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CONTENTS
DA
564 B3
F9
CHAPTER I
Carlyle on Lord Beaconsfield-Judgment of the House of Com-
mons-Family history-The Jews in Spain-Migration to
Benjamin D'Israeli the elder-Boyhood of Isaac
Venice
Disraeli
CHAPTER II
Family of Isaac Disraeli-Life in London-Birth of his children-
Abandons Judaism and joins the Church of England-Educa-
tion of Benjamin Disraeli-School days- Picture of them in
'Vivian Grey' and 'Contarini Fleming'-Self-education at
home-Early ambition .
12
CHAPTER III
The Austen family-Choice of a profession-Restlessness—Enters
a solicitor's office- Vivian Grey '-Illness-Travels abroad-
Migration of the Disraelis to Bradenham-Literary satires-
'Popanilla '-Tours in the East-Gibraltar-Cadiz-Seville-
Mountain adventures --Improved health-Malta-James Clay
-Greece-Yanina - Redshid Pasha-Athens-Constantinople
Plains of Troy and Revolutionary epic-Jaffa—Jerusalem—
Egypt-Home letters-Death of William Meredith-Return
to England.
20
CHAPTER IV
'Contarini Fleming'--The poetical life--Paternal advice-A poet,
or not a poet? Revolutionary Epic '-Disraeli submits to an
unfavourable verdict--Success of the novels - Disraeli a new
star-London society-Political ambition-Mrs. Wyndham
Lewis-Financial embarrassments-Portraits of Disraeli by N.
P. Willis---Lady Dufferin and others-Stands for High Wycombe
-Speech at the Red Lion-Tory Radicalism-Friendship with
Lord Lyndhurst-Self-confidence-Vindication of the British
Constitution Conservative reaction Taunton election -
Crosses swords with O'Connell--The Runnymede Letters-
Admitted into the Carlton Club-Henrietta Temple' and
'Venetia '
PAGE
• 45
CHAPTER V
Returned to Parliament for Maidstone-Takes his place behind
Sir R. Peel-Maiden speech-Silenced by violence - Peel's
opinion of it --Advice of Shiel-Second speech on Copyright—
Completely successful state of politics—England in a state of
change-Break-up of ancient institutions-Land and its duties
-Political economy and Free Trade-Struggle on the Corn
Laws
67
CHAPTER VI
Disraeli's beliefs, political and religious-Sympathy with the
people-Defends the Chartists-The people, the middle-
classes, and the aristocracy-Chartist Riots-Smart passage at
arms in the House of Commons - Marriage—Mrs. Wyndham
Lewis-Disraeli as a husband
83
CHAPTER VII
The enthusiasm of progress-Carlyle and Disraeli --Protection and
Free Trade-Sir Robert Peel the Protectionist champion-
High Church movement at Oxford-The Church as a Conser-
vative power-Effect of the Reform Bill-Disraeli's personal
views-Impossible to realise-Election of 1841-Sir Robert
Peel's Ministry-Drift towards Free Trade-Peel's neglect of
Disraeli-Tariff of 1842-Young England -Symptoms of revolt
-First skirmish with Peel-Remarkable speech on Ireland
91
CHAPTER VIII
Young England and the Oxford Tractarians-Disraeli a Hebrew at
heart-Coningsby '—Sidonia—' Sybil ; or the Two Nations '—
The great towns under the new creed-Lords of the soil, as they
were and as they are—Disraeli an aristocratic socialist—Practi-
cal working of Parliamentary institutions-Special importance
of 'Sybil ' .
. 107
CHAPTER IX
The New Gospel-Effect on English character-The Manchester
School-Tendencies of Sir Robert Peel-The Corn Laws-Peel
brought into office as a Protectionist-Disraeli and Peel-Pro-
tracted duel-Effect of Disraeli's speeches-Final declaration
of Peel against the Corn Laws-Corn Laws repealed-Lord
George Bentinck—Irish Coercion Bill—The Canning episode—
Defeat and fall of Peel-Disraeli succeeds to the Leadership
of the Conservative Party
129
CHAPTER X
Disraeli as Leader of the Opposition-Effects of Free Trade-
Scientific discoveries-Steam-Railroads- Commercial revolu-
tion-Unexampled prosperity-Twenty-five years of Liberal
government-Disraeli's opinions and general attitude-Party
government and the conditions of it-Power of an Oppo-
sition Leader-Never abused by Disraeli for party interests-
Special instances-The coup d'etat-The Crimean War-
The Indian Mutiny-The Civil War in America-Remarkable
warning against playing with the Constitution
149
a
CHAPTER XI
Literary work-'Tancred; or, the New Crusade'-Modern philo-
sophy-The 'Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation'—'Life
of Lord George Bentinck '-Disraeli's religious views-Revela-
tion as opposed to Science—Dislike and dread of Rationalism—
Religion and statesmanship—The national creed the supplement
of the national law-Speech in the theatre at Oxford-Disraeli
on the side of the angels
. 165
CHAPTER XII
Indifference to money-Death of Isaac Disraeli-Purchase of
Hughenden-Mrs. Brydges Willyams of Torquay—An assigna-
tion with unexpected results-Intimate acquaintance with Mrs.
Willyams-Correspondence-Views on many subjects-The
Crown of Greece-Louis Napoleon-Spanish pedigree of Mrs.
Willyams
178
CHAPTER XIII
Fall of the Whigs in 1867-Disraeli as Chancellor of the Exchequer
-Reform Bill why undertaken-Necessities, real or fancied, of
a Party Leader-Alternatives-Split in the Cabinet-Disraeli
carries his point-Niagara to be shot-Retirement of Lord
Derby-Disraeli Prime Minister-Various judgments of his
character-The House of Commons responsible for his eleva
tion-Increasing popularity with all classes
. 188
CHAPTER XIV.
Reply of the Liberals to the Tory Reform Bill-State of Ireland-
The Protestant Establishment-Resolutions proposed by Mr.
Gladstone-Decay of Protestant feeling in England-Protestant
character of the Irish Church—The Upas Tree-Mr. Gladstone's
Irish policy-General effect on Ireland of the Protestant
Establishment-Voltaire's opinion-Imperfect results-The
character of the Protestant gentry-Nature of the proposed
change-Sprung on England as a surprise-Mr. Gladstone's
resolutions carried-Fall of Disraeli's Government.
. 199
CHAPTER XV
The calm of satisfied ambition-A new novel-' Lothair '-Survey
of English society-The modern aristocracy-Forces working
on the surface and below it—Worship of rank—Cardina
Grandison—Revolutionary Socialism--Romeward drift of the
higher classes-'Lothair' by far the most remarkable of all
Disraeli's writings
215
CHAPTER XVI
The exhausted volcanoes-Mr. Gladstone's failure and unpopularity
-Ireland worse than before-Loss of influence in Europe-
The Election of 1874-Great Conservative majority—Disraeli
again Prime Minister with real power-His general position as
a politician-Problems waiting to be dealt with-The relations
between the Colonies and the Empire—The restoration of the
authority of the law in Ireland-Disraeli's strength and Disraeli's
weakness-Prefers an ambitious foreign policy—Russia and
Turkey-The Eastern question-Two possible policies and the
effects of each-Disraeli's choice-Threatened war with Russia
-The Berlin Conference-Peace with honour-Jingoism and
fall of the Conservative party-Other features of his adminis-
tration-Goes to the House of Lords as Earl of Beaconsfield and
receives the Garter-Public Worship Act—Admirable distri-
bution of patronage-Disraeli and Carlyle - Judgment of a
conductor of an omnibus
232