the newspaper was rapidly approaching,
and Mr. B. Disraeli's correspondence on the subject of the engagement of
a staff became fast and furious.
By the end of December Mr. Lockhart had arrived in London, for the
purpose of commencing his editorship of the _Quarterly Review_. The name
of the new morning paper had not then been yet fixed on; from the
correspondence respecting it, we find that some spoke of it as the
_Daily Review_, others as the _Morning News_, and so on; but that Mr.
Benjamin Disraeli settled the matter appears from the following letter
of Mr. Lockhart to Mr. Murray:
_Mr. Lockhart to John Murray_.
_December_ 21, 1825.
MY DEAR SIR,
I am delighted, and, what is more, satisfied with Disraeli's title--the
_Representative_. If Mr. Powles does not produce some thundering
objection, let this be fixed, in God's name.
Strange to say, from this time forward nothing more is heard of Mr.
Benjamin Disraeli in connection with the _Representative_. After his two
Journeys to Scotland, his interviews with Sir Walter Scott and Mr.
Lockhart, his activity in making arrangements previous to the starting
of the daily paper, his communications with the architect as to the
purchase and fitting up of the premises in Great George Street, and with
the solicitors as to the proposed deed of partnership, he suddenly drops
out of sight; and nothing more is heard of him in connection with the
business.
It would appear that when the time arrived for the proprietors of the
new paper to provide the necessary capital under the terms of the
memorandum of agreement dated August 3, 1825, both Mr. Disraeli and Mr.
Powles failed to contribute their several proportions. Mr. Murray had
indeed already spent a considerable sum, and entered into agreements for
the purchase of printing-offices, printing-machines, types, and all the
paraphernalia of a newspaper establishment. He had engaged reporters,
correspondents, printers, sub-editors, though he still wanted an
efficient editor. He was greatly disappointed at not being able to
obtain the services of Mr. Lockhart. Mr. Disraeli was too young--being
then only twenty-one, and entirely inexperienced in the work of
conducting a daily paper--to be entrusted with the editorship. Indeed,
it is doubtful whether he ever contemplated occupying that position,
though he had engaged himself most sedulously in the preliminary
arrangements in one department, his endeavours to obtain the assistance
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