Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-17
Something AbOut EngIand,s Dukes.

SOmeenlnS ABOUT Eng 3anN7S Dukess
THE SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAINS AND LITTLE ABILITY
POSSESSED BY THE HIGHEST NOBILITY.
A young Duke is naturally an attractive figure
TO the. popular imagination, more especially
when he leaps to the full Splendor of his posi-
ton from a comparatively humble state The
new proprietor Of Welbeck Abbey, the Duke OF
Portland, will not, indeed, enter into the entire
supreme and invisible, but he Will have enough
to make him one of the six greatest mobiles in
the realm, and to emphasize the contrast be
tween the two lots which he Will have expert
enced. Had the unhappy Marquis of Hastings
grown to mans estate as a commoner, it is
likely enough that he would have never gone to
such tragic and irremediable grief. AS boy,
gence, but his life, from childhood upward, was
the record OF the easy victim of pimps and para
sites, f1attering knaves and fawning adventures.
1t is an inestimable advantage for the future
posseSSor of the purse of FortunatuS. when sup
plemented by the highest dgnities of the peer
age, to have had the training of a simple COM
moner. This has only fallen to the lot of three
Dukes of the United Kingdom His Grace of
Bedford was plain MI. Russell; the Duke of De-
vOnshire was unadorned Mr. Cayendish when
he become second wrangler at Cambridge; and
Lieutenant Cavendish Bentinck of the Cold
stream Guards. In each the fortunate individ-
ual had some reason to congratulate himself on
not being born actually in the purple. The
wonder in this country is not that so small, but
that so large percentage of the titled aristoc-
racy rise superior to the eAervating andmiS-
first dawn OF consciousness, the heir to peer
age Is pursued by parasites and toadieS. The
avn Osphere which he breatheS Is impregn lted
with the mean incense of adulation.
The Duke of Richmond, Lord President OF the
Council is sti Ongest on questions affectin the
cattle plague; yet his elOquence even upon that
topic scarcely SufficeS to save the peerage, so
far as its Dukes are concerned, from the charge
OF poverty in regard to rhetorical power.
The DGke OF Argyle is an orator Of no mean
order; bur somehow his harrangues rarely
q hntt hon m anall tha Lotto
Lord Derby's Joke about the blacksmith, and
they in no degree lessen that singular prejudice
against the McCallum More which prevails so
universally. except in western Scotland and
around Campden Hill.
UnGuestionably, the most able of our living
Dukes is his Grace of Somerset though in these
degenerate days he has been left high and dry
by his party. and is known to the new genera
ton chiefly as Il crotchety old fogy, remarkable
only for makeup which associates the cos
tune OF the Stranger with a facial resemblance
to the Martyr King. Shrewd as he is, the Duke
OF Somerset has fallen under the influence of the
Earl OF BeacOnStieid, whom he defended some
time ago as a man who only wanted to leave
fore actuated by the ''best Intentions Detrac-
tors OF al sorts were to be Sllenced by the OBJ
scryation that the Premier 'would not be likely
to want to leave an dishOnorable name to de-
sCendantS'-an amiable argument advanced by
the Duke In ignorance OF the fact that Benjamin
DiSraeli has no Children
No more than two Dukes are at present en-
gagged in administering the affairs OF the en-
piTe: and the value OF the aid rendered by the
Lord Privy Seal, the Duke OF Northumberland.
may be imagined when it is remembered that,
intellectually, he is probably less robust per-
sOnage than Earl Percy. AS for the Duke OF
Buckingham, he may be presumed to have made
a respectable ruler OF peaceful province mas
much as nothing has been heard to the con-
trary The man would indeed be mad who
should think it worth While 10 shoot at the Gov
ernOr Of Madras.
The Duke OF Bedford achieved success even
greater than that attained by the Duke OF West
minister as a silent member OF the House OF
Commons; and in his high career as chairman
of bucolic meetings he continues to maintain
silence, If not in seven languages, at least with
dignity.
With regard to the Dukes of Davonshire and
of Ahercorn, they may be said TO have no title
to fame, except as fathers Of unusually prom
Using children, though the former may claim to
be more thorough educator of youth than the
latter.
The Duke OF Rutland completes with Mr.. Mac
lyer for the glorious post OF Champion of Re
ciprocity; the Duke of Cleveland excels in pro-
The Duke Of Sutherland's fancy for fire en-
gines Is not nearly so strong as the Duke of
Wellington's preference for the more ancient
The Duke of Marlborough has done the state
some service-perhaps most by his retirement
into seclusion-and so has the Duke OF st.
Adams; but both have faded into obscurlty
and the latter is only remembered as connec-
ton OF an eminent Baron OF the Exchequer. OF
the rest, nothing IS known in public life, and
HUI very IuuCu LII sOCloly. IL Is UtUlnS mat the
ducal existence should be placid and serene
that dukes may be over-diffident and modest,
however, is evident from the life of the late
Duke OF Portland; and from the tendency Of
him, In whom center the hOnors Of Richmond
and Of Gordon, to speak Of himself simply as
~, for one, ," lest poor humanity should faint
under the weight OF too great authority.
How Ladies' are Insulted in London.
1t Is to be hoped that ladies intending to
skate in London will take the precaution of
being attended by male escort. ''rhe other
afternoon says London journalist, 81 was
witness to humilating sight. Walking up
st. James street l saw two young ladies' sur
rounded by mob of ruffians, who, in advance
and behind, with loud yeIls and Opprobrious
language, accompanied them up the street.
Fortunately, as they reached Brooks club one
OF the servants (and to his credit be it spoken
allowed them to enter a side entrance and
closed the door. The mob remained yelling
outside: and amused themselves by pulling the
house bell On inquiring the cause, found
that the young ladies, while on the ice had un-
fortunately slipped in. Instead OF being OBJ
JectS OF sympathy and compassion, they met
with brutal derisi0n and insult inquired of
one OF the young ruffianS what the joke was
and falling to find it out crossed the street to
sergeant of police who arriving on the spot
at once put stop to this shameful exhibition.
During this Indictment season, On our pieces Of
water where skating prevails, a vulgar system
OF h0rse-play Is too prevalent. Respectable
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