The Falls City tribune., 1911-02-24
4 BRILLIANT FOP.
The Youthful DiSraeIi, Elegant
and Eloquent.
AN INTELLECTUAL EXQUISITE.
lis Airs and Graces, His Frills and
Laces and His Dazzling Oratory In
His Early Political Battles-A Pen
Picture of His Remarkable Face.

Picture of His Remarkable Face.
Benjamin Disraeli's career in ptacti
.al politics began with u series of re-
Serses that might have discouraged n
less persistent fighter. Five times the
Youthful novelist and versatile bud
ding statesman attempted TO break
INTO parliament before he succeeded in
winning an election. going down to de-
feat three times at Wycombe and once
at Taunton.
In William Flayvelle Monypenny's
life of Benjamin Dlsraell' the au-
thor declares that tales are still told In
| Wycombe of Disraeli's famous first
speech from the portico of the Red
Lion:
"The youthful orator was now at the
height of his dandyism. and his 'curls
and rut1es' played no small part in
the election. Standing on the top Of
the porch beside the figure of the lion,
with his pale face set off by masses of
jet black hair and his person plente-
ously adorned with lace and cambria,
he must have seemed to the spectators
better fitted for his role of fashionable
novelist thar for that of strenuous pol
itician. Great. then, was their sur
prise when this 'poninjay,' as a hostile
newspaper called him. began to pour
forth "a torrent of eloquence with ire
mendous energy of action and In a
voice that carried far along the High
street. He had an instinct for the. dra-
matte effects which hold the attention
Of the mob. When the poll is declared
| shall be there he exclaimed, accord
ing to a Wycombe tradition. pointing
to the head of the lion. and my oppo
nent will be there pointing to the
tail. BY the admission eve of the OPP
posite party the speech was a com
plete success, and his popularity with
the crowd was thenceforth assured"
As to the young orators appearance
at Taunton, Mr.. Monypenny gathers
these comments of an eyewitness from
an almost forgotten book Of that time:
"Never in my life had | been SC
struck by a face as | was by that of
Disraell. II was lividly pale, and from
beneath Two finely arched eyebrows
blazed out Il pair Of intensely black
eyes. | never have seen such orbs in
mortal sockets either before or since
His p~hysiognomy was strictly jewish.
over a broad. high forehead were ring
lets of coal black. glossy hair. which.
combed away from his right temple.
fell in luyuriant clusters or lunches
over his left cheek and ear, which it
entirely concealed from view.
There was a SORT Of half smile. half
sheer playing about his beautifully
formed mouth. the upper lip of which
was curved as We see il in the por-
traits of Byron He was very SLOWLY
attired in a dark bottle green frock
coat. a waistcoat Of the most eXtraya.
CANT pattern. the front Of which was
almost covered with glittering chains,
and in fancy pattern pantaloons He
wore a plain black stock, but no collar
was visible. Altogether he was the
most intellectual looking exquisite !
had v seen.
He commenced in a lisplng. lacka-
iAii~liaiZ A0iIC VI 'tA ~ 'Aif 49,
phrases in apparently the most affect
ed manner and while he was speaking
placed his hands in all imaginable 20.
sitiOns. not because he felt awkward
and did not know, like n BOBBY in a
drawing room. where to put them. but
apparently for the purpose Of exhibit
ing to tho best advantage the glitter
-, r1r,u. v.hf.h .18.I-pI hiS W.hitn md
taper fingers. Now he would place his
thumbs In the armholes of his waist
coat and spread out his fingers on its
flashing surface; then one set of digits
would be released ana he would lean
affoctedly on the table. supporting him.
self with his right hand; anon he
would push aside the curls from his
forehead.
Put rs he proceeded all traces OF
dandyism and affectation were lost
With n rapidity of utterance perfectly
astonishing he referred to past events
and INDUCED in anticipatiGns of the
future. The Wings were. of curse,
the objects Of his unsparing satire,
and his eloquent denunriations of them
were applaudcd to the echo In all he
said be proved himself TO he the en-
ishcd orator Every period was round
ed with the utmost elegance, ana in
his most daring flights, when one trem-
bled lest he should fall from the giady
height to which he had attained. he 50
gracefully descended thai every nearer
was wrapped in admiring surprise.
Ills voice. at first so fuical, gradually
became full. musical and sQnorous and
with every varying sentiment was
beautifully modnlatcd. His arms no
longer appeared to be exhibited FOR
show. but he cXempliied the eloquence
of the hand The dandy was trans
formed into the man Of mind. the Man
talini looking parsonage into a prGc-
ticel orator and finished elocutionist.'