Sir Edward Ryan, who died on Monday at Dover, had
led as useful and as enviable a public life as any man of our time. Retaining his strong judgment, sterling sense, and full health to the great age of eighty-one, and adding constantly to his large stock of experience, there was no man in the employment of the Government whose advice was sounder on all official subjects, or whose opinion was more thoroughly masculine, liberal, and sober. A man of great industry and strong will, a considerable Indian Judge and lawyer, the very pith and marrow of the Civil Service Commission, and a most influential member of the Senate of the London University, of which he was for one year Vice-Chancellor, it was yet his greatest distinction that he always clearly knew his own mind on every question of principle, and always adhered, through evil report and good report, to any opinion he had once deliberately formed. He was a man of few words, decided opinions, and strong actions, and his vast experience, though it probably did not make him the keen Liberal he was on all poli- tical, social, and educational questions,—for opinions are much apter to mould able men's experience than is their experience to mould their opinions,—certainly never tended to make him shrink into Conservatism. Since Mr. Grote's death, the cause of Liberal education has not lost so wise or so able a friend.
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