The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-12 00:00:00

WILLS AND BEQUESTS.

The will of David Ricardo, EEq., of Gatcombe
Park, Gloucestershire, was proved in the London
Court on the 27th ult. by Henry David Ricardo,
Esq., the son ; the Rev. Robert Edward Blackwell,
M.A., Rector of Amberley, and Major-General Sir
Frederic Abbot, C. 8., the executors. The personalty
was sworn un=r £35,0u0. The testator was second
son of the late P. Ricardo, Eeq., M.P. for Porter-
lington, a magistratt: and High Sheriff (1830) for
the county of Gloucester. Ho died at Cheltenham
in May last, having executed his will in March,
1863. He has devised his• estates to his only son,
Henry David Ricardo, with contingent interest
therein in favour of his only d*ughter. Isere is an
annuity of £l5 to his gardener, and a legany of
£lOO each to two of his executors.

The will of Richard Fowler-Butler, Esq., late of
Pendeford Hall, Wolverhampton, and Barton Hall,
Staffordshire, was proved in London by his relict
and Alexander Stavely Hill, Esq., the joint acting
executors appointed by the will, bearing date Nov.
13, 1856, to which is added a codicil dated Sept. 7,
1861. The testator died on the 13th of March last
at the age of 70. He was Dsputy Lieutenant for
the county of Stafford, and was formerly in the
43d Regiment, and served in the Rifle Brigade in
the Peninsula and at Waterloo, The testator
was thrice married, and assumed the name of Butler
on inheriting the Barton Hall estate in 1850. To
his relic', who is provided for, he leaves the use of
the family plate for her life, and afterwards to be
held by his son Richard upon certain conditions,
terminating in favour of his son Robert, to whom
he leaves a sum of £7,000, over which the testator
had the power of appointment under the will of his
late father; and to his daughter, Eleanor Quinn,
he leaves the property under a marriage settlement.
The will of the Rev. William Cureton, D.D,,
F.R.S., Canon of Westminster and Rector of St.
Margaret's, was proved in the London Court on the
27th ult., by his relict, together with the Rev.
Edward Wm. B lore, M.A., his brother-in-law, and
the Rev. Wm. Harley, M.A., his nephew, being the
executors according to the tenor of the will. The
personalty was sworn wader £16,000. The testator,
who died at his residence, Brook House, Wtstbury,
Salop, on the 17th of June last, at the age of fifty-
six, was twice married, and has left issue two sons
and five daughters. His will bears date the sth of
April last. To his relict he leaves all his property
during widowhood. The real estates, upon her
decease or marrying again. will revert to his eldest
son, and the rest of his property will be divided
amongst children in certain specified proportions.
This learned divine was Chaplain in OrOrdinaryto
the Queen, honorary P.D. of the Univcrsity of
Halle, a corresponding member of the Institute. of
n
France, honorary member of the Histoco-Theolo-
gical Society of Leipsic, and a trustee of the British
Museum by Royal appointment.—lllustrated Lon.
News.

A COURT BALL AT THE TUILERIES,—The
leries look very imposing at a distance on the night
of a Court ball. The whole enormous fagade is lit up from
top to bottom, and on the Place du Carousel there is such a
throng of carriages that it is difficult to comprehend how the
equipages will be able to set down. For all that, the moat
admirable order prevails, and is most visible at the period
of the guests departing. Tho inner court of the Tuileries,
la tour d' honneur, is truly very splendid. In the place of
the as lamps, you see everywhere the imperial N. or the
imperial crown in a laurel wreath, blazing with light, and
as this illin2Laation is repeated on all sides at least 200
times, it is easy to form an idea of the splendour and bright-
ness of the courtyard, which is so largo that 10,000 men can
mancravre in it conveniently. The piincipal staircase in-
side the chateau also produces a grand impression. From
top to bottom on every step there stand alternatelyltwelve•
armed candelabrum and a Cent Garde, en grande tenue ;
there is a dark red carpet on the white marble steps, and
high above it a gigantic chandelier, gleaming like a sun.
The sight is really marvellous. The reception takes place
in the Salle des Marechaux, and the ball in the Gallorie
de Diane. A portion of the Emperor's private apart-
ments is also used on the occasion of the court balls, and
supper is served in the Pavilion de Menem. At the
latter only 500 guests, chiefly ladies, sit down with
their Majesties, the remainder are spread over various
large rooms, where buffets are erected, which, of course,
leave nothing to be desired. Supper is served at tables hold-
ing four, eight, or twelve persons, and as about 400 foot •
men are employed in the palace on such occasions, the at-
tendance is befitting the exalted company. As a rule, the
Emperor opens the ball with a lady, usually the wife of an
ambassador. The empress has not danced since the death
of her sister, the Duchess of Alba ; still she goes to the ball-
room, where a special dais is erected for her. Here she re-
mains, surrounded by her ladies, and this is the moment
when the Grand Chambellan presents to her distinguished
foreigners. The toilettes to be seen on the dais at such a
moment are truly the ne plus ultra of elegance and wealth.
[t is impossible to say how many millions' worth of jewels
end precious stones are collected at this small spot. The
costume of the empress, though not always the costliest
Frau von Rothschild, for instance, sometimes wears a
spencer completely covered with brilliants), is the most
tasteful. Nothing more beautiful could be imagined, and a
cry of admiration bursts from a thousand lips. The empress
never remains long, but retires very quietly before midnight.
The illumination then disappears from the south side of the
palace, but the ball goes on uninterruptedly till nearly
daybreak. The emperor usually remains longer. But the
longer the ball lasts the more guests find their way to
;ye Pavillion de Marsen, where the playrooms aro, and
where many an old general goes on punting till six in
he morning. The direct expenses of such a court ball, of
vhich four are given annually, are said to figure in the civil
list at 140,000 f. ; but the indirect expenses of the guests in-
ited, and specially the ladies, may easily exceed ten times
hat amount. Hence the Imperial Court balls are most wel-
come to the milliners, Bilk mercers, and jewellen. —Bent-
:et/ s Miscellany,