The sun., 1880-12-05

place was Paris. There he " dwelt for years in
Sybaritic seclusion. He built himself palace.
which he called q villa. and which was the most
fanciful OF structures. and full OF every beauti-
ful object which rare taste and boundless wealth
could procure. from undoubted Raphaels to
jewelled toys 1t was said that Lord Montfort
saw no one; he certainly aid not court. or re-
ceive his countrymen. and this. perhaps. gave
rise to, or ut least caused to be exaggerated. the
tales that were rife Of his profusion. and even
his pronigacy." But according to Lord Bea-
consfleld he was not entirely solated:
He lived nnch with the old families Of France in their
naughty faubourg and highly considered by the M
II truly circle for which he was adapted. Lord
Montort the only living Englishman who gave one
idea OF the nobleman Of the eighteenth century lie
totally devoid the of responsibility and he
looked what he rcscmbled Ills manner, though simple
and natural finished and iefned and free from Tor
bidding reserve, was yet characterized by an air Of
serious grace
There was no SUBJECT divine or human, in which he
took the slightest interest He entertained for human
nature generally and without any execution the most
cynical appreciation lie had sincere and profound
conviction that no man or woman ever acted exeeut
from selfish interested motves Society was intoer
able to himthat of his and station wearisome
beyond their conversation consisted only OF
two subjects, horses and women and he had long ex
hausted both As for female society," If they were ladies'
It expected that In some form or other. he should
make love to them and he had no sentiment Hhe took
refuge in the DENT n,ond. encountered vulgary,
that to Lord Montfort insunerable He had tried
them in capital and vusarty was the badge oil all
their tribe. He had attempted to read; woman had
told him French novels but he found them only
clumsy representation OF the life which for years he
had practically been leading.
No could say Lord Montfort was n badhearted
man. for he had heart. lie was good.natured. pro
vided brought him no Inconvenience and ss for tenn
per, his disturbed but this not from sweet
ness Of dispos ton. rather from a cOntemptuous fine
taste which assured him that gentleman should never
be deprived Of tranquility in world where nothing was
OF tho slightest conseq quence.
1t must be owned. we think. that Balzacs
sketch is dim. and Thackeray's coarse. beside
this picture which hos the fine lines and the
subtle half shades Of life.
We have room for one more citation. In this
paragraph Lord BeaconsAeld touches on a
theme with which he should be preGmnently
conversant-the influence OF the Semitic race:
:" The semes unquestonabiy great race, for
among the few things in this world which appear to be
certain, nothing is than that they invented
alphabet But the semites exercise vast inhu
affairs by their smallest though most peculiar
family, the Jews There is no gifted with 80 much
tcnacity and such skill in organization These Qualities
have given them Unprecedented hold over property
and ilhmtablc credit As you advance In life and get
experience in affairs. the Jews will you every
where. They have long been stealing into secret
diplomacy which they have almost Appropriated In
other OF century they will claim their share OF
government Wen, there races, and
bodies of men influenced in their conduct by their
cular organization and which must enter into ali the
calculations OF statesman But what do they by
the Latin racer Language and religion do not make
There is only thing which makes race. and
that is blood"
Most persons will find 1t hard to accept. or
even to understand. the definition propounded
In the last sentence. so far as the term race
means anything deserving the attention OF the
thinker or the statesman. it denotes something
more than mere congenitnl procivities which
may be checked. warped. and ultimately effaced
by a change OF circumstances. 1t seems to pos
tulate cohesion. cooperation. community Of
sentiments, identity OF interests. These at
tributes OF people are generated by tho press
ure OF a common language. a common religion.
and common geographical boundaries rather
than by any evanescent afflnities OF blood.
What Is II but language and religion which has
hindered the Poles from coalescng with their
fellow Slavs OF Muscovy What weighty agency
now exists except difference OF language to
hold back Portugal from fusion with the main
body Of the Iberian peninsula? What is 1t
but n difference OF religion which has
kept the Catholic Celts OF Ireland radi-
cally separate from the kindred Celts who,
having once migrated from ireland to Sect
land. came back again 10 occupy the prov
ince OF Ulster And what has developed in the
Jews themselves the tenacity OF purpose and
capacity of organization to which Lord Bea-
consleld adverts but the maintenance OF their
national faith. and. SO far as Hebrew is retained
in their religious services. OF their national
language?
AS We lay down this book we feel that the
choice OF title. which at FIRST struck us as fan
tastc. is sufficiently opposite. With all the au-
thors worldly wisdom and political sagacity.
he has given us in Endymion very senti-
mental book Has he ever given us anything
else. and is not this tender. sympathetic accent
which is scarcely drowned even in his cynical
afrectations. the keynote OF his character
and the secret OF his conquest OF soci-
ETY.? From one point OF view this latest novel
might be termed tho apotheosis OF woman.
considered rs n social and political force. 1t is
not one goddess only who deigns to look on this
Endymion. but three goddesses who vie with one
another in assuring to the lucky youth place
among the immortals. Women" his sistor
tells him in the days OF his obscurty. will be
your best friends in lfe:" and really 1t
seems that to this sister. or TO Lady Montfort or
to Adriana Seuchatel. or to Lady Beaumaris
every step Of his advancemen must bo credited
II this story can DO regarded rs in any sense
photographed, 1t must be- owned that
the authors Acknowledgement Of his
profound Indebtedness to women presents
curious psychological phenomenon. Wo
should scarcely look for it from proud man.
though We might expect It from n vain man.
Those. however who are familiar with the pre-
judice against men of Israelite origin which not
long ago was rampant and is still rife in Eng
lish society. will appreciate the self-com-
plscency which recalls how Hebrew youth
found favor with the daughters Of the Phllis-
tines After all. the main thing which concerns
us In this matter OF the alleged influence o.
women is not the good taste bur the truth OF
Lord Beaconslelds assertion. Are women
such potent factors in the shaping not only OF
mans social hut OF his political career2 Bal
| gnc said theY Mero; indeed the narnhoN is nn.