Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-05-01
ECCENTRIC BIOGRAPHY.

Lord Kenyon, one OF the Lord 1agh
Chancellors of England, was an eccen-
trio parsonage. His addresses in court
were often bombastic in language, and
full of amusing mistakes in regard to
matters of learning. But his most re-
markable trait was penuriousness.
His ordinary costume would have dis
graced q copying clerk, and during his
later life it was question among bar
risters whether his bre eches were made
of velvet. or leather. He never possessed
but one pocket-handkerchief in his life.
He took the utmost care OF his two wigs
and hats, though all of them were much
worn. The shabbiest wig was always
worn with the better hat, and the more
dilapidated hat with the best wig. 1t was
noticed that when he appeared in court
with the worst wig he never removed his
hat but when he had on the more decent
wig he pushed his old cooked hat out of
sight. At home, and in his carriage,
whenever he travelled beyond the limits
of the town, he would lay aside his wig
and hat and cover his head with an old
red night cap His great coat was faded
from its original black to a green He
ceased to invite even old friends to his
table, and his servants complained of the
insufiiciency of their food.
an Lord Kenyon's house, remarked
a wit of the day, "all week through it is
Lent in the kitchen and Passion Week
in the parlor.
Once case was before him for the
non-fulfillment of a contract for shoes on
large scale. The question mainly was
whether or not they were well and
soundly made, and with the best mate
rials. One of the witnesses, beiHg close.
ly questioned, returned contradictory
answers. The Chief Justice observed
this, and pointing to his own shoes,
asked:
"Were the shoes anything like these?"
mo, my lord, replied the witness
"they were good deal better and more
genteeler."
The following closing portion of his
bombastic remarks in passing sentence
on dishonest butler, contains a genu-
inc Irish bull:
Like the serpent of old, said be,
you have stung the hand Of your pro-
tector. Fortunate in having a generous
employer, you might without dishonesty
have continued 70 supply your wretched
wife and children with the comforts Of
sufficient prosperity, and even with some
of the luxuries of affluence, but dead to
every claim of natural affection, and
blind to your own interests, you burst
through all the restraints of religion and
morality, and have for many years been
feathering your nest with your masters
bottles"
At cabinet dinner it was announced
that Lord Kenyon was about to close his
penurious old age by dying. Lord Ell
lenborough, noted legal wit, at once
exclaimed:
"Die Why should he die2 What
would he get by that Z
Lord Eldon, another ofthe Lord Chan
cellors, was a very penurious person.
His private carriage was a miserable,
battered, jingling coach, drawn by two
wan, luckless brutes, that reused the de-
rision of the street boys. He often rode
iu common hackney-coach, and once
left some important State papers in one
of them. His wife eqUaled him in her
saving disposition, as the following story
will show. At the conclusion of weeks
visit at large house, Lady Eldon came
down to her hostess, her arms extended,
carrying a huge number of towels
Madame, look here, she said Il think
it my duty to make you aware Of the ex-
travagance of your housemaids, Day
after day have locked up useless towels
that have been put into mine and Sir
Johns rooms, yet they are always re-
placed. Look at all this linen, ma m
towel upon towel and during all this
week one has served us both At twen-
ty-one, Eldon then John Scott had
eloped with a penniless beauty Of eigh-
teen. This step diverted him from the
church. for which he was studying, and
forced him to the bar, where he gained
the highest honors. In letter to friend
he wrote in this noble manner L have
married rashly, and l have neither house
nor home to offer TO my wife but It Is
my determination to work hard to pro
vide for the woman ] love as soon as
can find the means Of so doing. HaV-