s literary career, in 1844 he had _pub._ _Coningsby_, followed by
_Sybil_ (1845), and _Tancred_ (1847), and in 1848 he wrote a life of Lord
G. Bentinck, his predecessor in the leadership of the Protectionist
party. His last novels were _Lothair_ (1870), and _Endymion_ (1880). He
was raised to the peerage as Earl of Beaconsfield in 1876, and was a
Knight of the Garter. In his later years he was the intimate friend as
well as the trusted minister of Queen Victoria. The career of D. is one
of the most remarkable in English history. With no family or political
influence, and with some personal characteristics, and the then current
prejudices in regard to his race to contend with, he rose by sheer force
of will and intellect to the highest honours attainable in this country.
His most marked qualities were an almost infinite patience and
perseverance, indomitable courage, a certain spaciousness of mind, and
depth of penetration, and an absolute confidence in his own abilities,
aided by great powers of debate rising occasionally to eloquence. Though
the object, first of a kind of contemptuous dislike, then of an intense
opposition, he rose to be universally regarded as, at all events, a great
political force, and by a large part of the nation as a great statesman.
As a writer he is generally interesting, and his books teem with striking
thoughts, shrewd maxims, and brilliant phrases which stick in the memory.
On the other hand he is often artificial, extravagant, and turgid, and
his ultimate literary position is difficult to forecast.

_Lives_ by Froude (1890), Hitchman (1885), see also _Dictionary of Nat.
Biog. etc._

BEATTIE, JAMES (1735-1803).--Poet and philosophical writer, _s._ of a
shopkeeper and small farmer at Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, and _ed._
at Aberdeen; he was, in 1760, appointed Professor of Moral Philosophy
there. In the following year he _pub._ a vol. of poems, which attracted
attention. The two works, however, which brought him most fame were: (1)
his _Essay on Truth_ (1770), intended as an answer to Hume, which had
great immediate success, and led to an introduction to the King, a
pension of L200, and the degree of LL.D. from Oxford; and (2) his poem of
_The Minstrel_, of which the first book was _pub._ in 1771 and the
second in 1774, and which constitutes his true title to remembrance. It
contains much beautiful descriptive writing. The _Essay on Truth_ and his
other philosophical works are now forgot