Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) is a British politician and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creation of the modern Conservative Party defining its policies and its broad outreach. He made the Conservatives the party most identified with the glory and power of the British Empire. His Sketches included in this book have many topics.

"I was too practised an observer of the Turkish character to suppose that English horses were really the occasion of my sum­mons. The Turks are very diplomatic and are a long time coming to the point."