Gladstone As A Chemist

An Incident In the Grand Old Man's Career In the Commons.

If Mr. Gladstone seldom indulged in sarcasm, it was not because he lacked the gift- for he possessed it in a high degree - but because he forbore to use it. To hurt an opponent's feelings gave him pain and when he did it unintentionally he would sometimes cross the floor of the house, and, sitting for a few moments by the side of the man whom he had just demolished, say something to assuage the wound. One of his most persistent, but never ill natured, critics was the late Sir John Pope Hennessy, who told me the following story to illustrate this generous trait in Mr. Gladstone's character.

Sir John prided himself on his knowledge of chemistry, and in one of the debates on the commercial treaty with France he made a speech exposing, as he believed, a serious chemical blunder in the treaty. Mr. Gladstone followed, "and soon turned me inside out in the most amusing manner," said Hennessy in relating the story, "proving, as if he had been a chemist by profession, that it was I who had blundered egregiously."

Having thus disposed of his critic, Mr. Gladstone went and sat by him for a moment. "I hope you don't feel hurt, Mr. Hennessy." he said. "Your speech was ingenious, and it may console you to know that the emperor of the French made precisely the same objection that you have made. The fact is, both you and he know a good deal about chemistry, but not enough to keep you from going astra." - Canon McColl in Fortnightly Review.