The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-04-20
BEGCoKsF1ELD.

Der is one less than it was few hours
ago, while Bepjamin Disraeli, Earl oil
Beaconsfeld, was yet alive. There
are many who lay claims to great
ness, and If the newspapers we're al
ways to be relied upon, it would not
take long to collect an interminable
list of intellectual giants, mighty
statesman and towering geniuses.
But there are many enthusiasts who
write for the newspapers, and there
Rre others who write for money, say
ing what they are hired to say,
whether il be to dwarf the big or Gle
vats the lowly. If enc will take the
trouble to intelligently read the utter
ances and scan the actions OF the men
who figure prominently before the
public, he will convince himself that
greatness, even in the popular scceP-
tation of the term, is confined to 3
limited circle. In the United Statee,
besides che high Administration
funotionsries, there are rs senators,
293 representatives of states, 80 gov
ernors, and innumerable legislators,
politicians and those who are called
statesmen; but how many men who
are prominent to-day will be known
in future generations by reason OF
anything they have done on earthY
Outside the specialists, the living
Americans who are great could be
counted on the fingers of one hand.
The same may be said Of any and
every country Of the world, Now
and then a giant looms up to shorten
the stature of the multitude about
him, and 30 it is in the intellectual
world. Beacons6eld was one of those
intellectual giants; Bismarck is an
other; Roscoe Conkling may be one;
Bonap&rte was one; so was Daniel
Webster and George Washington;
Gladstone is none, nor ia Gsmbetta
nor any ruling monarch of to-day.
Such men as Gladstone, as Won
Arniu, as the average American
senator, make Beaconsfield and Biz
marck and Conklipg shine forth
brighter by comparison. The living
will not be ashamed to acknowledge
Disraeli as one of tie greatest, If not
the greatest man of his time, the
only other person in Europe ap
prosehing him being bic Prussiau
friend, Bismarck. What sdds to bis
Iustre is the fact that he was
what we call 'self-made.' He
possessed genius and brain capable
of cultivation as . foundation upon
which to build and grow, and we'll
directed ambition, study and hard
work did the rest. He owed his sue
cess in life and his great lame to no
lucky torture, nor remarkable cir
cumstance. As Robert Carter wrote
of him ten years ago: THE career of
Mr.. Disraeli Is one of the mott extra.
ordinary in English history. By
genius and energy unaided by wealth
or family connections, he has made
himself leader of the House of Com
mons, minister of finance in the most
commercial of countries, and twice
prime minister of one of the might
lest OF modern empires" There is
little doubt that he would have been
thrice prime minister OF that empire
had death stayed its hand year or
two. Though he and his party were
defeated last year, the indications all
point in the direction of the speedy
overthrow of the Gladstone govern
ment. That overthrow must have
been FASTENED had the opposition not
lost its great captain. While Great
Britain is the chief sufferer from this
visitation Of death, the world az large
Is q loser, for Besconsfield was
friend to mankind and contributor
towards the welfare, the improvement
and the general good of the human
family; so while England mourns
deepest the world is sorroWful over
the going hence of she author, states
man and scholar, whose name for
nearly tbree-feurths OF century has
been familiar wherever civilization,
Christianity and education were
found. A history of the life of this
remarkable man would be interesting
and instructive reading, and We regret
the inability to give even a brief
sketch OF it, being obliged to content
ourselves with references to some OF
his more important work. Benjamin
Disrseli was born in London on De
csmber 21st, 1905. His education
was limited, bis father being his chief
tutor. It Was originally the intention
TO train him to the law, and an emil
nent solicitor desired to make him
heir to his extensive business. but
tastes were literary, to
which field be devoted many years OF
his life. Perhaps his most famous
novel was "Vivisn Gray" with which
the public is familiar and which was
written when the writer was but 20 {
years OF age. Many books came {
rom his pen, and their originality,
Fivacity and wit made most of them e
popular. His latest novel, EN- 8
Iymiou," brought out last year, was &
perhaps his poorest. Some of his c
,leasantsst writings were sketches Of o
European and Asiatic countries T
listed by him in his earlier years. c
)israeli's ambition to shine in politics 81
vss not ct first crowned with success. 81
Is suffered several defeats in con- d
ests for parliament, but finally, at q
be age Of 80, be was elected to the fc
Ionee of Commons, in the fret p