The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-10-18
e. G. Stedman Abroad.

n. Y. Letter to Boston Gazette.l
Ihave seen any number of people just back
from Europe, but not one of them has had
better time than Mr.. E. c. Stedman. MIR.
Stedman sailed in June and returned in Octo-
ber London and Paris were his principal
stopping places, though he Travelled through
England and Scotland, visiting the region
made famous by the Lake poets in the former,
and the haunts of Burns in the latter He
took solitary glass at the tavern that was
Tam O'Shanter's undoing, as he strolled along
the banks of bonnie Doom. In London, he
dned with John Bright, Robert Browning,
Lord Houghton, Matthew Arnold, and many
other men whose names are as familiar here as
in their own country. Mr.. Henry Harper, OF
Harper Brothers, gave him magnificent fish
dinner at Greenwich. He escorted Kate Field
to garden party at Holland house, where he
met the cream of London society. He met the
famous Mrs. Langtry at a reception given by
Lady Lindsay at the Grosvenor Gallery, and
bought cigars of the beautiful Mrs Cornwallis
West, at the Albert festival, where lie saw
that inspired skeleton, Sara Bernhardt. sur
rounded by her worshippers; and he attended
the performances of the Comedie Franeaise in
London and Paris lie visited Swinburne at his
home at Henly-on-Thames, where he lives in
bachelor retirement with his mother and he was
the guest of Alma Tadema, George III. Bough-
ton pronounced Bawton), g. W. Smalley and
Moncure D. Conway The latter lives in one
of the Duke of Bedford's cottages, just out of
London. The duke has erected little settle
ment Of some two hundred and fifty cottages,
no two of which are alike, but all are built af-
ter some unique design. Mr.. Stedman says
that the literary and artistic people of London
live an ideal life in ideal houses. Rents are
not high over there, and every one can have
house who desires to. The high art craze is at
its climax, and people think more of the decor
alton of their houses than they do OF their per-
| sonal attire. Still, Mr.. Stedman thinks that
| English girls from fourteen to twenty-four are
| the best dressed girls in the world. This dress
| reformation has come about within the past
| five years. French girls, he says, are dressed
| by their dressmakers; English girls by them
| selves They dress in whatever style is the
most becoming. At present foulard silks are
| all the rage, made with long, pointed waists,
full on the hips, cape of the same material
| across the shoulders and pamela" hats. The
| hair is worn combed down close to the head,
with simple coil at the back. Then there is
the ''intense" style, the followers.of which
| wear gowns like robes de chdnebre. and do up
their hair, or don't do it up, like Ophelia in the
| mad scene in Hamlet. Mr. Stedman thinks
that the English girl at lawn party is the
| prettiest thing outside of picture.
Mr. Stedman brought back from London
with him a collection of Austin Dobson's
poems for American publication, and for
| which he will write preface. had the pleas
| ure of looking over the sheets, the other even
ing, and was perfectly delighted with the
| poems, which are as dainty as piece Of Dres,
den china A volume of poems by Edward
| King, in manuscript, is among the interesting
| things brought home by Mr.. Stedman. Many
| people think that Edward King is better
poet than prose writer. He has often written
| for magazines, but he is rather modest about
| this gift for verse making Mr.. Stedman has
returned home very much improved in health,
and has laid out plans for the accomplishment
! of a good deal of work this winter, both in his
| library and on Wall street. He will abstain
| from society, as a poet cannot serve three mas
| ters, and if he is faithful to his muse and to
! stock market he will have his hands full. AT
| ter he has made foI tune on the street, he
| will retire and spend his time man of let
| ters should Mr.. Stedman was accompanied
| ON his trip by his wife.