The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-09 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

LORD GEORGE BENTINCK. A Political
Biography. By B. Disraeli, M.P. Third
Edition. Colbeirn.
Thy, very numerous admirers of Mr. Disraeli's
writings have latterly had cause to lament those po-
litical'avtcations which have induced him to lay aside
the novelist's pen—that pen which he wielded with
such peculiar grace. The eloquent Parliamentary
speeches of the Member for Buckinghamshire, and
the zealous labours of the Protectionist chief, have
not compensated to the reading multitude for the non-
appearance of any new " Coningsby," or "
or " Wondrous Tale of Alroy," or " Contarini
Fleming,". &c., &c. In these regrets we must con-
fess that we have participated, because, differing
widely from Mr. Disraeli as a politician, we have
always justly appreciated his genius and admired his
Nscinatinge powers as an author. The new
work recently issued, and which has already
reached a third edition, differs materially from
his former: productions, but, nevertheless, we are
rejoiced; if .not a little surprised, in being enabled
to award to it fully the same meed of commen-
dation which we have, from time to time, be-
stowed upon the former works of its author. Under
the peculiar circumstances iu which it appears we
should have been willing to look with an especial
leniency upon the partiality to be naturally expected
in the record of a friendly biographer, while the total
di-similarity between our political opinions and those
of Lord George Bentinck could only dispose us to
regard with a more impartial admiration his per-
sonal characteristics, and to sympathise most sincerely
with those who sorrowed for a noble life cut short at
the moment of its highest promise. That admiration
and that sympathy have been amply evoked by
a perusal of the biography, but our in-
tended " allowances " for the partiality of the
historian have not been found in any way
necessary. The unaffected simplicity with which Mr.
Disraeli has penned this record of his " comrade in
arms," and the delicacy with which he bas kept him-
self in the background, scarcely making more than
the most casual mention of one who was a principal
actor in all the events which he relates, can only be
appreciated by those who have read the book, and the
most discriminating among them will, we doubt not,
be of opinion that nothing in his former works has
charmed them more than these graceful characteris-
tics of this " political biography." Duly aware of
the importance of a true record of a competent wit-
ness, Mr. Disraeli remarks near the very commence-
ment of his task It should not be forgotten that
the most authentic and interesting histories are those
which have been composed by actors in the
transactions which they record. The con-
temporary writer, who is personally familiar
with his theme, has unquestionably a great advantage;
but it is assumed that his pen can scarcely escape the
bias of private friendship or political connexion. Yet
truth, after all, is the sovereign passion of mankind;
nor is the writer of these pages prepared to relinquish
his conviction that it is possible to combine the accu-
racy of the present with the impartiality of the future,"
a difficult and well-nigh impossible undertaking, but
in his endeavour to accomplish it, Mr. Disraeli
has been sufficiently successful. Another point
which has also afforded us much gratification in
this work is the manner in which mention is made
of the late Sir Robert Peel. In many of Mr. Disraeli's
sentiments respecting that statesman we do not, of
course, concur ; for itis not necessary to observe that
we look upon that great and good Minister in a very
different, point of view to that in which be appears
to the eye of his former supporter, yet this very cir-
cumstance induces us to regard with greater pleasure
some portion of Mr. Disraeli's elaborate criticism on
that Minister. Some extracts from that criticism we
subjoin, not because we entirely agree with them, but
because they afford an interesting specimen of a very
interesting portion of this work :
" Nature had combined in Sir Robert Peel many ad-
mirable parts. In him a physical frame incapable of
fatigue was united with an understanding equally
vigorous and flexible. He was gifted with the faculty
of method in the highest degree, and with great powers
of application which were sustained with a prodigious
memory; while he could communicate his acquisitions
with clear and fluent elocution. Such a man under any
circumstances, and in any sphere of life, would probably
have 10.-come remarkable. Ordained from his youth to
be busied with the affairs of a great empire, such a man,
after long years of observation, practice, and perpetual
discipline, would have become what Sir Robert Peel was
in the latter portion of his life, a transcendent
administrator of public business and a matchless
master of debate in a popular assembly. In the course
of time the method which was natural to Sir Robert
Peel had matured into a habit of such expertness, that no
one in the dispatch of affairs ever adapted the means
more fitly to the end; his original flexibility had
ripened into consummate tact; his memory had accumu
fated such stores of political information, that he could
bring luminously together all that was necessary to
establish or to illustrate a subject; while in the House
of Commons he was equally eminent in exposition and
reply—in the first distinguished by his arrangement, his
clearness,•and,his completeness; in the second, ready, in-
4enious, and adroit, prompt in detecting the weak points
of his adversary, and dexterous in extricating himself
from an embarrassing position.

