solved to defend everything rather than suffer the slightest encroachment on the general system to which he belonged.""

The Duke of Wellington's policy was embodied, Charles Villiers went on to say, in the one phrase, "How is the Queen's government to be carried on ?"

Our colonial policy would get us into a mess unless Mr. Gladstone himself tackled it; it should now be laissez faire, since we had got free-trade. Before that our policy was intelligible, but not so now when we gained no special privileges from the colonies--within the bounds of a great and large generosity we should leave them free.

At half-past one o'clock this man of another age thought it time to go home!

After a day or two at Wanborough we dined at Frederick Leveson-Gower's, and met Lord and Lady Granville.

Lord Granville said, on the whole, he considered the most agreeable man he had ever met was Lord Alvanley.

After dinner we all went to the Cosmopolitan Club, which I had persuaded Lord Granville to join, and heard Lord Wolseley say that General Gordon had written, saying it would not do to leave Berber in our rear, which was alarming.

The next day I met Lord Hampden at breakfast at Brooks's, where we discussed Croker's Memoirs and Mr. Gladstone's probable retirement, and hopes that he would remain. Dilke or Chamberlain, said Lord Hampden, would either do later for leaders.

In the evening I went with Mrs. Beerbohm Tree to see Jane Hading in "Le Maître de Forges." I liked and admired her much, but for me, at least, she was rather indistinct in her moments of passion. A day or two later we saw her act "Frou Frou," when everybody was in

1885

CHARLES MATHEWS

tears, and "you could have borrowed a fiver from any one of them," as Artemus Ward said.

Apropos of actors, let me relate the confession of Charles Mathews that he was only once bested in a repartee. Some young bloods had by loud conversation, remarks, and laughter been disturbing the theatre where he was acting; they were in the stage-box, and, noisily rising, began to make preparations for their departure. Charles Mathews said: "The play is not over, gentlemen; there is another act." "That is why we are going," said one of them.

The next day I had a nice letter from Lord Aberdare on his getting a G.C.B., in which he quoted Cicero as telling us that consideration is the veteran's compensation for the loss of the pleasures of youth and vigorous manhood, and a very poor compensation it is.

I suggested about this time to Walter Northcote, who was the Deputy-Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue, that he should undertake the preparation and editing of the annual report of the department and its work, both for the use it would be to the public as well as himself, for though very able he was constitutionally indolent.

He adopted the suggestion, and worked at it con amore, making the report one altogether of a special nature, giving general information as to the taxes under the management of the Board.

On January 21st I was sitting with Mrs. Stanley Clarke, when Sir Charles Brownlow and Colonel Harman came in with the news of General Stewart's victory in the Soudan over 10,000 of the Mahdi's troops, but with heavy loss on our part; I ascertained that my nephew, Colin Keppel, was safe, and telegraphed to Harry Keppel, who wrote to me his thanks and joy.

On Saturday, January 24th, I was coming out of the

Treasury when I met Count Münster, the German Ambassador, who told me of the explosion in the House of Commons, which I had, oddly enough, not heard in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's room, where I had been at the time. I went at once with him to the Houses of Parliament, meeting the First and Second Commissioners of Police at the gate. We found all the windows of Westminster Hall blown out, and a hole at the top of the crypt at the bottom of the steps of the great hall, and on going through the main lobby into the House, we found the gallery, under which I had so often sat on the government side of the House, blown to pieces and the beams and glass scattered in every direction. "The dust of ages," as Sir William Harcourt said, filled the atmosphere.

Excellent news of General Stewart having reached the Nile came the following day, and eclipsed in interest for the time being the explosion in the House of Commons.

Colin Keppel had gone on with Sir Charles Wilson in Gordon's steamers to Khartoum.

CHAPTER XX

1885

Sir Charles Brownlow on the Afghan Business and Lord LyttonLord Granville on the Situation-News of the Fall of Khartoum -Colin Keppel's Hereditary Pluck-Lord Rosebery and Mr. Shaw-Lefevre Join the Cabinet-Death of General EarleMr. Gladstone's Depression-Small Government MajorityMr. Gladstone on Old Testament Characters-On Cromwell and Bonaparte - Mr. Gladstone's Bet about Lord Overstone's Probate-Mr. Childers's Budget-General Gordon's Estimate of Lord Granville, Lord Hartington, and Sir Charles Dilke-Budget Difficulties-Negotiations with the Great Brewers-Marriage of Miss Laura Tennant-Defeat of the Government on the Second Reading of the Budget Bill-Letter from Sir Stafford Northcote on the Inland Revenue Report-Interview with Sir Michael Hicks-Beach-Sir Peter Lumsden-Letter from Mr. Gladstone on the Inland Revenue Report-His Tribute to the BoardMr. Gladstone's Versatility-His Knowledge of Music-Reminiscences of Jenny Lind-Cardinal Manning on Mr. Gladstone's Retirement-Commission on Trade Depression-Letters from Lord Iddesleigh and Lord St. Cyres-Visit to Copt Hall-Election Talk at the Cosmopolitan-Dinner at Mr. Armitstead'sElection Returns-Dinner at Brooks's-Henry James's Stories of Lord Randolph Churchill-Conversation with Charles Villiers -His Recollections of By-gone Celebrities.

ON February 1st I dined with Sir John Rose, meeting Lord Cathcart and Sir Charles Brownlow, a very distinguished Indian officer, who told us much to prove that the Afghan business, which ended so disastrously, was wholly Lord Lytton's doing, and was perfectly unjustifiable.

On the 3d Lord Granville dined with us; but he was low and tired. He doubted the possibility of Mr. Gladstone's retirement at the end of the Parliament. He would not be surprised if the country insisted on his forming a new government after the next election; in that case, he hoped he would take a peerage, and so lessen his labors.

In the middle of the next night my son Horace woke us up with the sad news he had heard from Reggie Brett, that Khartoum had fallen.

On February 11th I heard from Edward Ponsonby, saying my son Horace was chosen to act as assistant secretary to the Speaker, and he got a nice letter from Sir Erskine May on his appointment.

Every day the Egyptian news seemed getting worse and worse. Three battalions of Guards were ordered out under Sir Reginald Gipps, whom I well recollect going out as a subaltern to the Crimea.

We saw in the papers that Colin Keppel, who had evidently inherited his father's dash, was mentioned in despatches as pluckily cutting out a boat from under an Arab battery, in the rescue of Sir Charles Wilson.

There was a rumor of Gordon's death, but I met Mr. Gladstone looking ill and worn, who told me that no official news had been received of it.

Lord Rosebery was appointed to the Cabinet, holding the offices of Lord Privy Seal and Chief Commissioner of Works, and George Shaw-Lefevre, who had succeeded Mr. Fawcett as Postmaster-General, was admitted into the Cabinet at the same time.

It was impossible not to admire Lord Rosebery for joining a ship so deep in the trough of the sea.

We heard of General Earle's victory and death on the Nile, What a wretched, miserable, unnecessary business all this is!