On the same evening, Mr. John Morley made a speech
at Swindon to the North Wilts Liberal and Radical Association, and was saluted by his audience with the title of "The Grand Young Man." Probably Mr. Morley will not like the title; but if it were taken up by the Gladstonian constituencies generally, it would vastly improve his prospect of leading the party whenever Mr. Gladstone retires. No doubt his North Wiltshire audience felt the presence in him of " that severe, that earnest air," which has conquered for Mr. Gladstone so eager a confidence from the Liberal constituencies of Great Britain. Nobody would think of calling Sir William Harcourt "grand" in. that sense at all ; nobody would think of calling Sir George Trevelyan " grand" in that sense. But even in that sense the phrase cannot be said to be inapplicable to Mr. John Morley, though his earnestness and severity have a little too much of the Girondist doctrinaire flavour, and too little in them of statesmanlike weight and carefulness of judgment. It is curious to reflect that the vogue or the failure of such a phrase as this might really alter the character and prospects of the Gladstonian Party.
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