BENJAMIN DISRAELI (LORD BEACONSFIELD).

(1805-1881.)

LXV.  POPANILLA ON MAN.

This racy piece of satire is taken from Lord Beaconsfield’s mock-heroic romance—­written in imitation of Gulliver’s Travels,—­The Voyage of Captain Popanilla, of which it forms the fourth chapter.

Six months had elapsed since the first chest of the cargo of Useful Knowledge destined for the fortunate Maldives had been digested by the recluse Popanilla; for a recluse he had now become.  Great students are rather dull companions.  Our Fantasian friend, during his first studies, was as moody, absent, and querulous as are most men of genius during that mystical period of life.  He was consequently avoided by the men and quizzed by the women, and consoled himself for the neglect of the first and the taunts of the second by the indefinite sensation that he should, some day or other, turn out that little being called a great man.  As for his mistress, she considered herself insulted by being addressed by a man who had lost her lock of hair.  When the chest was exhausted, Popanilla was seized with a profound melancholy.  Nothing depresses a man’s spirits more completely than a self-conviction of self-conceit; and Popanilla, who had been accustomed to consider himself and his companions as the most elegant portion of the visible creation, now discovered, with dismay, that he and his fellow-islanders were nothing more than a horde of useless savages.

This mortification, however, was soon succeeded by a proud consciousness that he, at any rate, was now civilized; and that proud consciousness by a fond hope that in a short time he might become a civilizer.  Like all projectors, he was not of sanguine temperament; but he did trust that in the course of another season the Isle of Fantaisie might take its station among the nations.  He was determined, however, not to be too rapid.  It cannot be expected that ancient prejudices can in a moment be eradicated, and new modes of conduct instantaneously substituted and established.  Popanilla, like a wise man, determined to conciliate.  His views were to be as liberal as his principles were enlightened.  Men should be forced to do nothing.  Bigotry and intolerance and persecution were the objects of his decided disapprobation; resembling, in this particular, all the great and good men who have ever existed, who have invariably maintained this opinion so long as they have been in the minority.

Popanilla appeared once more in the world.

“Dear me! is that you, Pop?” exclaimed the ladies.  “What have you been doing with yourself all this time?  Travelling, I suppose.  Everyone travels now.  Really you travelled men get quite bores.  And where did you get that coat, if it be a coat?”