E-text prepared by Malcolm Farmer, William Flis,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Exceedingly kind and flattering of MAX MÜLLER! "I hope thereare but few here present who have never enjoyed the privilege oflistening to Mr. GLADSTONE." Ha! ha! He little thought therewas one there who had not "enjoyed that privilege." Have enjoyedmost privileges in my time, but never that of "hearing myself asothers hear me"—more or less. "Unavoidable absence of Mr.GLADSTONE!" Ho! ho! Then my disguise was perfect. Get myselfup as a Liberal Unionist, with wig and eye-glass. Not likely anybody would recogniseme in that rig.
Rather enjoyed myself—and my paper, "Phœnician Elements in the HomericPoems." Most seductive title! Such a popular touch aboutit! Think I shall have it printed as a "leaflet" for distribution among Workmen'sClubs and Radical Associations. Might conciliate those well-meaning but illogicalEight-Hour Men. Wonder if KEIRHARDIE would like a copy. What morenicely calculated to cheer the scant leisure of Labour?
Funny to hear my own sinuous sentences coming back to me from mouth of another.Not quite sure MAX is so "fascinating in his voice, and so persuasivein his delivery" as—but no matter. Can't say—as MAX did—"I felt myselfcarried away, and convinced almost against my will." Not at all! Wonder what hemeant by that? Why "against his will"? That's what Liberal Unionists, and otherpreposterous and illogical opponents of mine say in House, when they complimentme on my "eloquence," and then vote against me! Absurd! Wish they'ddrop their compliments and vote straight.
"Small and exotic contribution" to Oriental Congress! Neat description of paperrunning to nearly fourcolumns of Times. "Intense sentiment of nationality, which ledthe Greeks of later days to covet the title of Autochthones." Wonderif that reminded MAX, or anyone else, of another race with "anintense sentiment of nationality," and a passionate love of the landfrom which they sprang. Wonder whether, if Nationalists wereto call themselves "Auctochthones" instead of Home-Rulers, weshould get along better? Must consult JUSTIN on this point.Should have to teach some of them to pronounce their new name,though. "Autochthones," spoken in wrath, with a rich brogue, afterdinner, would, I should think, beat Phillippopolis, or "Ri' l'il, ti'li'l Isl'l" hollow.
Anax andrōn, too, might be useful. Say, as substitute for thateverlasting G.O.M., of which I admit I'm heartily sick, Lord ofMen! Not King of Men, of course. LABBY might kick at latter."Nothing can be simpler than the meaning of the two words."Exactly. Must get HARCOURT to popularise these. Applied toAGAMEMNON. Why not to "strong men" who live after AGAMEMNON?"Evidence from extraneous sources of connection betweentitle of Anax andrōn and great Egyptian Empire." Aha! I may yethave to play the Anax andrōn in Egypt as before. Allegory—I meanAnax andrōn on banks of Nile! Good—and not a Malapropism,whatever WOLSELEY may say. "Title of Anax andrōn descendible"(good word, "descendible") "from father to son, and accorded inthe poems to personages altogether secondary, viz., EUMELOS andEUPHETES." Wonder what my EUMELOS—HERBERT—will say to that!
Enjoyed it much whilst MAX was "mouthing out" (as Mrs.BROWNING says) my eulogy of that man of "Phœnician stamp,"the "universal ODYS