Benjamin Disraeli

Lord George Bentinck lived to have the West-India interest and the shipping interest on their knees to him, to defend their perilled or to restore their ruined fortunes; and with characteristic generosity and proud consistency, he…

But duty scorns prudence, and criticism has few terrors for a man with a great purpose.

He encouraged them by making occasions for their exertions, and would relinquish his own opportunity without a moment’s hesitation, if he thought the abandonment might aid a better man.

All the fruits of his laborious investigations were always at the service of his friends without reserve or self-consideration.

Nothing delighted him more than to assist and advance others.

He wished to see our society founded on a broad basis of civil and religious liberty.

He was always singularly anxious to acquire the truth, and would spare no pains for that purpose; but when once his mind was made up, it was impossible to influence him.

He always took large views and had no prejudices about things, whatever he might indulge in as to persons.

But it was in the dark-brown eye, which flashed with piercing scrutiny, that all the character of the man came forth: a brilliant glance, not soft, but ardent, acute, imperious, incapable of deception or of being deceived.

Nature had clothed this vehement spirit with a material form which was in perfect harmony with its noble and commanding character.

Yet truth, after all, is the sovereign passion of mankind; nor is the writer of these pages prepared to relinquish his conviction that it is possible to combine the accuracy of the present with the impartiality of the future.

The cotemporary writer who is personally familiar with his theme has unquestionably a great advantage; but it is assumed that his pen can scarcely escape the bias of private friendship or political connection.

It should not be forgotten that the most authentic and interesting histories are those which have been composed by actors in the transactions which they record.

Then it was that, the memory of the past and the hope of the future blending together, all men seemed to mourn over this untimely end, and there was that pang in the public heart which accompanies the unexpected disappearance of a strong…