76 KVIDKNCE AND EXAMPLES. 



he has no strong passions he must lead; must lead 

 the party which offers itself, it matters little which ; 

 must lead somewhither, it matters little whither : only 

 one reservation must be made ; the direction must not 

 be against his own religion ; against Miall's dissent, or 

 Colenso's heresy, or Huxley's agnosticism is quite 

 another matter. Has he then no principles, no con- 

 victions, no conscience ? The answer was given years 

 ago by Thomas Carlyle : " Gladstone's conscience 

 should be his monitor; he has converted it into his 

 accomplice/' 



A popular leader must possess three qualities in sur- 

 passing degree capacity, activity, eloquence. Mr. 

 Gladstone has them all in exceptional amplitude. 

 Leading constitutes nine-tenths of his happiness ; the 

 whole ten-teoths would be his if the multitude, con- 

 fessing its manifold sins, would only turn round, 

 beseeching him to turn round also and lead them along 

 the ancient paths of Church and State. 



We must not forget that in itself the desire for 

 leadership is a natural and honourable instinct, and has 

 animated the loftiest natures ; in Mr. Gladstone's desire 

 there is no trace of the ignoble, or mean, or sordid self- 

 seeking. He seems indeed to say, " I, of all men 

 living, am a born leader. Having no rival in genius, 

 in experience, in knowledge of the public needs, it is 

 the plain duty of this empire to entreat me to lead it, 

 and it is my plain duty to yield to that entreaty." 

 Mr. Gladstone has, in effect, openly confessed that a 

 political leader should be merely a pipe for the multi- 

 tude " to sound what stops it please," but doubtless he 

 considers that the pipe should be a certain pipe which 

 is well-seasoned, melodious, and many-toned. 



Deeply passionate men of great political power appear 

 from time to time for limited periods, or special 



