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Show GLADSTONE'S LITTLE JOKE. fUe Reproduction of an Old iWagazIn Article Sets the Critics Agog. Mr. Gladstone has played unconsciously unconscious-ly a capital little joke upon his critics, literary and political, and is said to b6 enjoying it as much as anybody. Fifteen years ago he wrote for a now defunot tiagazine an article entitled "The Evan-f Evan-f elical Movement; Its Parentage, Prog-ess Prog-ess and Issue. " This was recently unearthed un-earthed by the editor of the present Evangelical Magazine, who, with the author's permission, republished it in the December number. The critics, with one accord, treated the article as new and praised or sneered according to their political beliefs, which is quite a com-moti com-moti way of writing literary criticisms bore. Tho Liberals, of course, found ia the artiole proof that Mr. Gladstone's intellect had improved, like good wins, with age, and the Tories, with equal certainty, detected signs of mental decay. de-cay. The Radicals, too, drew corcforS from it as showing that the Grand Old Man iu his retirement was moro eager than ever to sever the connection between be-tween church and state, while the Whig churchmen discovered in this remarkable article abundant arguments in favor of the maiutenance of the union betweco the state and church. As a matter of fact, tho Grand Old Man now writes - little, although ho is bombarded with applications from editors edi-tors in all parts of tho world. Ho is likely like-ly to write still less for tho outside world if it bo true, as rumored, thatlie has commenced dictating his memoirs to his wife. The greater part of every day is still devoted to reading theological theolog-ical works from his already famous library, li-brary, and collectors will learn with interest in-terest that he makes copious marginal notes upon every book which passes through his hands. Exchange. |