The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-30

II Ia related that when he accepted the
Chancellorship OF the Exchequer he sent
for well known money lender and asked
for a necessary advance. "On what &C.
ourity?" inquired the sporting speculator'
THAT OF my name and my career, was the
answer. The money was at once forth
coming and punctually paid. He cared
next TO nothing about the pleasures OF the
table. He would often make his greatest
oratorical effort half dinnerless; his delight
was, after the strain and the plaudlts had
ceased to betake himself in the dim hours
Of dawn to the supper which his devoted
wife, who spared him every detail OF house,
hold management, had prepared, there to
| recount to her the excitements OF the de-
bate.
Before recalling the public and touching
tribute paid by her husband to Mrs. Disraeli,
our author reminds us OF the stern rebuke
administered by him to the triAers over
heard discussing the reasons for his marry
ing: Because Of feeling to which such as
you are strangers gratitude. 1t was at
Edinburgh in 1867 that his old ally Baillie
Cochrane UIord Lamington) toasted Mrs.
Disraeli az her illustrious husbands helper.
and as having been his own dear friend for
many years before Disrael had met her.
Dsraeli began his reply with the remark
that their mutual intimate had certainly
had every opportunity of studying the sub
ject to which he has drawn attention" He
went on to say: Il do owe to that lady all,
l think, that have ever accomplished, be-
cause she has supported me with her coun-
sci, and consoled me by the sweetness OF
her mind and disposition" Six years after
his marriage he dedicated the three volumes
Of his "Sybi" "To one whose noble spirit
and gentle nature ever prompt her to SYM
pathize with the suffering; to one whose
sweet voice has often encouraged. and
whose faith and judgment have ever guided,
these pages; the most severe Of critics, but
"a perfect wife.
There Is no doubt that Disraeli's marriage
was the turning point in his career, and
what had begun partly in interest soon
developed into the warmest, the most entire
and the most mutual affection. Mrs. Dis
raeli at great country houses always used
to commence conversation with the query,
DO You like my Dizzy? Because, II you
| don't -" From one country house. on a
visit most advantageous to him, Disraeli
departed, despite pressing remonstrance,
on the plea that the air disa agreed with Mrs.
Disraeli," but really because she had oom-
planned of their hosts rudeness Mr. Sichel
recalls that when. at much later date,
Mr.. Firth was painting group in which
Disraeli figured, Mrs Disraeli whispered
to the artist, Remember one thing, il you
don't mind: his pallor is his beauty" She
was afraid that his complexion would be
colored To the last she would say. as she
did during his interrupted speech at Ayles-
bury in 1s47 He mind them! Not bit OF
it. He's match for them all Sir Horace
Rumbold has chroncled how, at the scene
OF Disraeli's investiture as Earl, a sob was
heard from the crowd. 1t was the grief OF
an old and faithful servant, signing. An.
II only she had lived to see him now"
! OfQueen Victoria affection for him our
author will only say that it was called forth
beca use ne treated her not only as sove-
reign, but as a woman. She grew to lean
on his wisdom and his judgment On more
than one occasion he acted as mediator
in her family. He was sincerely attached
to her. We are reminded of his witticism
when he was asked to give a reason for
her favor: Il never argue he said; II
never contradict, but l sometimes forget"
Mr.. Sichel declares that Disraei's influence
over the late Queen was more remarkable
even than has hitherto been diselosed- We
are told that while out Of offics he negoti-
ated with extreme tact, under delicate
circumstances, the peerage conferred on
a most amiable prince, now no more; and +,
further, that at each stage OF the negoti-
ton Queen Victoria consulted and deferred
to his counsel. kindness and resource. He
also devised a means Of providing the same
lamented prince with an absorbing occu-
patton.
What Disraeli seems to have really valued
In power was its opportunity OF exerting
influence. Otherwise, power was bitter
sweet He once told an aspirant for hig
office that, as for its pleasures, they lay
chiefly in contrasting the knowledge it
afforded of what was really being done
with the ridiculous chatter about affairs
in the circles that one frequented 1t Is
well known that his wit, his brightness Of
humor and lightness of touch long pre-
vented many of his contemporaries from
taking Nsraeli seriously. Mr.. Sichel speaks
by the book when he says that literary
statesmen are often belittled by their own
generation; imaginative statesmen, always.
They have usually to wait for posthumous
renown. The stereotyped character i'm
posed on Disraeli till his pluck and power
appealed to the nation at large was largely
due to the old Whgs,who for years refused
to regard him with anything but amuse-
ment. yet whose drawing rooms had been
the readiest to applaud the sparkling sallies
of Isi5 and lsi8 that demolished the Pre-
mier whom they too, wished to destroy The
tendency to treat Disraeli with derision
was due, we repeat, to the old Wings. not
to the Peelites. who frankly hated him 10
an open and dangerous foe, Even the
Liberals, many Of whom he counted among
his personal friends, when he warned them
Of the underground rumblings ominous Of
social earthquakes in Ireland, would shrug
their shoulders and when he was reported.
glass In his eye, to have answered a Duchess.
inquisitive about the exact date Of the dis
solution. with "You darling!" they would
split their sides, and guffaw: There he Is
again." The Liberals agreed with his old
family acquaintance. Bernal Osborne, to
whom was imputed the heartlessness Of
saying when Lord Beaconsfield was stricken