The Portland daily press., 1881-03-28

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A Field Night In the House 81
Lords.

London World
The game attracted the curious attention of
a remarkable concourse of spectators. Not
merely did a mob of eager strangers swarm in
TO the gallery condescendingly placed at the
disposal OF the neople, and patches of Nj. P.'s
watch with jealous and somewhat scornful
eye the proceedings of their senatorial betters
but Lord George Hamilton, RELOCATING Sir Stat
ford Northcote and Lord John Manners to the
rear, took his station in the front rank of the
privy councillors ranged upon the steps of the
throne, and vouchsafed. his personal patror-
age to-the first nights debate. Peeresses filled
the slender galleries extending along three
sides of the ornate apartment, and by casting
bright glances at the noblemen below, encour-
aged and stimulated them to assume the aspect
OF most potent, grave and reverend seignors
engaged in affairs of State pregnant with mo-
mentous issues. Appearances were kept up
with gratifying success; and while the peers
recined upon their scarlet benches with an air
of vast potentaity, their exalted relatives,
the partners of their joys, together with their
noble sisters and their cousins and their aunts
gazed upon them with unaffected admiration,
agreeing amongst themselves that it was all
livery capital" That the very highest circles
were concerned in the diversions of the peers
was proved by the arrival of royal visitors
The duke of Teck is ever ready to assist
at inexpensive parliamentary entertainments.
There is no charge for admission to the upper
boxes of the House of Lords and pair of
cream-colored gloves, always worn in readiness
for emergencies, will convert any costume into
the fullest of full dress. His serene hghness
was accompanied by his genial duchess; and
with them came the duchess of Connanght,
bent upon scrutizing his royal highness the
duke as he sat beside George Ranger upon the
front croSs-bench on the floor of the House.
The entrance of such distinguished personages
huttered the devecots around the House, and
pleasant excitement spread when the princess
of Wales herself Joined the illustrous party
assembled in the reserved enclosure. The roy
al ladies were all very gracious, amiable and
merry; and SO determined to make the most of
the unaccustomed opportunity for recreation
of novel kind, that they stayed until they
heard the chime at midnight, and even then
were indisposed to 60, but fingered on, the OBJ
served of all Observers occasionally comparing
notes, and frequently, as the hours flew by,
exchanging condolences, as who should say,
'Wbat iarx.' Unfortunately there was moth
ing more worthy of their criticism than the
performance of the first actor of the divertisse-
ment. Lord Lytton played very well the part
which he had been rehearsing for considera-
BILE time. Everybody knew how cleverly he
had made up for the role of an Eastern mag
nate of the first class, exiled Asiatic mon
arch, deposed bashaw, sort of great mo-
gul in multi. Though ne might not have
gone quite SO far as the enthusiastic rep
resentative of Otheilo, who BACKED HIM
sslf all over, the ex-viceroy had care
fully preserved the bronZed hue of
his visage; his tangled locks, rising high above
his forehead, increased the startling effect of a
generally bizarre appearance; and he had skill
fully shivered for several weeks within the vo-
luminous folds of befurred and bediZened
robe. Widely as his histrionic abilities were
pected, SO that while winning the plaudits of
his august and brilliant audience by fine and
deliberately prepared grafton, he was able to
surprise them with his imitation of the earl of
Beaconsfeld's later rhetorical style. So close
ly had he examined his model that he thor
oughly understood the ways and the manners
OF that remarkable man, comprehended every
trait, and above all, entered heartily into the
spirit of the precautionary plan by which the
ex-premier, since his first accession to the up
per house, has kept his headgear intact
and guarded against its appropriation, either
by INSCRIPTIONS hero-worshippers or impecu-
nious members of the aristocracy. The earl of
Lytton carefully hid his hat under the table
before lie addressed himself to his more i'm
portant labors. Then the attitude indicative
of curbed strength the vague action of the
arms; the swaying and balancing of the fig
ure; and the resemblance to a maronette
movement at critical points, were faithfully re-
produced, TO the secret delight of his grand ex-
emplar, who was placed Just behind him, sup
ported by the Marquis OF Salisbury and Wis
count Cranbrook, and backed up by a host of
wonder-struck Tories.