The Press.
London, England, 1857-11-28 00:00:00

tation of his deceased friend. Lord NOR-
MANBY has now added another to the long
catalogue df lost Whig stars.
In various ways, his Lordship had or-
ganised a sort of showy reputation. He was
once a noted man of fashion ; he played well
in private theatricals; he biographised " Ma-
tilda," and brought her "out" at the circu-
lating libraries. lie aspired to sway the
realms of dandyism like another BRUMMELL;
and, under the auspices of the late Mr. DANIEL
O'CONNELL, his Lordship got Irish popularity.
Curvetting on a capering steed, and dressed
in military costume, Lord NORMAN BY delighted
to prance through the streets of Dublin, and
astonish his mob of place hunters. It was
truly observed of him that "he acted his part
"at Dublin so well as to be mistaken for a
"Count Phelim O'Mulgrave or Sir Corny
" Fitzphipps." On the Viceregal boards he
had strutted with immense applause from
"the gods," though he played to empty boxes ;
and, on leaving Dublin, the Marquis was as
much regretted as if he sat for the picture in
poet THACKERAY'S account of Tim Malony's
grief :

And will we no longer behould him,
Sarrottndin. his carriage in throngs,
As he weaves his cocked•hat from the windies,
And smiles to his bould aid•de•congs.

Then, when the Whigs were in a declining
condition, the Marquis was placed in the
Colonial-office; but he failed there in a few
weeks, and had to leave that post. He then
went to the Home-office, but he had no better
success there, and it was discovered that he
was only a theatrical mannerist. Sitting op-
posite to the Duke of WELLINGTON, the Duke
of RICHMOND, Lord ELLENBOROUGH, and Lord
LYNDHURST, and with Lord EROUGHANI dis-
charging a flank fire, it was soon found that, in
the great battles of party, Lord NORMANBY was
only fit for a subaltern's duty. He could
skirmish smartly, but he was unequal to large
operations. His rising reputation at Dublin
had deceived the world ; when tried in the
Senate, his Lordship was found to be neither
a statesman nor an orator.

When the Whigs returned to power, on the
fall of Sir R PEEL, Lord NORMAN BY was sent
as Ambassador to Paris, and his son got a
place at Court. As affairs grew difficult and
intricate at the Embassy, it was felt that more
strength was required ; another Ambassador
was substituted, and Lord NORMANBY migrated,
for the benefit of his reputation, to an Italian
climate. He would have been almost forgotten
but for his own temerity in publishing " A
Year of Revolution." Of the contents of that
heavy performance this is not the department
of our Journal in which its defects can be
reviewed, but the clubs of Pall-mall have
already anticipated the labours of the critics.
It is felt that the Noble Marquis has given a
finishing stroke to the remains of his ephe-
meral fame. _ .

For nine years Lori NORMANBY has kept his
work, and he has now produced it, as if for
the purpose of showing the feebleness of his
composition, when contrasted with the writings
of LAMARTINE, LOUIS BLANC, and VICTOR Hvoo.
Whether it was right for an English Ambassa-
dor to publish his journal of such recent
events seems to us to be more than doubtful.
We can understand how the chief performers
in 1848 should be allowed to tell their story,
but Lord NORMANBY was only an official spec-
tator ; and his utility at Florence as a diploma-
tist will be considerably diminished when it is
found that his Lordship wishes to manufacture
a book out of his opportunities. We should
anticipate great evil to the diplomatic service
but that there is no likelihood of the example
becoming infectious. The fault has carried its
own punishment. - The world's dread laugh "
is a sufficient infliction to deter any other
diplomatist from so exposing himself
'There is one brilliant association raised by
Lord NOILMAI4Bra book. In trying to raid it