Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-03-16
A Singular DipIOma,iL.


nal npon "Socicty in Madrid" we copy tho
!olowsng passage. A Boston paper OBJ
scrves--"We do not remember To have heard
bofore Of this Mr.. Milton, representative o'
The United States at Madrid. Can anybody
tell us anything about him? Who is he
And where is he from?" All easily an
swcred. The gcptcman's name is Middle
ton. not Milton. lie is the son Of the Hon
Henry Middleton, Of South Carolina, Minis
ter, under Mr.. Adnms's administration, n, the
Court Of ST. Petcrsbnrgh. Mr.. Middl"ton'
Jr. was secretary of legation, at Madrid, and,
we believe, was for n short time acting as
charge d'affaircs. From what we have heard,
we presume the story given below is sub
tan,insIy true ~ y Com. .Air.
"Thc v.Sst singuIarly interesting dipomoi,
however, III Madrid, was Mr.. Milton, repre-
sentative OF the United States. llIs house
was divided into two. On one side you saw
furniture OF the austerest simplicity, writing
tables aud secretaries, whose appearance
spoke Of severe labor, while the sulemn coun-
lenance of Washington was seen upon the
wall, looking down upon them. AS you ad'
vanccd 10 another pnrt of the house, The
Iincsi luslIes hung over your head; your feet
pressed down carpets only worthy OF the
red heels OF the time Of the Grand Mo.
nargue.
"Sull farther in doors, the aspect Of things
grew more eccent!lc-hlrds were tonnd fly
! ing about The rooms, lizards crawling on the
hoor; stuffed negro opened you The door
the head at woman, suspended by SILVER
cham, at night threw great flames of lighl
through her eyes, and served as n scpulchraI
amp To the aIcovc of Mr.. Milton. 10 the
wali; covered with black velvet, were nailed
the yclIuw brazilian butterflies, hunting
horns, rusty arinor, the hurns Of DulIs, untlcrs
oi s,ags. There you might see the owner
Of the house lynng on hammock instead of II
ocd, his ever tortoise shell, his night cap n
Partisan shawl. MIR. Milton had many &C.
centric habits, of which the least amusing Ia
his ncighbors was sounding the horn ~ the
middle Of the night, or firing pistols at the
rrt!ecilon of his face IN the ipirrors. !,
would he impossible to give you iull accoun,
of one halt of what this eccentric diplomaiisl
said and did but take this nnecdolc for an
instance. One day he assembled his liabltual
friends, the secretaries Of embassies, TO whunl
he added all the iamou, ioreros the heroes oi
he bull-fsh.. lie himself presented Ia the
young d'pIomntIsts all the primeraS espddas
! he picadores, the JandtriHeros. with The ia
nous Monles ni their head and he set these
gentry to carouse over a skin Of luscious
Spanish wine.
After dinner Of stupcndous proportions
with his Jlplomnllc guests, he assembled Dip
Ionalsls aud iOrerOS in the hall. Ile then
cried ouI 10 his people, "Opcn the doors, and
introduce General Mina' Milton threw
precipltutcy five swords In the primo pal
ioreryS, and remained alone IN The middle oI
he hal, into which a; once rushed a furious
bull IL Is impossible to depict the dismay
"f The whole party, not excepting Monies.
The wild dlplomalist, nothing daunled, pulls
The red cloak of the iorcros back and awaits
the attack Of Nina with drawn sword; the
bull charges iurIously; Milton leaps aside
and the bull passes hun and returns To the
charge; upon which the dlploma,st five
times waves The scarlet cloak now here, now
there, before the eyes Of the cnragcd and
deludcd bull
Al this feat the Spaniards become wild
with enthusiasm, and. Jumping erihe halus-
trades " ith Montes AT their head, they begin
% attack with science the furious beast. Bu
Milton is always IN the van. until in the pur.
>ult he lumblcs on his back set on his legs
1t once by the quadria, he recomncnces
lhc bal,lci he misses his quarry with The
aim of his swnTd, but at tho next turn Of ih'
animal lays him dead at his feet with on,
| blow.
"ThiS feat rendered Milton immortal as hi
poetic namesakc IN the minds of the madi7i-
fenGa, and when he first appeared again ~
the pubic bull-hght, the lovcicst munolas
threw their nose.ays of orange flowers ON
his head, while their male relatives dniIcd
their beaver SombrtrOs amid shouts of Uir0s
When tell YOU that this singular diplomat IL,
was wont 10 put on the costume and habits
III the c,nirabdndisin, and disappear into the
mountains and Siewas, where he has been
seen riding with a mauoid on his crupprr and
a bundcfbuss on his bioh-whtn you hear
this, you will easily imagine that you have
not heard the most singular of his advcn.
rures-but perhaps You will feel still more
aronlshed when you are told that, IN society
Nr. Milton was n most ainiablC member,
and that, III politics. he displayed vast fund
nf knowledge. exquisite diplomatic tact, and
those elfynt, d rs well as extended views
" hlch distinguished men of genius. Wash
inston Irving, who lately succeeded Mr.. Mil
ton, only stayed an instant, bu, much ls hoped
from hun on his return"