“ENDYMION."

Patea Mail, 22 February 1881, Page 2

“ ENDYMION."

Lord Beaconsfibld’s new book is a volume of literary portraits, thinly veiled. There are celebrities of to-day, and celebrities of the day when “ Disraeli the Younger” was pushing his way into political prominence. “ Lothair ” was somewhat of a satire on certain notabilities who were elegantly caricatured with a precision that could not be mistaken. This new book of mystery seems also to be filled with Disraelian sketches from the life—sketches of men and women he has met in his lifetime of struggle and success, of power and defeat, and repose. A copy of “ Endymion ” has not yet reached these remote parts, else it would be an engaging pastime to see how many of these notable portraits one could make out from the author’s pages. It is said Prince Bismark figures behind a thin descriptive mask as the Count Frehroll; that the Rothschild family (with which the author has long been intimate) appear in the book as the Neufchatels ; that the Baroness Burdett Coutts is Adriana Nenfchatel, though no real relationship exists between the two great banking families: that Napoleon Third is Colonel Albert in his English circle and Prince Florestan in his foreign relation ; Lord Palmerston is Lord Roehampton, a happy hit; the late Earl of Derby, whom he once described in the House as the Rupert of debate, figures here as the Earl of Beaumaris, also well bit; Cardinal Manning is Nigel Penrnddocfc; the late Richard Cobden is George Thornberry, a prickly reminder of the old contentious days ; Mr Milner Gibson, now a clouded celebrity, is Mr Jorrocks; Poole, the king of fashionable tailors, is Mr Vigo; Sir William Vernon Harcourt, the bouncing and clever young rival who aims at succeeding Mr Gladstone as Liberal leader, is quietly satirised as Hortensius ; Thackery, the once rasping novelist, is put down neatly as Mr Sainte Barbe; Dickens figures as Mr Gushy ; Punch is transfixed as Scaramouch ; and those who have analysed this book to find out these and other identities are equally sure that Endymion, the hero, can be no other than Lord Beaconsfield. Such is life, in the picturesque pages of “ Endymion.”