Of all the managers who
assembled there I was the youngest, and the greatest personality was
Edward John Cotton. By common consent, he had acted as Chairman of the
Conference from the year 1864. No one had ever dreamed of assuming the
position when he was present. This continued till 1890, when Tom
Robertson came on the scene. _He_ was all for change and innovation, and
managed to get the principle of formal election to the chairmanship
established. Many of us thought it was a pity to make the change in
Cotton's time, but Edward John seemed the least concerned of us all, for
nothing ever disturbed his good humour. Robertson was a veritable
Hotspur and upset for a time the serenity of our meetings. He was
overcharged with energy, and a bachelor.
It is my belief that had our genial Cotton chosen the stage for a
profession he would have found a place among the distinguished actors of
his time, if not in tragedy, certainly in comedy. His face, voice,
manner and style all proclaimed it. You had only to hear him read in
public, which he loved to do, see how natural his dramatic action was,
and feel the effect of a mere wave of his hand through his abundant hair,
to be convinced of this.
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