The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-10-25

lisbed aud VINO navy ioiiomvu Vle career
l s.Seir author, and faithfully read Lo.
o. "" must have smiled as they saw
lp'" Disraeli, at the age of seventy-two,
iha' hocome an earl. The audacious
p'J continental dandy, the brilliant
p''J nnsnaring Commoner, who was as
a Ia,S The Muat of the house as his
T,ry predecessor as Prime Minister was
l 'p,uert of the debate, the descend.
Wv ~ Spanish and Venetian Jews who
sI hec6me the conservative head of
, Protestant British government the
man who had given his name an indi.
, ';jnol distinction like Ppm and Pitt,
,nJ Fox and Canning, and Brougham
""J Peel. and Bright and Gladstone
I"s now tumbled upstairs into the
Wonse of Lords, and Mr., DisrNeli disap.
mars under the cornet Of tho Earl of
pc,ronsfeld. There is something ex-
l'.Iinrly ludicrous in this ending of
ii. career and the more ludicrous be-
c,n.e il is entirely characteristic. The
chief impression of Disraeli's life is that
ortheatrical effect, 1t is this which pro.
Juces the feeling in shrewd observers
tbat he is brilliant charlatan.
Tbey find nothing amidst all his talent
and accomplishment and tact and mar,
yelous political daring and efficiency
which implies deep conviction or prin.
cinle. His career is like one of his own
novels. Itleavcs the impression of gay
ETY., artificiality, audacity, cleverncss,
low ideals, and mock greatness.
Vivian Grey has at last donned the
strawberry leaves and dies n duke.
Yet to call him charlatan is not to |
deny him very great address and UNI
questionable 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 circumstances, He natu.
rally preferred political to Il literary
career because its prizes were moro i'm
mediate and tangible, and gratitied
love of display. Moreover, in England
it is in popular estimation the great ca
reer. His early stories show that his
thoughts were busy with it, and he
finally decided to be a Tory, probably |
for two rcasons--one that his imagina-
ton was touched by the romance of
established and traditional conScrya-
ism, and the other that success, if more
difficult, would be sweeter and moresig-
nal. Undoubtedly he agreed with Mill
that while all Conservatives are not
stupid, yet stupid people are generally
Conservatives. But, while this may
have assured him of the absence of ac-
tual rivalry, he knew that the very
dizziness Of the squirearchy and the
pride OF the peerage would oppose Il
passive and unreasoning resistance The
squire is not dazzled with brilliancy,
and my lord despises it.
But John Bull can see when an oppo-
ncnt is worried, and he heartily enjoys
it, So when Disraeli attacked Peel
iashing and flashing and wheeling and
darting around him, prickirg and
singing and goading, like II little
Dedouin heetly curveting about slow
and ponderously plodding caravan, the
iQurearchy chuckled and checrcd, and ,
delighted in the saucy onslaught. Dis
raell attacked Peel when Peel was the
truly wise Englishman, and when Eng
land needed the very British pluck and
hold which Peel displayed, But Dis
racli was enlisted for Disraeli, not for
England He was one Of Caravaggio' S
cavaliers in plumcd hat and
'lashed doublet, and he played the
ards in his hand to his own advantage. {
rhe men can be measured now. Sir
Robert died n Commoner, and Disraeli
viii die an earl. But, of the two Prime
which will England remem-
FER as having more wisely served her =?
1t is curious and significant fact
hat the comments upon Mr.. Disraeli's
treat it rather as an abase-
nent. Thackeray goes far to persuade
IS that every Englishman at heart is a
mob. Il myself should be glad to be
cen walking down Pcadilly with n
uke on each arm" But despite the
we which Lord Tom Noddy inspires it {
pain llluU lIltlS 10 SNINi '' iNSiNN
hen Il clever man consents to become {
ord Tom Noddy, This goes far to
how, on the other hand, that there is II
cnuine admiration OF ability and that
he untitled ftmily name which mans
alent or service has distinguished is
more honorable than peerage. "a
,ecrago or Westminster Abbey " said
Nelson as he went into battle. But no
,ther name than Nelson upon his tomb
'ould satisfy his country. A title which
,omcs at seyenty-two is of necessity lus-
reless The Earl of RcaconsHeld ca"
levcr make the title illustrious. He
AN found no family, for he is childIess.
lie gains no distinction. lie is already
'ich enough, and all that can be said OF
lm in the splendid exile Of the Upper
is that the old man under the
Beaconslield coronet, the peer without
and without descendants, was
,nce BENJAMIN Disraeli.