Year: 1878




There is probably no living man more
profoundly satisfied with his position
than Lord Beaconsfeld. 1t is impossible
not to imagine him delighted with the
sensation which it is impossible to sup
pose that he did not intend. He is the
first minister and really the ruler of
England, because it is well understood
that British policy is his policy. He is
one of the most conspicuous figures of
the time. He is apparently one of the
mostmysterious and successful of states
men. Yet there is no man about whom
there is more speculation and wonder
and admiration and distrust; and there
is probably only one thing in which
those who dislike and distrust him agree
entirely, and that is his inexpressible
enjoyment in the consciousness of be-
ing precisely the spectacular kind of
man that he is. We are, indeed, con-
temporary with one of the picturesque
characters of English history. There is
nothing more remarkable than that the
grandson of Venetian Jew of Spanish
descent, growing up in England socially
in the solitude Of his race, dashing into
literature as brilliant novelist, and in
to politics as free lance, should rise to
supreme power, and, as a peer of the
realm, control her foreign policy at a
most critical moment, supported by the
court, the aristocracy, and the squire
archy, a Tory of Tories, and restoring
by what seems sheer audacity the
ancient renown of England.


Prime Ministers not native to the
countries which they controlled are not
unknown in European history, notably
in Spain, which ranks as one of the
proudest of nations. But the English
feeling has always regarded these in
stances as those of the amazing success
of adventures, who sometimes left the
countries that they had ruled, and d led
neglected and exposed. 1t has consid-
cred both Alberoni and Ripperda as
Cagliostros in politics, and it is this feel
ing, invincible in the British breast,
which looks upon Lord Beaconsfe,d as
charlatan. The word is openly and
generally used in speaking of him, and
some striking articles in recent mum.
bers of the Fortnightly Rerieao were de-
voted to the political adventures of
Lord Beaconsfeld-a cunning implica-
ton that Lord Beaconsfeld is political
adyenturer. 1t is curious inquiry
whether the kind of distrust and aver
sion with which this dazzling and sue
cessful career is regarded is due wholly
to the fact of race. 1t is not mere
party spite, because it is not peculiar to
party, and it is unique in the history of
British parties. 1t is not due wholly,
and perhaps not at all distinctively, to
the conviction Of want of principle.
Lord Palmerston was not supposed to be
troubled with principle, but he was the
darling of the exclusively British feel
ing which now cherishes Lord Beacons-
field. Lord Palmerston wanted Eng
land to have finger in every pie, as
the saying is" and his foreign policy
charmed the bully instinct in John Bull.
The clubs and the courtiers and the
whole Tory interest have applauded in
the same way the foreign policy-not
quite honorable and fair, as it seems to
many-of the brilliant Beaconsfeld,
with his jaded face and his vanishing
curl, relic of the days of gorgeous and
half-vulgar coxcombry.


There is drawing, by Charles Martin,
of Disraeli in the old dandy days It
represents him lounging at length in a
huge luxurious easy chair in loose coat
and the gaiter trousers of the time,
fully forty years ago. The head is
very handsome, the head of an Antinous
The hair clusters around the fine dome
of the brain, so to speak, and the
mouth is full, rich, and of voluptuous
lines. 1t is precisely the figure that
every romantic and fascinated reader of
Viviam Grey would expect to see as that
of the author-an imaginative and in
tellectual Sybarite. Yet a photograph
of Lord Beaconsfeld to-day in the
seventy-second year, showing the famil-
lar Hebrew expression more strongly
defined, and the look of supreme salts
faction in the fullness of passionate
youth faded into the weariness of dandy.
ism grown old, is not unlike that earlier
drawing. 1t is easy to believe that
either of them is the dramatic parsonage
of the Berlin Congress. Lord Beacons-
field" said the report of the opening
days, " is the center of attraction. His
personal qualities, past career, and
recent successes equally command the
interest of the public. The Kaiserhof
Hotel, at which the British Premier
alighted, attracts hundreds of curious
visitors all day. If on passing before
the Kaiserhof one sees a crowd, it is
certain they are watching to see Lord
Beaconsfeld."


You smile as you read. Thousands
and thousands of persons in England
and America smile as they read, and say
to themselves, Aha! old Truepennyp p'
This is Disraeli. No greater self-satis.
faction is conceivable than that of the
luxurious lounger of Park Lane reflect
ing that, as Prince Minister of Eng
land, he is the chief and mysterious and
popular figure al a great European Con
gress to re-adjust the map and compose
the continent. 1t is the measure of the
man that undoubtedly the feeling il
universal that the eclat of the position
is as delightful to him as any service
that he may do, and that even if he
could restore to England, as his syco
phants allege that he has already restored
the foreign renown that it had in the
days of Pitt, his chief interest in ths
matter would be his own glory rather
than the welfare of England. Thil
feeling may be very unjust to his patri
otism, but it is undeniable that it is {
general conviction, and equally un
deniable that it is not an impression tina
Pitt, or Canning, or Gladstone, or any
other of the great English minister
could have possibly produced.


At this time of writing it is altogethel
too soon to try to forete1l the actual re
suits of the Congress. But it may b,
surmised safely that the unostentatiou
skill of Russian diplomacy, which hal
been so successful thus far, is not to b,
easily baffled. The agreement upol
which the Congress assembled showed
conclusively that Russia had made nj
serious concessions. If what is now sait
to be the aim of Lord Beaconsfeld-al
English protectorate over Turkey
should be attained, the advance Of Rus
sia would nevertheless have been accom-
plished, and the Turkish Empire woul,