New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-10

her parl, Mt her own table. her Speaking OF huuu
bons oTn hOosy ana S Sdyrnn nS in the
pursutof his favorite science, hau pieasou ~ -,
ticuarlk; instancing. among other ahecuo.Js, o."
| occ asion\on which. she said. ne was aiInosC
| starving M the woods. You know. and founu sonio
| kind Of Wild creature. which he imnedleley ui rs
cmbow elliot and devoured" This al dinner cha az
her own Fable, before a large party, was ra,n ns
forcibc. IBut little usual as her modes OF eAp.o
sion VERT she seemed to be III the ss.l.e,.
degree aNare of the startling effect they pr"duucu
she uttered them with the most stralRh'io ' var"
uncOnscousness and unconceIn Her tasle III w
was as might have been expected s"hll! ,; 81
~ but for person with SO great colcrs
| was singular The first time ever saw her sio
| nas dressed in bright. birthstone coioicu snN
gown made short rs 10 show her ieet anu " r,
having on her head n white satin hat with l9iesV
| of white feathers and remember her - n -
with her feet vide apart and her arms W., men
| this costume before me, and challenging INC ~
some political question. by which. ana her appchnt
| ance was mnch astonished ana li'tlc liis no
oncd. Ono evening she came 10 my rict shoes on
dressed entrcl, IN black bnt with scarlet od
| with winch suppoSe she was particularly 9 eaSeu
for she Law on sofa with her feet hgher tIaii MI
! head American fashion. the better I" uiSlIiH W
| contrmnlate them. | remember. at rarty. being
| seated by sydney Smith. when Mrs. Grote entered
with rose-colored turban On her mead. az wnion
! Of Tho word r,otrsaue" The m:scncvous VIII
profeSsed his cordial liking for both her ana ner
| husband saying like them, ! like them IKE
hi.r he is ladylike and like hci shc s,,c c
| n perfect gentleman .; IN which, however. ne han
been fureStallcd by person WHO cer'MnlV, u y
cscE9dit mas malice Mrs. Chorley the neckest anu
prntlcSt of human beings. who on evening, ~ u
party at her sons house. said TO him. pointing oit
Mrs. Crete. Who was dressed IN whte. Iienrl, ny
dear who is the gentleman in the White hiuSlIn
gown
Mrs Grote WAS one of the ceverest and most
eccentric women of her time. the female centre
Of the Radical party in pOlitcs-a sort OF NOT
vounc-or- handsome feminine oracle among set OF
very clever half hrathenlsL men, in whose drawing
r,om sydney Smith used to say he always expected
10 fird an altar to Zeus" Her country house. near
Durham Beeches was resort OF distinguished
neonlc esnecialIy of eminent musicians: and 1t was
among the beautiful trees of this place, perfectly
English woodland scene" that Mcndcssohn found
the inspiration Of much OF the music of his Mid
summer Nights Dream One OF Mrs. Grote :
proteges was Fanny Ellser of whom she had I'M
dertaken. IN fit of enthusiasm. TO MAKE an
honest woman and also-somewhat more dlincmt
task-a recognized ornament Of London society.
1t was in the midst of this qui1otc experiment that
the celebrated dancer took her departure for
America. leaving her child little girl of six. in
Mrs Grote's CAFE IAN | said to her, said this
strange kind-hcarted woman, WAS, We'll.
