LATE LORD SALISBURY.
One of the many admirers of the late Lord Salisbury forwards the following faithful and iiiterestitig sketch to the Times There must have been assembled a sad family party in Hatfield Grounds, when the great English statesman, Lord Salisbury, was laid to rest. It is not so very long since Lord Salisbury was the most prominent figure at the head of affairs in the nation, but retiring a few years ago from politicsj he led the life of a studious recluse at Hatfield. His chief recreation was found in his chemical laboratory, and not oven the most enterprising of interviewers had been able to invade his privacy. It can hardly be said that this great Englishman was personally popular; though he was so widely ad mired. Even to his immediate colleagues and supporters ho was distant and reserved, though his aristocratic hauteur was never permitted to encroach upon his courtesy. As a speaker Lord Salisbury was more impressive than effective. His words were moro weighod, perhaps, hut they never aroused the enthusiasm that Mr Gladstone knew so well how to invoke. His somewhat cynical sarcasm too often wounded in a way that he certainly never intended, for ho was personally one of the most kiudhearted of men. Massive and somewhat huddled in figure, his head was generally sunk forward on his breast and •almost framed oetween his shoulders, while his faee was beset with that look of inextinguishable weariness which sooner or later comes over the faces of ail who are so unhappy as to bo rulers of men. In matters of dress Lori Salisbury was somewhat careless, and an amusing story is told to the effect that on one occasion, his valet having suddenly left, ho appeared at a levee in a most extraordinary combination of articles of clothing belonging to quite different official uniforms, some of which had evidently been made in earlier and slimmer days. Most public speakers have their peculiarities, and Lord Salisbury generally, spoke nest "when he rested his elbow on something. In the House of Lords he usuaily piled up' some books for this purpose oil the corner of the table. On one oecasion somebody removed one of those books—a work of referonee —and Lord Salisbury was visibly embarrassed until it was replaced. At home ho was curiously conservative in many things, and maintained quite a feudal system on his estate. If he could have had his own Way he would have liked all lights—his own included—to have been out by nine o’clock at nights. Yet he was keenly alive to the advantages of scientific progress. Long before electric lighting had become common, the system was introduced at Hatfield under the personal supervision of the Marquis, who was as expert an electrician as he was a chomist. Lord Salisbury was never very fond of outdoor recreation, though he had been advised of late years to walk more. Mr Balfour tried hard to teach him golf, and some links were arranged at Hatfield, but the game was not much appreciated, and was soon given up. In fact, strenuousnoss was the keynote of this great statesman’s life, and he valued time too much to allow the bow to unbend. Take him for in all, the late Lord Salisbury was in every way worthy of the great family of which he was the head, and has well merited the high eulogies passed upon him by his King and country.
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Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 983, 1 September 1903, Page 2
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575LATE LORD SALISBURY. Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 983, 1 September 1903, Page 2
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