It
is a power and mastery derived from a perfect House of Commons mind. Sir
Charles Dilke, doubtless, has written on many subjects outside mere
politics; but in politics his whole heart and soul are concentrated.
There is no man in the House of Commons so thoroughly political. It
would be bewildering to give even the heads of the subjects on which he
has written and in which he is profoundly learned. He has written about
our Army--he could tell you everything about every army corps in the
German Army--he knows all about every fortress on the French
frontier--he can convey to you a photographic picture of every great
public man on the Continent--he would be able in the morning to take
charge of the Admiralty, and over and on top of all this knowledge he
could tell you every detail of the law of registration, of parochial
rating, of vestry work, and all the rest of that curious technical, dry,
detailed information which raises the ire of parish souls, and forms the
fierce conflicts of suburban ratepayers.
[Sidenote: Egypt.]
It could be seen after he had been five minutes on his legs that Sir
Charles Dilke was about to give on Egypt a speech which would suggest
this sense of easy and complete mastery of all the facts, and that,
therefore, the speech would be a thorough success.
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