Had he not taken
I don't know how many University Scholarships in his freshman's
year? Had he not been afterwards Senior Wrangler, First Chancellor's
Medallist and I do not know how many more things besides? And then, he
was such a wonderful speaker; at the Union Debating Club he had been
without a rival, and had, of course, been president; his moral
character- a point on which so many geniuses were weak- was absolutely
irreproachable; foremost of all, however, among his many great
qualities, and perhaps more remarkable even than his genius was what
biographers have called "the simple-minded and childlike earnestness
of his character," an earnestness which might be perceived by the
solemnity with which he spoke even about trifles. It is hardly
necessary to say he was on the Liberal side in politics.
His personal appearance was not particularly prepossessing. He was
about the middle height, portly, and had a couple of fierce grey eyes,
that flashed fire from beneath a pair of great, bushy, beetling
eyebrows and overawed all who came near him. It was in respect of
his personal appearance, however, that, if he was vulnerable at all,
his weak place was to be found.
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