The Washington herald., 1910-11-19
DISRAELT AND
HIS LIES STORY


One fain would linger in the more per-
sonal byways OF the biography OF Benja-
min Disraeli, the part Of which covering
the great statesman's youth l began TO
discuss In this column yesterday, with
| father whom the future Mrs. Disraeli
| likened 10 Dominic Sampson but whose
| features suggest the unsulIed benignity
| Of Mr. PickWick: with the elear-mlnded
and loving sister, whose affection was
more than common support to a respon-
sive and susceptible nature. or among
those travel letters, the iridescence Of
which sparkles Ike the reflection of the
rays OF the sun upon placid waters
His was a Cyrano-like versatility, no
doubt, considering the invisible rope Of
the money lenders always around the
neck OF our laughing philosopher, and we
| can understand that this is no man OF
ordinary fiber, but OF steel nerve. who is
fencing with life and fate with a smile
Tor their hazards. More than that we
even can feel some comprehension Of the
emotional episode which the biographer
lightly Incorporates with the production
OF one Of his novels, "A Love Story"
When the first volume was compost
Dlsraeh himself was In the grip OF
strong and vehement passion. and the
/
ried TO any fitting conclusion than could
/ ''Vfyian Grey" or "Coptarini Fleming
/ or any OF the other novels which are
chapters in an Autobiography and renee
lions of an Hneompleted personal expert
enee. But in the years since elapsed that
experience had passed into another phase.
Love, after its first rapture was over,
! had come In conflict with the harder side
of Disraelfs character, his masterful will
and demoniac ambition. And IN the clash
4 between will and passion. will had tri-
umphed. The connection between his own
Henrietta and the novel Is indicated bv a
/ laconie entry in the mutlated diary:
Autumn Of 1896: Parted forever from
Henrietta"
| The story Of the vacillations and vicis-
STUDIES of Disraelfs early political career
often has been narrated: yet the facts
/ In clear sequence never before have been
published. There seems TO be a consider
able chasm at first glance between the
candidate for Wycombe ION the high
Radical interest in June. and the orna-
ment OF a Tory platform in the fol-
/ loving DecembeT-a chasm which
widened as the political tyro ad-
vanced toward complete Identification
With the party of Peel and Lynd-
hurst. But more sinister explanations Of
/ these developments which his foes did
not hesitate 20 apply. fail by imputing to
Disraeli a disingenuousness of which he
/ had no need.
His ability was far too striking, his
/ effectiveness in dialectic too widely ae-
J knowledged, 10 make his chances for a
/ seat turn upon assimilation, If his sole
motive had been an ambition of enter
/ ing Parliament his services need not have
/ knocked long al the door of either party
/ From his earliest youth he had been able
| 10 convince the leaders OF his power and
value. And whatever Inconsistency may
/ be found between his declared opinions at
( either extremity Of these few years. it
/ need not be considered beinous in ones
early Turtles TO undergo a change of
/ doctrine, OF sympathy. or even OF al
/ legiance-
/ The survey Of his finished course dis
misses the iHputation that lie. ever bar
tered principle for promotion II does
not show mental fickleness, but amazing
continuity Of thought in the principle
| which underTes his whole career His
l opinions were those OF a man In COM
! plete isolation from the ordinary school
/ 81 political thought. and he was almost
I
! Experience. however soon taught him
that this indifference coulsh not he MAIN
tanned. He had TO learn. #due course. 10
nay tribute to party convention. and as
1 time went on he acquired some OF the
freedom which is the privilege OF great
ness.
But in these early DAYS his extreme de-
tachment in the matter of opinion and
allegiance was ascribed by the multitude
OF humdrum politicians to absence OF DO
| litical convictions. That he was without
political convictions, however. was the ex-
act opposite Of the truth. He was, on
the other hand, overburdened with poIiti-
cal convictions, not yet fully elaborated
or harmonized into a system. but dear to
him As the product Of original and indie
pendent thought.
II he had been content 20 wear the liv-
cry Of either party ne could, with half
the energy and ability. speedily have
forced his way into Parliament. II was
not his nature to accept a political creed
or platform ready made. or 10 stife the
instinct OF criticism. He was a political
free hinker at the beginning of his ca
reer. and he remained a political free
thinker TO the end
The one thing which he felt strongly.
hrst and last. was that the Wings mad
not IN them the root. Of the matter. and
that the blatant Benthamism Of his day.
repelling him, as IL did Newman. Car
lyle. Matthew Arnold, and John Ruskjn.
was creed OF specious half truths and
shallow assumptions He bent his party
10 his own views with a determination
that belongs 70 the record Of few pohti-
cal leaders. He found relief in the wider
schools of thought which diverged from
the self-complacent tracks OF Whiggerv
Never Tory. he never quite gave I'D
radfcalism.
Revolutionary. as he really was on one
side OF his complex nature. there was an
other side which is exposed in the first
book OF the "Epiek' and which was TO be
the front presented to the world in his
subsequent career Reverence for the
past. Semitic feeling for religion. an in
stinct for the positive, for order for
tradition; In short. for everything that
Carlyle embodies in the phrase. the ever
lasting yea II was in their development
and expression. and not in the role Of
revolutionary leader. that his mission
really lay
II Is significant. on the point of his
sincerity, that the men with whom he
had the most acute Misunderstanding
in the long result OF time came around
ia just appreciation of his character
Croker, Peel. and O'Connell sent mes
sages Of peace before they died. liter
ally O'Connell. The latter was delighted
with the smashing of Peel. and glad
that he himself had escaped
The first volume closes with Disraelrs
entry into Parliament as a member from
Maidstone. in 1897. with his social posi-
ton consolidated and with strong and
warm confidence repOsed in him by the
most representative leaders of the Con-
servatiVe party. The biographer has
FILED the book with touches OF self-reve-
lation that enlarge the readers eoncep-