THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2538, 23 February 1877, Page 2

THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY.

England's bepbesentative. at thb Constantinople CONFEEENCJt." He is, indeed, a remarkable man. He began life as a younger son, being then known as Lord.Robert Cecil. He.had distinguished himself at the University, and soon made hia mark in literature and in Parliament. For many years the most^ pungent articles in the Saturday Review were from his pen. I have often met him at the annual dinner given the contribu--1 tors of that journal by the. proprietors, and I was as much struck with him per* sonally as I was by his articles. Tall and rather thin, with a large and highly intellectual head, he would attract attention in any assembly of gentlemen; and when; he spoke he would be regarded as a man of uncommon ability. His manners are exquisitely polished, as befits one of noble birth; his tongue is as sharp, however, ai that of the most bitter satirist. Indeed, he was remarkable in the Hlhse of Commons for the keenness of his utterances and for his wonderful candour? Not even Mr Disraeli ever said more pointed or unpleasant things, and no one was less friendly to Mr Disraeli than Lord Robert Cecil. These two. members of; thei same party were as much opposed as if they belonged to opposing factions. The truth is, that Lord {Salisbury is an intellectual Tory, while Mr Disraeli has always been a radical in Tory clothing. The measure of reform which MrDisraelicarriedin 1867 was opposed by, Lord Salisbury alike in Parliament and in the Quarterly Review. The unexpected death of his elder brother, Lord Cranborne, changed Lord Robert Cecil's position. The former suffered Irom the infirmity of total blindness, yet he was a man of high culture, and devoted himself to literary study with a success that did great credit to' his perseverance. Being unmarried, his death made Lord Robert Cecil the successor to the Marquisate, and thus it is that the younger brother, who seemed doomed to struggle on an inadequate income, which he had to eke out by literary labor, became the master of Hattield and the possessor^ of an income which probably ex<^ ceeds £100,000. Though an . Earl/and a rich one, he is none fhe less a hardworking student when out of office, and a Minister when in power, and he is a peer who does honor to his order. He has openly said that, rather than see the privileges of the House of Lords encroached upon, and that chamber become n mere satellite of the House of Commons he would vote for its abolition. In that event he would again be eligible for a seat in .. the lower House, and there is no doubt that he would obtain one with ease.' So long, however, as, the House of Lords contains many men who, though less able, are more discreet and readier to accept a compromise and to content themselves with the semblance of power'than Lord Salisbury, that House runs no risk of oeing abolished. I ought to add that as Secretary of State for India h.e has. distinguished himself. As an adm.inistratQ¥ he is firm and bold. Studying ail questions for himself, he is never misled or influenced by subordinates, and though he has had some unpleasant controversy with one Governor-General, he has: not made any palpable mistake. Succeeding as/hp did to the Duke of Argyll, who is also a man of rare ability, he has lost nothing by comparison, and this is a test trhjph few men could have borne so weil.-»LQndo.u Letter to Boston Advertiser. '"'■