The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-09 00:00:00

LORD NORM .4 NB Y.

(From the Tintes.)
Lord Normanby has addressed to this journal a
few lines from Florence, in which he wishes us to
give publicity to the fact that he is in no wise dis-
qualified, either by age or infirmity, for the dis-
charge-of the duties of his late office. The ques-
tion of age is one purely of fact, and when Lord
Normanby writes to inform the British public,
through our columns, that he is fourteen years
younger than Lnrd Palmerston, and but two years
older than Lord Derby, of course it is so, and
there is an end of the matter. In the country of
the blind the one-eyed man is king. We are glad,
too, to hear that Lord Normanby is at present in
the enjoyment of as good health as his friends—
and he has many—could desire. We would ales
cAll particular attention to his statement, that
since " he has held this mission (at Florence) he
has never been incapacitated a single day from the
discharge of its duties." Now, although we believe
that Lord Normanby is an entirely unfit person

for the discharge of so serious a duty as that-of the
representative of Great Brit .in in the Italian Pen-
insula—for such, in point of fact, the Tuscan En-
voy is, or should be—we should b 3 grieved indeed
ti write a word which could give a moment's
pain on personal grounds to so amiable aid
deservedly popular a man. Considering what
our Italian diplomacy has been for some time
past, we thought we were adopting the more
merciful supposition in presuming that the popular
rumour which spoke of L:rd Normanby's failing
strength was correct. The explanation invariably
given of his Tuscan mission was that the real
business was transacted at Vienna, and qua more
ornamental duties at Florence. From his duties
Lord Normanby tells us he firs never been absent,
and his word is worthy of all respect. We may add
with perfect sincerity, that when we compare our
late representative in Tuscany with his successor
we are heartily sorry that he has been displaced.
By the side of Mr. Howard, Lord Normanby is a
Richelieu or a Ta!leyrand. This, however, is the
only ground on which his removal can be regretted ;
for it is clear enough that with the turn things are
now taking on the Continent of Europe, there
should he a man of vigorous character, of firm will,
and of keen intellect, to act as watchman for Eng-
land in the Italian Peninsula. This Tuscan mission
has ever been treated as an armchair by the
Foreign-office. The post is so agreeable—the city
so pleasant—the works of art collected in it so in-
teresting, that there is really no spot on thenCcoann-
tinent of Europe where an elderly gentleman
spend the autumn of his days more_ eonfttihre his
edici.
own satisfaction than at the capital
ohme Roman
With the Neapolitan mission cbaanceyi,leddi,plt
mission non-existing, and Lombardy,
not an idle farce, we ought to be
speaking, a blank, it is obvious
btebtatteirfroadrpiprhleaos
Temenatcbe diplomacy beeeatn
the Court of T public grounds;
uscatDoYcotnhsaindeW:t al:uest:on as one •
should be happy to bear
for some time past. This we. say
the
if we
private•e were
relations,
fact t
witness to the iwiaet a more courteous gentle •
man than Lord Normanby was never engaged in
the service of t
the country.

11
The following is the letter alluded to above :
« Sir,—As I see in an article of the 27th of March
you again allude to my supposed disqualifications
on account of advanced ago and infirmities, I am
sure you will be glad to hear that, although I bad
a severe attack of illness, attributed to overwork
and anxiety of mind, soon after my return from
Paris, I am now in the enjoyment of perfect health ;
and during the three years and a half I have held
this mission I have never been incapacitated a
single day from the discharge of all its duties. had
I at any time been in the state you give the public
to suppose, I neither would have accepted nor
retained the appointment.
" As to age, I am 14 years younger than the late
Premier, who certainly shows no signs of ago, and
only two years older than his successor. So much
upon a mere matter of fact ; ycu will not of course
expect that T should enter with you into any of the
other topics treatel in that article. I limit myself
the
exclusively to the request that you will
same publicity to this letter as to your eor:giraiineecohults.
statement upon a point of a purely personal Pa°ttrasok in fair
racter, not usually made a subject
siixer;;:it,
political warfare.—l am, 1
" Florence, April 2.". ...
sir,
youro,ol=