Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-31

IL with It's two glttering eyes, and its long,
beak-like nose, can wonder that me1
should have sought some smile for il
amongst the birds. Remarkable is the
effect which this face produces when it is
seen in the midst of mass of the com
monplace countenances ordinarily to be
seen in the House of Lords. 1t stands
out with distinctness which is positively
startling. It seems as though it refused
to mingle with the other constituents of
the scene-as though there was nothing
in common between it and ordinary faces.
The eye passing over the rows of
crowded benches on great debate, can
not pass over that countenance. Instinct
lively it rests upon it, and the mind feels
that it is looking upon man who is in
every way exceptional.
AS PUBLIo SPEAKER.
Never during the time that he has &C.
cupied seat in the House of Lords has
Lord Lytton spoken before that assem-
blage. Once, indeed, we almost heard
him. 1t was during the debate on the
church bill last year. At the close of one
OF the evenings debates, Lord Lytton and
Lord Grey rose together. The cries for
Lord Lytton was general from all
sides OF the house, and Lord Grey was
| compelled to resume his seat. According
to custom, Lord Lytton then moved the
| adjournment of the debate, in order to
secure the first place in the discussion of
the following evening. When that even
ing came the house filed early, in the
hope that speech from the great literary
| peer was about to be listened to, and
amongst those present were some of the
most eminent authors of the day; but
when the clerk ''callcd ON the renewed
debate, to the disappointment and dismay
of everybody, Lord Grey, and not Lord
Lytton, rose. The Northumbrian earl
had, it appears, in the interval between
| The adjournment and the renewal of the
discussion, induced Lord Lytton to give
way to him, and in this manner the House
of Lords lost a treat to which it had
| looked forward.
A great treat it would have been; for
Lord Lytton, though like his brother, Sir
Henry Bulwer, he now suffers to an
| almost painful extent from physical
weakness, is nevertheless one of the most
brilliant orators who have appeared on
the parliamentary arena during the last
thirty years. His speeches sparkle with
| that brilliant and polished wit which
shines in his works, and they have, more
over, that flow of eloquent words which,
| though it be somewhat incongruOus in
printed book, is certainly not out of place
in spoken address. 1t must be long
time now since Lord Lytton made his
maiden speech in the House of Com
mons. One of the literary and social
chroniclers of that day has left on record
| some account of the anxiety with which
| it was looked forward to by the brilliant
| set of wits and dandies in which Lord
| Lytton was at that time the highest star.
''He can do everything else, but he can
| never make Speech" said one of his
friends. Indeed, it seemed difficult to be-
leve that this man, who had shown him
| self able to produce plays, poems, and
romances, all of sufficient merit to secure
high place in English literature, should
also be able to command by his elOquence
the great political assemblage of which
he had become member. But when the
hour of trial came he passed successfully
| through it. He made speech which
showed that he was something more than
| great author-that he had within him
the faculties of great statesman also.
| 1t is singular indeed that the same party
in the House of Commons should have
included among its members at the same
| time two such men as Sir BulWer Lytton
and Mr.. Disraeli. Both these men are
| great authors; both are great orators;
L 7 10
longs, beyond all question, the literary
| faculty; to Disraeli the higher political
ability. But each possesses the two quail
| ties to an extent which makes him an eX-
! ceptional phenomenon even among great
men.
| AS POLITICIAN.
Of Lord Lytton, the politician, we have
| little to say. His political career bears a
somewhat marked resemblance to one or
two of the most distinguished members of
the party to which he belongs. He be-
gan his political career in 1881, as the
liberal member of st. Ives, and for many
years, in Parliament and out of it, he was
a consistent supporter of the liberal party.
In 1851, however, he published that ia
nous Letter to John Bull, ESQ.," which
attracted so much attention, and in 1852
he found a place upon the conservative
benches. Since that time he has been the
consistent supporter of conservative mea-
sures. In 1858 he had the honor of being
selected by Lord Derby to take the great
post of the Secretary for the colonies in
his administration. 1t was then
shown that the novelist, the
- ], ,nfrr
the orator, could all be merged in
the statesman; for during Sir Edward
| Lytton's tenure of the colonial office, he
displayed an amount of administrative
ability which showed that he was capable
of taking as high rank in political life as
any of his contemporaries. Had his
health served him, and had he cared fol-
the struggles of the parliamentary arena,
he might have commanded office on hi:
own terms from any succeeding cOnserva.
tive administration. But he had made ur
his mind to retire from active public life
when Lord Derby was called to Office in
1866, and one of the first acts of the Prime
Minister was accordingly to give effect tc
the universal esteem in which the ex
colonial Secretary was held by raising hin
to the House of Lords, with the title Of
Baron Lytton.
IN LITERATURE.
He has left hardly any branch of litera
tme untouched, and all that he ha
touched he has adorned. At fifteen HI
gave to the world his first poem, 'Tsmael,
and since that time he has added to tn,
poetic literature of his country som,
works, for the future of which we neec
have no fear. In history he took man,
years ago position which showed wha
he was capable of doing if he had chosel
to pursue it, while as dramatist he ha
! given TO the English stage some of it
= | most brilliant comedies. 1t seems, as W
pursue his history, indeed, as though h
were capable of doing well in any depart
ment which he chose to touch; and hi
e marvellous readiness, his gift of improvi
4 sation, if we may so term il
S in whatever work he undertake
is not less wonderful than the poye
Y and genius which he constantly displays
We have but to take, by way of example