A hundred years ago
From the 'Spectator,' 15 February 1868—It seems to be generally admitted that Lord Derby is holding office only as a pis aller. He is in really weak health, wants quiet above everything, is quite unequal to playing the part of a Prime Minister, which is always very laborious, even though he sits in the Lords, and the only reason that he cannot be allowed to resign is that there is a delicate embar- rassment as to who is to succeed him. But where does this delicate embarrassment arise, and whose fault is it? Every one knows, indeed no one for a moment attempts to dispute, that whoever may be First Lord of the Treasury, Mr. Disraeli must be both Leader of the House of Commons, and vir- tually also the controlling mind of the Govern- ment. Why cannot the latent fact be the obvious fact? What reason can there be why the man who rules should not be the ruler? . . . we must say we feel a little wonder and a good deal of shame, when we see a great party trying to hide the fact of their own confidence from themselves, and preferring almost any conceivable "figure-head" Ministry which would leave Mr. Disraeli master without seeming to make him so, to a frank confession of thp reliance they haveplaced in him, and will con-; thin, to _place,. so, long, as he. Jeads ilitan_sia_ to victory.
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