Mr. Herbert Gladstone in his speech bore convincing testimony to
the compensating disadvantage—and his great success at Leeds has still more strongly illustrated the advantage—of a great hereditary name. Whenever he was wrong, he was wrong, of course, because he was mis- guided by another ; whenever he said anything with point and truth, it came from somewhere else,—he was but repeating washed-out versions of the Midlothian addresses. In short, he was as unlucky as the new Eton boy who, taking,—con- trary to the school custom,—a. Prayer-book to chapel on a Saturday, was, on coming out, kicked down the chapel-steps for a saint ; and on leaving the Prayer-book at home, con- trary to custom, on the following Sunday, was again kicked down the chapel steps for an atheist. No doubt, a great name, like Gladstone, while it greatly facilitates access to the House of Commons, becomes for some time afterwards rather an impediment than other wise to an individual reputa- tion. But this is the sort of obstruction which only stimu- lates true power, and we have every hope that it will stimulate Mr. Herbert Gladstone's.
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