The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-11-30
A STRANGE MAN.

1t Is a charge against DiSraeli that he
had no affections and was either born
without or had conveniently sup
pressed them. And, indeed, of grand
passions, so much to be expected of
genius, no one has vet traced any in
diligence.
That the range of Disraell's affections
was limited is true; but for that there
are obvious explanations, apart from
defect of sympathy in himself or the
policy of maintaining an impenetrable
character. Within their narrow bounds
his affections were deep and tender; all
that is known of his domestic relations
testifies to that. AS for his friendships,
no doubt they We're what they are gem
orally imaglned-very few, indeed.
Many and intimate friendships would
have been fatal to his scheme of life,
though it need not be supposed that he
thought them any sacrifice. In all like
lihood, the only idea that such intima-
cies ever presented to his mind was
that of intolerable invasion. Yet, If his
life is ever written as it might be-the
material is at hand and the scribe
above ground--the world will learn
think, that DisraelPs few friendships
were most warm and most affectionate.
But there will be no complete portrait
of Disraeli yet awhile All thought OF
publishing his life or any of his papers
in this century was abandoned long
ago by him who, with most authority
for the task, is by far the most compe-
tent to it's performance. The enormous
mass of Lord Beaconsfeld's papers,
and the finished state of confusion in
which they were left, may have had
something to do with a decision taken
on higher grounds 1 have heard that
he seemed to have destroyed nothing
like a. letter, nothing in the least docu-
mentary, that ever came into his
hands.
Where so much is in doubt and so lit
tie known, it may be useful to take
from my own recollections scene
quite unconfrmatory of the notion that
Disraeli was without personal affec-
ton, There is some historical interest
in the story. too.
Colonel Home, though little known to
| the public was an engineer officer of
great distinction. 1t was he, who, go
| ing before Lord Wolseley in Ashantee-
land to cut Jungle paths, bridge tor
rents and be lost sometimes for days
| in situations of extreme peril, did much
| more for the success of the expedition
| than was ever acknowledged, except by
some whose voices were weak and did
not carry far enough But Mr.. Disra-
| eli knew his worth rating it none the
| less highly. perhaps. because it was an
independent discovery of his own At
some time during the Russo Turkish
| war when it seemed not unlikely that
accident or policy would throw Eng
land into the conflict, the Prime minis
ter sent for Home and his maps The
intention explains itself. 1t was thor
ougbly characteristic of Disraeli to
make a. quiet study of what could be
| done putting himself under skillful
guidance NOT too highly placed. What
he desired was a free range of inquiry
with a, chance of new lights, and not
| the settled dicta Of authoritative per-
sonages which could be had at any
time on a, sheet of foolscap. Home
came. together they sat down to the
mans, and said Mr.. Dsraeli on the oc-
| casion I am about to tell of, II soon
| found that I had in hand a man of ex-
| traordinary character and capacity
| Counted by years, it could not have
been long after this that Colonel Home
died
IT happened that next day day l was
| to see Mr.. Disraeli at that haunted
house. No 10 Downing street. On adj
mission to him lit was very early
morning CALI found him bending
over 'sThe Times" which was spread
upon the table where he stood, and I
think had that moment been opened
Without looking up, his first word was,
"You have seen the bad news?" The
| voice was 80 agitated-his. Mr.. Disra-
elps-that I wondered for an instant
| what national calamity | had over
| looked and was now to hear of. ''You
know that Home is gomez" he added,
and then in the same unexpected
voice broke into many expressions Of
affectionate admiration The word
| that struck me most was. II destined
him TO great command" 50 speaking,
ha sat down bv the Preside as if quite
overcome. There he was silent and
| the silence was such that for a time |
did NOT like ia look in his direction.
when T did so T saw that the hands ex-
tended on his knees were fapping I'D
and down from the wrist in a we'll
| known movement Of distress and that
| taars were rolling down the awful ruin
which even in those DAYS his face had
beco,,,a ya+ II was an absolutely inn
massive face at that moment still His