The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-17
A NEW BYRON SCANDAL.
TIE LATEST SENSATION IN LoHDON
SOCIETY.


THE LATEST SENSATION IN L0HDON
SOCIETY.
Lord and Lady Wentworth-Tbe Mar
riage-Byron's Graudsou-A. Beauti-
ful Bride-UnhapPyD Denouement. 90
Correspondence Of the Boston Postl
LONDON, January 40,
For some weeks 1t has been whispered i
mysteriouely about the clubs, and repeated In u
low murmurs at West End rat hsmes," that
new scandal In high life was on the cards,
and would ere long crop up In the Westmins- :
ter Courts. The particular court ln whlchit
should come to the surface was, until recent
ly, doubtful; but conjecture proved generally
happy in designating that most sensational Of
all Westminster tribunals, the court over which
Mr.. Justice Hannen presides. In word, it
was said that certain nobleman, convinced OF
his wife's infdelily, was about to test the truth
OF his suspicious by permitting the puclic eye TO:
rest upon his domestic affaira, and making a.
cnarge Of the most serious character to be d.
rected against peeress OF the realm. Tha Ia
not 80 very uncommon an occurrence, even,
"
England, as TO create ali the furry which this
case has done. The Thynne-Townshend
elopemeDt being quite In accordance with
numerous precedent is already forgotten; NOE
would the case I speak Of become 80 sensa-.
tional as 1t bids fair TO be, or Justify Its re-
lation In this letter, were not the persons
concerned something more than ar, ordinary
peer and peeress, and the circumstances tor
several reasons peculiar. Their youth, the
exceeding and famous beauty OF the lady, the. .
brief period of their married life, the family
relations OF my lord. the position they have
held In The highest society, aud the domestic
happiness which none who knew them
doubted they were enjoying, are elements in
the affair, which render 1t one Of slngularly
mournlul Interest and strangenesH.
BYRoNs GRANDSON.
The husband and wife spoken of are Lord
and Lady Wentworth. Lord Wentworth Ii
four. Lord Wentworth is a grandson Of the.
illustrious Lord Byron, being the only son Of
Ada Byron, Countess of Lovelace, and OF the
present Earl of Lovelace. He has one
younger sister, and these TWO are Byron's
only Ilneal descendants living. The title OF
Byron being eutaied to The male line, could
not pass through Ada, but when the poet
died, passed to cousin; 30 that the Byron OF
To-day Ia but remote relative Of Lord Went
Lord by courtesy as the son and heir OF the
Earl of Lovelace, but he Ia q peer OF the realm
In his own right, being Baron Wentworth oy
descent from his maternal grandmother, Lady
Byron, (the poets wile) whose family OF NIL.
banke was entitled TO the dignity. When
six wears ago, he assumed the surname Of
Milbanke. He resembles the Lovelaces
in face and form far more than the
Byrons, and as the heir OF Lord Love-
lace has the courtesy title of Yiscount 0ck-
ham. But In one marked pecnilarlty he bears
the stamp of descent from the great Lord
Byron. He has very much such defect IN
one of his feet-indeed, 1t is a sort of club
foot-whlch 80 tormented the vain poet, and
which he abored go assiduously to conceal.
But Lord Wentworth does not In the least re-
| semble Byron 10 personal beauty. Oa the
contrary, he ls plain man, short and rather
| thiokeet, with heavy features, 8 large nose,
lightish hair and blue eyes-one who would
nowhere be remarked as distinguished IN aps
pearance. He has never taken any part In
the proceedings of the House of Lords eincs
assuming his I,lace there, but has appeared
much in society, and while displaying no very
brilliant social qualities, has been looked upon
as young man OF GOOD sense and principles.
and on the whole very we'll liked. BE has
Lord Lovelace ls man OF large property, ID
able to keep up an elegant and varied style Of
living. 4l ,
1t is only little more than three years ago
that Lord Wentworth set West End society In
furry Of gossip and curiosity by wedding
the daughter OF clergyman, OF not large
| means, resident 10 the country and uncon'
| Dpcted, 80 far es I know, With aristocratic
blood. In the early spring Of 1870 he brought
his bride TO London, had her presented at
oourt opd onnonfod tho f0nI inVlfQfi0na tn
dinner and evening 'at homes" With which
| the more exclusive circle oi the nobility Ia
vored him. With one voice she was pro-
nouuced very beautiful; and that this verdict
was perfectly justified l can personally testify:
happened to be at one Of the TAT homes"
especially given In honor oi the grandson OF
Byron and his bride; and certainly no euloglea
OF her personal charms that had heard were
In the least exaggerated. Lady Wentworth
| was then not far from twenty, aud looked
younger even than that. She was tall, slight,
and stately. With o magnificent figure, most
| richly yet tastefully aitired, and displaying
bridal jewelry at once costly and not ostenta'
tious. Her very dark, iuxurisnt hair was ar
ragged high above an exquisite forehead, her
! large dark brown or black eyes were full
| OF expression, yet gentle and genial,
her mouth perfectly chlselled, her nose
straight and delicate, her skin as amooth and
fair az mother-ofpearl. She seemed OF The
| very 0ceC type OF Frencn Tatuer Iuau VI nuk
| llsh beauty; her quiet, dlgnided manner, how
ever, was thoroughly English and thoroughly
pstrcian. Her bearing was very. attractive,
| for she was simple and apparently amiaole,
| splrituele, with q low pleasant voice ana
| most brilliant smile. II is needless to add
that she was the cynosure OF all eyes, that In
the elegant saloon OF Lord she held
little court OF her own, both In right OF her
bridal state and of her conspicuous besnty.
saw veteran statesmen and W0rld-famoua
Judges, distinguished historians and men OF
letters, leaders of fashion and heroes OF the
clubs, gathered about her in buzzing circle,
paving assiduous court to her, and quiAzing
her from corners with admiring gaze. Lord
| Wentworth was also there, quiet and retlrin9,
evidently enjoying In q tranquil way the nom-
age paid to mis- lovely bride, and wandering
nom room to room with the air of a man quite
| satisfied with himself and with things as they
we're.
AN UNHAPPY ENDING. J@ -.
How changed is all this nowl Lord Went.
worth, his life embiltered and all the tair
hopes of three years ago shattered, nnde nm
self impelled to admit the broad. hard gaze
of the world to scene OF the saddest domes-
| tic infelcity. He goes into the Divorce Court,
and charges bis beautiful wife with the graveet
dereicliOn of which that court takes cognl-
zance, and begs to be freed from bonds Whlcn
wnilom were 80 delightful, but have now. IL
seems. become insuffsrably irks0me. The
charge includes the names OF well knoWn
t.maT about town." noted for his fascinatio0s
and his conouests, and of the frst secretary
of the Spanish Legation. Lord WentWoltn
at,emntpd TO try the case before the Judge
| Stnnrr. hnt aa In the Mordaunt case, mo-