New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-25
OLD MEMORIES OF AN ARTIST.
ENGLISH PEERS AT HOME AND ABROAD.
THE MARQUIS OF LANsDowN-sIR EDWARD LYTTON
DULwER IN A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

|
THE MARQUIS OF LANsDowN-sIR EDWARD LYTToN
| DULwER IN A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
| TO the EdUor ofthe Tribune.
SIR: There are two mistakes with regard to
| Englshmen on the other side which are. or were
| some years ago, very prevalent in this country.
| One s that Englishmen, as compared with Ameri-
| cans, are naughty and reserved travelling COM
| panions. The other is that noblemen IN England
are to be found kicking about loose in the greatest
prouslon and that every decently connected Briton
who visits this country must be intimate terms
| with dozen two at least. | remember exceed
| ingly wealthy manufacturer from the North of
England, resident III this country. being introduced
10 fashionable lady, who dotted her conversation
with frequent inquiries as to whether he had ever
met Lord So-and-So. whether be was acquainted
with the Earl of This-or-that, until at last the
Englishmau, having got to his tenth "NO," eI-
claimed: Good Heavens! madam, i never spoke
to peer in my life" 1t Is probable that not one
Euglishman in five hundred in this country. at
home, ever did speak to a peer. unless he happened
to be horse jockey or c0achman, or exceptin the
casual intercourse of travel, which leads natur
ally 10 the other mistake, mentioned above. / may
,ay that Englishmen scarcely ever travel together
Tor an hour without getting into conversation.
After the exchange of q few words they can always
tell each others status. There certain Masonic
Hgns to speak, the heritage, probably, OF genera
lions which cannot be counterfeited, and which are
recognized at once A peculia- infection Of the
voice, the of certain words, the motion of the
hands. the lips the eyes. are the signs which mus.
be practsed from the cradle in order TO pass the
guard.
Once crossing the British Channel from
Boulogne to Dover with my father and sister, l OBJ
served q tall. elderly stranger walk up to the
i,t,.
stranger, Of distinguished appearance. addressed
himself to my sister. The latter proceeding was Of
course hors de tout reoLe but my sister perceiving
that he perfectly well-bred, responded politely.
They conversed together the two strangers and my
two relatives during the rest of the passage When
the boat reached Dover the elder gentleman shook
hands with my father, aud said he hoped 10 renew
the acquaintance at some future day in London.
May ask whom have the pleasure of address
mgr was the natural response. The gentleman
drew card from his pocket and handed IL to my
father. II was the Marquis Of Lansdown. Prime
Minister of England, the younger man being the
Earl of Shelbourne, his Subsequently the Pre-
mier gave my father n very excellent appointment
under Government This does not look like excessive
English hauteur and reserve. Although Prime Min
listers perhaps are not picked up every day. | am
sure that most Engshmen given 70 knocking about
have met with many somewhat analogous cases.
Talking of titled folk recalls to my mind a scene
witnessed not long after this occurrence in the city
of Lincoln, where Sir Edward Lytton Buwor ran
for Parliament against one Mr.. Seey, q miller. and
was defeated. was then engaged in superintend-
ind the construction Of small section of the Great
Northern Railroad. which runs through the city Of
the Queen of Minister'S. / had read Pelham" and
"The Last of the Bsrons' and was. in consequence
strong Bulwer man. ms indeed were all our staff for
the same sufficient reason There was public meet
ing called in Bulwcrs interest at the town theatre |
which we all attended in force. to do our best the |
way of applause for we had no more votes than so |
many cats In the theatre. Bulwer and his immedl-
ate friends occupied the stage Bulwer was seated
in the middle smoking large meerschaum pipe, his
friends mostly being similarly engaged with cigars.
In a private box sat his opponent Mr. Seelv, with
half dozen companions. each osteutstiously putting
away at of those long white clay pipes known
in England AZ Church Wardons." This was TO
show their democratic spirit, and catch the popular
vote 10 was rather Singular piece Of olap-trap:
the highest representative OF bou geois respecta-
bility, the rich miller Of the town who would have
lost caste had be been in the street sDok
ing even q gar, putting away alta clay pipe with
a number Of other decorous citizens, in public
plsy house while the veriest type Of arlstocratic
refinement and aesthetic culture was dong the same
thing with big meerschaum, and both trying to
smoke themselves into the goodwill OF voting
constituency. Bulwer made grao fuI speech. The
miller and his men smoked. We shouted and
cheered. The miller pulled at his pipe. A show of
hands was called for. 1t was declared divided by
the chairman. The end of It all was that Bulwer
was defeated, and Seely elected, although Bulwer's
brother or uncle, one of the county ma snntes,
and had a large estate adjoining the city. was
stopping at the same hotel at which Bulwer put up
and one day walked down stairs behind him. IL
nav be interesting to the admirers of Pelham" TO
know that he wore white duck trousers striped
with blue which considerably frayed ont at
the heelsl FRANK BKLLEw.
Aelc- York March 6. 1883.
Tn N rtaiu nfica ,,,Ia tha rrn vn II ,yae foupd