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    422 THE LEAD^ \ ^:^Sip^^, ¦ ' ' ¦¦¦''':'...

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    MB. DISRAELI'S CABINET DINNEE. The follo...

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    Comte's Positive Philosophy.* By G. H. L...

    of our voting physiologists , who raost frequently commence directly . the study of living bodies , without having received any other preparation than a preliminary e ducation , limited to the study of one or two dead languages , and having more or less but a very superficial knowledge of physics and cnemistry , —a knowledge almost amounting to nothing , so far as respects method , seeing that generally it has not been obtained after a rational manner , nor by proceeding from the true starting point of natural

    philosophy . We may conceive of how much consequence it is to reform a plan of study so very bad and defective . While , in respect to social phenomena , which are more complex still , would it not be taking a great step towards the -i return of modern society to a truly normal state , to recognise the logical necessity of only proceeding to the study of these phenomena , after having gradually trained up the intellectual organ by a profound and philosophical examination of all the anterior phenomena ? We may even say , with the utmost correctness , that the maia difficulty lies wholly here . For

    there are few intelligent minds who are not now convinced that it is necessary to study social phenomena according to the positive method . Owing to those who are engaged in the study , not knowing , and not being able to see exactly wherein this positive method consists , from not having examined it jn its anterior applications , this-maxim has hitherto been almost sterile in renovating social theories , which are not as yet out of the theological or metaphysical state , notwithstanding the efforts of professed positive reformers .

    The reader may have marked the omission of mathematics in the encyclopedical scale . This science , however , is placed by Comte , in virtue of the principle of his classification , at the very head of the scale . But he regards this vast and important science less as a constituent part of natural philosophy than as the true and fundamental basis of it j and he values it not so much for its own intrinsic truths , as for its being the great andmost powerful instrument in furthering the progress of science .

    422 The Lead^ \ ^:^Sip^^, ¦ ' ' ¦¦¦''':'...

    422 THE LEAD ^ \ ^ : ^ Sip ^^ , ¦ ' ' ¦¦¦''' : '¦ ' !^^ L- !_ LlL !^^^^! l ^ --l » -j » i ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ W ^^ B ^ MMlBBMiMMM ^ BMMSSllSMI ^ WM ^ WWiMMIMMMMMWW > W ¦"——^

    Mb. Disraeli's Cabinet Dinnee. The Follo...

    MB . DISRAELI'S CABINET DINNEE . The following report of the conversational debate at the Cabinet dinner given on Wednesday night by Mr . Disraeli , has been forw arded to us by an anonymous correspondent . We insert it without pled g ing ourselves t o the accuracy of the stenographer , who obviously must have taken Ms notes under the table and considerable disadvantages . We will only say that , if . the revelation be genuine , the " slave" of antiquity , who did such good service as an eavesdropper , has found a rival in the modern anti-Catalinian flilD . kc'Y ' * * ' ¦¦ •¦ ' ¦ • After the cloth had been withdrawn , and the servants had retired , ( the conversation up to this point having turned entirely on Joanna "Wagner , the Marionettes , the new Arctic expedition , Bachoffner ' s Patent Fire , and the amatory history of Prince Schwar-Mr . Disraeli said—Now we must trust to that improvement on the " faithful retainers "—the dumb waiters . Lord Malmesbury—Ah , they are the silent members . _ Lord Derby—We can have more confidence in them than in some bolicitor-trenerals . Mr . Disraeli ( rising and speaking solemnly)—May I request your lordship to be careful that when you mean a- joke you mention it . You know how our right hon .

    friend ( Mr . Walpole ) takes suchHhmgs . . Mr . Walpole—¦ Ha , ha ! Very good . It ' s lucky for us that the country is as dull as I am , or it might consider a Protectionist Government a good joke . Mr . Henley ( sotto voce )—Ay , a , jeud ! esprit , indeed . ,., ¦ . ' Lord John Manners—Talking of dumb waiters , do you remember , Disraeli , what you said of them in your account of the Carabas dinner in Vivian Grey t Mr . Disraeli—Ko , I never read novels . A paradox , but fact . I only write them . Lord John Manners—The Carabas dinner was a great feast ( of reason included ) . The Carabas interest is triumphant now ! Lord Malmesbury—By-the-bye , my French cook ( you all know my French cook ) was reading about the Carabas dinner the other day , to prepare himself for some banquets I am contemplating ; and he asked mo seriously if Mr . Disraeli was really partial to mulled Mosolle . Lord Derby—Oh , Fakradeen excels in combinations . Mr . Disraeli—Walpolc , mind , his lordship is joking . Malmcsbury , let Antoino understand that our Premier , as well as our Homo Secretary , when they do cat their own

