Sir George Trevelyan died last week at the age of
ninety. His death, following Lord Eversley's, leaves only one (but not the least distinguished) of Mr. Glad- stone's colleagues in his Cabinets, although his last Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is still a vigorous worker. Sir George had a splendid start as the son of a dis- tinguished father and nephew of a yet more distinguished uncle ; with an intellectual brilliance proved at Harrow and Trinity ; with some knowledge of India gained under his father when Governor of Madras. He quickly fulfOted the first expectations with which his entry into the House of Commons in 1865 was watched. He wag a hope of the remaining Whigs and he eagerly supported the measures proposed by Mr. Gladstone's first Ministry, Cardwell's Army Reforms and Franchise Reforms. He first held minor office in 1868. When Lord Frederick Cavendish was murdered, Mr. Gladstone showed his confidence in Mr. Trevelyan's ability and courage by sending him to Ireland. He returned in 1884 as Chancellor of the Duchy with a seat in the Cabinet and he devoted himself to the Reform Bill which was passed in 1885. He hesitated over Home Rule and resigned the Secretaryship for Scotland in 1886. Taking comfort from Mr. Chamberlain's radicalism he joined him in voting against the Bill, but he foresaw that the Liberal Unionists would cease to be ardent Liberals with whom he could work. He rejoined Mr. Gladstone in his Cabinet of 1892 and continued in office under Lord Rosebery. In 1897, during Lord Salisbury's Government, he resigned his seat at Glasgow. He had held it for ten years since he left the Hawick Burghs which he had represented for nineteen years. He retired to his property in Northumberland and to Lady Trevelyan's home in Warwickshire, thus ending a distinguished political career.
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