The New York herald., 1873-10-27


time when the Reform bin agitation was at its
height, he began by launching little pamphlet
entitled "What Is He r'-Uhe words being those
which Lord Grey had used on hearing that "vivian
Grey wished to enter Parliamentl-and In this
,,nusion he showed what breadth OF ex-
per,'ance and what generous liberal ardor he
had acquired during his travels. He had IN
fact, seen France and Germany, Italy and the
East and as the revolutionary wind Of 1880 was
then everywhere raging he had grown enthu-
sastic-as young men will-in the cause OF lib
erty, anti-Jesuitsm and universal brotherhood
OConnen was struck by his chalourous utterances
ana so was Hume. Between them they put him
up as radical candidate for Wycombe, and though
Disraeli was defeated here,> as he was again In
1888 for Maryebone, yet therenwas that In his ap-
pearance, voice. gestures and manner which
cassed him as q being apart, and made people
say that he was an extraordinary young man, who
would certainly make his day. He was at that
time daintily-dressed, but decidedly Jewish
young gentleman, with black corkscrew ringets.
His voice was well pitched, but his delivery was
too pompous, and the philosophical notions he had
picked up abroad and which time and rejection
had not allowed him sufficiently to digest, made
him talk clean over the heads Of his hearers
English electors were accustomed to be address ed
in language more familiar and in terms practical,
had he been buffer man-one who was known to
eat beef and VINO could roar char from the hust-
ings as C0bbett did. II q serious blemish upon
man In the year 1888 to be called un-English and
young Disraei must have felt that the popular
judgment passed on him-''rhat Jew boy Is .
rum 'un"-had more OF tact homage than Of actual
promise in 1t.
BENJAMIN DIsRAELI's CONVERSION.
Two years now elapsed, ana when next the
"Jew boy" solicited the public sunrage 1t was as
the author Of laudatory pamphlet ON the British
constitution and as q tory upholder Of Church and
Queen principles. great change, truly. But
what had led to its Well, simply meditation, said
Mr.. Disraeli; but O'Connel and the Jew boys radi
cal patrons OF course protested that 1t was
ambition OF tbe most sordid kind. and that
"vivian Grey" was beginning to practice with un-
paralleled eYrontery the Machavellic maxims which
he had preached. There Is no reason why we
should believe O'Connel more than the new con-
vert, for II some budding conservative-say Mr..
Gladstone who was then sitting In Parliament for
Newark, as the bluest of blue tories-had deserted
his principles to embrace the Irish agitator's 1t
may be doubted whether tnat consistent man
would have taxed him with efrrontery. Disrael
had much more to gain by remaining o radical
than by turning conservative, and this he must
have well known. A man who shouts untirngly
pummelled at starting, but his yells bring him
place and emoluments In the end and IT, there
fore, Disraeli changed his opinions it probably was
because little thought had convinced him that
English radicalism was hollow thing, rather preJu-
dicia to liberty than serviceable to it. This he
declared to O'Connell, In the famous letter where
he wrote, eve shall meet again at Philippi," and
he explained to the electors Of Taunton, where he
was canvassing, that his conservatism had nothing
in common with the aut0cratical theories OF
foreign conservatives; 1t was merely the desire to
conserve English freedom and English Protestant
ism as opposed to Popish despotism on the one
hand and democratical anarchy (Which also means
despotism) the other The radicals asked for the
abolition OF the House OF Lords the suppression
OF the Established Church. and manhood suffrage;
but they forgot that If the House Of Lords were
done away with its own members, being great
landowners, would Hood the House OF Commons
and hold the suffrage OF uneducated country
electors absolutely in their hands, while the Es-
tablished Church, being no longer present to keep
back Romish encroachments, the Catholic priest
hood would identify tneir with that OF the
tories, which would lead to state Of things identl.
cal to that In continental States where conserva-
tism and Popery ride abreast over liberals,
Protestants and ree-thinKers promiscuously.
English liberals derided these notions, because 1t
Is common foibe among Englishmen to look
upon their country as specially dispensed by
Providence from the evils which afilict other
States. Just as certain progressive young Dutch
men might poke fun at the dykes which the
prudence OF their forefathers built to avert the
foods so go-ahead Englishmen think it knowing
to knock down one by one all the barriers erected
in times past TO guarantee public freedom and
order. Young Mr.. Disraeli took the liberty to
warn them that they would repent OF this
son n law wh 10 W. ha hat
ically repeated that he had renounced the Char
tist programme, not because he had ceased to be
O liberal but because he wished to remain
one. The electors OF Taunton refused to be con.
vinced; but in 1887 those Of Maidstone accepted
Benjamin Disraeli at his own valuation, and he
took his seat in the House as conservative be-
side Lord George Bentinck and behind Sir Robert
Peel, who had not yet surrendered protection
Soon after taking the oAths he delivered his maid
en- speech, which was too elaborately prepared to
be good one. His friends had cautioned him to
wait, but, painting to distinguish himself he sprung
to his legs, and the liberals seized upon this
sion OF paying OF old by hooting him to the
echo. Surprised at first he endeavored to sur
mount the tumult by speaking louder but, per-
ceiving that his opponents were resolved to laugh
and shout him down, he paused and uttered his
now well-realized prophecy-"I have begun many
times several things and have always succeeded at
last. shall sit down now, but the time will come
when you will hear me-"
MR.. DIsRAELI's MARRIAGE.
Genius. eloquence, firm will and much industry
are fine elements Of success, but to complete them
all politician should have good wife, and this
greatest Of blessings Mr.. Disrae found in 1889 in
the person Of Mrs. Wyndham-Lewis, the widow
OF his parliamentary colleague for Maidstone.
Mrs. Lewis was rich, and her fortune enabled her
husband to contract those valuable social relations
which are bred of pleasant dinners and frequent
''at homes" But, in addition to her fortune, Mrs.
Lewis brought her husband dowry Of love, wor-