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

LAIRD NORMANBY.

(From the limes.)
Lord Narmanby 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
N. rmanby wfites to inform the Briti,h public,
through our columns, that he is fourteen years
younger than Lsrd Palmerston, and but two years
older than Lord Derby, of course it is so, and
here is an end of the matter. In the country of
the blind the one-eyed man is king. We are glad,
t(a3, to hear that Lord Normanby is at present in
the enj )yment of as goad health as his friends—
and he has many—could desire. We would alga
call particular attention to his statement, that
since " he has held this mission (at Florence) he
has never been incapacita,-ed 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, grieved indeed
to write a word which could give a moment's
pain on personal grounds to so amiable aud
desrvedly popular a mats Considering what
our Italian diplomacy has basn for some time
past, we thoueit we were adopting the more
I merciful supposition in presuming that the popular
rumour which spoke of Lord Normanby's failing
strength was correct. The explanation invariably
given of his Tuscan mission was that the real
business was transacted at Vienna, and the more
ornamental duties at Florence. From his duties
Lord Normanby tells us he liss 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 ate 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 aro
now taking on the Continent of Europe, there
should he a man of vigorous chary ter, of firm will,
and of keen intellect, to act as watchman for Eng-
, laud 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 the Oilcan;
tineut of Europe where an elderly gentleman. his
spend the autumn of his days more entihreely to
own satisfaction than at the cap
mission non-existing, and Lombardy,
With the Neapolitan mission canicteallledoclifp the
f ba t if diplomacy be
speaking, a blank, it is obvious ohmeßatoirllny
are, or haw, been.
the Court of Tuscany
_tshwaets
not anidle farce, we ought to
say on public grounds;
weebetter represents d at
should bs happy tog bear
for some time past.
90Dsider the quest'on as one
a more courteous gentle
witness to the t
facormanby was never engaged in
ofif wperivtv-aetree arleliozzocilo. othwaet
man than Lord N
the service of the country.

is the letter alluded to above :
Th:
folloAnslgsee in au article of the 27th of March
"81.„Is allude to my supposel disqualifications
Y"cc-ount of advanced age and infirmities, I am
On a
be glad to hear that, although sure you will
a severe attack of illness, at'ributPd to overwork
and anxiety of mind, soon after my return from
Paris, I kin uow in the enjoyment, of perfect health ;
and during the three years and a halt I have held
this mission I have never been ineapacitatel a
single day from the discharge of all its dutiss. Ilad
I at any time teen in the state you give the publics
to suppose, I neither 1401114 have accepted nor
reained the appointment.
" As to age, I am 14 years younger than the la`e
Premier, who certainly shows no signs of age, and
only two years older than his successor. So much
upon a mere matter of fact ; ycu will not of course
expect that I should enter with you into any of the
other topics treate lin that article. I limit myself
exclusively to the request that you will give the
same publicity to this letter as to your erroneouse
statement upon a point of a purely rerso paair,
meter not usually made a subject of attack
servant,
in
political warfare.—l am, Sir, your obedient
„ I
NORMANBY.
"Florence, April 2."