_We_ are in a queer state just now. Gladstone turns out _exactly_
as I expected. I once told some, who are his colleagues now, that
he would do some very fine deeds--give us some separate measures
of very great value, and would do it in an admirable manner; but
that he would show himself incapable of governing the country.
For two years he did the first thing; and now, this third year,
he is showing the expected incapacity. Were there ever such means
thrown away as we see this session? Probably you are out of the
way of hearing the whole truth of the situation, and I cannot go
into it here. Suffice it, that Gladstone totters (and three or
four more), and that several departments are in such a mess and
muddle that one hardly sees how they are to be brought straight
again; and all this without the least occasion! One matter, in
which I feel deep interest, and on which I have acted, is
prospering, and we have the Government at our disposal; so that
we hope they will remain in office till we have secured what we
want; but the more we have to do with Ministers, the weaker we
find them. And Gladstone is not only weak as a reasoner (with all
his hair-splitting), but ignorant in matters of political
principle.
The next letter is very characteristic and perfectly true to her
state of mind with regard to flatterers:
May 21, '71.
And now you will want to know how Miss ---- and we fared this day
week. We (she and I) were together only three-quarters of an
hour; and for part of that time I was too much exhausted to
benefit much. My impression is that she is not exactly the person
for the invalid room. But I may be utterly wrong in this. I might
be misled by the fatiguing sort of annoyance of overpraise--of
worship in fact. I don't want to be ungracious about what my
books were to her in her childhood and youth; I am quite ready to
believe her sincere in what she said. But not the less is it bad
taste. It must be bad taste to expatiate on that one topic which
it is most certain that the hearer cannot sympathize in. Also, I
have much doubt of her being accurate in her talk. There is a
random air about her statements, and she said two or three things
that certainly were mistakes, more or less. These things, and a
general smoothness in her talk, while she was harsh about some of
the ---- were what I did not quite like. As for the rest, she was
as kind as possible; and not only kind to me, but evidently with
a turn that way, and a habit of it in regard to children and
friends....
June 11, '71.