The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-01-26
nlistellanp.
The Duchess OF sutherland.


The late Duchess of Sutherland was
one of those few individuals in this world
who may be said in the general drift OF
life to have been completely fortunate.
By lineage she was of the nobest English
blood. Her ancestral grandmother on the
mothers side was the celebrated Duchess
of Devonshire, whose beauty, wit, and
genius, and the warm and decided part
which she took in the liberal and progress
sive politics of her day, have become mat.
ter of history.
The Duchess was married TO the Duke
of Sutherland, then bearing the title ol
Earl of Cover, in the year OF lS23. She
was at fiat time in her seventeenth year,
and the Duke was thirty-seven, being
twenty wears her senior. The match,
however, was not only one OF the most
brilliant in regard to worldly possessions
which subject could make in England,
but it was peculiarly happy one, con-
sdered simply in relation to the quality
of the individual.
The Duke of Sutherland was one of
those refined and delicate characters
whose worth can only he fully appreciated
on an intimate acquaintance, An uniore
tunate inGrmity of deafness prevented his
ever taking part in the public duties oi
his station, and caused him to bear in
the great and brilliant society in which
he moved the part of spectator rather
than actor.
An obsei yer who has associated with
the English nobility much, must have
noticed that certain shrinking shYness
is rather characteristic Of them. MAJ
dame de Stael, in her Corinnc," gives
the result of her observation on this point
in her character of Lord Nelvil. Much
that passes for haughtine-s and reserve Is
often neither more nor less than the re
mains of an extreme diff lence. In the
Duke Of Sutherland this shynes' was in
creased by the consciousness ofon inIirmity
which he feared in every company might
embarrass those who wished 10 communi'
cate with him. Master ol one OF the
largest estates in Great Britain, with Stat
ford House, Trenton Hall, and DnnrobIT
Castle, each of which could compare iav'
} orabIy with any of the royal residences il
Europe, the Duke was always the simp
lest, the most unost"ntntiou-, the mos
humby conscientious of human beings
There was something peculiar about hi
manners in their lowlness and humility
he seemed to ask pardon of the world TO
holding more Of its wealth, power, an
splendor than ought to be englossed b,
one human being.
In person he was tall and graceful, AN
his manners were marked by Il charm c
rs considerable thoughtiulness for others thn
was very peculiar. Although his c)n
sciousness of his inirmlty would have lie
him TO shrink from society, yet he had s
considerate regard for guests in his ow
r. house rs to always endeavor to max
e. some conversation with each when undC
his roof; and with such skill and tact Iii
he manage this, that the reply could gcI
orally be expressed by negative or al
frmative.
The writer well remembers one eve
= ing dnring stay OF some days at Dunr
bin Castle. The dining hall was, rs usuf
brilliantly lighted, and company
y about forty persons, including some of Il
first rank and beauty among the nobilit
were present. The service of the tai
oo was even more than usually exquisite
taste and ornamentation, but the Du
sat at the head of all with the gen
ts thoughtfulness of manner 50 habitual vi
him. After few moments he wrC
and passed to the writer these lines
Milman -
II ave sit ona cloud and sing like pictured
gels,
A: A. And Say the world runs smooth, while ri
'w- welters the vast fermenting heap ollie
ird, on which our state IL built.
4. In the conversation that followed,it
me- evident that his was delicately and $
e sitively conscientious spirit, oppressed
worldly greatness as an awful trust
serious responsibility, and panied
many things in the constitution of soc
which he felt powerless to alter.
orI: % The writer once spent a pleasant
lines with the Duke and Duchess in ri,
,dn Tue over their estates, and viewing the var
, By improvements which they were plan
make for their people. The sensitiveness W
"''' the Duke seemed to exhibit TO the {
las or i'll fortune Of his poorer tenants
s,I,u 1ii quite touching. 1t had been very
snss, season, and when the Duke passed a
4s patch of wheat, just reaped, and