But what can he tell us of the
negotiations that led Gladstone back to public life or of the secret
councils of the Fourth Party, whereby Sir Stafford was gradually
eclipsed? Good memoirs must ever be the cumulation of gossip. Gossip
(alas!) has been killed by the Press. In the tavern or the barber's-
shop, all secrets passed into every ear. From newspapers how little
can be culled! Manifestations are there made manifest to us and we are
taught, with tedious iteration, the things we knew, and need not have
known, before. In my research, I have had only such poor guides as
Punch, or the London Charivari and The Queen, the Lady's Newspaper.
Excavation, which in the East has been productive of rich material for
the archaeologist, was indeed suggested to me. I was told that, just
before Cleopatra's Needle was set upon the Embankment, an iron box,
containing a photograph of Mrs. Langtry, some current coins and other
trifles of the time, was dropped into the foundation. I am sure much
might be done with a spade, here and there, in the neighbourhood of
old Cromwell House. Accursed be the obduracy of vestries! Be not I,
but they, blamed for any error, obscurity or omission in my brief
excursus.
The period of 1880 and of the two successive years should ever be
memorable, for it marks a great change in the constitution of English
society.
Pages:
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52