"Garbage?"

Captain Peter Wright, author, in a recently published volume entitled Portraits and Criticisms, declared that W.

E. Gladstone, four times Premier of Britain, allegedly the greatest figure in the annals of the Liberal Party, "founded a great tradition since observed by many of his followers and successors with such pious fidelity--in public to speak the language of the highest and strictest principle and in private to pursue and possess every sort of woman."

The anger of the gods was aroused. Lord Gladstone, youngest son of the late and great Premier, retorted:

"Your garbage about Mr. Gladstone in Portraits and Criticisms has come to our knowledge. You are a liar. Because you slander a dead man you are a coward, and because you think the public will accept inventions from such as you, you are a fool."

Observed another son, H. N. Gladstone, marginally on his brother's letter : "I associate myself with this letter."

Rejoined the maligned author, icily polite:

"I attributed to Mr. Gladstone the character of a hypocrite in matters of sex. I have evidence of his conduct as good as any that exists about events in the past. I wrote what I did write on the authority of the late Lord Milner.

"To use Milner's own phrase, Mr. Gladstone was 'governed by his seraglio.' This foible had considerable political effect. One affair turned Mr. Gladstone from being a friend of Turkey and an enemy of Russia, as he was in the '50s, into being a friend of Russia and an enemy of Turkey, as he was in the '80s."