    words , like the piquante for sauce . o- -r ¦*» 1 ± \ President of the Council— Gentlemen , business . ( Hear , hear , froni Sir J . Pakington . ) Lord Malmesbury—Hang business . Pass the claret , Herries . I want to toll you something more about my French cook —( you all know my French cook ) . He ottered me his own version of the " Dieu et mon droit , " the other day . Ho says droit means , ^ Mr * Henley ^ - My own idea . When that Drummond said " Property has its duties as well as its rights , " ' ho said what was quite true D uties , of course—duties on corn . Sir J . Pakington—Bat , really , wo must got through business . I can tell you wo never ioko at a sessions meeting of magistrates . This is my first Cabinet dmnor , and I 1 11 ^ Lo ^ M ^ lmesbury— Trust mo , Fakington , W < 1 got on better with tho budget if wo ^ XorTi ^ A-A ^ n / it ' in the cabinet , Yakineton , point do zble . You'll bo afitoniahed by-and-bvo how soon business is got through : it comes in with tho Mocha . Bo sure , my dear follow , that now M inisters are always i n too great a hurry How many possihwuiiti ¦ i

    Ul « iritis and jL-ecia navo » « .-u »«"""""» " —• --- , .. , , -,.. . Mr . Disraeli—Tied tape ! Why , I never see any red tape . Its abolished . Tins is the ago of elastic bands ! . , Lord Salisbury—A great invention . So simple , and so convenient I Lord John Manners—Ami by " a gentleman of ancient descent , though of oastom origin . " Wo owe everything to tho Jews . I ' ve got a theory oven that they were tho first musicians . Seo , lor instance , that simpleat form oi tho lyre—tho Jow 8 harp . Eh , Disraeli P . , 0 Mr . Disraeli—How much do you owe to tlio Jows , lard . lohnr _ , „ .,. ., Lord Derhy—Apropos , Chancellor of tho Exchequer ; ih it , true that Kidonia—the Titus—has cot Jerusalem knocked down to him P Did you hoo t he paragraph P What a splendid historical parallel could bo drawn liofwcon Coeur do Lion in the twolttn and Rothschild in tlio nineteenth century—between tho Chrititian and tho Jowish mode ot

    recovering Salem . and tho Tomb . J'Jh , JNortnumDorlaud r « rr ««« . ™; i » The Duke of Northumberland—I bop you to understand that I am not " Tancrod , and can give no opinion . My " Bion House" i « On the Thames , not on tho Jordan . Tho " A « ian mystery" bo hanged I Mr Disraeli—Ah , no ono could find out what that moans . Tho pliroso was a groat bit Mankind is governed by phraaos . Them was a good guess tho other night , however . Stoffbrd wfd ( pleasant fellow , Stafford ) that the Asian mystery was Homos ' Rnnoch on India . ( " Oh ! " from tho Lord Chancellor . ) V Lard ? Derhy-A . y , wo got a chanco now and thon in tho Lords . It Btrikoo mo I Blightly anticipated y * u , Horrios .

    Mr . Herries—Public duty is sacred . The country ¦ expects every mail to be dull . I am glad to see that' even you , ' DbraeH , > were roiiscieniKbus the other day . They $ ay that when you were doing the Curtius , and leaping into the Church of England chapni last night—rvery generous with ¦ jVoujr . ideas of the " religion of yesterday ^'—you talked something like a Chancellor of the Exchequer , ' Mr . Disraeli—Ihope so . Ihad ; been jpeading your speeches all the , morning , , and caught the sty le . ;¦ ¦ ' . '' . '"¦ ¦¦'' . . '"¦ .. :... ; ¦'¦;;¦ . " . .-... .. • , : \ ' ... ,,: ¦ V ;> ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ' " \ ¦ : ; Lord Derby—Gentlemen , why laugh at one another ? Do you forget the public ? Idem velle , idem nolle' , here . Mr . Walpole—My impression is , that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was most eloquent on Monday—when he said nothing ; His silence was a strategy , and , witji my Militia Bill '

