]
And then came the pathetic scene, in which again Mr. Bryce figured, and
which once more brought out the marvellous grasp, the tenacious and
inevitable memory of the splendid Old Man. The amendment of Lord Wolmer
was, declared Mr. Gladstone, against "the law of Parliament," and, by
way of emphasizing this point, he wanted to have a quotation made from
Sir Erskine May's Book on Parliament. But the eyesight of age is weak,
and there is in the House of Commons, until the gas is lit, something of
the dim, religious light of a cathedral, and, accordingly, Mr. Gladstone
had to rely on the younger eyes of Mr. Bryce. The scene which followed
might be described as out of order, for there were two members standing
at the same time. But the vast ascendancy of Mr. Gladstone over the
assembly--the profound reverence in which all, save the meanest, bow
before his genius, character, and age--enable him to do things not
permitted to common men. In the rapt and serious face, in the attentive
look, in the fingers beating the table as word followed word in
confirmation of this view--in the curious, almost weird and unusual
sight of two men standing side by side, Mr.
Pages:
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286