Daily Republican., 1884-01-18
An Eccentric Duke.

To those who take an Interest Ia the results
Of Individual eocentriCity other than in ma.
tufsl beauties, Wcllbeck Abbey will
always be far more attractive than any tree
which Sherwood has to show, old or young.
The old Duke VI Portland never allowed
any stranger to 20 near II, but by proper
management 1t is now possible to see come Of
the results OF its unaccOuntable capFicts
and however much the visitor may have heard
or read Of them before he arrives at the spot
they Will MI hun with Amusement. The
ruling passion OF tho late possessor Of Well.
beck was TO build-tO build anywhere and
also every where, above ground TO great ex
teut, but undOr ground 10 . Ii UGH greater,
Had he been poorer man, he would nave
ruined himself In D.ick and mortar, but, a.
he enjoyed IN income OF almost fabulous
amount, he could crafty his vaKnries with
out danger Of impoyerishiDg himself or HID
heirs.
have been told on very good authority
that he spent e. 600, 600 at Wellbeck Oh tun
Dels underground chan bers, and other
works. There Is a large ballroom attached
to the house, built entirely under ground, a
"chapel," to which one IL taken up and
down in lit,s; conserva'ories, skating-ring
ana lunnels without end. One Of the tun.
nels Ia two miles and a quarter in length
went through two other tunnels, lit partly
with gas, and partly with grouLdglass ftom
above, and the work inside ID as ca 1eiully
finished US though 1t had been intended for
the front OF the Abbey.
Iho ordinary motives for human actions
sup. ly no explanation OF the aims to winch
the Duke devoted himself Dancing under
ground could give him no pleasure, for he
never danced He made his servants sk ate
at times. but otherwise the costly skating
Kinks were never ugtd. He walked in the
tunnels occasionally, but he did not have
them built for the purpose Of stunning Oh.
servation. rs Is POI ularly supposed. He
seen, and made these enormous tunnels, us
he seems 10 have made everything else, at
Wellbeck, because he had Il maggOt In hlh
brain.
There is u magnin ent rting-school, lao
yards long and ~ yaris wide, lit by over
1900 gas Jets and Ornamented within In q
most exit avagant manner. The tiles are a Il
Of copper. there Is u cOrntce in solid stone
which cost five guineas q yard to carve. and
a beautiful friozo OF brass.woIk representing
numberless varieties Of birds, every specimen
being finished With the utmost care and ar
tlslic skill. Its Ike u palace-snd the man
who bu 1t scarcely ever entered Its doors.
Close by Is another marvellous place, THE
Galiop," ali under glars built At enormous
cost. The tan was carefully raked over and
waterod every day. as II the duke might At
any moment come to ride In it-and ct he
never crossed horse for many years before
he died.
what qualification did these costly struc-
lures give him. Most men get some plea
sure for their money. What di4 he get? He
belonged TO a family In which the love Of
money had always been dominant passion,
and one might have supposed that les wild
and RI ckless waste on objects scarcely con-
sistent with perfect amity would have been
far from consenial " him.
rne Bentincks have been saving not q
spendth.ift. race, and thus 1t happensthat
they have become the owners OF l63, 1853 En-
glish acres, exclusive Of their London pro.
perty, although their family only took root
In this country In modern times.
Hans Bentlnck, Its founder, did, indeed,
"come over with William" but 1t was VIII
liam the Third.