the pale cast of thought."

Had he been born to labor and entered the House of Commons in youth,
instead of being dropped without effort into the gilded upper chamber,
he might have acquired in the rough-and-tumble of life the tougher
skin, for he was highly sensitive and lacked tenacity of purpose
essential to command in political life. He was a charming speaker--a
eulogist with the lightest touch and the most graceful style upon
certain themes of any speaker of his day. [Since these lines were
written he has become, perhaps, the foremost eulogist of our race. He
has achieved a high place. All honor to him!]

One morning I called by appointment upon him. After greetings he took
up an envelope which I saw as I entered had been carefully laid on his
desk, and handed it to me, saying:

"I wish you to dismiss your secretary."

"That is a big order, Your Lordship. He is indispensable, and a
Scotsman," I replied. "What is the matter with him?"

"This isn't your handwriting; it is his. What do you think of a man
who spells Rosebery with two _r's_?"

I said if I were sensitive on that point life would not be endurable
for me. "I receive many letters daily when at home and I am sure that
twenty to thirty per cent of them mis-spell my name, ranging from
'Karnaghie' to 'Carnagay.'"

But he was in earnest. Just such little matters gave him great
annoyance. Men of action should learn to laugh at and enjoy these
small things, or they themselves may become "small." A charming
personality withal, but shy, sensitive, capricious, and reserved,
qualities which a few years in the Commons would probably have
modified.

When he was, as a Liberal, surprising the House of Lords and creating
some stir, I ventured to let off a little of my own democracy upon
him.

"Stand for Parliament boldly. Throw off your hereditary rank,
declaring you scorn to accept a privilege which is not the right of
every citizen. Thus make yourself the real leader of the people, which
you never can be while a peer. You are young, brilliant, captivating,
with the gift of charming speech. No question of your being Prime
Minister if you take the plunge."

To my surprise, although apparently interested, he said very quietly:

"But the House of Commons couldn't admit me as a peer."

"That's what I should hope. If I were in your place, and rejected, I
would stand again for the next vacancy and force the issue. Insist
that one having renounced his hereditary