[140] W. H. Gladstone, M.P.
[141] The late Duke of Argyll.
[142] Mr. Gladstone's retirement.
[144] At Leeds.
[145] "Like some tall bully, lifts its head and lies."
[146] The County Franchise Bill.
[147] To Knowsley.
[148] The King.
[149] "The Life of Cobden."
[150] The late Sir Charles Gavan Duffy.
[151] Mr Gladstone's.
[152] (HAWARDEN, 15th Nov.1881).—"Tête-à-têtebreakfast. A long most interesting talk on the great vexed question of his retirement; started by his saying that he and Lord Granville had discussed it, Lord G. good-humouredly declaring it out of the question. I quoted to him Lord Acton's words, how it would be a serious flaw in his political career to damage and perhaps ruin the Liberal party, by retiring from the leadership while in full possession of health and strength. He said the same arguments had been used in Lord Palmerston's case—that it was said the power and cohesion of the party depended on one man's life; that history had proved in that case that this was not so; that in his own case he had retired in '74 for good; that his reassumption of office was accidental, conditional, and temporary; that it was undertaken for certain purposes foreshadowed in his Midlothian Speeches; that these purposes were all or nearly all accomplished; that if he did not retire after Ireland was settled, and House of Commons procedure readjusted, there was no moment in the future when it would be possible—that Lord Hartington (now Duke of Devonshire) was a man of unusual strength and ability, but that before becoming Prime Minister he required more training as House of Commons leader. (I objected that he might at any moment go to the House of Lords, which would immensely weaken his influence; and besides, who could then lead the House of Commons?) The future leader of H. of C. was a great puzzle and difficulty. Sir Charles Dilke would probably be the man best fitted for it, he had shown much capacity for learning and unlearning, but he would require Cabinet training first; that as time brings nearer Lord Hartington's move into House of Lords, force was added to the argument in favour of his own retirement. That he did not foresee great difficulties ahead for the Liberal party; that the Conservative ditto had thrown away what should have been their strength—the return to the principles and policy of Sir R. Peel; that they were demoralised and degraded; that they had inherited the vices of Lord Beaconsfield without his tact and judgment: (Lord B.'s climax was reached in his attack on Sir Robert Peel. What a magnificent virulence he had shown; what a power of cutting and piercing the man through a searching knowledge of his character); that this jingoism was perpetuated in them, and must eventually be their ruin. That of Forster, Harcourt, and Childers it was hard indeed to say which was best qualified for leading; that Forster would probably be the best, but that he had shown occasional incapacity; that Goschen had sadly injured himself by following up his errors as to franchise with an elaborate eulogium of weak-kneed Liberalism—(I quoted Lord A. again 'that he might resign place, but could not resign power'). He demurred to this: for two years—1874 to 1876—he insisted he had had no influence on the Lib. party, that he should attend the H. of C. very rarely, and possibly begin by going abroad before the Session."
[153] The Goschens.
[154] The late Dr. Hatch's Lectures on the "Organisation of the Early Christian Churches."
[155] The husband of George Eliot.
[156] A short Life of Newman, by Mr. Jennings.
[157] Mr. Goschen.
[158] Sir Erskine May.
[159] The Comte de Montlosier, a French emigrant, Royalist, historian, antiquary, feudalist, and Liberal Catholic.
[160] Lord Monck, first Governor-General of Federated Canada.
[161] George Eliot.
[162] Sir George Errington.
[163] The vote of censure on the Lords for appointing a Committee to inquire into the operation of the Irish Land Act.
[164] His correspondent's name for his "History of Liberty." It was of course taken from the title of Mr. Henry James's delightful novel.
[165] On the 2nd of March a lunatic named Martin fired at the Queen and Princess Beatrice at Windsor Station.
[166] Bradlaugh's re-election.
[167] This refers to a conversation at Venice in October 1879.
[168] That Mr. Bradlaugh, having been re-elected for Northampton, should be allowed to take the oath and his seat.
[169] A protest by Cardinal Manning against the admission of Mr. Bradlaugh.
[170] A letter from Mr. Gladstone to his daughter.
[171] Union, fusion.
[172] James Harrington, 1611-1677. Toland edited his work on the "Theory of the State," which was seized by Cromwell.
[173] 1648.
[174] Situated in the depth of the Inferno.—Canto xviii. line 1.
[175] "The History of Liberty."
[176] The letter in question was sent to Mr. Shorthouse, and was answered in detail by him.
[177] "Ah, this thou should'st have done and not have spoken on't. In me 'tis villainy: in thee it had been good service."
