It was to be a tussle of giants, and Mr. Gladstone knew it. Yet he did not flinch from it, and his vigorous courage compelled the admiration of all of us, foes as well as friends. There came a moment when he felt that he must husband his strength, and so one fine day we were informed that Mr. Gladstone would, from that time forth, only lead the House up to the dinner hour, after which time Sir William Harcourt would be in command. This led to quite the wittiest thing—given all the circumstances—that was said during that Parliament. On hearing the announcement, Mr. Darling (now Mr. Justice Darling) got up and said, “Are we to infer, then, Mr. Speaker, that after to-day there will be a greater light to rule the day and a lesser light to rule the night?” There was a roar of laughter. There was no great love between Mr. Darling and Sir William Harcourt, and the interjection was a hit, a very palpable hit. Sir William, in his stately way, frowned an Olympian frown, but reserved his fire for a future occasion. It was naturally upon the Home Rule Bill that the energies of the great men on both sides were concentrated. Mr. Gladstone’s difficulties were colossal; it was at one time doubtful whether he could count on the whole-hearted support of all his partisans in regard to some of the provisions of his measure. It was even whispered that his chief lieutenant, Mr. Morley, had been on the point of cutting the painter upon the question of its finance. But however that may have been, the appeals to their loyalty that he made were successful, and he was saved from the position of having to stand isolated like a rock attacked on all sides by the Biscayan buffets of the waves of opposition. What remained to him of his forces after 1886 rallied round him as a united party.