National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-11
A Glimpse at Blenheim Castle, the Duke Of
Marlborough, and the Family Pictures.
Proposed Sale Of the World-Famous
Collection OF Rubens.
Al Enthusiastic Description Of the Most Beautiful
Woman in the World.
Her Marriage TO the Marquis of kildare
A Word for Washington.


such weather as one rarely gets, even in au-
tumn. 1t makes old London quite gay, al
though the season isn't much-every one is
80 poor. Many great houses are shut up, and
the usual visitors to the winter baths and to
the continent are quietly negotiating in the
country. By the way, speaking Of great
houses reminds me of Blonheim one Of the
largest and most splendid private castles in
Europe. The present Duke Of Marlborough,
who lately succeeded to his father, finds him
self the possessor Of one Of the most magnif-
cent show places Of the world, but with COM
paratively little to keep it up. 1 have it on
the best authority that he will sell oil Of tho
Rubens, and generally dismantle the portrait
gallery of these famous pictures. One is
alone worth 960,000 and the whole
lot ought to bring in nearly f500,000 1t is
the finest collection of Rubens in the world,
and here is q chance for American lovers of
art to purchase. 1t would not be at all o bad
idea for Washington, which is really the So
cial seat of America, to have some of these
superb paintings. If not in private houses,
why not for the capitol, the Smithsonian, or
the Corcoran art gallery2 As soon as news
of the sale becomes public they will be
snapped up, and unless taken in time doubt
If America gets even one. At present If my
memory serves me rightly, we have many
modern works of art between Maine and the
Pacific coast, but we do not revel in the old
masters.
If any one wishes my private opinion l
should unhesitatingly say that l consider all
of the Rubens women-Madonna and the
like-too fat, but / cannot deny that am
perhaps the only person in the world Of that
opinion. Still the flesh and coloring GER
tainly are beyond compare in painting, even
if the models wore rather stout.
The Duke of Marlborough as the Marquis
of Blandford will be remembered in America
by his recent divorce from Lady Blandford,
the Duke Of Abercom's daughter. The
family will never cease to howl because
he thinks of despoiing the great home of the
great Dukes of Marlborough. He has only ono
son, and really but two lives stand between
Lord Randolph Churchill and tho dukedom.
Lord Randolph. it will be remembered, mar
ried daughter of Leonard Jerome, of New
York. He is the most active young con-
Bervative in the house, aud one of the rising
members Of parliament. 1t may we'll be
imagined that the intimate family are fu-
rious at the dukes decision, but he thinks
that he might as we'll have enough to live on
now, considering that he must live according
to his position. The only way is to sell the
pictures. Between little question Of MARI
borough and the Rubens he says calmly, II
shall think first of Marlborough"
The funds from the sale must go into the
entail but a life interest in the money will
be his, 30 it will be q big pull up. The
tenants and other houses need great repairs,
and he will thus be in position to make
them without embarrassing himself too
seriously. The duke is avery sensible man
clever, more clever, perhaps, than Lord Ran
dolph, while his manners and speech are
quite frank and cherry. He is a thorough
gentleman, that goes without saying, and has
a personnel which many man not a peer
d. A.l-. \. l.. - Al
house of lords the coming session, and
many are the conjectures as to his
political faith. He is now conserva-
tive, although with a liberal turn of mind
too liberal, perhaps, to please his party.
For an Englishman, must say his opinions
are very rnstited and perhaps somewhat
unsettled. Most English peers would die
rather than sell one of the glories of their
house, but his very practical conclusion is
that he will wish himself dead ifhe does not.
II is very nice being duke but it is very
TASTY being poor to keep up great house
and the traditions Of a great name with
limited rent roll. Perhaps he will marry |;
but whefe TO find suitable bride, and
whom. She must be beautiful, rich, accom-
plished. and charming. l fancy my lord
duke will not tie himself mp again very soon,
but if he does it will be in consideration of
all this collateral, and when he finds it there
will be more wedding bells.
Apropos, saw q marriage last week which
has stirred society to its depths. The Mar
quis of Kildare, the Duke of Leinster's
elder son, to the Earl of Feversham's eldest
daughter, the Lady Hermione Duncombe
have never seen SO beautiful woman before.
She has been sung about, raved over and 1
may as we'll go on in the same strain. She is
five feet nine, weighs, perhap. one hundred
and forty pounds has the figure of sylph
and the head Of Juno, Imagine face with
perfect features, framed in a coronal Of
raven black hair, dark, blueish-gray eyes,
arched brows, long lashes a Grecian nose, and
a mouth like Cupid's bow. Her greatest
beauty, however, is her complexion-pure
red and white-which would shame Sevres
porcelaine. No one could accuseher of paint
ing, rs mozart could ever reproduce such color.
How true it is that when nature tries her
hand in perfection she outdoes anything
which art can even conceive.
Sho trembled us she walked up the aisle,
yet her head was held up and her eyes
flashed so that l could only think of a proud
spirited horse when it has been slightly
curbed in. The marquis Is not so tall as she,
and he is not handsome, but what man
would not look Insignificant beside such
bride?
There are three other younger sisters, each
one handsomer than the other, but the bride
put them all into the shade. The church was
filled with dukes and duchesses, princes and
princesses, and | don't know what beside.
The Princess Louise was there, looking very
faded in brick colored gown. Lorne looked
like great school boy, ridiculously young
but uncommon CHEEKY. Ono of the brides
maids (thore were twelve) came in lust be-
lore tho beaei ic.on. The groom's present of
gold watch to each must have been delayed
or rather hers run down. Tho mortified
peeress was certainly and hour behind time.
At the wedding breakfast the swells were
put in one room, with Princess Louise at their
head Her husband. Lord Lorne, after look
ing about, found no place and no one to take
down. He finished by taking his sister-in-
law, Lady Archie Campbell, ON his arm, and
the twain had an osyter stew in the second
room with the nobodies suppose it tasted
ust ms good but-was it not pushing things
10 far? Who beside his wife was better than
Amself2 Isn't Argyle as noble dukedom
Ii.einster, and isn't?
a OIL these society conundrums. They make
Aiy head turn. How glad l am that am an
mcrican, and that Sitting below the salt"
Epnot be generally adopted as custom in
tho United States of America.
one thing more and then done. Did l
hear some one say white elephant? Well,
H. may be white whom he gets to America,
but he isn't white now at the ZOO. / assisted
at Mr.. YOungs levee on Saturday and saw
notified yollow-nOsed beast with fappng,
yellow-edged, perforated ears His body was
q light shade of black and his size not at all
remarkable. His tusks were the most superh
i have ever seen, and am sure would furnish
a royal family for century with hair brush
backs. think this holy beast is a Nous
fraud. When will Barnum have done with