the Liberals

The session - Official visits to Edinburgh

and Dublin-The Suez Canal shares-Consolidation of the

Home Rule party-The Burials Bill-Visits to the dock-

yards-Work,

260

CHAPTER XI.

1876-1878.

Difficulties of the Government-The Bulgarian atrocities--

The "Bag-and-Baggage" policy-The Journal of a Dis-

contented Man-Obstruction in the House of Commons-

Death of Mr Ward Hunt-Smith appointed First Lord of

the Admiralty-Misgivings as to his own ability--Proposal

to put the Post Office in commission - Congratulatory

banquet in St James's Hall-War between Russia and

Turkey-Meeting of Parliament-The Fleet sent to Galli-

poli-Resignation of Lords Carnarvon and Derby-Votes of

censure The Berlin Congress-"Peace with Honour,"

286

335

ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE FIRST VOLUME.

PAGE

PORTRAIT OF THE RIGHT HON. W. H. SMITH,
THE HOUSE AT KILBURN,

. Frontispiece

44

58

MESSRS W. H. SMITH AND SON'S PREMISES IN THE STRAND,

MESSRS W. H. SMITH AND SON'S STRAND PREMISES (IN

ANOTHER PORTRAIT OF THE RIGHT HON. W. H. SMITH,

128

FACSIMILE OF LETTER FROM THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELD,

299

THE HOUSE IN DUKE STREET-THEY SET UP A BRANCH
OFFICE IN THE STRAND-THE JUNIOR PARTNER BUYS OUT
HIS BROTHER-LETTER FROM LEIGH HUNT-BIRTH OF A
SON, WILLIAM HENRY-HIS BOYHOOD-GOES TO TAVISTOCK
GRAMMAR SCHOOL-HIS AVERSION TO METHODISM-DESIRES
TO ENTER HOLY ORDERS-DEFERS TO HIS FATHER'S WISHES
AND ENTERS THE BUSINESS-HIS INDIFFERENCE TO GAMES

AND HIS LOVE OF MUSIC-CORRESPONDENCE WITH WILLIAM
INCE.

NOT very long before the following pages began to be penned, Sir Charles Bowen commented with caustic good humour on what he termed the

VOL. I.

A

growing tendency of the age to write ponderous biographies of Nobody.

It must always be a matter of opinion to what exact degree of eminence a man should rise above the mean level of character, or what store of achievement it should be possible to lay to his account, before the public are invited to the perusal of his biography.

"Oh! vain attempt to give a deathless lot
To names ignoble, born to be forgot."

There is an ominous sentence in one of Horace Walpole's letters: "One can never talk very long about folks that are merely excellent I mean, unless they do not deserve it, and then their flatterers can hold forth upon their virtues by the hour." The affection of his family- the predilection of his friends-the gratitude of those whom he may have benefited the admiration of humbler men from among whom he may have raised himself the success with which Fortune, so partial in her favours, so indifferent to merit, may have filled his sails,-all these have to be liberally discounted before the figure of a public man can be viewed in the just perspective essential to critical narrative.

But when such a man has brought his life out of a surrounding no more than commonplace,