Memoirs of Sir Wemyss Reid 1842-1885 by Reid, Stuart J., -1927

CHAPTER XI. VISITS TO THE CONTINENT. Politics in Paris in 1877--An Oration by Gambetta--the Balloting--The Republic Saved--Gambetta's Funeral--A Member of the Reform Club--The Century Club--A Draught of Turpentine and Soda--The "Press Gang" at the Reform--James Payn and William Black--George Augustus Sala and Sir John Robinson--Disraeli's Triumph in 1878--A European Tour.

CHAPTER XII. A CHAPTER OF MISFORTUNES. Death of my Sister's Husband and of my Brother James--An Accident on Marston Moor--Sir George Wombwell's Story of the Charge of the Light Brigade--His Adventure on the Ouse--Editing a Daily Newspaper from a Sick Bed--Reflections on Death--Death of my Mother--Serious Illness of my Only Daughter.

CHAPTER XIII. THE GENERAL ELECTION OF 1880. Mr. Gladstone's Position in 1879--His Decision to Contest Midlothian--How he came to be Adopted by the Leeds Liberals--The Conversation Club--A Visit from John Morley--The Dissolution of 1880--Lecture on Mr. Gladstone--His Triumphant Return for Leeds--His Election for Midlothian--Mr. Herbert Gladstone Adopted as his Successor at Leeds--Mr. Gladstone's Visit to Leeds in 1881--A Fiasco Narrowly Avoided--A Wonderful Mass Meeting--Mr. Gladstone's Collapse and Recovery--My Introduction to Him--An Excursion to Tunis--"The Land of the Bey"--Mr. A.M. Broadley's Prophecies--Howard Payne's Grave--A Series of Coincidences.

CHAPTER XIV. CONCERNING W.E. FORSTER AND OTHERS. The Beginning of Mr. Stead's Journalistic Career--His Methods--Birth of the New Journalism--Madame Novikoff and Mr. Stead--Mr. Stead's Attacks upon Joseph Cowen--How he dealt with a Remonstrance--W. E. Forster--Mr. Chamberlain's Antagonism--The _Leeds Mercury_'s Defence of Forster--How he was Jockeyed out of the Cabinet--Forster's Resignation--News of the Phoenix Park Murders--Forster's Reflections--Mr. Gladstone's Pity for Social Outcasts--Mr. Chamberlain's Brothers Blackballed at the Reform--Failure of an Attempt to Crush the _Leeds Mercury_--Forster's Gratitude.

CHAPTER XV. THE FIRST LIBERAL IMPERIALIST. Forster a Pioneer of Liberal Imperialism--His Political Courage--His Unfortunate Manner--His Home Life--Intrigues in the Cabinet--The Plots against Forster's Life--Reaction in his Favour--Forster and Lord Hartington--The Former's Grief for Gordon--Forster and Lord Rosebery--Mr. Stead and the _Pall Mall Gazette_--His Responsibility for the Gordon Imbroglio.

CHAPTER XVI. NOVELS AND NOVELISTS. "The Lumley Entail"--"Gladys Fane"--My Experience in Novel-Writing--About Sad Endings--Imaginary Characters and Characters Drawn from Life--Visits from William Black and Bret Harte--Black as an After-Dinner Speaker--How Bret Harte saw Haworth Parsonage, and was Roughly Entreated by a Yorkshire Admirer--A Candid Opinion on the Bronte Monograph.

CHAPTER XVII. TO THE DEFEAT OF THE GOVERNMENT (1885). More Antagonism towards Forster--A Household Suffrage Demonstration at Leeds--A Meeting at the Carlton Club and a Coincidence--Forster and "the most Powerful Man in England"--Single-Member Constituencies and the Cumulative Vote--Dynamite Outrages--Police Protection for Statesmen--I Receive Threatening Letters and Get a Fright--Death of Lord Houghton--Lord Derby and how he was Misunderstood--An Unconventional Dinner at Lord Houghton's--A Visit to Tangier--In Peril of the Sea--Gibraltar "a Magnificent Imposture"--Captain W. and the M.P.--To the North Cape--Cheering a Funeral Party--News of Mr. Gladstone's Overthrow--Home Again.

MEMOIRS OF SIR WEMYSS REID.

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CHAPTER I.

EARLY DAYS.

Birth and Parentage--Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the 'Forties--A Visit to St. Andrews--The Scottish Sabbath--First Acquaintance with a Printing Office--Tyneside in the Mid-Century--In Peril of Housebreakers--At Dr. Collingwood Bruce's School--A Plague of Flies--Cholera--Fire.