Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 7.djvu/126

 118 NOTES AND QUERIES. [11 s. vn. F*B. s, 1913. ASHFORD FAMILY (11 S. vii. 29).—-A family of Ashford, or Ayshford, was seated at Ayshford, co. Devon, and in Cornwall. The last male heir, John Ayshford, Esq., died in 1688 ; his heiress married Sanford, ancestor of Wm. Ayshford Sanford, Esq., of Xynehead, co. Som. A branch of the family settled at Wonwell, in Kingston, Devon, and is now represented by L. L. Aysliford Wise, Esq. See Burke's ' General Armory ' for arms, &c. S. A. GEUNDY-NEWMAN. on IBoohs. The Life of Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Heacons- fifld. By W. Flavelle Monypenny. Vol. II. (John Murray.) O.v the 12th of November, 1910, we reviewed the first volume of the Life of Disraeli, pronouncing it to be the book of the season. Our first word in reference to this further instalment must be t hnt we join in the universal regret that the author has not been spared to complete what should have been the most interesting biography of i iur time. For no more fascinating subject than Disraeli appeared during the last century. The volume opens on November 15th, 1837, the tlay on which Victoria's first Parliament met, and the day on which Disraeli began that career in the House of Commons which was to last, without a break, for forty years. He took his seat on the second bench behind Peel. Close tn him sat Gladstone, who, although five years hi.s junior, had already been five years in Parlia- ment. Abercromby, " looking like an old laundress, mumbled and moaned some dullness," niul was elected to the Chair. Melbourne, the Whig Prime Minister, had his place in the Lords ; while Lord John Russell, Home Secretary, was Loader of the House of Commons ; and Lord Palmerston (who, it is hard to believe, was then over fifty) was Foreign Secretary. The House numbered among its distinguished men the witty and vivacious Charles Buller ; Kheil, the Irish orator ; O'Connell, the real though not exacting master of the Government Bulwer the novelist ; " honest Tom Duncombe " Villiers, the persistent enemy of the Corn Laws Joseph Hume, the vigilant critic of the Estimates ; and lirotei the historian of Greece, who belonged to the group of Philosophical Radicals, a term which remained in use for fifty years. They were supporters of an idea which has quite died out — a franchise Bill to include what was known as fancy franchises. Peel, the leader of the Opposition, took Disraeli by the hand from the first in a very marked degree. Disraeli kept silence for only three weeks, and on the evening of the 7th of December made his maiden speech, but " the uproar organized by the Rads and the Repealers was so great that only a portion could be heard, and he closed with the well-known prophetic words, in a voice almost terrific, which rose high above the clamour : ' I sit down now, but the time will come when vou will hear me.' " Peel, who rarely cheered, " greeted Mr. Disraeli's speech with a prodigality of applause." Lynd- hurst wrote to him : " You are sure to succeed, despite their bullying." Sheil foretold that he would become one of the first speakers in the* House of Commons. The subject of Disraeli's second speech was in keeping with his literary instincts—the law of copyright. In this he was associated with Buhver and Talfourd, the latter describing him as " one- of the greatest ornaments of modern literature." Disraeli from the first threw himself heartily into politics; he was no amateur politician. " Let me tell you how to get on in the House of Commons," he said to a young member twenty yearj later. " When the House is sitting, be always in your place ; when it is not sitting, read Hansard." The plan of the biography is excellent, as, by interweaving it with Disraeli's letters, the author allows Disraeli in a large measure to tell the story of his life. And what letters they are I We have read nothing like them out of Walpofe, and we venture to think that in a separate form they would become as popular. During 1838, un- fortunately, Disraeli does not always date the " nonsense " he " scribbles in marvellous haste." He tells us of his " taking a great deal too much wine," and adds, " but a great deal less than my host." At another dinner he meets Murchison, " a stiff geological prig," and at the Salls- burys' Miss Burdett-Coutts, " a very quiet and unpretending person; not unlike her father, nevertheless." On the 25th of April he makes "a most brilliant speech... -the crack speech of the evening," on the Copyright Bill. " Poor little Milnes plastered me with compliments." All the papers spoke in the highest terms of his speech, " except the wretched Standard, under the influence of that scoundrel Maginn." Disraeli had determined not to- go to the Coronation, as he objected to " sit in the Abbey, dressed like a flunkey, for seven or eight hours, and to listen to a sermon by the Bishop of London." However, he went after all. He did not get a dress until 2.30 on the morning of the ceremony, but it fitted him very well, and " it turned out that I had a very fine leg, which I never knew before f" The pageant was splendid. " The Queen looked well, and per- formed her part with great grace and completeness, which cannot be said of the other performers. They were always in doubt as to what came next. Melbourne looked very awkward and uncouth, with his coronet cocked over his nose, his robes under his feet, and holding the great sword of State like a butcher... .The Duchess of Suther- land walked, or rather stalked, up the Abbey like a Juno ; she was full of her situation." On the 28th of August, 1839, Disraeli was married to Mrs. Wyndharn Lewis; curiously enough, her maiden name was the same as that of " George Eliot "—Mary Anne Evans. Disraeli was a favourite with Louis Philippe, and during his visits to Paris in 1842, and again in 184B, had many private interviews, sitting with him in his cabinet until a very late hour, when the king would talk of his early vicissitudes, always speaking in English, of which he had complete command, and " himself dismissing me by a private way, as all the royal household