The New York herald., 1874-08-10
LONDON GOSSIP.
The Prince of Wales Fancy
Dress Ball.
Municipal Honor to Literature and
Art-Chit-C Chat in the City.

LONDON. July %, 1874
Last night the most brilliantly successful ball IN
the memory OF the present generation OF London
iuhaoitants. was given by the Prince and Princess
OF wales at Marlborough House. 1t mad been orig.
many intended that II should have been bal
nidsqoe' but owing to various disagreeable incl
dents and contretemps winch took place at danes
o' that description which was recently gwen by
Lauy Marian Afford, OF which sent you an ac-
COUNT great pressure from very high quarters was
Drought 10 pear upon the Prince, who, after time,
succampeo' and consented that the guests should
be invited to appear in fancy dress, and without
MASKS In the early days OF the Queen's reign
some costume balls were given at buckingham
Palace which we're fairly successful but that of
Wednesday night entirely ecpsed them. This
may be accounted for by the fact that the Prince
OF Wales did NOT rely upon his own unassisted no.
MUS, but took some Of those whose knowledge
and good taste In the matter of ancient costume
are universally allowed into his counsel Con.
spcuOus among these were the artists Mr.. f.
Leighton, Mr.. Val. Prinsep and the sculptor, Mr..
Boehm. These gentlemen, with some Others Of
the upper ten, with the Prince at their head,
have. for the last month"; labored indeiati-
gably to make the affair success and the result
OF the nights entertainment must have been
highly gratifying to them. Guests were invited Tor
quarter t. ten, and by that time the large ball
room on the garden front Of Marlborough House. in
which the principal quadrles were to take place,
as well as the library and dining room, wera
toerably well filed At half-past ten all three
rooms were crowded, and precisely at that hour,
to the music OF the Polonaise, the royal pro-
cession entered. preceded by Lord Colvie,
dressed as one OF the chamberlains to Queen
Elizabeth and bearing a white wand OF office In
his hand. The Venetian Quadrille was immedi.
atey formed at the head OF 1T standing
THE PRINCESS OF WALES,
with her partner, Lord Harrington. The Princess
wore ruby velvet dress, with blue front to the
skirt, sewn with jewels and gold embroidery The
sleeves were pufred with blue satin the run was
edged with gold, and the velvet cap was covered
with rich jewels.
THE PRINCE OF WALES
led the vandyke quadrilIe. dancing with the
Duchess OF Sutherland. The Prince was dressed
in light maroon velvet doubet ana cloak Of
satin, embroidered in gold, trunk hose, large bur
boots and black felt hat, with white feather.
He wore also q wig of lair hair which prevented
his easy recognition. and had his Star of the Gar.
ter on hts breast, aud the badge hanging from
blue ribbon round his neck. The Fairy Quadrille,
in which all the characters were from childrenI
fairy tales, was headed by the
DUKE OF CONNAUGHT,
who, as the Beast, in 'Beauty and the Beastn
wore leopard's head and skin, with gold claws,
over dress OF ruby velvet aud gray satin tights.
There was Card Quadrille. in which the Princess
Christian was Queen of Clubs and the Princess
Louise Queen of Hearts. There was also quad
rifle of Puritans and Cavaliers in which some Of
the haudsomest men and loveiest women in Engs
land were engaged. The officers Of the various
regiments present generally wore the former untt
forms OF their corps, and the pages and servants
were all In antique livery. At haltpast Twelve
SUPPER
was served in two large tents, which had been
pitched In the garden In the larger these tents
figures OF men in armor. Venetian glasses and
rich tapestry (much Uf 1t lent by the Queen, who
has splendid collection) had been placed. The
smaller marquee was hung with Indian carpets,
embroidered with gold and precious stones, which
had been presented to the Prince by some Indian
rajahs, and which had been brought from their
normal place In the smoking dlvan and with gorge.
Gus baskets of scarlet geranlums. Alter supper
there was more dancing and the ball did not ter.
inmate until nearly tour O'Clock.
CIVIC HOsPITALiTfFs.
On the previous night very different enter.
tainment took place at the Mansion House,
wnere the Lord Mayor entertained at din.
ner some three hundred OF the princi
pal representatives OF literature, art and
music. 1t was very amusing 10 hear all the fam.
liar names as they were roared ont by the ser.
wants. for every one alive who had ever done any.
thing in the way OF book writing, picture painting
fddling or squalling seemed to be there. Adelina
Patti (Marquise de Canx) radiant in diamonds was
seated on one side OF the host, and the veteran
Lord Houghton, who in his after dinner speech was
quite epfgrammatlc In his "reminiscences was on
the other. There were novelists Journalists, poets
ana playwrights by the score-wonderlul people
that all had heard OF but few had seen Aims.
Yunnpr Charl
there. Anthony Troliope, who had not been heard
OF when "Rookwood" and Jack Sheppard" were
popular books, looked rather older than Ainsworth
who was hts next neighbor, and Phelps ran away
directly he was asked to respond to the drama.
MOST OIL tue speaking was good, especially that OF
Mir. G. A. Saia, who returned thanks for English
journalism, and OF Mr.. Sauer, London agent
OF the HERALD, who spoke for the American
press The mouthpiece OF the actors was Mr..
Alfred Wigan, who looked remarkably well and
spoke with great readiness, good taste and brill
iancy 1t was acknowledged on all hands that the
affair was great success, and MIR. Dsraeu, who
on the next evening was guest at the Mansion
House, referred to 1t in his speech, compllme nted
The Lord Mayor on having given such an enter
and hoped the good example would be
followed $50 say all of usln
RuMoRs AND CHIT CHAT.
The encampment OF the volunteers at Wimbledon
Common, which broke up last week, Is understood
20 have been quasi failure this year. principally
owing to the vexatious rules enforced by the Ma
;ional Rifle Association and the uncourteous and
lnotnceriike conduct OF many of It's employees.
hear iurther tnat the Crown Prince of Prussia,
who was present the other day at review at
Aldershot. does not scrupe to express his aston
shment at the ignorance and apathy of some OF
The principal officers IN command OF the opera
lions. with whom he took an opportunity of con.
versing. There are also ugly rumors buzzng
about the military service clubs to the effect that
official from the Gold Coast is OF such charac.
ter tnat another expedition to Ashantee land il
more than probable.
THEATRICALs
What took Mr.. BoucicauIt so suddenly back to
your shoresf We hoped to have him here where