New-York tribune., 1878-01-21
LORD MELBOURNE'S CAREER,

AN INTERESTING WORK IN WHICH SCANDAL is JUDI
CIOUsLY AVOIDED - PHASES OF LORD MEL
BoURNE's MARKED INDIvIDUALITY-A ROYAL
VISIT THIRTY-sEvE YEARS AGo-DIsRAELIs
EARLY ASPIRATIONS FOR GREATNESS.
irnox TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUSE.l
LONDON Jan. Pit ought TO be easy to write
good life Of Lord Melbourne. He was figure by
himself a personality quite unlike his fellowmen.
This generation might be led to take fresh interest
In one of the conspicuous pcrsonages of the last.
spite of its constantly growing disposition to regard
everything which did not happen yesterday as
belonging TO ancient history. Lord Melbourne is
known as the last of the swearing Prime
Ministers, which gives him pose at once lie IL
the author of that too famous maxm-nohe
the less maxim because put In an Interrogati'e
form" Can't you let it alone pa MAXIM Wh'ch
Q good many Wings and Torres have been disposed
to regard as embodying sufficient theory OF pohti-
cal activity To anybody but an Englshmah'
Lord Melbourne's distinction in public life seems
mystery. He had no very brilliant points about
him. He was not an orator. He had no genius for
finance nor remarkable talent for administration.
But he had sovereign good sense and strong cnarac
ter with very accurate knowledge OF the feelings
of his counrymen, and sort OF instinct as 10 what
would do and what would not do IN politics. lie
was the political tutor of the Queen the adviser In
whom the young Elll cOHHucu, anu WIN o"uSp" "''
the duties of her place. His name is mixed up IN
some of the most interesting history OF most IN
teresting period, and in some of the scandal Also
Mr.. Torrens. who has written the " Memoirs Of
Lord Melbourne" (Macmillan & Coz, lacks neither
the political nor literary ability needed for such
task He has made valuable book. The student
of politics will find in it everything be wants. The
student of life and manners Will perhaps think the
author might have put little more color Into IT,
The reader who reads for mere amusement may coui-
plain that his claims-whatever they may 0e-haVe
been neglected. If he looks for another dish OF
highly gossip such as he found in Grevllles
Memoirs, he will be disappointed. Even those who
remember the part Lord Melbourne bore in some no
torious matters and who look for full explanation
of them. may find their curiosity but scantly re-
warded. Mr. McCullagh TOrrens has taken
deeorous not TO say severe view of his duties.
"Two or three SUBJECTS of a personal nature"
writes he, 90 have abstaned altogether from notlc-
ing; not because their fair discussion would, in my
opinion tend to depreciate the value set upon the
character of the Minister or the man, but because
reject as wholly untenabe the claim of idle curl
osity into the affairs of the dead merely on the pre-
tence that the living were iustnous." He accepts
cheerfully the responsibility of exercising what he
himself calls disinterested discretion. If yOu wish
TO see how far he has carried it, you have only to
turp in one direction to the pages in which the Bed
chamber Plot is disposed of and, in another to the
meagre narrative of the scandal which connected
the names of Lord Melbourne and Mrs. Norton.
What was it that made Lord Melbourne ndls-
pensable to his party and secured him longer ten
ure of Office than any English Prime Minister of our
timei That is, it may be said the question which
Mr.. Torrens has tried to answer. Himself poll
tican, it is the political side of Lord Melbourne
which most interests him. He old enough TO have
known his hero, and bears witness to the deep I'M
preston Lord Melbourne made on him by his
genial temper, broadheartedness, civil courage,
practical wisdom, and fine humor; COM
bnaton of high qualities the memory OF
which he quietly remarks, has not been eiiaced in
him by his knowledge of more recent statesmen.
Admitting the lack in Lord Melbourne of the spen-
d talents of some of his colleagues and successors
Mr.. Torrens finds explanation of his ascendancy
In the phrase Of one who knew him well He
a great gentleman" Undoubtedly that does go for
much in England and Will long continue to go for
much The word is abused in these days, and the
significance of it depends more less on some
knowledge of fthe society with reference to
which it is employed l shall not presume
to offer any definition of the word, but |
may remark that 1t does not mean qnite the same
thing as it appears to when applied by the To-
cal editor of an Arkansas newspaper TO the propre-
tor Of the grocery whose hospitality he has
lust been enjoying Mr.. Torrens has a sentence Of
ehlcldaton which will bear quoting; describing
Lord Melbourne as highminded without assump-
tion muniiieent without letting it be known. care
full of the interests of the Crown without compromis-
ing hls sefrespect, faithful to party without har
boring ill-will TO opponents outspoken almost TO a
fault, yet never taking advantage of confidence
OF wilfully nficting a wound sensitive asa woman
to Misrepresentation, yet of all the most plaza
BILE and ready to forgive wrong; man sorely
tried in the relations of private life, yet suffer
ing his griefs TO the happiness of those around
him by murmur at the pain he was doomed TO en-
dure No wonder he bad fewer enemies and more
warmly attached friends tban many men of bis
time"
The Queen herself said Lord Melbourne was no
fatterer. One would like to hear what she thinks
of her present Prime Minister'S method of ingrati-
ating himself with his royal mistress. You have
just been reading account of the Queens visit to
Lord Beaconsfeld,iat Hughenden Here is a nara
tive of similar visit (but not concocted with
similar object paid by her Majesty to Lord Mel
bourne, at BrOcket, on the eve of his resignng
Office in July, 1871:
Numerous arches, decked with laurel bonghs
and gay with flowers spanned the way; crowds of
all classes in holiday garb, coming forth to offer
.nrdial greeting. The Duchess of Sutherland Lady
PalmerSton, and Lady Lyttelton accompanied her
Majesty in her open carriage. while his Royal High
ness prince Albert attended by Lords De
Grey, Panerston, Ccwper, and Charles Rus
sell. were on horseback. The Queen seemed
much struck with the beauty of the park
and of the windings of the Lee through
its noble glades. Under the great oaks and
beeches near the house groups of Young and old
gathered, awaiting the youthful sovereign, who
they knew had their best friend for her Chief Min
istor lint ,rhn1 fn,v of than, hnA ,,or eno, Lnfor