The death of Saad Zaghlul Pasha has removed the most
remarkable Egyptian personality since Mehemet Ali. Unlike most Egyptian politicians he was born a peasant, and the simplicity of his early life never left him. In spite of all his shrewdness, sometimes described as cunning, he had not the too obvious sophistication of many of his political colleagues. He was very engaging in his happiest moods, and even his greatest political enemies among Europeans could not help liking him. Lord Cromer formed a high opinion of him, though he misjudged the political course which Zaghlul would ultimately steer. As Minister of Justice, Zaghlul openly resisted the Khedive Abbas Ifilmy when he was scheming in various ways against Great Britain. The Khedive never forgave Zaghlul. Later, when Zaghlul traced to the Khedive's inspiration financial irregularities in the public administration, the Khedive demanded that Zaghlul should produce proofs or resign. 7,ag,hlul could not produce proofs though his charges were well founded, and Lord Kitchener compelled him to resign. Zaghlul's intense anti-British tendency began at that time. * -*