The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1856-11-28
WHOLE NUMBER 1856.
The English Aristocracy.

we copy from the Washington Cpaon
the following extract OF letter from one
of the officers Of the United States steam
frigate Merrmac, written while that vessel
waw lying off Southampton:
SoCTHAMPToN, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 1850.
We have been visited great deal here,
especially by navy men, and have created
something Of an excitement in the naval
world, judging by the pieces in the papers.
Much attention has been paid US ashore,
too, especially by two femaes-one that of
an old East Indian General, the other that
of Lord IIardwickc. Gen. Frazier has
passed most Of his life in India, and now lives
in ease and comfort on tho Southampton
water. At a dinner at his house we had
an opportunity of seeing how the aristoc-
racy here live.
Lord lIardwckc and family, and several
other guests, were there to meet us and ev-
erything was in splendid style. One tur-
baned Indian with several other servants,
wait at table. The plate was superb, and
the dinner the most recherche. We sat
down to the table at half-past seven. These
are always epaulcts and sword occasions.
Lord Hardwickc's family conists of his
countess, his eldest son, Viscount Roystcn,
| (about Is or 90, and Lord Roysten by
courtcsy0 three Of the finest looking daugh-
tiers you ever saw, and several Younger sons.
The daughters Elizabeth, Lady Mary
and Lady Agnita-are surprisingly beau
tiful such development, such rosy checks.
laughing eyes and unaffected manners, YOU
rarely see combined. They take great
deal Of out door exercise, and came aboard
the Merimac in heavy rain, with Irish
thicker soled shoes than you or / ever wore,
| and dresses almost imperyious or wet.
They steer their fathers yacht, walk the
Lord knows how many miles, and don't care
cent about rain, besides doing host of
other things that would shock our ladies
to death and yet in tho parlor arc the
most elegant looking women in their satin
shoes and diamonds Ieversaw. The count
ess in her coronct Of jewels is an elegant Ia
! dy, and looks like a fit mother for three
era'' w'r,""- IIia Lor,l,Lip has given us
three or four dinners. lie lives here merely
during the yatching season, and leaves on
Friday for his country seat at Cambridge,
where he spends the winter, as do all Eng
lish gentlemen Of means, hunting, &C., and
when Parliament is in session he lives in
London i'll his town honse. Here he has a
host Of servants, and they wear the grandest
livery-whitc coats with big silver buttons,
white cravats, plush knccbrceches and
vest. white silk stockings and low shoes.
Lord Hardwicko's brother is Dean of New
York, high church disnitary has two
pretty daughters, and is himself jolly gen.
tleman.
After dinner the ladies play and sing for
US, and the other night they got up game
Of blind mans buff, in which they said we
had the advantage, inasmuch as their "pet-
ca"ght Tiey call iHh2 h2nss 'fE BY eFr na%ss safs
here. In the course Of the game Lord
llardwicke himself was blindfolded, and
trying to catch some one, fell over his daugh-
ter's lap on the floor, when two or three Of
the girls caught him by the legs and drag
ged his lordship, roaring with laughter, as
we all were, on his back into the middle of
the tloor.-Yet they are perfectly respectful,
but appear on q perfect equality with each
other. III fact, the English are great peo-
pie. Two clubs here have offered us the
use Of their rooms.