The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

A MODEL ARTICLE.

[The following document has been inclosed to Ls, " with the best compliments of a late
contributor to the Swaimlay Review." What he means by calling himself " late " we
do not know—whether he has been discharged, or whether he is dead, or whether,
as is most probable, his articles are sent in after the proper time. Nor do we know
why he has favoured us with the communication. He says that what he incloses is
the Model Article, which all the contributors to the Sinalterday flevieio are expected to
adopt as the groundwork of their productions. They may vary their style, and the
Latin Delectus may be pillaged ad libitum, but every article must include the praise
and the abuse contained in the Model.]

XTOT the least noble among the thousand noble things which have
been said by the Earl of Aberdeen, in the course of the most
honourable life ever spent by a patriot in the service of his country,
was his saying on Friday night that " new circumstances frequently
made it necessary to alter our opinion of old cases." The phrase has
the sparkle of the diamond, but, unlike the Disraelite epigrams, it
has also the diamond's solidity. It is another proof, if such were
needed, of the elaborate dishonesty of the "leading journal," that it
maliciously omits the word " frequently," its so-culled report of the
speech of Lord Aberdeen, thus seeking, with the usual tortuous impu-
dence of the " organ," to accredit the Earl with the unceasing habit of
tergiversation of which the " organ " itself is the irrubescent type. But
manipulation of a cognate character has too often been the subject of
Philippic. Like Domitiau, the Times cannot bear diamonds of weight
or value—nee sufferre queat majoris pondera gemnicc.
Enunciating that wise political axiom, the Earl of Aberdeen (to
whom it is due, under Providence, that England is not now a Russian
province, and called Gortschacovia), with the legitimate dexterity of a
statesman, not with the gladiatorial tact of a mere debater, like the
author of " Tancred," cut away the around of the Tories, and of their
unavowed ally the " leading journal." Superbly magnanimous, Lord
Aberdeen made his opponents a present of all the charges by which
they had sought to damage his character for inconsistency. The
Rupert of Debate, with his usual insolence, likened the Earl to a
weathercock, because he went round and round. Stern was the
rebuke of the scientific man to the mere man of the world. " The
Noble Lord calls me a weathercock, and imputes blame to me that I
go round and round. The Noble Lord's extensive acquaintance must
include some philosopher who can tell him that a weathercock is
intended to go round and round. His taunt, therefore, is as the wind
that turns it." Lord Derby will think twice before he ventures again
upon a scientific image : (lid we think he understood Latin, we would
say to him, "Procul, 0 precut !" But not even the malignant inge-
nuity of the Member for Bucks, or the blustering censor who as " our
organ " makes us ridiculous in the eyes of Europe, can avail against
an adversary whose masterly plea is that all you have said is true—
and what then ? Probably Burke never attained so brilliant a dia-
lectic triumph, and assuredly Peel never promulgated a more stated-
manly defence.
The true nobility of Lord Aberdeen's character may be observed
by all who are not wilfully blinded by the dust of Buckinghamshire,
in the period he selects for this majestic avowal. While the "organ "
insulted him and virtue by affecting to defend him, he was as silent as
the sky. While his Ministry might be injured by the avowal of his
policy, Lord Aberdeen threw over it the regis of imperturbable reserve,
upon which shield the thunderstroke of Rupert, and the light arrows
of the Buckinghamshire Teucer, alike descended in vain. But when
he can lose nothing by the disclosure—reyis ad exemplar, we smile at
the ready taunt—he makes it frankly and fearlessly, and tells the
Peers that circumstances alter cases. Mr. Disraeli may make the roof
of the Commons resonant with his anger at the phrase, but it defies
his unconstitutional, disproportionate, and antiphlogistical sophisti-
cation. _ _ _

When, in " Waverley," Sir Walter Scott makes Feargus Mclvor
describe the real nature of his regard for Rose Bradwardine, he says—
[Here ingot the passage, and in any article into which half a page of reprint
from the Waverley novels can be introduced it will be desirable to give
Even Mr. Benjamin Disraeli could not have made a more revengeful
reply ; nor could the " leading journal " have more deliberately dis-
torted the meaning of the speech. But their motto, like that of the
pretty fool in the French chanson, is, "Ne rien savoir—n'apprendre
As for the comments of the Leader of the Opposition upon Lord
Aberdeen's speech, the time has come for speaking very plainly in-
deed. Mr. Disraeli has got hold of the very worst attributes of Pitt
and Windham ; he combines the audacity of Burke with the supercherie
of Melbourne, and he balances the superficiality of Castlereagh with
the obscurity of Mackintosh, while subverting doctrines with the reck-
lessness of Bentham, and erecting theories with the rapidity of De Siey es.
By analysing this description of his genius, a reader will arrive at a
defined perception of our meaning—sol oriens per fugit umbras—and we
have no hesitation in affirming that none of those who are qualified to
apprehend our solution of the Disraelite problem will deem it worth
while to demand categorical annihilation of the Disraelite arguments.
That Lord Aberdeen's inimitable and unapproachable eloquence
should excite the rancour of the " organ" was to be expected, for a
would-be monopolist of rhetoric is not a whit less arrogant than any
other Protectionist ; but neither garbled reports nor ghastly scoffing
will hallucinate the public. Virtus celari non potent. When the author
of " Coningsby " shall be a nominis umbra, and when the " organ's "
ultimate tune shall be reared out, its bellows burst, and its reeds split,
a procession may wend from Printing-house-square, taking Grosvenor-
gate in its way, to hang civic crowns upon a newly-erected statue to
Aberdeen.
[Upon reperusing the above, we think that it is remarkably fine
writing, and we hope that (notwithstanding moribund appearances) the
" Review " may be spared among us for some weeks to come. It is
heartily welcome to this .clvertidement.]

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