Tue late Lord Campbell used to wonder that there was not a prayer in the Liturgy against protracted existence. The Chancellor of course referred to the undue prolongation of life amidst distressing and irksome conditions with "the miseries that corrode amossing years," afflicting the physical frame, and acta, beclouding the mental light. But a public man might with propriety desire to disappear from the stage of active life ata fortunate moment for his fame, and to dread above all other calamities the survival of his reputation. Most of us would hold the Duke of Wellington in greater respect if he had been content wita the fame of a great General. Earl Russell should have folded his mantle decently about him and departed after carrying the Reform Bill; and there are persons to be found who wish that Mr. Gladstone had vanished in a blaze of glory after abolishing purchase in the army, and had never commenced pamphleteer, But we cannot have all we wish, and a sinister fate perpetually allows a man to do something which discredits his reputation at the moment when a decorous exit would secure him the applause of posterity. These reflections naturally arise when we hear of the recent action of Lord Lawrence.
Tt seems that nothing can be less wise than to do anything which will stop vigorous progress in Afghanistan at this particular moment, and yet this is the critical time when the authoritative voice of the ex-Viceroy is heard recommending an abrupt pause and such a change of tone on our part as will inevitably damage our prestige and create uneasiness amongst the great feud-atones all over the Empire. Lord Lawrence is a Liberal, and may consider it to be one of his first duties to embarrass the existing Government; but we venture to predict that this action will not add to his fame, and by appearing prominently in the Afghan matter Lord Lawrence will attract attention to one of the most questionable acts of his Viceroyalty. In the lifetime of Dost Mahommed, during the reign of Lord Canning, Shore Ah was do-signated as heir to the Throne of Cabul, His nomination was informally recognized by the British Government. His claims were contested, and Lord Lawrence never supported him when he needed it, but steadily refused to bind the Government formally to do that which they had morally bound them. selves to do, and which they would have unquestionably dono unless Lord Elgin's illness and death had intervened, The romantic adventures and extraordinary vicissitudes of Shore Ah would fill n volume, Suflico it to say, as we all know, he contrived to eject his rivals, to regain his capital and to reseat himself on the throne. Then, when the battle was over and the reward of his boldness and perseverance won, Lord Lawrence condescended to grant @ tardy recognition of the brave soldier's title, This policy has been called statesmanlike and sagacious, but the partisans of Lord Lawrence show, by the haste they are in to defend this stroke, that they see it is capable of two interpretations. "It is easy to assert," says one apologist, " that by this action Lord Lawrence abandoned his own policy, and disavowed his former We conceive that it is extremely easy to make this assertion, and by no means as easy to show that itis untrue, Lord Lawrence, faithful to the traditions of his party, avoided responsibility, and played the safety game which always fails to secure friends, and is extremely expensive in the end. He is evidently firmly persuaded that the apprehension of Russian aggression is a scare, and that, it is our wisdom to leave the Afghans alone. War will cost money, and 80 our Envoys ate to be insulted, and our protests of resolute policy to be allowed to evaporate in meaningless menaces, It is specially to be deplored that Lord Lawrence should have elected to take this course, for it can never be forgotten that in many respects his administration was worthy of high commendation, He spent liberally rarely less than four and a half millions a year on public works, he reorganized the telegraph departments, he carried out railway systems, he took care of the woods snd forests, ho rescinded the "half-batta" order which so irritated the soldiery, and in his legislation on the tenure of laud he refused to locate the Talookdar by depressing the Ryot. Still we conceive that it will be proved that Lord Lawrence has by his recent action damaged his fame, He has revived attention to the least generous and least consistent act of his Viceroyalty, and lowered himself by appearing as a vehement partisan instead of assuming the part of & grave unimpassioned counsellor of the Crown.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.