Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-06-01
Had BeaoonsileId Imagination7

P. NJ. Potter has brief paper on
Beaconsfield in the June Scribner.
which concludes with the words
used by Lord Bolingbroke in speak
ing Of the Duke Of Marlborough:
"He was q great man, and l have
forgotten all his faults" We quote
as follows, with regard to Beacons
fields lack of imagination:
"It may be doubted whether
Lord Beaconsfield had any artistic
sensibility, auy warmth OF imagi-
nation. There is no evidence OF
either in his speeches. Events
that thrilled the world neither
stirred him to eloluence nor suf-
fused the glow Of feeling over his
rhetoric. The sympathy which he
10 reported to have given to the
American Union in the Civil War
found no adequate expression in
his oratory. Far be it from me,
here or elsewhere he said, 'to use
any phrase which could be often
sivs to either of the parties In that
country who are embarked in that
fearful aud unprecedented struggle
which Is now going on. But what
ever happens there, 1t may be said
that they have certainly increased
our confidence in the energy of hu-
man nature, and that IL a great ex.
plot to have performed Could Il
more vapid comment have been
made? Hear what follows: II
think that we must all feel that
their history has taught us that for
a powerful and enduring commu-
nifty something else is wanted than
confidence In human nature. 1,
think that Englishmen cannot but
remember at this moment that
while those who have preceded US
have achieved as great results as
ever were accomplished in Ameri.
ca, our predecessors did establish
this state and this society upon
sounder and truer principles. Hap.
py the land where freedom and rev.
erence 60 hand in hand. aud proud
may Englishmen be at this moment
when experience has proved in SO
transcendant manner that we
have solved the most d fficult prob
lem in politics, and have combined
not only freedom with order, but
progress with tradition. This has
been the source OF our strength,
aud though it does not become us
to proclaim 1t in q violent manner
to Americans, yet while we treat
than ~ ifh al raenoot in thip faor
full struggle, let US as Englishmen
be proud of that strong society of
which We are members, and the !
strength of which can only be at
tributed to the wisdom of the prin.
ciple on which it is established
The cOmplaoenoy of this state
ment, which. in the presence OF the
Irish land-war, might be exactly
reversed to-day, would seem to
have sprung, not from excess of
patriotism, but from lack of imag-
lnation. When Abraham Lincoln
was assassinated, the generous
of Emilio CASTELAR, in
spired one of the most magnificent
Drations of the century. Beuja.
min Dlsraeli could find nothing
better to say than this: "When
such crimes are perDetrated the
public mind Ia apt to fall into
loom anL perplexity, for it is ig-
n0rAnt alike of the causes and con.
sequences OF euch deeds. Assassi-
nation has never changed the
history OF the world;' with refer
ence to the costly sacrifice of a
asar,' aud GLIB quotations about
Aeury Nv. aud the Prince of Or
ange, and other flowers from the
Of newspaper leader.
writer's.
"Nor is 1.-THE imaginative qua.
lty that shines in his novels. They
are master-wOIks Of the Turkey
carpet school OF writing. Like all
writer's who lack creative power,
he author tries to hide the defect
beneath splendor of embellish-
nents. The result is that, apart
rom their wit and knowledge of
The world, they differ in no mate
rial respect fIoEa the romances of
Ouida.