Disraeli's Fairy Godmother.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 17 January 1891, Page 2

Disraeli's Fairy Godmother.

The Duke of Rutland is, we understand, one friend of Disraeli's to whom Mr Froude has been indebted^ for such infovmatipn ns this. Bufc the most interesting of his- new matter refers to Disra'li's romatic friendship with Mrs Brydues Willyains. '\ his lady - the wealthy widow of awell-kuowu Cornish, gentleman—was of Jewish de;ce t. and to a great family «..f Spain, traced her origin, like Disraeli's, She had I ecu attracted by his career, and interested in h : s writings. She had sent several letteis to him professing general admiration and aski-'g for alvice. Disraeli took no notice of the.n ; but her importunity at last prevailed, aid in the suinm»r of 1851 be kept an assignation which she hid made at the fountain in the Great Exhibition. The sequel of this romantic adventure is thus tol I i»y JVfr Froude : • By the side of the fountain he found sitting mi old woman, very small in person, strangely dressed, peculiar in manner ; such a figure as m'ght be drawn iv an illustrated story for a fairy godmother. She told {him a long story of which he could make nothing. Seeing that he was impatient, shs paced an envelope in bis hands, which, she said, contained the statement of a case on which she desired a high legal opinion. She begged him to examine it at his leisure. Ho thrust the euvelope carelessly in his pocket; and supposing that she was not in her right mind thought ho more about the matter. The coat which he was wearing was laid aside, and •■'-■ v i '•

Weeics p&F§ed laJ .re he 1 happened t pnt it oil again; When he did pu ifc oh the packet fraS t-tj 1 where : Had been Jeft. He,toro it open; aft Found- a bank note for a thousnn pounds as a humble contribution I his election expenses. " I do dot know," says Mr Frond what became of the thousand pound It was probably returned. Bn this was the beginning of an acquain tence which ripened into a close an affectionate friendship ": - The Disrael's visited Mount Br.icl don at the close of the Londo season year after year. The old lad was -K&en, clever, and dovuted. 1 correspondence began, which gre\ morerand more i: timnte til at las Disraeli communicated freely to he the best of bis thoughts and fee ings Presents were exchanged wrik'y Disraeli's writing ttib!e wp.s adornei regularly with rcses from Torquay and his dinners eniiched with sohand lurbot from the Brixham traw lers. He, in turn, provided Mr Willyaras with trout and partridge from Hughenden, and passed on t< her the venison and the grousi which iiis friends sent him from tin Highlands. The curious and deli o'lte idyl was prolonged for twelv< years, at the end of which MrsWi 1 lyams died, bequeathing to him hei whole fortune, and expressing a wish, which of course was complied with, that she might be buried ai Hughenden, near the spot where Disraeli was himself to lie. fUlr Frondes BUgraphy),