Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/168

 and the corporate Obstructionism—the latter he held in some respect as a necessary evil used to combat hasty legislation. Ex-ministers and their secretaries will appreciate the following letter written by H. H. to Lord Blyth:

" I am looking forward with great interest to the result of your deputation to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Postmaster-General. I beg to warn you against the stereotyped replies which you and I have been met with during more than a quarter of a century. Before the two great Cabinet Ministers begin to reply you will no doubt anticipate them by asking them not to put you off in the old and worn out way:

1. I recognize the importance of the deputation.

2. I fully sympathize with your objects.

3. Circumstances will not now permit.

4. We shall when the time arrives and opportunity permits."

H. H. had to an extraordinary degree a personality that might be described as magnetic. He realized that in order to get any request granted it was only necessary for him to see the person who was required to do that particular thing. He had the greatest faith in personal interviews and no faith at all in the written word that probably gets no further than an obstructionistic (once more!) secretary.

Literally, H. H. did not know the meaning of the word "No," and he took it from no one. With his mind centred on the achievement of some project, he would listen to arguments with an intolerance and impatience that belied his natural broad-mindedness. Too good a mathematician to be convinced by an array of figures, too keen an historian to learn from