xxxvii ACTIVITIES AT 70 YEARS 197 



conference with the Duke of Devonshire and 

 Lord James about Liberal Unionist Association 

 matters." Three days later the Duke was 

 speaking at the Free Trade meeting, already 

 referred to, at the Guildhall — " a capital speech, 

 and all went off well. I moved the vote of 

 thanks " is Lord Avebury's account of the 

 proceedings. 



That comment of his on Mr. Chamberlain's 

 optimism about the Colonies — " I see no reason 

 to think so " — is characteristic of a rare quality 

 of his mind which made his counsel very valuable. 

 Though he had schooled himself also into a 

 bright optimism of outlook, he never allowed 

 his hopes and wishes to cloud the clarity of his 

 vision, never let the wish be father to the thought. 



He had to cancel some of his engagements 

 about this time owing to a bad cold. On March 

 4 he was working at home, on the Amended 

 Sunday Closing Bill. " Do not like it," he 

 writes. " Sent it on to Corbett with suggestions. 

 Had a long talk with Cochrane about the Early 

 Closing Bill. Saw Mr. Reeves and suggested a 

 deputation to the Home Office. Also wrote 

 suggesting a deputation to shopkeepers." But 

 the last note, for that day, is " Temperature 

 up and I was sent to bed." He was not able 

 to go out for more than a week. 



On the 18th they all started for the Riviera 

 where he had taken the Villa Clythia, at Valescure. 

 There is a pleasant golf course there, in beautiful 

 surroundings, and with golf, expeditions to see 

 the amphitheatre and other remains at Frejus, 

 and with Lord Rendel to see his extensive 



