GLADSTONE REMINISCENCES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 234, 1 September 1938, Page 3

GLADSTONE REMINISCENCES

HIS SENSE OF HUMOUR, Dr. Edward Lyttelton, who is one of the few survivors of those who knew Gladstone in private life, gave some reminiscences recently. He said that conversation with Gladstone generally was a monologue—though he was an excellent listener when information was forthcoming. On one occasion Dr. Lyttelton had been playing cricket at Lord’s. He went after the match to see Gladstone, who, when he heard where his nephew had been, said: “What is the acreage of Lord’s?” The reply—a wild guess—was 12 acres.. Gladstone observed that this seemed excessive, and relapsed into silence. Of Gladstone’s sense of humour ‘Dr. Lyttelton said he once told him a humorous story about private school life at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Gladstone admittedly laughed, but immediately detected an inaccuracy concerning the postal rates between Somerset and the North at that time. Two obiter dicta of Gladstone were: Of Randolph Churchill: “A pobr copy e£ Disraeli without his insight, his patience, and his tenacity”; and of Lord Palmerston: “There is something tragic in the fact that Palmerston’s judgment was more and more trusted by the country when, owing to old age, it began to fail.” ’