    reply , carried the . .. ' ... Everybody—Hear , hear . . . , , . , Lord J . Manners- —No doubt . Another adjournment of the debate would have given time for reflection , and then Lord John might have gained pardon with , hjU creny , Hia unpopularity , not our popularity , carried the Dill . Lord Derby—That division will last us , and it will not look cowardl y now , after such a lobby , if we do drop the bill—which we must . Lord Malmesbury—Notin a . majority ! Why , you beat Lord John , again in tKe house to-day , Walpole . He ' s gone , and—effected it . ( Hear . ) Mr . Disraeli . —I obey the call of my chief , who I see is wmkmg at me to get on . My Lords and Gentlemen , —I am delighted ' . to .. be your host . I hope you liked the dinner . The wines I looked to myself * Statesmanship depends on urine . Why was Pitt in so long ? Because he drank port . Wlvy was Fox so long Out ? Because he drank sherry . Why was Peel unpopular with us ? Because he never drank wine . wu ^' je , «! .. />< : « n >' . flmsA Who like it . I drink port . Enelish oratory results from uorL

    Amem-li send to Montalembert , who is get-ting the Academytotakeanipteresfcin the matter . I say again , I trust that my first Cabinet dinner is nof ; a failure . The atmosphere is confidential ; the keyholes are closed ; the wine is excellent . I shall be delighted to hear the views of my colleagues . ( Sensation . ) _ ^ , Lord Derby ( speaking amid deep silence)—But , my dear © hanceilor of the Exchefluer , we all understood that this was to be the Budget dinner . We expected to hear yof £ proposition as to finance . .... i « T av -iii . . i . . , Mr . Disraeli—Indeed ! Why , really , is that constitutional ? I thought that each Minister attended to his own department . Hasn't that been our plan so far ? Didn't in the ? Didn

    you make one " explanation" in the Lords , and I another . Commons 't Maimesbury talk about refugees just the opposite of what I talked ? Didn t Walpplo propose a strange franchise I had never heard of- ^ -suggested in one of ypur lordsWs jokes , which , true to its oriffin , turned out a remarkably seno ^ affw P . DjdntWalpoe propose an amendment in the Corrupt Practices Btll all outof his own . head ^ nd didn't Thesiger , on the spot , propose an amendment on the amendment / Didn t Henley and Pakmeton quarrel on Monday week about clauses in the Passengers BillP Didn ' t your lordship , a ^ ih , the other day compromise the Cabinet upon MayQWth—expressing individual opinions , a luxury I did nofe allow myself when . 1 answered Keogh on : the point . Didn't I , on the spotj on Tuesday , rush at Badicalism , and , W the astonishment tne otiaoour uite i

    of Tyrrell , whom I heard gasping , go in for ngttw r—q as ^ gooa amc , think , as yours , my lord , about Maynooth . Wh y ^ the great distinction ofthe present Government is the independence of its several members of One another ¦; and seemg that we cannot get a majority , and that therefore it doesn't matter yrHt We ^ think , I consider the distinction ought to be maintained . Therefore I claun my ri ^ ht to have a budget of my own . Not that I have thought of one yet . I am partial to impromptus : and an extemporehudget will gratify the nation , I have no douU . Somebody said thafc ^ Pitt could talk a state-paper off-hand . I'll deliver a budget off-han ^ ; On Friday . Nothing like originality . ^ ¦ .., '_ ' . Lord J ~ . Manners—Hear , hear . There ' s genius } . , Mr . JTerrtcs—Well , — that ' s odd . When I was Chancellor of the Exchequer I set all my clerks to compete , and then I took tho best budget of the lot . I found that a ¦ "«/ * __ __ _ - «¦ % •*« - *¦¦>••« 11- _ 1 _ . _ 1 * i 1 _ _ TTt L __ i « .. na > T T »* % »» A ivnanf r * f \ rfn ~ chivabric Chancellor of the ExchequerI have great

