arkable in party
history. For one thing, activity was unprecedented, and Mr. Gladstone's
fiery spirit seemed to have spread over the country. A list prepared by
the liberal whips, and preserved by Mr. Gladstone, describes the new
parliament as composed of 347 liberals, 240 conservatives, and 65
nationalists. Looking at the divisions of the three kingdoms, we find
England and Wales contributing 282 liberals against 207 tories; Scotland
52 liberals against 8 tories; and Ireland, 13 liberals against 25 tories.
The Irish nationalists were of two shades: 35 followers of Mr. Parnell, 26
moderate home rulers who followed Mr. Shaw, and 4 dubious. In England and
Wales therefore the liberal majority was 75, and in Scotland it was 44.
Turning to electoral aspects with special social significance, we note
that of the county constituencies 63 sent liberal members as against 124
tories. In the metropolis, as a whole, the government gained one seat and
lost four, with the result that London was represented in the new
parliament by 8 tories and 14 liberals. One victory of real importance was
won by the government, for they beat the liberal by two to one in the City
of London, the heart and centre of many of those powerful influences that
Mr. Gladstone had described in his last speech in the Midlothian election
as determined foes from whom the liberal party had no tolerance to expect.
"The tory party," Mr. Gladstone noted, "has never had a majority on any
one of its own four dissolutions--1852, 1859, 1868, 1880."

_Mr. Gladstone to Lord Rosebery._

_Hawarden, April 10, 1880._--... I should like to write about these
marvellous events, but how can I? The romance of politics which
befel my old age in Scotland, has spread over the whole land. You
remember perhaps my series of fractions, comparing daily the net
gains with the gross returns. The first day began with 1/13 or
thereabouts. It had got to 1/10 or 1/9 when we left you. It is now
1/6. How idle to talk about the caprice of household suffrage; the
counties have given quite as remarkable results as the boroughs. I
was stunned at the end of the first night; and I am still out of
breath from the endeavour to keep up with the rapidity of events.
I suppose the conservative Scotch will fill the first class
compartment, or nearly so, but no more. Wales, I beg you to
observe, has not (as I think) been behind Scotland in her
achiev