THE LATE LORD BALFOUR.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19912, 26 April 1930, Page 23

THE LATE LORD BALFOUR.

TRIBUTES TO HIS MEMORY. WRITER OF DOMINIONS* CHARTER. (raoit cur ow* coaaß3*oiTDKre.) LONDON, March 21. "His handwriting is enshrined in the charter of freedom now being developed by our Dominions. The world which has evolved from the war bears his name on many of its gateways." These words were spoken by Mr Ramsay Mac Donald of Lord Balfour, when tributes to the memory of the latter were being paid by the leaders of the Parties in the House of Commons. ."We cannot venture yet," Mr MacRonald said, ''to sum up his public services. In the last fifty or sixty years he has.played a part in every phase of our national life. At an age .when he might have enjoyed tho serenity of peaceful afternoon and evening, he returned to activity in the national cause, and in those later years as an elder statesman, living above the battle and looking at things with- no partisan eye, but calmly and realistically, he has had -more influence than ever before on our public life.

Last of the Athenians. "The first thing that struck everyone about Arthur Balfour," said Mr Baldwin, "was his exquisite urbanity and courtesy—a> courtesy not merely in; manner, but a courtesy of the whole heart and spirit. No finer intellect,; no greater dialectician has been engaged in politics. It was said of Mr Asquith that he was the last of the Bomans. It might be said of Arthur Balfour that he was the last.of the Athenians.. His mind was an all-embracing mind. He took all knowledge for his, province, and he would probe and analyse and apply that acute scepticism in* the true sense of the word—and not the popular sense of that much abused wordto all subjects which came before him. "I saw him only a week, ago last Friday. The body was frail; .the end was-near, but the-mind was. burning as clearly and brightly as ever—keen, eager, interested. I have seen him often during the past few months. Our conversations have related little to the past. He wanted to hear all that was going on. He was eager to learn of the reputations being made in this House and amongst all Parties. "He was looking to the future, and he would trace where the currents of thought in all parts of the country were leading. He thought much in these last few months-of the great things of the country. The Empire and India were much in his thoughts, too. It was late when I came into his life, but he was one of those men of-whom I may say, unaffectedly and naturally, that I was proud of his friendship. We. do not sorrow to-day for him. His was a full life. He-has come home bringing his sheaves with him.

A, Great Gentleman. "He was a superb Parliamentary debater," said Mr Lloyd George. "I would rank him with Mr Gladstone as the two most formidable Parliamentary, debaters that I have ever heard in this House. I have never seen a man who had' fluc!i a-" complete command of all his faculties, at any and every moment. Lor& flame, after:, he,.had retired from the arena as a gla&ato?. His giftß were better part which he played >dur&g war, then *b?y -mate -to. itis as •paVty{-leadel^''-''-^^' / ;.• i :V : ''•' :: ' v :/';'•^■% r •>;' "T saw: mtfcb'&r^inik\rhen/ne .was a • inember: of £ dintnistrati6n;*4nd thefe:3Dsaw;■* forage; that neveir.ftncheft'o* qotftieS'in -the darkest wa* never the most valuable lisseta; which the Brit-: ish:3mpite' ftftd, terrible days; tact, his'urbane* digt>!tyr*is Irritatftigindices,; fascination,.: ■eVi9^y^'ei*^#»4f\ , ? , i\''^ ee .P- 1 impression: onvall'Mijk ;^h W c *^ e | Vevejjr ja'ce,,'; f -\|te l iwras.

Great \ librd Balfour's greatJbVe%£i»usic ! is referred to in the columns of,; the :¥ Daily>' Express." The information is gleaned frpm an.intimate personal and political' friend. "Music was the great passion of Lord Balfour's life, the dominating niotif <>f a career whose brilliance was 'outstanding in an age of remarkable men," he says. "Even in those last weeks, when he lay dying, he demanded music. The melodies soothed his tired body and delighted his unconquerable soul. The soft notes of Handel's 'Largo' floated through his room, and he listened by the hour to Bach and Beethoven. But Handel was the composer for whom he had the greatest admiration/ ,; ,>>. "During his Premiership, -Was frequently. with tiim at Downing street, he had own piano in the drawing-room, and there he played in the still, dark hours. "Sometimes, too,- when sleep would not come easily, lie would rise from: his bed and wander in his dressing-gown: to his piano. Time meant nothing to him when his fingers touched the keyboard. "The most permanent testimony to his perfection of taste is his classical essay on Handel, which is reprinted in his 'Essays and Addresses.' It was written during all 'tins.-, stress of the year 1887, when, as Chief. Secretary for Ireland, he carried, in~the" teeth of an, 1 .obstruction cantpaigu fofrunparalleled intensify, the Crimes Act—known coin-, the 'Coercions Act'—which'; 'earned if 6r* him .froi»i.his..Msb. bppon-;! ents the term .of ? Bloody Balfour'! i«'He was a grace of speech and finisneid; ease 6f manner. He would address a cross-ing-sweeper with the same charm and courtesy that he would use to an equal. "To binii the- man with the mostbeautiful manners I. have, ever known, all this came, easily and naturally. Ho was without affectation in thought or speech. His was a life of beauty, and death came to him as comes the end of a symphony—without a discord-, jant note."

The Last Hours. Only a few minutes before he died Lord Balfour asked for his personal servant, James Coleman, who had been with him for .'thirty years. He took his hand, and said, "Good-bye, James. Thank, you very much for all you'have done for me." , Lord Balfonr's last hours were sootjieu by music. As''he lay on" his deathbed, philosophically contemplating the .end of his earthly career, two distinguished amateurs outside his door played 30-him on piano and violin his favourite .melodies'Uy" Haadet,—Bach," "and Beethoven..- :^.. ,;»- v..■. ■*■.-. ■>:••■• ■•■=- -■•£ - ' The end came at 8.15 in the morning' peacefully. Lord Balfour was conscious to the last, and members of 'his family were present.