Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1869-01-21

and seemed to feel very badly about the
trouble he gave me.n "Ah then YOU
have seen the Duke" replied the miller
to the astonished apprentice; "that's
our DukeW
Standing thus apart from the gay and
brilliant scene in which he moved, the
duke meditated deeply on the great
question of society. His well-kLown
bcacvolencc, and the conscientious care
that he gave to. the discharge of his
duty TO his dependents, constantly
brought him into contact with the two
extremes of life. He saw his own, so
brilliant, 50 abundant; he saw the poor
laborcrs, so restricted, and so uncertain
and confined, and saw it with deep
feeling of sadness, akin to self-reproach.
AH that he could do by the most con-
scientious and underwriting efior.s
seemeG so little to bridge over the awful
chasm.
The writer well remembers one even
ing, during stay of some days mt Dan
robin Castle. The dining hall was, as
usual, brilliantly lig htcd and com
pany of about forty PERSONS, including
some of the first in rank and beauty of
the nobility, were present. The service
OF the table was eve II more than usually
exquisite in taste and ornamentation,
but the Duke sat at the head of all with
the gentle thoughtfull ess of manner so
habitual with him. After a few mo-
ments he wrote and passed to the writer
these lines of Milman =
" We sit on a cloud, and sing like pictured
angels
And say the world runs smooth, while right
below
Welters the vast fermenting heap of life
On which our state is built
In the conversation that followed, it
was evident that his was n delicately
and sensitively conscientious spirit, OPP
pressed by worldly greatness as an
awful trust and serious responsibility,
and panied by many things in the con-
stitution of society which he felt power
less to alter.
Ofhis immense posse ssions he evident
ly regarded hims lfOnly as steward.
The total population of the Sutherland
estate at this time was q ,SS4 and the
care of such property of course Occu-
pied the whole of his attentin during
those months of every year which he
spent upon il. The estate was divided
into three districts, each under super
intendent, who communicated with the
Duke through q general agent. The
Duke devoted every Monday to seeing
such of his tenants as wished to have
personal interviews, and lest his infirm-
ity of hearing should cause him to mis-
understand any case, he took the fur
Their precaution to have it always sub
mitted in writing.
In addition to the three factors who
had the general care of the estate,
ground officer was maintained in every
parish, and an agriculturist in the Dun
robin district, who gave particular at
tention to instructing the people in the
best methods of farming.
Since the year 1S41, four hundred and
thirty miles of road have been construct
I'd on the Switzerland estate, and thr-
teen post-offices and sub-offices been es-
tablished in the county. Since that
time, also, there have been fourteen inns
either built or enlarged by the Duke.
Thousands of acres of land, since that
time, which were supposed to be worth
less for cultivation, have been reclaim
ed by means of agricultural knowledge
and made productive. Large forests of
woodland have been planted, I'M
proved breeds of cattle of all sorts have
been distributed through the county,
and large fishing-village established,
which affords employment to thirty
nine hundred people. Savings banks
have been established in every parish,
Vi w nlCll luc LUXE Vi IDulIlCIldlu Is Dau-
ron. Beside the parish schools, the
Duke of Sutherland contributed to the
support of several schools for young
women, at which sewing and other
branches of industrial education were
taught. In 1874 he agreed to establish
twelve general schools, in such parts of
the country as were out of the sphere
of the parochial schools, and to contrib
ute annually two hundred pounds in
aid of salaries to teachers, besides fur
nishing house, garden and cows grass.
Th rec medical gentlemen on the estate
received yearly allowance from the
Duke of Sutherland for attendance on
the poor in the district in which they
resided.
The mere suggestion of the labors at
tending such an estate must strike any
one; and then if we consider another
large estate to be cared for in Stafford
shire, and three or four smaller ones in
parishes at the Dukes disposal in ap-
pointing clergymen, we can see how
great must be the cares of q man of
delicate moral nature. humble in his es-
innate of himself, judging himself Sc
verely, and with high ideas of what
should be expected from the possessOr of
such great resources.
The writer once $ ent pleasant day
with the Duke and Duchess in riding
over their estates, and viewing the va
lious improvements which they were
planning for their people. The sensi-
tiveness which the Duke seemed to eX-
hibit to the good or ill-fortune of his
poorer tenants was quite touching. 1t
had been very wet season, and when
the Duke passed a little patch of wheat,
just reaped, and lying exposed to the
rain, it really seemed to give him more
pain than anything which could have
touched himself Whatever the tempt
ations of rank and station may be to men
who look upon them in different way.
it is certain that to the Duke life was
one long practice Of the duties of fatherly
consideration for Others. Mrs. II. B.