Mr. Goldwin Smith thinks he is the Oxford Professor alluded
to in " Lothair." He has, consequently, published in the principal London papers the following savage letter, addressed to Mr.
Disraeli:—
" Cornell University, Ithaca, State of New York, May 25.
"Sir,—In your 'Lothair ' you introduce an Oxford Professor who is about to emigrate to America, and you describe him as a social para- site: You well know that if you had ventured openly to accuse me of .any social baseness you would have had to answer for your words. But when, sheltering yourself under the literary forms of a work of fiction, you seek to traduce with impunity the social character of a political .opponent, your aspersions can touch no man's honour—they are the stingless insults of a coward.—Your obedient servant,
"The Right Hon. B. DISRAELI, M.P." "GoLnwne Siam."
The letter, for reasons explained elsewhere, seems to us a grievous mistake, but it must not be forgotten that the Professor is living in the United States, where men take Mr. Disraeli's revelations for gospel, and believe equally in the auperhumanity of Dukes and the designs of Madre Natura.
Previous page
