Life of William Henry Smith (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1894 Excerpt: ...But besides these ordinary considerations there were certain other factors in the situation, each of which contributed momentum to the descending grade of the Tories. The secession of the Earls of Derby and Carnarvon from the Cabinet, and the recent adhesion of the former to Mr Gladstone and Lord Hartington, no doubt carried great effect. Then the dissolution had come as a surprise, and people--Englishmen especially--dislike being surprised: they feel that, unless special circumstances justify sudden action, they have a right to be prepared beforehand--to be warned of what is expected of them. They resent being "rushed," and are suspicious of anything which has the appearance of a practical joke.1 Undoubtedly the byelections of Liverpool and Southward had a good deal to do with Lord Beaconsfield's choice of the moment to dissolve: they afforded but one more instance of the utter untrustworthiness of such indications of popularis aura. 1 In the autumn of 1880 Lord Beaconsfield produced his last novel, and there occurs, in a letter to Smith from his frequent correspondent, Mr William Ford, a passage curiously illustrating the jealousy with which many of the middle class regarded such literary exploits: --"Lord Beaconsfield has, I regret to say, published a novel just at this time. Brilliant as it is in many respects, it will not increase his literary reputation, but it will vastly impair his political influence with the middle class. He shows too plainly how the wires are pulled by a few men and women. Sober-minded men don't believe in novelwriting Premiers. As for the Dissenters and other religious sects of the Nonconformist character, they will distrust him more and more. The comparison of his literary labours with those of his great rival ma...