CARNARVON, Hasur IlowAno MOLYN•UX HERBERT, fourth earl of, b. in Grosvenor square, 1831. His family is a branch of the house of Herbert, earls of Pembroke, spring ing from maj.gen. the Hon. W. Herbert, whose son, Henry, was created, in 1780, baron Porchester of Highelere, Hampshire, and advanced to the earldom of Carnarvon in 1793. The present earl was educated at Christ church, Oxford, where he was first-class in classics in 1852. His father dying before he was of age to sit in the house of commons, he lost the advantage of the training in public speaking and statesmanship which the sons of peers usually enjoy during the lifetime of their parents, in the lower house. He took his seat on the conservative benches, and soon showed himself ambitious of parliamentary distinction. Ilis earlier speeches in the house of lords were not thought to exhibit much vigor and grasp of intellect, and were marred by a simpering and affected delivery. He was appointed governor of Carnarvon castle in 1854. In 1858, he became under-secretary of state for the colonies, in the administration of the earl of Derby. In 1859, he received the degree of o.c.L., and was elected high steward of the university of Oxford. He resigned office with the conservative ministry in 1839, and availed himself of the period olleisure.thua.obtained to visit the east. The feuds of the gave the world the benefit of his investigations, in an interesting work, entitled the ruses (q.v.) of the Lebanon. On his return, he delivered lectures in the country, and speeches in the house of lords, on prison discipline, education, and other social subjects. When the couservaties again returned to power in 1866, C. accepted from lord Derby the office of secretary of state for the colonies, with a seat in the cabinet. In this he
obtained for his colonial administration a large share of public confidence. Ile censured in calm and measured language the misconduct of the courts-martial during the Jamaica insurrection, and especially the trial and execution of Mr. Gordon; and the pacification of the colony satisfactorily progressed under his instructions. During the recess, he developed and framed a plan for the confederation of the British North American colonies; and when parliament met in 1807, he explained the provisions of the measure in an elaborate speech. The bill met with general approval in both houses, and it passed; but before it obtained the royal assent, C. had, with two other colleagues in the cabinet, resigned office upon the reform bill of the Derby government, which he regarded as democratic in its operation, and dangerous in its results. When the reform bill came before the house of lords, C., in an animated speech, vindicated his consistency at the expense of his colleagues; and in the discussions in committee, he addressed the house with great vigor and argumentative ability. He edited in 1869 a work by his father, who was an accomplished scholar. It is entitled Reminiscences of Athens and the Morea; Extracts front a Journal of Travels in Greece during 1839, by the late Earl of Carnarvon. He has also published one or two of his lectures. On Mr. Disraeli's return to power in 1874, lord C. resumed office as secretary of state for the colonies; but resigned in Jan., 1878, in consequence of the sending of the British fleet to the Dardanelles. Lord C. married, in 1861, the only daughter of the sixth earl of Chesterfield.