House of Lords; the display of intellect and courage exhibited by Lord
Lyndhurst in that assembly, when all seemed cowed and faint-hearted; all
these were incidents or personal traits apt to stir the passions, and
create in breasts not yet schooled to repress emotion, a sentiment even of
enthusiasm. It is the personal that interests mankind, that fires their
imagination, and wins their hearts. A cause is a great abstraction, and
fit only for students; embodied in a party, it stirs men to action; but
place at the head of that party a leader who can inspire enthusiasm, lie
commands the world. Divine faculty! Rare and incomparable privilege! A
parliamentary leader who possesses it, doubles his majority; and he who
has it not, may shroud himself in artificial reserve, and study with
undignified arrogance an awkward haughtiness, but he will nevertheless be
as far from controlling the spirit as from captivating the hearts of his
sullen followers.

However, notwithstanding this general feeling at Eton, in 1835, in favour
of 'Conservative principles,' which was, in fact, nothing more than a
confused and mingled sympathy with some great political truths, which were
at the bottom of every boy's heart, but nowhere else; and with the
personal achievements and distinction of the chieftains of the party; when
all this hubbub had subsided, and retrospection, in the course of a year,
had exercised its moralising influence over the more thoughtful part of
the nation, inquiries, at first faint and unpretending, and confined
indeed for a long period to limited, though inquisitive, circles, began
gently to circulate, what Conservative principles were.

These inquiries, urged indeed with a sort of hesitating scepticism, early
reached Eton. They came, no doubt, from the Universities. They were of a
character, however, far too subtile and refined to exercise any immediate
influence over the minds of youth. To pursue them required previous