wind. When the General Election was over, the Tories had a majority
of forty-six. Gladstone, after some hesitation, resigned without
waiting to meet a hostile Parliament. Disraeli became Prime Minister
for the second time; and in addressing the new House of Commons
he paid a generous compliment to his great antagonist. "If," he
said, "I had been a follower of a Parliamentary chief so eminent,
even if I thought he had erred, I should have been disposed rather
to exhibit sympathy than to offer criticism. I should remember the
great victories which he had fought and won; I should remember
his illustrious career; its continuous success and splendour, not
its accidental or even disastrous mistakes."

The roost loyal Gladstonian cannot improve upon that tribute, and
Gladstone's greatest day was yet to come.




VI

_LORD SALISBURY_

This set of sketches is not intended for a continuous narrative,
but for a series of impressions. I must therefore condense the
events of Disraeli's second Administration (during which he became
Lord Beaconsfield) and of Gladstone's Administration which succeeded
it, hurrying to meet Lord Salisbury, whom so far I have not attempted
to describe.

From February, 1874, to May, 1880, Disraeli was not only in office,