[Mary Anne's prophecy]

[Mary Anne's prophecy] Concerned by his son's health Isaac took Disraeli on his first trip abroad, a six-week tour of Belgium and the Rhine in the summer of 1824 accompanied by William Meredith, Sarah's (then) unofficial fiance. The early part of the journey from London to Aix is recorded here. Most of the entries are in pencil and too faint to read with ease, but this description of an attempt to visit Ruben's house in Antwerp on 2 August 1824 gives some indication of Disraeli's enthusiasm for arhitecture - especially churches - paintings, food and landscape, and of his observations on history and local customs. Disraeli didn't keep a diary on the journey's second leg but he did decide to become a writer - and he drew on his experiences in his first novel, Vivian Grey. Disraeli announced to his father his intention of standing for Parliament in this letter written on board HMS Hermes in October 1831 in which he expresses concern that Isaac may not have received his earlier one announcing Meredith's death. Here he notes that his fellow passenger, Henry Stanley, had received a letter in Cadiz that the bill to extend the franchise would be lost - an outcome they could 'barely credit'. When this younger son of the 13th Earl of Derby went missing on arrival in London some of the Stanley family suspected Disraeli of introducing him to a gambling den, an unfortunate development which coloured years of his working relationship with Lord Stanley, the future 14th Earl of Derby, and his predecessor as Conservative Prime Minister. Disraeli's debut as a novelist was spectacular. Volume I of Vivian Grey was published anonymously in April 1826. To maximise impact the draft was copied out by Sara Austen to conceal its authorship. Sara, considerably older than Disraeli, was married to his neighbour the lawyer Benjamin Austen, for whom Disraeli had worked. Both Austens were his patrons, she emotionally, he financially. Here she refers to the Star reviewer's comparisons with similar novels like Mathilda and Tremaine, set in 'fashionable' aristocratic society and aimed at middle class readers; the author was a 'lively and accomplished writer' and his 'ingenuity' praised. By July the enthusiasm among high society and reviewers turned to scorn when it was discovered that the satire had been by a youthful onlooker, not an insider. Famously described by Disraeli to Sarah as a 'flirt and a rattle' after their first meeting in 1832, Mary Anne Lewis's assessment of her future husband was more profound. In this letter to her brother John Evans (d. 1838), written from the Lewis home in London's Grosvenor Gate on 29 July 1837, she refers (fol. 89) to Wyndham Lewis's electoral success with 'his friend Mr Disraeli', overrating him as 'one of the greatest writers & finest orators of the day - age about 30', lists the result (fol. 89v) 'Lewis 782, Disraeli 668, Col Thompson 529 a Radical', adds some further observations and ends tellingly (fol. 90v) 'Mark what I say - Mark what I Prophecy [sic] - Mr Disraeli will, in very few years, be one of the greatest men of his day - his great talents back'd by his friends Lord Lyndhurst & Lord Chandos...' (later 2nd Duke of Buckingham). In the summer of 1833 Disraeli met Sir Francis and Lady Sykes (d. 1846) and shortly afterwards began an affair with Henrietta. Sir Francis's property included Basildon Park in Berkshire (now a National Trust property), a setting for Henrietta Temple, the novel inspired by the affair and the pressing need to settle debts. Henrietta was aristocratic and sensuous and, as the references to 'A mother's kiss' (and 'your faithful and fond love') indicate, capable of meeting Disraeli's complex emotional needs. Their relationship was aided by Sir Francis's frequent absences abroad and complicated in the summer of 1834 by Henrietta introducing Disraeli to his future mentor, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Lyndhurst (1772-1863) with whom she later became involved. But it would be her affair with Disraeli's friend, the painter Daniel Maclise, which ended their relationship in December 1836 and subsequently threatened Disraeli's future. In this letter Bulwer Lytton sympathises over the loss of Wycombe and encourages Disraeli to consider standing where two candidates could be returned for the same party (as was then possible); after several more unsuccessful attempts Disraeli would be returned in 1837 for just such a constituency: Maidstone. Disraeli greatly valued Bulwer's intellectually stimulating friendship. The satirical Xion in Heaven, published in Bulwer's New monthly magazine in December 1832 and February 1833, is considered one of Disraeli's most original works. Letter from Mary Anne to her brother John Evans, 29 July 1837. The five-volume anthology, Curiosities of Literature (1791-1834), now in the Library at Hughenden, is probably Isaac's best known work. His other main publication was the five-volume Commentaries on the life and reign of Charles I (1828-30), a topic well-suited to his romantic conservatism. For this study he was awarded a DCL by the University of Oxford in 1832. In addition to these major works Isaac was also the author of several now-forgotten novels and poems. This letter written on 4 August 1825 from Disraeli to his father describes an evening at a party in Albemarle Street hosted by John Murray for former and current African expeditions. Friendship with Murray would further Disraeli's bookish tendencies and literary talent but founder over disastrous financial collaboration.