266 LIFE AND EXPERIENCES CHAP. 



of being introduced to Mr. Dalrymple at the Reform 

 Club, of all places in the world, the next day. In his 

 address he said that Mr. Gladstone's policy was only 

 based on sentiment, and at one of my meetings I 

 desired to ask him whether Catholic Emancipation 

 and the abolition of slavery, two of the greatest 

 measures that had ever been passed, were not also 

 based on sentiment. Every great measure had some 

 foundation of sentiment in it, but there was a great 

 deal in Mr. Gladstone's proposal besides sentiment, as 

 in those other great measures. The subject of self- 

 government for Ireland was one of the greatest 

 national questions which had come before the country 

 in our time. On Monday, the 28th, the Hon. North 

 Dalrymple held a meeting which was characterised by 

 great disorder, and was the only one at which he was 

 present, for he quickly retired, and the contest became 

 a square fight between Colonel Sowler and myself, 

 the result of the poll being that I was returned by a 

 majority of 335. 



On June 26th Mr. Gladstone made a great speech 

 in the Free Trade Hall. The heat in the building, 

 which was crammed to suffocation, was intense. I 

 sat next to Mrs. Gladstone on the platform, and after 

 Mr. Gladstone had spoken for three-quarters of an 

 hour, the perspiration was running down his face, not 

 in drops but in streamlets, and it seemed as if he could 

 not possibly continue to speak, and there was con- 

 siderable interruption from people at the back of the 

 hall, who were packed like herrings in a barrel. I 

 whispered to Mrs. Gladstone : " Do tell him to con- 

 clude. I am sure it is not fit for him to continue." And 

 she said a few words to him to that effect, upon which 

 he turned round and in a somewhat loud voice said : 

 " Stop ! I can't stop. Who is there to tell them these 



