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[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 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 diariesand letters between the years 1888 and his return to Parliament in 1892.The private diaries consisted of entries made daily at the dates dealtwith. Of the Memoirs he says: "These notes are bald, but I thought it bestnot to try, as the phrase goes, 'to write them up.'" In some cases theMemoirs have been condensed into narrative, for Sir Charles says of theperiods his "notes" cover: "These chapters contain everything that can beused, and more than is needed, and changes should be by way of 'boilingdown.'" The Memoirs were unfinished. He writes in May, 1893: "From thistime forward I shall not name my speeches and ordinary action in theHouse, as I had now regained the position which I held up to 1878, thoughnot my position of 1878-1880, nor that of 1884-85;" and as from this pointonwards there are few entries, chapters treating of his varied activitieshave been contributed by those competent to deal with them.
Sir Charles Dilke's will, after giving full discretionary powers to hisliterary executrix, contains these words: "I would suggest that, asregards those parts relating to Ireland, Egypt, and South Africa, the sameshall be made use of (if at all) without editing, as they have been agreedto by a Cabinet colleague chiefly concerned." A further note shows that,so far as Ireland was concerned, the years 1884-85 cover the dates towhich Sir Charles Dilke alludes. The part of the Memoirs dealing withthese subjects has therefore been printed in extenso, except in the caseof some detailed portions of a discussion on Egyptian finance.
The closing words of this part of Sir Charles Dilke's will point out tohis executrix that "it would be inconsistent with my lifelong views thatshe should seek assistance in editing from anyone closely connected witheither the Liberal or Conservative party, so as to import into thepublications any of the conventional attitude of the old parties. The sameobjection will not apply to members of the other parties." In consequenceof this direction, Mr. Stephen Gwynn, M.P., whose name was among thosesuggested by Sir Charles Dilke, was asked to undertake the work ofarranging the Memoirs, and supplementing them where necessary. This workwas already far advanced when Mr. Gwynn joined the British forces on theoutbreak of the War. His able and sympathetic assistance was thuswithdrawn from the work entailed in the final editing of this book—a workwhich has occupied the Editor until going to press.
A deep debt of gratitude is due to Mr. Spenser Wilkinson, who hascontributed the chapters on "The British Army" and "Imperial Defence." SirGeorge Askwith was good enough, amidst almost overwhelming pressure ofpublic duties, to read and revise the chapter entitled "The