The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-02-19

had made many of them recognizable,
and others he had seen before. This
was in 1852, when Mr. Disaerll was
leader OF the house, and in Gavan Duff
fy's eyes the most striking figure. I'm
the front benches, crowded with Eng
lishmen. for the most part bright com
plexioned and always punctiliously fresh
in mien and visage, sat a man approach
ing so, with swarthy features and q
complexion which had once been olive,
ten foreign and alien. 1t was not an
uncomely face, and far from unimpreSs-
i've, but was conspicuously un-English
Masculine will and unfinch!ng purpose
might be read, 1t seemed TO me. in tho
firm mouth and strong jaw, gifts worth
nearly all the rest in the art Of govern
Ing men. He dressed In complete disre-
gard Of the conventional prejudices. A
chancellor OF the eXchcquer In q platn-
colored vest was a sight as perplexing
to trim propricty in England as Roland's
shoe ties In the court of Louis xvi"
Duffy, however, was not nnfavorably
impressed by Dsraeli, who seemed 10
him to say the right thing n, the right
moment and in the right way, but he
noted that he was not thoroughly trust
cd by his then followers Some OF his
mots steal out and | should think make
fatal enemies. Somebody asked nm
lately If Lord r. NJ. was not stupid
ass. No. no., said Benjamin. not at ALL
he is a clever ass Some of the young
mon laughed ut Disraelis devotion to
his wife. Duffy does not Sympathize
with them. McCullagh Torrans says he
saw them one night leaving the opera,
when descending the grand esclair one
of the ladys shoes got untlca she stop
ped suddenly and cried, dizzy. tic my
shoe" Dizzy dropped on his knee and
performed the service required, and why
not? 1t Is the devoir by cavalier to
his lady. Very bitter is Duffy's de-
scription Of John Russell: "Ill dress
cd, Ill posed, with unsymalthetic, mel,
ancholy face, timid gestures and feeble
gait, he seemed an intruder en- the scene
and was. IN fact leader who for twenty
years had shivered at the head of
great party Duffy is convinced that
had he not been the son and brother of
duke he would not have distinguished
himself In q parish vcstry. Palmcrs-
ton and gay, dcbonnnir appearance,
but gave tho impression of u play actor
cast In the part of II patriotic statesman.
Tho reader will note TINT the caustic
severity OF these descriptions is quite in
the manner OF Carlyle himself who de-
scrbed Palmerston ns "a fitting leader
for an age without sincerity or vera
city" Roeburk is likcncd to 'nn angry
dog, vcnonlous and dangerous.
very interesting extract from
Duffy's diary of that period records his
rocollcctions at n dinner at Richard
Cobdcn's house, the other guests being
Bright and Sharman Crawford. Ths
talk turned on ireland Golden thought
lttlo could be done for any popular
question till the ballot WAS won. "ls
the ballot not worth such Il culniHlign
as won free tradc?" asked Duffy. Yes"
replied Golden, land it might ln won
in five years by the same agency. But
where were the men? |. for one, nn not
ready for another dustrum OF toll and
sacrifice. 1t is work for new men.
hIrn Il,,rr tad
would net with his encouragement. and
he expressed his surprise that Col,l",n
and Bright had never adopted amy of
the usual means of party diplomacy
No. snid Golden, there is no attempt
to create a party. because W" have none
CT the necessary agencies We hay" no
Gflice or honors to rroanre no court
holy water to distribute, we can only
state our opinions and leave them to
take their chance, outside the house as
we'll as inside" Duffy thought II highly
crcditublc to the English people lnut
Golden was recognized ns the. leader,
not Bright, who had more public gifts,
Il finer voice, and more emphatic man
ncr. but Golden was the moro pcrslln-
slvc teacher.
Before leaving for Australia Duffy OBJ
tanned an interview with DlHrnei, the
leader Of the opposition. He wanted to
obtain his support to an application for
allowing Smith O'I'ricn to return to Ire
land, which Disracli willingly gave.
tho talk turned ON literary matters
Duffy took up volume Of Dsllci'g
early novels and told the statesman that
he differed from the rest OF the world In
prefcrring his early works on "Cnnings-
by" and his other later ones. Disracli
said his early works had been hardly
judged, and. perhaps. deserved 1t. He
would have withdrawn the one which
caused most clalnor If It had been pos
siE!e yes, cried duffy and nothing
had surprised him 50 mllrh ls the an
thOr's; readiness to sacrifice ''Vivian
Gray" to Mrs Gr.ndy--"the first time
] read It was like the first time |
drank champagne. | was intoxicated
with an altogether new and mysterious
enjoyment" AS | spoke this last SEN
tcncc, which was literally true and spok-