The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-26

i WIN iubhbUSu tuHb u iUuG ttiIu vi bDtNiS
In india was an Indispensable prerequisite
for the wise governing Of that immense de
tendency. They who looked for substan
tial vouchers OF administrative capacity die
not find them In the rapture with which
schoolgirls pored over Lucille" nor ever
in the refined delight with which great
ladies beheld their evanescent moods re-
Elected In the dainty rhymes OF AUX
Italiens." They not unnaturally thought
there should be proof more relevant OF fit.
ness to occupy the seat OF HASTINGS and
a WELLESLEY. But for the moment order
reigned In India. and the outbreak OF new
Afghan war was not as yet foreseen. More.
over. DrsRAELr. who had Just prevailed upon
his sovereign TO add to her traditional title
that OF Empress OF India, desired the as.
sumption Of the new dignity TO take place
under circumstances captivating to the
| Oriental mind. and for that purpose he
thought he needed not so much man
| grown gray In the council room or on the
battlefield as man Of broad culture. quick
perceptions. elastic sympathies. and lively
imagination. So he passed over time-tried
statesmen and experienced diplomatists.
and chose for the post OF Viceroy at juno
ture which required imposing. artistic,
and theatrical display. man much more
familiar with the delicate ways Of drawing
rooms than with the weighty cares Of en-
plre. 1t was as IL AUGUSTUS. instead OF
banishing OVID to Thrace. had in a capri
cious moment sent him to play procon-
sul's part at Antioch.
Whether the experiment was failure de-
ponds upon the point Of view. To man of
LYTToNs tastes and temperament his lease
OF supreme power In India was long Ara
blan Night. nor can It be denied that DIS
RAEL1's immediate purpose was fulfilled in
the magnificent durbar at which Lord LYr-
TON announced to great array OF mighty
vassals that their far-of mistress. the Queen
OF England. would hereafter wear the inn
perial crown which had been wrenched from
the Moguls Of Delhi. By the splendor of
the surroundings. by the romantic associa-
tions with which the new viceroy knew how
to invest the scene. the native princes
were wrought to an enthusiasm which
was intense though it may have been
short-lived. On the other hand. no
representative OF the British Crown
at Calcutta has ever given so much
offence to Anglo Indians by acts. some Of
which were creditable to his sympathy for
the subject races. but most OF which were
chargeable to ignorance OF the conditions
under which the English rule in India was
acquired and is sustained. BY fear rather
than by love Is an enormous territory to be-
held in thrall by a minority not exceeding
third OF one per cent. OF the population. II
one chose to heed the gossip Of dismayed
and Disguised civil servants. ono might be-
lieve that Lord LYTroN in his viceroyalty
united all the aesthetic brilliancy to all the
vices and all the administrative ineficiency
OF the worst CEsARs. However little
ground there may have been for such vitu-
peratlon. 1t is certain that the reverses at
first Encountered by the British arms in
tho ensuing Afghan war were laid to the
Viceroys account in England. and public |
opinion compelled Lord BEACoNsFIELD to
had the luxurious habits OF LUcULLus
without his executive and military gifts. |
So the only English man OF letters who has
ever had chance OF evlncing the highest |
qualities OF craftsmanship came back under
a cloud from India to receive tho poor con-
ISOLATION Of an earldom and to dwell for |
many years in undisturbed retirement. |
When at last. in 1887. he was invited by |
Lord SALISBURY to represent the British |
Government in Paris. the appointment was
viewed with much surprise even by the |
Tories. who soon perceived. however, that |
he was to be u mere fgurehead. his acts |
and even his words at all important crises
being subject to explicit dictation from the
Foreign Office.
While no one would think Of describing
Lord LYTToN as great poet, 1t is no less
evident that In spite OF ample opportunities
he failed to prove himself great man. But
there is no reason to suppose that he con-
sidered his life failure. Ho had his own
OF the true end OF man. He was
follower OF EPICURUs according to the view
II that philosopher taken by degenerate
disciples: and from the day that he left
Harrow to the last hour OF his lilo he
trained to the dregs the well-spiced cup OF
,picurean existence.