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Anna Karenina: Benjamin

DISRAELI BENJAMIN DISRAELI (Lord Beaconsfield), the eldest son of Isaac D'Israeli, was born in London in 1804. Although all the children were born into the Jewish communion, the father, with all his household, withdrew from the faith when the son Benjamin was but twelve years old. "None of the family was akin to Benjamin for genius and character, except Sarah, the eldest child, to whom he was indebted for a wise, unswerving, and sympathetic devotion, when, in his earlier days, he needed it most." At fifteen Disraeli was sent to a Unitarian school at Walthamstow. He soon, however, left there and went to school no more. With his father's guidance and the help of his fine library, Benjamin started out to educate himself. The vivid imagination and wonderful perceptive quality of Disraeli was much helped by his association with persons of distinction in literary pursuits; and his keen powers of observation and wide range of reading helped him in the writing of his novels, as well as in the political career which he chose. In 1837 Disraeli won the election to Parliament, being returned from Maidstone. Many years later he became Prime Minister, but for a brief period only, resigning in 1868 in favor of Mr. Gladstone.

His greatest gift was not the romantic imagination which he possessed so abundantly, but the perceptive, interpretative, judicial, or divining imagination, "without which there can be no man of great affairs." His novels contain many character portraits of the men and women of his time. "Vivian Grey" is said to be a pen-picture of the author.

Disraeli died at his home in Curzon Street on the 19th of April, 1881. Then the greatness of his popularity and its warmth were first declared. "No such demonstration of grief was expected, even by those who grieved the most." He lies in the Hughen Churchyard, but within the church is a marble tablet to his memory, placed there by Queen Victoria. The anniversary of his death has ever since been honored and is called "Primrose Day."

Among Disraeli's works are: "Vivian Grey," "Coningsby," "Endymion," "Sibyl," "Lothair," "The Young Duke," "Venetia," "Tancred," "Contarini Fleming," and other novels, besides many political articles and like literature.