The Irish standard., 1910-10-22
THE TRAGIC FAILURE
OF HIS CAREER
T. P. OConnor Tells of Many Sides
to the Character of Lord
Rosebery.
Much Greater Power Could Have
Been His if All Might Were
Fully Used.
One of the Most Gifted Men of His
Time, He Has Wasted
His Talents.

Ills Talents.
Those who know Lord Rosebery
Jest have been somewhat amused at
the part he has played in Vienna re-
Gently when he went there to an
nounce to Emporer Francis Joseph
the accession of King George, says
T. P. O'Connor, M. p, in the Chi
cago Tribune of the 14th inst, in
letter from Winnipeg, Manitoba.
They are not surprised at the grace
and eolat with which Lord Rosebery
carried of the mission; that they
would have expected from him how
and anywhere. He is a born man of
the courts. He has great tact, is orn-
ate in language and ceremonious IN
manner, and, in short, he is just the
type Of person who should always be
filling some high and Official cere-
mony and function.
The reason his friends are amused
is that there is such contrast be-
tween the kind of work Lord Rose
berry Is doing at Vienna and the kind
of work he might be doing. 1t is one
more scene to remind the people of
the tragic failure of his career.
Here is a man whom all the world
tried 10 make successful. Even when
quite boy he was able to excite in
terest and admiration in people. He
was a little wonder whose bright say
ines ana originality marked him out
early as one who was destined to be
above the average.
It was prophesied Of him when he
was yet youngster that one day he
would be made prime minister. And
1t was thought that he would have
been one Of the most illustrious
premiers Of his time and country.
Not Devoid Of Talent.
And now he is a private citizen,
glad to have the ornamental and
somewhat futile function of courtier
doing a bit Of ceremonial work.
What is the secret of this great
contrast between a mans possibilities
and his performances? It is certain
ly not that Lord Rosebery is devoid
of talents. On the contrary, he is
one of the most gifted men of his
time. AS an orator, I might rate him
higher, and say for addressing large
gatherings he is the most forceful
He has many advantages as an
orator; his choice of language is ex-
cellent. It is forid and chaste, reson-
ant and yet simple, the language Of
a real artist in words. He has, at
times, shown moments of poetic in
spiration which make one think that
if he had devoted his time entirely to
writing he might have made place
for himself among the masters of
British literature.
When you look at Lord Rosebery's
face you are a little puzzled to make
him out Often it is bright with fun
and enjoyment, with its lines still
rare, q certain roundness of cheek,
with twinkle in the blue-gray eye.
It positively looks at times as if
Lord Rosebery were light hearted
boy. But it is face which constantly
changes expression. Often, especial
ly when he is in the presence of peo-
pie who he knows are watching him,
the face becomes almost like mask.
It looks as If he were trying to make
himself resemble an owl as much as
he could.
All this, Of course, means that Lord
Rosebery is man Of moods and that
the changes in his expression and in
his general appearance represent
changefulness in his spirits and in his
temper.
He has, should think, tremendous
variations of humor with profound
depths Of despair among those which
frequently recur. He is, in spite Of
the merry eye and the boyish face,
man of nerves. This is shown by
the fact that he has suffered in his
time SO much from sleeplessness.
When he has had attacks of that
depressing malady he has tried every
kind Of remedy and one Of them has