He might have avoided the Boer War, in the conduct of which he behaved with real nobleness at the beginning.

He might have saved Germany from her own war-mongers.

In any case he might have led the Unionist Party towards construction and so have prevented the slap-dash methods at reform set going by Mr.Lloyd George after a long and irritating period of Tory pottering.

For few men in modern times have exercised so great a fascination over that curious and easily satisfied body, the House of Commons, and no man in the public life of our times has enjoyed a more powerful prestige in the constituencies.
Indeed, he stood for many years as the most dignified and honourable figure in the public life of Great Britain, and his influence in politics during the first part of that period was without serious rivalry.
It must not be forgotten, too, that in the days of "bloody Balfour" he was not merely chivalrous, but even Quixotic, in taking upon himself the mistakes and misdoings of his subordinates in Ireland.

He certainly had the makings of a chivalrous figure, and perhaps even a great man.