New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-19
LONDON GOSSIP
AN FNGIIsHMAN's NOTES ON ENGLISH
TOPICS.

.hor ma donfh OF
xcept the occurrence Of that sad event four or hVe
- oarsr which would brought wreck and
everv other disaster upon the Royal wedding. Az IL
r.s the main excitement was over when tue heW9
reached windsor The wedding had been celebrated the
o. narouet held all the Royalties and " Serene
ransparences had dined with the Queen and most OF
the men among them at the banquet OF the Royal Acad-
amy before the terrible arrived and broke up the
fair meeting most admire disorder. No sooner ala
hear the news than the words uttered by neighbor
in St Georges Chapel the wedding day flashed across
nv mind This lady who very grande dame Or par e
monde no sooner the bridesmaids than she Turned
pale TO q visible despite the artistic skill expended
upon charming countenance "Wnat could they have
been thinking OF ?" she aske Just tank OF their
putting vloeis the bridesmaids frocs They ust Do
mad" had that the gowns were looped up Win
prmroses and vioeis and thought that. saving that
the effect was rather al unchy," the flowers looked
well white skirts II seemed quite otherwise 70
NV ueghboI who went on 20 say: q" VlOlets at wed
dingi Absurd That ia. unless 1t were Bonapartst
wedding The violet by virtue OF '
hue and associations, is flower OF mourning
II Is put on fuuereal wreahs 1t used TO deck moi
bride but a corpse No good will come OF H. ah sure
woncer they aid not put on parure OF opAls WhHe
they were about But there is sure to be some nsoF
tuue."
On Monday dined with my neighbOr, who nj once
Uttered that portentous phrase ~ told you So was
not oita 40 asOnished as might have been, for know
est rank very frequently is The younger . anozels
who read Herbert Spencer, and Maock. and Darwin.
and draw from the nude, IL many cases Tree from
sunerstition or indeed belief OF any kind, but their
mothers incline strongly TO the fancies and prludces
which are still articles absolute faith among the bour
gcosle Women OF the lower class always have dream
book" hidden away and spoken before their hus
bands and OF them actually write every year
to the Royal have their "sars put right
hoped that compulsory education in Board schools
will put end I" this miserable rubbish in time but my
personal experience is decidedly against the speedy
eradication OF superstition. have of fair in
telngence and great fortune back his way to
horse-race the first met on going into
had sqnneye This IN his opinion, was fatal
To meet "squinny-eyed woman the first thing in the
morning signifed had luck all the day and amount OF
persuasion could induce him continue with the party
Concerning weddings and wedding engagements ladies
have supersons concerning other things than vioets
Opals :earfuly unlucky TO give 20 bridegroom
bride that price those beautiful kept
Onsequence IL Is al to argue with the British
dowager that the opal supeTston has broken down IN
a r ,tewort case in time. WheD the Prince Of
Wales was nineteen years ago the City of Lon
don gave the bride a superb parure OF opas and dia-
nons the cannot be said to have turned
out badly. the dowager shakes her head shrugs
overpump shoulders she is overload OF Displaying
and Tetorts with question whether You would, If you
became engaged give your atanced bride turquoise
engagement ring either With without diamonds and
other gens this H. searching and terrible query,
for 1e eers buyers Of engagement rings against
the turquoise In clumsy kind OF way by saying
Don't ave turquoise sir; ts awful unucky. as the
sayin' Is" The meaning Of this awkward Indication is
that the turquoise a instance Of the "surv
val of the deluson that certain gems had
tain properties, medicinal magical one stoue would
tell of poison cup another Of impending misfor
tune, and forth Now the opinion still held by the
superstious concerning the turquoise Is that It repre-
the heart Of the giver So long ~ the lover re-
mains true the stone brilliant color but when
his the OF the gift toward rival
II becomes pale duh This is the reputation OF the
TURQUOISE will be easily understood that II is quite
sufficient make that gem unpopular. 1t Is an
awful weapon place the hand Of an asnced BRIDE
that OF wife In the 81 shy lock the
conditions are reversed When the Jew hears from
Tubal that Jessca has sold OF her rings for n
monkey. he e1claimsi Out upon her Thou tortnrest
me- Tnbal it my torquose had 1t OF Leah when
WAS bachelor; would not have gwen 1t for u wilder
OF monkeys" Probably Leahs gift to shylock had
never changed color.
On Monday afternoon I was at Claremont when the
Queen arrived with the Grand Duke of Hesse, the
Princess Beatrice and the beautiful Princess Victoria Of
nesse. All IN deep mourning OF course; ard the
Qureus postilons and outrders IN black The queen,
who greatly shocked and grieyed at the untoward
occurrence did make very long stay CiarsmOnt
but drove down through Esher back to Windsor
There weeping and wailing in the City OF London
also over the OF Wurtemburg whom the city
Fathers have seen But their grief is deep and
sincere nevertheess and goes nigh to be ncOnsoabe
Fer King OF the Netherlands TO have been
ceyed and dined aud wned in the city Tuesday and
had this done the Lord Mayor and SheriGs would
have been vey baroneted and Knghted "A. IL the
custom when a crowned head goes into the City " Lon
don In place Will the poor dead Princess be
sincerely mourned than in this Mansion House and
Guildhan
There has been much laughter outside tho &C
count OF the Royal banquet, published in leading daily
paper in which John Brown. OF being described
occupying post OF behind the Queens
chair said 10 have proposed the toass THIS IL the
duty OF aud performed by Lord sydney who what
is called Lord High steward Of the Household. He is a
fine old courier admirably suited 70 his place.
was furious At being mistaken Tor John Brown. I
by those in authority the whole account OF
the banquet is fight Of imagination, and that the
porter Of the newspaper question the ban
quet all Re this may the ghter outside
Royal household has been echoed by within at
the impious inventive gentleman mixed up Lord
sydney and John Brown.
After the 6oings Of Royal folk the chief subject of the
week has been the picture galleries To the private
views ess for the pictures than for the people,
and the toettes Of the ladies far anxious dis
cussed the Of the paintings The great
upon portraits Milais has erceled himself
a wonderful portrait of Sir Henry Thompson the IA
nous surgeon VINO gives the octave clnners every
celebrities of every country and profession.
There octave of guests and the host makes the
ninth all OF IL politics, art science,
law philosophy, and very pleasant tho dinners
The art Of selecting fresh faces TO another
ia reduced system by keeping register OF the
persons invited and of every dinner The perfect
al OF old Nankln blue and white china. The
equally good although the rigid tee
toaller ds theory OF anmeD taton which Is becum-
Ing fashionable " practise. is that Riddle
elderly people XII themselves by giving their digestive
organs tcO much 10 do II goes without saying that he
not cxpounc TINS at his table he free
ennn1h v be 4. gnesf instead Of hnst Ln rnnth