Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-04-19
Three NOtabiIities OfFOrty Years
Ago.

ago.
Mrs. Carlyle kept note books,in one
Of which that has survived, there is a
graphic description Of three notabili-
ties Of forty years ago:
april ID. 1S45. = To-day, oddly
enough, while l was engaged in re.
reading Carlyle's Philosophy of
Clothes, Count d 0rsay walked in. l
had not seen him for four or FIVE
years. Last time he was as gay in his
colors as humming bird-blue satin
cravat, blue velvet waistcoat, cream
colored coat, lined with velvet of the
same hue, trousers also of bright
color, | forget what; white French
gloves, two glorious breastpins at
tached by chain, and length enough
of gold watcheuard to have hanged
himself in. To day, in compliment
to his five more years, he was all in
black and brown-a black satin era
vat, brown velvet waistcoat, brown
coat some shades darker than the
waistcoat, lined with velvet of its own
shade,sa almost black trousers, one
breastpin, large pear shaped pearl
set into little cup of diamonds,
and only one fold of gold chain
round his neck, tucked together
right on the center of his spacious
breast with one magnificent turquoise.
Well! that man understood his trade;
it it be but that OF a dandy, nobody
can deny that he is perfect master
of it, that he dresses himself with cen
summate skill A bungler would
have made no allowance for FIVE more
years at his time of life; but be had
the fine sense to perceive how much
better his dress OF tosday sets off his
slightly enlarged figure and slightly
worn complexion, than the humming
bird colors of five years back would
have done. Poor D'OrsayI he was
born to be something better than even
king Of handles. He did not say
nearly so many clever things this time
as on the last occasion. His wit, |
suppose, is Of the sort that belongs to
animal spirits more than to real
genius, and his animal spirits seem to
have fallen many degrees. The only
thing that fell from him to-day worth
remembering was his account of
mask he had seen of Charles Fox, all
punched and fastened as if it had
slept in book
Lord Jeffry came unexpected
while the Count was here. What a
differeucel The prince of critics and
the prince of dandies. How washed out
the beautiful dandi1cal face looked
beside that little old mans!
The large blue dandiacal eyes, you
would have said, had never contem.
plated anything more interesting than
the reflection ofthe handsome person
age they pertained to in a looking
glass while the dark penetrating ones
Of the other had been taking note of
most things in Gods universe, even
seeing good way into millstones.
Jeffrey told US q very characteristic
trait of Lord Brougham. He [ Brough-
am) was saying that some individual
they were talking of would never get
into aristocratic society, frat, because
his manners were bad, and secondly,
said BrOugham, because there is such
want Of truth CD in him. In aristo~
cratic society there is such a quick
tact for detecting everything unvsrs.
cious that no man who is not true can
ever get on in III 'Indeodg said JEFF.
frey, 1 am delighted to hear you give
such a character of the upper classes /;
thought they had been more toler.
ant Oh said BrOugham, L assure
you it is the fact; any man who is
deficient in veracity Immediately gets
tsbooed in the aristocratic circles.
THE force Of impudence could no
further co."