FANNY send the brat to me don't ask You
whose child it is, and don't care, so long ~ it
isl't that fool. d'Orsays'" Mrs. Kemble declined
an invitation to meet Mile. Ei-lcr at the Bceches
Z" No. no. INV child" said sydney Smith TO her,
| "thats all very well for GrOta" tthe name he
ALWAYS gave Mrs Grotcl, but don't mix yourself
M with that sort of thing "And had reason
TO rejoice" continues Mrs. Kembe, that
followed his good advice"
On one occasion paid Mrs. Gtoe a visit at Burn
ham Becches. Our party consisted only OF NY
sister and myself the Nienncse composer, Dcs-
sancT and ChUrley, the musical critic OF me
4then0um, who was very intimately acquainted
with us all. The eCcentricltles OF 0nr hosle5s,
with which some of us were already tOeraDIy
famil lar were q source of unfcgned ana/enent and
awe to Dcs>auer. who, himself the most curious,
quaint. and wIthal nervously eXCit2be ana rrlla-
Bile humOrist was thrown into alternate cOnyul-
sions Of laughter aud spaSns OF terror at the porten-
tOuS female figure. who, with STICK III hcr mana,
a mans hat on her head, and coachmans box
coat of dIab cloth with mani fold capes over her
netti,oats English women had not vet then
adopted costume und Istlrgnsnable from that OF
the other sex, etaikcd about the house ana
grounds. alternately experimenting varous
matters OF the domestic economy. ard GiScu,sing'
with equal knowlc ledge and discrimination, ques-
tons Of musical criticism and taste
;jne most ludicrous scene which took place on this
occasion | shall never forget she had leit us 10
our own devices, and we were all III the garden |
was sitting in swing, and my sister l)eNsauer'
and Chorey were ly ing on the lawn at my lcet
when presently, stridlng toward us, appeared the
eNtravagant figure of Mrs Grotc who, as soon as
she was within spcakng-trunpet distance haired
rs with a stentnrian challenge about some detail OF
diuurt-I think il was whether tie majority voted
| for bacon aud peas or bacon and beans. Having
duly settled this moment Gus question. as MIS- Nrotc
! turned and marched away. DeSSauer-who had
been sitting STRAIGHT M. listening with his BEAD hrSt
! on side and then on the other. Ike an eagerly
! intelligent terrier taking no part In inc culinary
! controversy indeed his entire ignorance or Eng
! iSh necessarily disqualified nm 10Y even collpTc-
! hcndinc i'll, but staring Intcntlv, with open eyes
| and mouth at Mrs. Grote-suhdenly began with
ms hands and lipS 10 initiate the rolling of drum,
| and then broke.out aloud with Ndi5r0ok sen rat
en- 1utire' etc. wLeTcupon the terrible lady faced
right about like a soldier and. planting her STICK
! in the ground. surveyed DeSNauer with an awfu
countenance. The Nretched httle man gre" req
| and then purple, and then black IN the
face with fear and shame cxclamlng inhIs agony;
9Th, boHte diciRc! citc ma comWts rolled
| over and over on the lawn as If he had fit Mrs.
! Grote m2iesticaily waved her hand. and with mag
unanimous disdaln Of her small al 'ersiry turned and
! departed, ard remained hOrror-stIicken at the
effect of this in Involuntary tribute OF DcsSaucrs to
| her martial air and department.
When she returned, however. 1t WIS 20 enter INTO
most interesting and animated discussion upon the
subject of Chicks music and suddenly, some piece
from the Iphigenia" being mentioned, she shouted
for her nan-servant. to whom on ms appearance
she gave orders TO bring her char and foostOol,
and the big fiddle 1.-THE yi0oncellol out Of the
hall il forthwith bet wecn her knees pro
rerIe1 10 plaJ with excellent taste and express
sion some of Gluck's noble music upon the como
rous instrument, with which ST Cecilia ~ the only
female | ever saw on terms oil such lamlliar mt
macy.
The next time visited the Beecles was after an
interval of some years, when We MT thlther with
my kind aud constant friend Mr.. Rogers. Nv
circumstances had altered very painfully and was
again ldboTing for my own support.
went down 10 Burnham with the old poet. and
was sorry to find that, though he had consented TO
nav Mrs Groc this visit, he was not IN particularly
harmonious tune Tor her society. which was always
rather trial to his fastidious and refined
taste. Tue drive OF bewcen three and TOUR miles III
fly VERY different from ais own luXurlons carriagel
through intricate lanes and rural winding avenues,
did not tend TO soften his acerbites and per
ceven at once. on alightinp from the carriage that
the aspect of the place did not find favor ID hs
Mrs Grote mad inst put up an addition to her
house. sort uf snRl wing, which added good
sized draw ING room to the modest mansion had
before visited. Whatever accession of comfort the
hon 1nceiYed within from Ihs andtiOn 10 its size