The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-13 00:00:00

A HANDSOME APOLOGY.

(From the Examiner,)
We have received the toilowiNg communica-
tion : •

- -- -
" Will you allow me to correct an error into
which the writer of the article in to-day's Examiner,
entitled ' Mr. Disraeli and President Lincoln,' has
fallen. He comments with great severity on a pas-
sage in Mr. Disraeli's speech, alluding, as the con-
text clearly shows, to Lord George Bentinck, under
the idea that the speaker was referring to Sir
Robert Peel.
" The only ground for the error is that the death
of Bentit.ick is spoken of os occurring twelve years
instead of fifteen years ago. But this inaccuracy is
corrected by the description given in the speech
of the condition of the Tory party at the time al-
luded to, which answers very well for 1848, but la
entirely inapplicable for 1851. I should have
thought, moreover, that Mr. Disraeli's antecedent-
would have precluded the idea that he could dwell
on the memory of Peel with 'admiration and arse
hon.' The last term, however, is most appropriate
when we recollect his intimate relations to Lord
George Bentinck.--I am, 84c.,
"4th July, 1863." "A. C.
Our correspondent is right, and we desire all we
said, under the impression that Mr. Disraeli's alin
sion was to Sir Robert Peel, to be considered as
unsaid. The fault, however, is not solely Ours. It
was Mr. Disraeli's exaggeration that caused our
mistake. We could not recognise Lord George
Bentinck in the eminent man of great sagacity and
great heart. The description sufficiently fitted Sir
Robert, and the circumstances referred to were cir-
cumstances of the Tory party under his leadership,
but anterior to the date mentioned. The idea never
struck us that any other Tory statesman of recent
times could be spoken of in such exalted terms of
praise. Nor was our false impression corrected by
the recollection of Mr. Disraeli's former ud j gments
as " A. C." thinks it should hare been, for we are
certainly not unpreparcd for inconsistency in Air.
Disraeles sentiments. The profession of affection
was indeed rather startling, but Bacon tells us that
" good things are never seen in their full beauty
till they turn their backs and be passing away;"
and Shakspeare to the same effente_
~ . . • . It Bo falls out,
That what we have we prize not to be worth,
Whiles
we enjoy it ; but being lack'd and lost.

Why
then we rack the value ;then we find

there was a time when Mr. Disraeli
must have.
The virtue that possession would not show us."
Uedeni
ought well and kindly of Sir Robert
these sentiments might have been revived
after party
Peel, and
differences had been closed by the tomb
But w®
were wrong, misled by Mr. Disraeli's pre-
estimate of a very mediocre politician,
posterous
in memory is not of a magnitude to
whose place
dispense with name. We say this without meaning
abtlby
any disparagement of a nobleman who had nany
high qualities commanding the respect of opponents,
as well as
winning the love of followers ; but emi-
nent statesmanship is another matter.
The S" has lectured us very severely for our
and we have profited by its lesson, as it
the spelling
will mistake,
see, in of Mr. Disraeli's name,
which, for want of knowing better, and not in
"spiteful pertinacity," we have spelt D'lsraeli, as
his father spelt it before him. We did not know the
offence that lay in the D'.
The sun charges us with a doggedly-cherished
antipathy to Mr. Disraeli, an implacable enmity,
over-bitterness of feeling. Yet we have repeatedly
seized occasion to blame Mr. Disraeli's party for its
ih_ratitude to the man whose talents have made it
what it is, and without whom it would be as a rope
of sand.
Our lecturer also rebukes uc for faults of manner,
homely or familiar figures end expressions, to which
we cannot reply without repeating our offence. We
must drive our ass in our own way, for nog' od ever
came of counsel taken in that business. Or
if the metaphor of the ass be tco vulgar for ears
polite, let us resort to another, and avow that we do
pique ourselves on dancing our bear
not to genteel
tunes, but to any that are appropriate.

Mr. FRITH is working/diligently at his picture of
the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales. The
Prince gave him a sitting on Tuesday last.
DR. CoLEicso's LAST WhY is it impossib:e
for two Bishops to row in the same boat ?" " Because
„hey are in different seas (sees) I" Not bad—for Colenso.