, 1873-06-08
GREAT FORTUNES.

The richest subject in England in 1885 had e.
tates which little exceeded 900 a year. The
Duke Of Ormond had f23. 900 n year His Grace
the Duke Of Buckingham, E19, 600 and Monk,
Duke Of Automatic, left property which would
yield like sum. Macaulay, quoting Kings
Natural and Political Conclusions, saya the aver
age income OF a temporal Peer was about f3, 600
year; Of a baronet. $500; member Of the
House OF Commons, $500 History Of England 7.
309). Sir William Temple observes "The rev.
enues Of House Of Commons have seldom ex-
ceeded .e40o, 600 (AIemoirs, P. -.
Passing up to the eighteenth century, it has
been said, no doubt with truth, that hardly any
Englishman could have produced half a million
Of money in 1850. We presume Alderman Beck
ford could have done 30, ns in ITO he left his
son Fonthill, which had cost 9240,0 E100,0
q year, and T. million Of ready money. How
rapidly that fortune was dissipated! The author
Of Vathek, at the age Of thirtysix, in 1876, came
to reside at Fonthill, and began to build new
house in the Gothic style. The following de-
scription Of the house, by visitor, is given in
the preface to a recent edition OF Vathek: "To
give you an idea Of the place, you must think Of
York Minister placed on commanding elevation
in the midst Of woodland paradise Of many
miles in extent.
Although at this spot the interior Of Fonthill
has not the vastness OF York Minister, yet think
the whole building stands on more ground. The
dazzling effect Of the stained glass in the lofty
windows, when the sun throws their colore On
the crimson carpets, contrasted with the vivid
green lawn seen In the distance through the
lofty entrance doors, themselves as high as
moderate sized house the galleries hundred
feet above you; the magnificent mirror at the
end of the room rehecting the prospect Of the
RIO 4rr mill l
shall never see equnl1ed. Looking right and
left, you have clear view OF three
hundred and thirty feet, not baro stone
walls, but q magnificent apartment, furnished
ings, mirrors, crimson silk hangings, and thou-
sand things besides; you walk the whole dis
tance on superb carpets, and at every step your
attention is arrested BY some beautiful work OF
consequence Of the depreciation Of his West
India property combined with reckless expcndi-
ture, waa sold to Mr. John Farquhar for
E930, 900; and its former owner went to Bath,
and there built an immense tower, from the
snmmit OF which he could see Fonthill, though
seventy miles distant
The rise Of the great House Of Rothschild be-
longs to the eighteenth century. Meyer Anselm,
Jew, was born in 1743, and was established A as
% Sy soe eb 6sarn3 IN he n11 he Led
Shield, he acquired the name Rothschild.' He
found q good friend in William, Landgrave Of
Hesae and when the Landgraye, in 1906, had
to flee from Napoleon, ne lntrusted the banker
with about E251, 900 to take care Of. The care
ful, Jew traded with this !; 30 that, in 1872,
when he died, he left about a million sterling
to his six sons, Anselm, Solomon, Nathan,
Meyer, Charles, and James. Knowing the truth
Of the old motto, "Union is strength" !" he
charged his Sons that they should conduct their
financial operations together. The third son,
Nathan, was the cle7erest Of the family, and had
settled in England, coming TO Manchester IN