New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-12
A GREAT STATESMAN
OF VICTORIAN DAYS
The Third Volume of The Life of Benjamin Disraeli,
Earl of Beaconsheld" His Two Biographers
His Struggle with Prejudice.
ey SIR HENRY LUCY t'T0by. N. p" Sf "Punsh.D

bury. whom hitherto he had not
deicned personally 10 address.
The answer, though polite, was chill
ing. Disraeli, just past his iortieth
year, suddenly betrayed .anguld de-
sire for retirement from the political
arena. In this mood, spending Christ
mas with Hobhouse, he eoahded 10 his
host that to his mind "the summit OF
Heavens bliss is to be possessed OF
$500 year and live a retired life
among books" After further man eu-
wiring and back parlor conspiracy, tho
difficulty was got over by modification
OF LORD Stanleys plan. An influential
section OF the Protectionists would not
az any price bow the knee In act OF al
legiance 70 one whom they regarded as
an adventurer. Disraei would be
Cesar or nothing. Stanley had DIS.
turbing visions of the man who had
successfully measured swords with Peel
seated below the gangwsy. occasionally
rising to say few words ABOUT MS
right honorable friend, the leader OF
the Opposition.
The leadership was put into commits
sion. the members being Herries, Gran
by and Disraeli, whose name signih-
cantly stood at the end of the list
drafted at meeting at Stanley's house,
from which Disraeli ostentatiously ABB
scented himself Lord Aberdeen, hear
ing of the arrangement, sententiously
remarked, "Sieyes, Roger Ducos and
Napoleon Bonaparte." Disraeli accept
ed the situation, but, as happened IN
Paris after the 18th Brumaire, when
Napoeons colleagues in the lonsulate
vanished into obscurity, little was
heard of Herries and CRANKY. Disraeli
remaining supreme.
This class and caste prejudice against
one of Disraelis birth and race. "A
long-dominant factor in his career. Is
the principal and most striking lesson
of this new chapter OF his life. IL
found new birth when, six years later,
Lord Derby, called upon to form his
first administration, nominated Disraell
is Chancellor Of the EXchequer and
leader of the House of Commons.
"Who? who" querulously asked the
deaf Duke of Wellington when, in the
House of Lords, the Prime Minister,
fresh from kissing hands at Windsor.
read the catalogue of his colleagues.
The inquiry. which bestowed upon the
ministry the nickname of the who
Who Government" was shrillest when
the name of the Chancellor Of the Ex-
chequer was reached. Among those
who viewed the appointment with
greatest dismay was Queen Victoria,
who later came TO regard Disraeli IA
her closest friend, her most trusted
minister. Mr.. Buckle shrewdly sur
misses that Lord Derby selected the
Chancellorship Of the Exchequer for
the unwelcome but inevitable and in
dispensable Disraeli because il was the
one that necessitated the least meas
ure of personal intercourse with the
sovereign.
This irulent personal prejudice, that
would have crushed a less courageous
and capable man, fingered so late as
the 70's. Among old and representa-
tive Tories seated among the Opposi-
ton led by Disraeli in lS6S-74 were
George Bentinck, known as big Ben"
TO distinguish him from his less bulky
kinsman, Cavendish 'entinck, and
Beresford Hope, to whose Batavian
grace Disraeli once paid sarcastic trib-
ute. These never missed an oppor-
tunity of taunting and twitting their
nominal leader.
These and sharper sings and arrows
Disraeli suffered without wincing. He
had audacious'v but carefully marked
out his course, and he followed IL with
impregnable patience and dauntless
courage. Mr.. Buckle varies the stir
ring story Of his struggle against what
seemed overwhelming odds b. charm
ing glimpses of the home life, which
cheered and strengthened him for the
fight