sanguine as to very speedy or extensive resumption by the church of
her spiritual rights, she may have a great part to play. At present
she is very weakly manned, and this is the way I think to
strengthen the crew.

GLENALMOND

The scheme expanded as time went on. His father threw himself into it
with characteristic energy and generosity, contributing many thousand
pounds, for the sum required greatly exceeded the modest figure above
mentioned. Mr. Gladstone conducted a laborious and sometimes vexatious
correspondence in the midst of more important public cares. Plans were
mature, and adequate funds were forthcoming, and in the autumn of 1842
Hope and the two Gladstones made what they found an agreeable tour,
examining the various localities for a site, and finally deciding on a
spot 'on a mountain-stream, ten miles from Perth, at the very gate of
the highlands.' It was 1846 before the college at Glenalmond was opened
for its destined purposes.[144] We all know examples of men holding
opinions with trenchancy, decision, and even a kind of fervour, and yet
with no strong desire to spread them. Mr. Gladstone was at all times of
very different temper; consumed with missionary energy and the fire of
ardent propagandism.

LETTER FROM COBDEN

He laboured hard at the fourth edition of his book, sometimes getting
eleven hours of work, 'a good day as times go,'--Montesquieu, Burke,
Bacon, Clarendon, and others of the masters of civil and historic wisdom
being laid under ample contribution. By Christmas he was at Hawarden. In
January he made a speech at a meeting held in Liverpool for the
foundation of a church union, and a few days later he hurried off to
Walsall to help his brother John, then the tory candidate, and a curious
incident happened:--

I either provided myself, or I was furnished from headquarters,
with a packet of pamphlets in favour of the corn laws. These I
read, and I extracted from them the chief material of my speeches.
I dare say it was sad stuff, furbished up at a moment's notice. We
carried the election. Cobden sent me a challenge to attend a public
discussion of the subject. Whether this was quite fair, I am not
certain, for I was young, made no pretension to be an expert, and
had never opened my lips in parliament on the subject. But it
afforded me an excellent opportunity to decline w