ΤΟ THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE, M.P., HER MAJESTY'S CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, AS A SLIGHT TESTIMONY TO HIS MATCHLESS TALENTS AS AN ORATOR AND A STATESMAN; TO HIS HIGH AND NOBLE PRINCIPLES, PRINCIPLES WHICH HAVE MADE HIM ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST ORNAMENTS OF THE AGE; TO HIS INNATE AND BOUNDLESS LOVE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL IN NATURE AND IN ART; TO WHOM AND TO WHOM ONLY, (FROM THE PROMINENT AND PRAISEWORTHY PART HE TOOK IN FURTHERANCE OF THE WEDGWOOD MEMORIAL INSTITUTE), A MEMOIR OF THAT GREAT AND GOOD MAN CAN WITH PROPRIETY BE INSCRIBED; AND IN GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF MANY ACTS OF KINDLY THIS COURTESY RECEIVED AT HIS HANDS, VOLUME IS, BY EXPRESS PERMISSION, DEDICATED. LLEWELLYNN JEWITT. INTRODUCTION. YIELDING to no one in love for the beautiful in Art and in Nature, or in veneration for whatever is great and good and noble in the human family, the preparation of the life of the man whose works are pre-eminently entitled to be classed with the former, and whose whole life and character so imperatively demand for him a proud place amongst the latter, has to me been a "labour of love," and one in which I have taken more than usual delight. The task has been one of serious labour, but fully commensurate with that labour has been the pleasure I have felt in prosecuting and completing my task. To me, in literary matters, it has ever appeared that the heavier the toil, the pleasanter will be the result. There is, in my opinion, but little credit and less satisfaction in accomplishing a work which takes no trouble. It is the hard literary digging -the throwing up of heavy spadesful of soil, in the hope of finding even one little bulb which may germinate and add its beauties to those that are already garnered or are yet to come-which brings with it enjoyment and satisfaction. It is but small merit to compile a work from data and materials ready "cut and dried" to one's hand. It is the getting together of those materials that constitutes the credit, and brings with it a gratifying reward. |