Some were set to his own music. He also wrote several novels
and a number of farces, etc. Although making a large income from his
writings, in addition to that of his wife, he fell into embarrassed
circumstances. Among the best known of his songs are _I'd be a
Butterfly_, _Oh, no, we never mention Her_, and _She wore a Wreath of
Roses_. He may be regarded as, excepting Moore, the most popular song
writer of his time.

BEACONSFIELD, BENJAMIN DISRAELI, 1ST EARL of (1804-1881).--Statesman and
novelist, was the _s._ of Isaac D. (_q.v._). Belonging to a Jewish family
settled first in Spain, whence in the 15th century they migrated to
Italy, he was _b._ in London in 1804 and privately _ed._ His _f._
destined him for the law, and he was articled to a solicitor. The law
was, however, uncongenial, and he had already begun to write. After some
journalistic work, he brought himself into general notice by the
publication, in 1827, of his first novel, _Vivian Grey_, which created a
sensation by its brilliance, audacity, and slightly veiled portraits of
living celebrities. After producing a _Vindication of the British
Constitution_, and some political pamphlets, he followed up his first
success by a series of novels, _The Young Duke_ (1831), _Contarini
Fleming_ (1832), _Alroy_ (1833), _Venetia and Henrietta Temple_ (1837).
During the same period he had also written _The Revolutionary Epic_ and
three burlesques, _Ixion_, _The Infernal Marriage_, and _Popanilla_.
These works had gained for him a brilliant, if not universally admitted,
place in literature. But his ambition was by no means confined to
literary achievement; he aimed also at fame as a man of action. After
various unsuccessful attempts to enter Parliament, in which he stood,
first as a Radical, and then as a Tory, he was in 1837 returned for
Maidstone, having for his colleague Mr. Wyndham Lewis, whose widow he
afterwards married. For some years after entering on his political
career, D. ceased to write, and devoted his energies to parliamentary
work. His first speech was a total failure, being received with shouts of
laughter, but with characteristic courage and perseverance he pursued his
course, gradually rose to a commanding position in parliament and in the
country, became leader of his party, was thrice Chancellor of the
Exchequer, 1852, 1858-59, and 1866-68, in which last year he became Prime
Minister, which office he again held from 1874 till 1880. To return to
hi