The annual flower-show of the villagers was the great
fete^ddiy of Hughenden during Mr. Disraeli's lifetime, since
he usually made it the occasion for delivering one of those
characteristic speeches which set all England, and some-
times all Europe, talking the next day. The late
Chancellor of the Exchequer may perhaps remember one
of those speeches. It was made at a time when the politi-
cal future of a brilliant young Member of Parliament — a
certain Mn Vernon Harcourt — seemed involved in some
doubt. People were saying that his incisive attacks upon
Mr. Gladstone's ministry indicated a disposition to throw
in his lot with the Conservative party, and that Mn



+.5^ Thie Sdhi^ Club Pjqpers



xt*»tn5^^^ V rv^u Mx' \<nx»tt H*irccurt w:^^ a guest
V*. ^^s^s:»«!vx- Xsf.tv'* isc :?K :r nv cc »* *>w«x5how, and

X V v^Vvv m;!.'^ 4Kv Jt.t >vH*c wfeich made it ex-

\x\^v^*> nvn\v>«m<vx%-' ^V^-Vx^ I vXHJiM gvt a report of

,'S V \\.\\v\ sN\\^> xV ;\^^u iv^ U^K^ tvH^ the special edition

x\ oV V v\s. x"^ VysV t \vi^v>^H\tv\l^ and 1 was in a state

x^ V\N<> s^^>\v\^ V^K^ Is^KWiin^ over the matter, I

y>^vv\vx» visv> H\\ y\^uxv \>< <^o^k>i\ and when a note from

M\ Mxmhn^m W^^^Ns ^1<^I^K< ^^^^ M"*' Disraeli begged the

Av\>^Ht^^^N>\ l\\ Ov> i^N^^tKnun of the press, of half-a-dozen

\vl nU^m^v^^^^ wU^vU he was sending them, was brought

\\v \\\\ \\\^\^\\\\=^' uMk\ \\\y colleagues and I preferred a

V\\i\\^(«\ ihtU \\\\ t»|Hielub hhould be hurried on as quickly

^^ |^mi*0^lv, ♦^^ NNe Nsere anxious to get back to High

\\'\n^Ml>v M» iUHe to ealeh a certain train. To this we

hnhnl \\\y fUibWii that Mr. Disraeli would say all that

\\\ m»>h»»l ((* t)«^y it) giving the toast of the Queen, and

lllfd ^u- Miiilil llui) leave with easy consciences. The

IhI'I^^ (ImimiI, the Couhervative leader proposed the first

MiM^f, Mi*tM)iH i( (he peg wheivon to hang a vigorous attack

f|)M/M Mm ♦iHlniialie rule of Mr. Gladstone, which, he sug-

f^t f4n\f ^»»A n\\\\ liiiiliiXil |>o:i!iiMe by the fact that the



Some Press Reminiscences 49

Sovereign (who was at that time said to be seriously ill)
was ** physically and menially incapable of performing the
duties of a Sovereign.*'

When Mr. 