按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
their countrymen； and have been as party leaders exposed to angry
and sometimes dishonest criticism； can it be said that there stands
on record against them no malignant word and no vindictive act！
This was due not perhaps entirely to natural sweetness of
disposition； but rather to self…control and to a certain largeness
and dignity of soul which would not condescend to anything mean or
petty。 Nor should it be forgotten that the perfectly happy life
which he led at home； cared for in everything by a devoted wife；
kept far from him those domestic troubles which have soured the
temper and embittered the judgments of not a few famous men。
Reviewing his whole career； and summing up the impressions and
recollections of those who knew him best； this dignity is the
feature which dwells most in the mind； as the outline of some
majestic Alp moves one from afar when all the lesser beauties of
glen and wood； of crag and glacier； have faded in the distance。 As
elevation was the note of his oratory； so was magnanimity the note
of his character。
The favorite Greek maxim that no man can be called happy till his
life is ended must； in the case of statesmen； be extended to warn us
from the attempt to fix any one's place in history till a generation
has arisen to whom he is a mere name； not a familiar figure to be
loved； opposed； or hated。 Few reputations made in politics keep so
far green and fresh that men continue to read and write and
speculate about the person when those who can remember him living
have departed。 Out of all the men who have played a leading part in
English public life in the present century there are but seven or
eightPitt； Fox； Canning； Wellington； Peel； O'Connell； Disraeli；
perhaps Melbourne and Broughamwho still excite our curiosity。 The
great poet or the great artist lives longerindeed； he lives as
long as his books or his pictures； the statesman； like the musician
or the actor； begins to be forgotten so soon as his voice is still；
unless he has so dominated the men of his own time； and made himself
a part of his country's history； that his personal character becomes
a leading factor in the course which events took。 Tried by this
test； Mr。 Gladstone's fame seems destined to last。 His eloquence
will soon become merely a tradition； for his printed speeches do not
preserve its charm。 His main acts of policy； foreign and domestic；
will have to be judged by their still unborn consequences。 If his
books continue to be read； it will be rather because they are his
than in respect of any permanent contribution they have made to
knowledge。 But whoever follows the annals of England during the
memorable years from 1843 to 1894 will meet his name on almost every
page； will feel how great must have been the force of an intellect
that could so interpenetrate the events of its time； and will seek
to know something of the wonderful figure that rose always
conspicuous above the struggling throng。
There is a passage in the 〃Odyssey〃 where the seer Theoclymenus； in
describing a vision of death； says： 〃The sun has perished out of
heaven。〃 To Englishmen； Mr。 Gladstone has been like a sun which；
sinking slowly； has grown larger as he sank； and filled the sky with
radiance even while he trembled on the verge of the horizon。 There
were able men； and famous men； but there was no one comparable to
him in power and fame and honor。 Now he is gone。 The piercing eye
is dim； and the mellow voice is silent； and the light has died out
of the sky。
End