The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1876-11-03
The Earl Of Beaconsfeld.


The Earl Of Beaconsfeld. ~
Those who recall Vies0n Grey and the
Young DUKE when they were published,
and who have followed the career of their
author, and faithfully read Lothair, must
have smiled as they saw that Disraeli, at
the age of seventy-two, had become an earl.
The audacious and sentimental dandy; the
brilliant and unsparing Commoner, who
was as much the Murat of the House as
his Tory predecessor as Prime Minister
was the Rupert of debate the descendant
of Spanish and Venetian Jews who had
become the Conservative head of the Prot
estant British government the man who
had given his name an individual distinc-
ton, like Pym and Pitt, and Fox and
Canning, and Brougham and Peel, and
Bright and Gladstone-has now tumb1ed
upstairs into the House of Lords, and Mr..
Disraeh disappears under the coronet of
the Earl of Beaconsfeld. There is some
thing exceedingly ludicrous in this ending
of his career, and the more ludicrous be-
cause it is entirely characteristic. The
chief impression of Disraeli's life is that of
theatrical effect. 1t is this which produces
the feeling in shrewd observers that he is a
brilliant charlatan. They find nothing
amidst all his talent and accomplishment
and tact and marvellous political daring and
efficiency which implies deep conviction or
principle. His career is like one of his
own novels. It leaves the impression Of
gayety, artifciality, audacity, cleverness,
low ideals, and mock greatness. Vivian
Grey has at last donned the strawberry
leaves, and dies duke. 5'-f-l ia1
Yet to call him charlatan is not to deny
him very great address and unquestionable
ability. A dandy of the Hebrew race does
not become the. Tory chief and Prime
Minister of England without long and
continuous struggle, in which he wins by
main force every inch of the way. The
way, indeed, was smoothed by circumstan-
ces. He naturally preferred a political to
a literary career, because its prizes were
more immediate and tangible, and gratified
love of disply. Moreover, in England, it
is in popular estimation the great career.
His early stories show that his thoughts
were busy with it, and he finally decided
to be a Tory, probably for two reasons
one that his imagination was touched by
the romance of established and traditional
conservatism, and the other that success, if
more difficult, would be sweeter and more
signal Undoubtedly he agreed with Mill
that while all Conservatives are not stupid,
yet stupid people are generally Conserva-
tiyes. But, while this may have assured
him of the absence of actual rivalry, he
knew shat the very dullness of the squire
archy and the pride. of the peerage would
oppose passive and unreasoning resist
ance. The squire is not dazzled with brill
fancy, and my lord despises it. azsgEtEaI
But John Bull can see when an opponent
is worried, and he heartily enjoys it. So
when Disraeli attacked Peel, dashing and
flashing and wheeling and darting around
him, prieking and stinging and goading,
Ikea 1.-THE Bedouin feetly eurveting about
q slow and ponderously plodding caravan,
the squirearchy chuekled and cheered, and
delighted in the .saucy onslaught. Disraeli
attacked Peel when Peel was the truly. wise
Englishman, and when England needed
thevery British pluck and hold which Peel
displayed But Disraeli was enlisted for.
Disraeli, not for England. He was, one of
0arayaggio's milling, cavaliers in plumed
hat and slashed doublet, and he played the
cards in his hand to his own advantage
The men ean be- measured Sir, Rob-
.ert: died q Commoner, and Disraeli will die
an earl But, Of the two Prime Ministers,
which will England remember, as having
more wisely served her Whose statue,
Of the two, will she regard with reverence
and pride? sr3.sa ,,e9 efs,,!.s.t,..4 !; ssa :.
Is Il is Q curious and significant fact that
the comments upon Mr.. Dlsraeli's q s.sseleva-i
tion Z treat it rather as. an sahagement.
Thackeray goes far to persuade us, that
every Englishman, is at hear. . snob. ii g
myself should be- glad to. be seen walking
down lPiccadillY with A luke on each arm =
But despite the awe lWhich Lord Tom Nod
deyi inspires, it il plain al that there j. general
regret when q clever man consents to be-
come Lord Tom n Noddyyr This goes far to
show, on the other hand, that there il .
genuine admiration Of ability and that the
untitled family name which . mans talent
or service has distinguished is more honor
able than j. .peerage. "A 5peerage or
Westminster Abbey" said Nelson as be
went into battle. But no other name than,
Nelson upon his tomb could satisfy his
country. "A title which comes at seventy
two isiof necessity lustreless. The Earl Of
Beaconafeld can never make the title illus
trioas. He can found no family, for he is
childless. He gains no distinction. He ii
already rich enough. and all that Jan be-
saie III him Id the splendid exile of the
Upper Chamber II that the old man under
tie Beaconsfieid coronet, the peer without
ancestry and without descendants, was
once Benjamin Disraeli. Hdrper q Maya
giae for N00ensber.