One hundred years ago
Mr Gladstone's birthday must be a day of tribulation. The practice of ,pelting him with telegrams and letters of congratulation seems to us a very in- humane one, and not really expressive of the hearty affection and reverence which these messages are, we suppose, intend- ed to convey. Surely the time is not yet, passed when it seems most fitting for 1private people in general to keep their loyalty and admiration for public men to themselves till some natural and fitting, occasion occurs for expressing it. If' every cordial emotion felt towards a public man is to be brought at once , under his notice by letter or telegraph, lexistence will soon become such a burden that men of the highest ability will shrink from publicity. There is an effeminate desire now-a-days to impart every feeling of admiration and con- fidence to the object of it, for which we can find no term of dislike that is too strong. The present age both shrinks too much from censure, and lavishes too much of praise — and the want of modesty and reserve in the latter attitude of mind is almost more ominous than the want of courage in the former.
Spectator, .5 January 1884
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