    coofi-Lord Derby Oooking ) Mr . , dence in your resources ; and I do not wish to offend you . But your theory needs eX 1 Mr ! Wa % ole—I also have great confidence in my right hon . friend ;_ and if your lordship could see him in the Commons , how well he manages , you would have a still higher opinion of him . He pulls my coat-tails always at the right- time . 1 am deeply m Sir Jr . PaJcbtgton—That syst em of pulling coat-tailfl has certainl y , i * . advaitage fl ; but it struck me as extremely undignified when I first felt tho twitch . That was when I was a little too warm about the virtues of Sir Henry Ward . . „ , _ Mr . Disraelv-My theory is very simple . Have we not the utmost confidence in each other ? ( Hear , hear . ) Are we not agreed jn a desirp to retain omce f (\ e * , yes . ; That agreement is our common security against blunders . We are not Palra « r »^

    and Russolls—compelled to pry into each others portfolios . ( Hear , * W " W " you want my advice , you know how readily I give it . You have all asked my adyicc . and I have given you my advice . But J want no advice—I know what you would all approve of , and would see is best for you—and I do not need your aid . I act instinctively , with your approbation . Certainly , you , Pakington , and ^ ypu , Wolpo v ™* farther than I did last week about Bennett and the bishops . But -that was y ^ . ^' and , of course , I am not responsible . I am very sorry that you do not follow the leader bettor . You will , in time , I have no doubt . Bentmck would have resjgned . 1 am more considerate . Gentlemen , let ' s drink " ParUamentary Government . Lord Sardtvicke-I am not fond of talking . But I'll say this if you 11 allow mo and thank God there are no Repealers hcre-fliat tho Chancellor of the Exchequer has spoken tho fact about our divisions and differences . I confess I don t know ^ lemer his theory is right or wrong . But I would Jiko to know what the policy of tho present Government is . I am a Protectionist ; and J don't core who knows it . Lord Derby— ( continuing chivalric ) . I cannot pass ovor an appeal « om one x much respect . The question is an important ono . What is tho polioy of the Govern

    montp ' The Lord Chancellor— -Law Reforms . ( Cheers . ) Lord J . Manners—Abolition of tho CryBtal Palaco . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Walpole—Tho Protestant Religion . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Henley—Down with Manchester . ( Cheers . ) # . Mr . Herries—A wise and prudent administration of public affairs . ( Oncers . ; Lord Malmesbury—Dovolopmont of th e science of political gastronomy , xoato plenty . ( Ohcors . ) Mi passant , I may mention that I greatly respect JU > uis x poloon ; and that I hope to bo on the boot terms with Count Buol , who knows what ' " mff . paMnqton—I cannot define tho policy of hor Majesty ' s present Gov £ ""^ in such flippant lanjruaijo . Gentlemen of tho jury—I mean , my lords and gonMeroo

    I took omco-chiofly bccauBo I waB asked—but also becauso Wttigs aro » " « »^ of Radicals , and because I did not boo how a gentlemanly government wasi to poiror otherwise than under tho auspices of my noblo iViond . That is tho P ?/' J ™ rtrJJLllt . mon ^ -to bo gentlemanly . We aro Conaervativo-wo aro aOonaorvatj vo Gov ° ™™ u Wo rogrot that Protection was lost—wo also rogrot tho Hoform Bill , OoWiolio igj nation , tho Bill of Rigl , ts- ( " Hoar , Jicar , " from Lord J . Manncrsj-and M « ffja ^ l . nr But wo cannot undo Tiiatory . We cannot rccal Protection . Wo will , thoro *^ 1 fccr 1 what we can-that is our polioy . ( Cheers . ) I worship tho territorial XlTof & M from Mr . Diflraoli )—and it in our policy to koop tlio big towns down . U » nic b or Cobdon in a Cabinet ! Pah ! Pass tho clarot . ( Cheers . ) ociually Lord Derby—I am dolightod at having elicited those rnmarks . I wu oo , candid . I am a Conservatfvo : and a sufficient definition of tho GovornmjnM ^ tjm ^ is a ConBorvativo Government . Wo aro not Whigs . ( Cheers . ) Wo «* ° nj * J , We ( Olieorfl . ) We aro not Radicals . ( Cheers . ) We are Conservatives . (« j £ JS' jjut will propose nothing-wo will proaerve everything . : ?^* J ^ , < £ * T Wo c annot Froo . tradors moan more than Froo-trade . Wo will resist thorn . ( CJioors . ; « deft roatoro Protection . ( OhoorB , ) Our gifted Chancellor of tho Exchequer has ft "

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 1, 1852, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_01051852/page/18/