One
of these married the earl of Belmore, an Irish nobleman, who lately
returned from a not very successful gubernatorial career in New
South Wales. Both Sir Thomas and Captain Gladstone were decided
Conservatives.
William Ewart is the fourth brother. "That young brother of mine will
make a noise in the world some of these days," said Captain Gladstone
to a fellow-middy as his brother turned away from bidding him good-bye
just before he was about to start on a cruise; and the words were
certainly prophetic. Mr. Gladstone married when he was thirty. His
wife was one of the two sisters of Sir Stephen Glynne. The English
aristocracy contains a great many sets, and the Glynnes were in the
intellectual set, comprising such men as the dukes of Argyll and
Devonshire, and Lords Derby, Stanhope and Lyttelton. Mrs. Gladstone
and her sister were married on the same day to two of the finest
intellects of their time. The younger, whose mental gifts were far
superior to those of her sister, married Lord Lyttelton.
Mr. Gladstone has a large family. The eldest son has for some time
been in Parliament, but has established no reputation for notable
capacity, and it is said that, with the exception of one of his
younger brothers, none of the family are remarkable in this respect.
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