[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPE . CTATOR.1 SIE,•••4 cannot help
protesting, after reading the remarkable list of thefts cited in the letter under the above heading in the Spectator of May 21st, against the verlict that Disraeli "only used the prerogative of genius," or even that he "gave a new meaning and currency to his borrowed epigrams?' I cannot see how even the latter statement is true on the facts as given. And as to the first statement, he meant in each case, except the" remainder biscuit" one, and conceivably that of" Forcible Feeble,". menly to make his heavers believe that the phrases were his creation, a thing wide as the Poles from the allusive or tessellated style. It is impossible not to express the opinion,' but I wanted to add an instance in which the beauty of the English version impressed me, but not that of its unacknow- ledged transference: 44 Youth is a blander, manhood a struggle, old age a regret?' This gives an impression of original medi- tative pathos till yok come to know thatSeneca said: "Faith= caecitakprogressio labor, error omnia." Here "initium Oaecitas" is far more mysteriously beautiful than the English ; but Disraeli gets rather ahead of Seneca in his second clause, and the third leaves Seneca nowhere. Indeed, "error omnia " is a sad banality. So that in this case he has "given a new meaning and currency," and something more ; but even hero I hold the intention to deceive, in the matter of Seneca's existence, to be entirely unjustifiable, and no prerogative of genius. I cannot verify my quotations. May I comment on (17) ? Here the squib-maker used a forerunner ; but 'the thing is so trivial that it does not approach the matters I have been writing of, or fall into the same category with them. "Want of heart." Rogers had written of the first Lord Dudley :— "Tis said Ward has no heart, but I deny it ; He has a heart, and gets his speeches by it."
The poorest epigram, as I think, which -ever attained celebrity as one. And on (14) ?—" Obliged to find you an under- standing." This recalls a story which I fancy, as to tie junior interlocutor, is of a living man. It always amused me, so that I want to tell it. A Judge arguing with an undaunted barrister who had a harshness in his voice, which, where wit is, is no drawback, imprudently rapped the desk and said tartly : "I have taught you law; I cannot teach you manners." The submissive answer was " That would be so, my Lord." Perhaps the most exasperating answer which an imprudent Judge ever received.—I am, Sir, &c., C. S. OAKLEY.
[We cannot agree that there is any intent to deceive when a man borrows and imitates as did Disraeli Milton is full of such borrowings, and so is Tennyson. Yet no one dreams of calling either a thief.—En. Spectator.]
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