The Life of the Rt Hon Sir Charles W. Dilke, vol 1

The Life of the Rt Hon Sir
Charles W. Dilke, vol 1

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Title: The Life of the Rt. Hon. Sir Charles W. Dilke V1
Author: Stephen Gwynn
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THE LIFE OF THE RT. HON. SIR CHARLES W. DILKE, BART.,
M.P.

[Illustration: RT. HON. SIR CHARLES W. DILKE, BART., M.P., IN
THE YEAR 1873. From the painting by G. F. Watts in the National
Portrait Gallery. Frontispiece, Vol. I.]

THE LIFE OF THE RT. HON. SIR CHARLES W. DILKE BART.,
M.P.
BEGUN BY STEPHEN GWYNN, M.P.
COMPLETED AND EDITED BY GERTRUDE M. TUCKWELL.
IN TWO VOLUMES VOL. I.

PREFACE
The following Life of Sir Charles W. Dilke consists mainly of his own
Memoirs and of correspondence left by him or furnished by his friends.
The Memoirs were compiled by Sir Charles Dilke from his private
diaries and letters between the years 1888 and his return to Parliament
in 1892. The private diaries consisted of entries made daily at the dates
dealt with. Of the Memoirs he says: "These notes are bald, but I
thought it best not to try, as the phrase goes, 'to write them up.'" In
some cases the Memoirs have been condensed into narrative, for Sir

Charles says of the periods his "notes" cover: "These chapters contain
everything that can be used, and more than is needed, and changes
should be by way of 'boiling down.'" The Memoirs were unfinished. He
writes in May, 1893: "From this time forward I shall not name my
speeches and ordinary action in the House, as I had now regained the
position which I held up to 1878, though not my position of 1878-1880,
nor that of 1884-85;" and as from this point onwards there are few
entries, chapters treating of his varied activities have been contributed
by those competent to deal with them.
Sir Charles Dilke's will, after giving full discretionary powers to his
literary executrix, contains these words: "I would suggest that, as
regards those parts relating to Ireland, Egypt, and South Africa, the
same shall be made use of (if at all) without editing, as they have been
agreed to by a Cabinet colleague chiefly concerned." A further note
shows that, so far as Ireland was concerned, the years 1884-85 cover
the dates to which Sir Charles Dilke alludes. The part of the Memoirs
dealing with these subjects has therefore been printed in extenso, except
in the case of some detailed portions of a discussion on Egyptian
finance.
The closing words of this part of Sir Charles Dilke's will point out to
his executrix that "it would be inconsistent with my lifelong views that
she should seek assistance in editing from anyone closely connected
with either the Liberal or Conservative party, so as to import into the
publications any of the conventional attitude of the old parties. The
same objection will not apply to members of the other parties." In
consequence of this direction, Mr. Stephen Gwynn, M.P., whose name
was among those suggested by Sir Charles Dilke, was asked to
undertake the work of arranging the Memoirs, and supplementing them
where necessary. This work was already far advanced when Mr.
Gwynn joined the British forces on the outbreak of the War. His able
and sympathetic assistance was thus withdrawn from the work entailed
in the final editing of this book--a work which has occupied the Editor
until going to press.
A deep debt of gratitude is due to Mr. Spenser Wilkinson, who has
contributed the