[178] Mr. S. R. Gardiner's review of "John Inglesant."
[179] The late Marquis of Dufferin.
[180] On the working of the Irish Laud Act, 1881.
[181] Sent immediately after the murders in the Phœnix Park.
[182] It need hardly be said that for this rumour there was no sort of foundation.
[183] Lyttelton.
[184] It was the "manifold writer."
[185] Lord Salisbury was unsuccessful in persuading his party to throw out the Irish Arrears Bill in the House of Lords.
[186] Mr. Gladstone's.
[187] Downing Street.
[188] "Paradise."
[189] Letter written by Mr. Shorthouse in answer to Lord Acton's criticism of "John Inglesant."
[190] Sara Bernhardt.
[191] Of Gibraltar. The late Dr. Sandford.
[192] Mr. Gladstone.
[193] Mr. Secretary Hay.
[194] Mrs. Hollond.
[195] Of George Eliot.
[196] Prime Minister.
[197] Mr. Herbert Gladstone's Lecture on Ireland, in which he used the words "Irish Parliament."
[198] The predominance of books on religion and the few on science.
[199] The list of the hundred books given by Lord Acton to his correspondent.
[200] "Ignorance, madam, sheer ignorance."
[201] On the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill.
[202] Henry George, author of "Progress and Poverty."
[203] Eaton Square.
[204] R. W. Church.
[205] Liddon translated Rosmini's "Five Wounds of the Church."
[206] The Master of University.
[207] At Cambridge.
[208] "History of Liberty."
[209] "Progress and Poverty."
[210] "The American Constitution."
[211] The hundred books.
[212] Lord Acton's first visits to Oxford and Cambridge (to Dr. Talbot's, Warden of Keble College, and to Professor Sidgwick's) were arranged by his correspondent.
[213] Stubbs.
[214] Treaty of Berlin, 1878.
[215] Dr. Liddon met Lord A. and Miss G. at the station.
[216] Dr. Talbot.
[217] Dr. Stubbs.
[218] Duchess of Sutherland, Countess of Cromarty in her own right.
[219] Forbes.
[220] Lord Wolverton's residence near London.
[221] A letter from Mr. Gladstone to his daughter.
[222]Contemporary Review.
[223] Egypt.
[224] To Egypt. Its object was financial.
[225] Lyttelton.
[226] Englandv.Australia, Kennington Oval.
[227] Bishop Stubbs.
[228] Döllinger.
[229] Church.
[230] Scholarship (£10) for Northumberland miners, comprising a month's residence at Cambridge.
[231] Döllinger.
[232] Dr. Howson.
[233] The third Midlothian campaign.
[234] Mr. Gladstone.
[235] The first Lord Ampthill.
[236] Mr. Gladstone.
[237] Bishop Stubbs.
[238] At Oxford.
[239] Ruskin.
[240] Bonamy Price.
[241] Mr. Raskin's playfully affectionate description of Mr. Bonamy Price, Professor of the science which he most abhorred.
[242] Afterwards Bishop of London.
[243] "The History of the Papacy during the Reformation."
[244] "Life of George Eliot."
[245] President Monroe formulated, at the suggestion of Mr. Canning, the doctrine that the American continents were not to be colonised in the future by foreign Powers.
[246] The Croker Papers.
[247] Disraeli.
[248] Bishop of London.
[249] Walsham How, then Suffragan Bishop of Bedford.
[250] At Cannes.
[251] "The Life of George Eliot."
[252] Now Viscount Milner.
[253] The present Earl Grey.
[254] Mark Pattison's Memoirs.
[255] The Afghan frontier. See Mr. Morley's account of the Penjdeh incident in his "Life of Gladstone," vol. iii. pp. 183-5.
[256] The reference is to Tennyson's lines on the Franchise Bill, "Steersman, be not precipitate," &c.
[257] Disagreements in the Cabinet on Ireland had been cut short on June 8 by the defeat of the Government, through a combination of Tories and Irish, on the Budget.
[258] Mr. James Stuart.
[259] When Lord Salisbury came into office in June 1885, he required assurances of support from the Leader of the Opposition, which Mr. Gladstone refused to give.
[260] Mr. Gladstone's Election Address, partly written in Norway, containing the Authorised Programme of the Liberal party.
[261]i.e., ex-Prime Minister.
[262] Mr. George Russell. He stood for Fulham, but was not elected.
[263] At his election for Hoxton.
[264] Now Bishop of Oxford.
[265] The General Election of November 1885, consequent on the County Franchise and Redistribution Acts.
[266] The county voters.
[267] The Greville Memoirs, Part III.
INDEX