nister, if only the
appeal be high enough. It was one of the marked scenes of his life. In the
cold mist of the October afternoon he stood bareheaded, pale, resolute,
before a surging audience of many thousands, few of them enthusiastically
his friends, a considerable mass of them dockyard workmen, furious at
discharge or neglect by an economising government. He was received with
loud and angry murmurs ominous of storm, but curiosity, interest, and a
sense that even a prime minister should have fair play prevailed. His rich
tones and clear articulation--and Mr. Gladstone had studied all the arts
for husbanding vocal resources--carried his words beyond the five or six
thousand persons that are commonly understood to be the limit of possible
hearers in the open air. After half an hour of struggle he conquered a
hold upon them that became more intense as he went on--touching topic after
topic, defending all that had been done for the reform and efficiency of
the army, denouncing extreme opinions on the Education Act, vindicating
the ballot bill, laughing at various prescriptions of social
quackery--until at the close of a speech nearly two hours long, he retired
amid sustained hurricanes of earnest applause. Well might he speak of
rather an excess of physical effort, to say nothing of effort of mind.

On his return to Hawarden he had a visit from Mr. Bright, whom he
earnestly hoped to bring back into the cabinet.(250)

_Nov. 13._--Hawarden. Two long conversations with Mr. Bright, who
arrived at one. 14.--Some five hours in conversation with Mr.
Bright; also I opened my proposal to him, which he took kindly
though cautiously. My conversation with him yesterday evening kept
me awake till four. A most rare event; but my brain assumes in the
evening a feminine susceptibility, and resents any unusual strain,
though, strange to say, it will stand a debate in the H. of C.
15.--Forenoon with Bright, who departed, having charmed everybody
by his gentleness. Began the cutting of a large beech. #/

_To Lord Granville._

_Nov. 15, 1871._--Bright has been here for forty-eight hours, of
which we passed I think more than a fourth in conversation on
public affairs. Everything in and everything out of the cabinet I
told him as far as my memory would serve, and I think we pretty
well boxed the political compass. On the whole I remained
convinced of two things: first, that