose. apart from fiction. r,
lieved us from the reign Of Comment;
tors" In the literary thought of tn
ford manhood. A part of the hmm
diately succeeding life of English lie