"Thus gifted and thus accomplished, Sir R. Peel had a
4reat deficiency; he was without imagination. Wanting
imagination, he wanted prescience. No one was more
sagacious when dealing with the circumstances before
him; no one penetrated the present with more acuteness
and accuracy. His judgment was faultless provided he
nad not to deal with; the future. Thus it happened,
through his long career, that while he was always looked
upon as the most prudent and safest of leaders, he ever,
atter a protracted display of admirable tactics, concluded
his campaigns by surrendering at discretion. He was so
adroit that he could prolong resistance even beyond its
term, but so little foreseeing that often in the very
triumph of his manoeuvres he found himself in an un-
tenable position. And so it came to pass that Roman
Catholic emancipation, Parliamentary reform, and the
abrogation of our commercial system, were all carried in
haste or in passion and without conditions
or mitigatory arrangements. Sir Robert Peel had
y peculiarity which is perhaps natural to men
of very great talents who have not the creative faculty;
he had a dangerous :sympathy with the creations of
others. Instead of being cold and wary, as was com-
monly supposed, he was impulsive and even inclined to
rashness. When he was ambiguous, unsatisfactory, re-
served. tortuous, it was that he was perplexed, he did
not see his way, that the routine which he had admir-
ably administered failed him, and that his own mind
was not constructed to create a substitute for the custom
that was crumbling away. Then ho was ever on the
look out for new ideas, and when he embraced them he
aid so with eagerness and often with precipitancy; he
always carried these novel plans to an extent which
even their projectors or chief promoters had usually not
anticipated; as was seen, for example, in the settlement
of the currency. * * After a great disaster, it
was observable of Sir Robert Peel that his mind
seemed always to expand. His life was one of perpetual
education. No one
,more clearly detected the mistakes
which he had made, or changed his course under such
circumstances with more promptness; but it was the
past and the present that alone engrossed his mind.
* In an ordinary period he would have been a perfect
Minister, but he wae.not a Minister for stormy times;
ne wanted depth, and passion and resource for such an
occasion. After destroying the Tory party in '46 he
tell a thinking again over the past and the present as he
did'atter his tall in '3O, and again arrived at a great con-
clusion. In '3O he said be would act no longer as a su-
bordinate; in '46 he said he would act no longeras a par-
tisan. In '3O he visited his position upon the Duke of Wel-
lington; in '46 on the political ties of '4l; but if he had
been a man of genius he would have guided the Duke
of Wellington, and in '4l. would have given
a creed to his party, always devoted to him,
instead of borrowing their worn-out ideas. * * * As
an orator, Sir Robert Peel had perhaps the most
available talent that has ever been brought to bear in
the House of Commons. We have mentioned that both
in exposition and in reply he was equally eminent. His
statements were perspicuous, complete and dignified;
when he combated the objections or criticised the pro-
positions of an opponent, he was adroit and acute; no
speaker ever sustained a process of argumentation in a
public assembly more lucidly, and none as debaters
have united in so conspicuous a degree prudence with
promptness. In the higher efforts of oratory, ho was
not successful. His vocabulary was ample and never
mean, but it was neither rich nor rare. * * He
was gifted with an admirable organ, perhaps the finest
that has been heard in the House in our days,
unless we except the thrilling tones of O'Connell.
Sir Robert Peel also modulated his voice with great
skill. His enunciatiou was very clear, though some-
what marred by provincialisms. His great deficiency
' was want of nature, which made him often appear, even
with a good cause, more plausible than persuasive, and
more specious than convincing. He may be said to
have gradually introduced a new style into the House of
Commons, which was suited to the age in which he
chiefly flourished, and to the novel elements of the As-
sembly which ho had to guide. He had to deal with
greater details thau his predecessors, and he had in many
instances to address those who were deficient in previous
knowledge.' Something of the lecture, therefore, entered
into his displays. This style may be called the didactic.
* * Sir Robert Peel made some of his most
considerable efforts in the great straggle of '46;
tyheaaurs his
S of
peechtchs,
either and it may be a question whether his very best speeches
life.lsr as MThine3i;te
were not those which he made during. the last three
Minister or
as Leader e more
o
naft
position,Op-
there was more earnestness and mote heat
about them, and much le
bility. * * Ile Ss of the affectation of plausi-
had obteined 1 t
a com e e
control over his temper, which
as
fiery. His dispnesition was good by nature somepwhat
there was nothing
petty about him; he was very free
from
not only Lot vindictive, hut, part! rb rancour; he was
y temp
still more, perhaps, by oi pii„e, he t
ue.a
s Pn'ament, and
ninwits. * * Par from any coldness ebeven mayna-
between Sir Robert Peel and the great houses
usistieg
which had
supported him through his long career, there never
ti ISiinister who was treated with such nice homage, a's
may be said, with such affectionate devotion. The
Proudest in the land were peskier to be his friends,
and
he returiv2d the* 4
teelieg to its full extent and in all
j,,, V. r, clilDa sry of Sir
I vsethstaniiing his unrivalled powers
of eispeacitieg affairs, that he was the greatest minister
that this country ever produced, because twice placed