Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-04-01
THE ENGLISH NOBILITY.

| The ENGLISH NOBILITY.
What has possessed England's ''old nobil-
! ity 2" as Lord John Manners, in 81 plaintive
| couple,. once denominated those who are
bonn TO a degree of greatness. The very
| devil seems TO have broken loose in high So
cicty, and appears to be walking up and
dGwn Pal! Mall and Belgravia seeking
whom he may devour. Never vas there in
| the history of any civilized country such q
succession Of outrageous occurrences and
scandals as have followed each other III
| Gnicl: succession in what has been regarded
Is the very best society of England during
the past twelve months. SO rapidly, iu
deed, have these disgraceiui circumstances
happened ,thatthc proletarIan argument that
privileged orders should he abolished be-
cause Of the harm they do society generally
| and also by reason oi their utter worthless
| n,.-s seems not TO be without foundation III
reason. The past year has been tiled "ltn
oac long tale OF disgrace aud dISh0nor Of
| ihc },roudesi names in English history. The
| first ON tn" iuiamous roll was the Duke Of
| Hamilton and Brandon. This nobIcman,
who is not yet forty, has wasted ii the most
| disgusting vices all estate tnat yleidea an
| income uf - 600, 600 4 . ear, and alter ElJ-
| iaiin:. every sentiment OF decency, as we'll
| as nearlv every commandment in the
| DeGaiosuc especially the seventh, which
seems to be 4 particular stumbling
| block in the way OF the nobility, TO con-
| ,iuue his career Of vice he actually pro-
ceeded TO sell the portraits of his ancestors.
| This was enough 10 bring the scandal to
climax with decent people, leaving out oithe
Snch as would bar Shc doors of any sel!-re-
svect;rn family against him forever The
Hamilton scandal had not yet grown old,
! when 10! tho Earl Of Shrewsbury, almost
the greatest earl o! England, must needs
,n;ra~e society ana thc ilaccncy of bis or
,i.,, -. nnc,. hysiich conduct as cannot be
nrn,,orly Je:crjhpa in a resDec,abIe family
! nurno} ,i'na least Of his nisdoincs was to
| .,.snrIc himself with u woman whose char
or..., ~. ot,o; lie nntter stated than by saving
HAT n, had none ut all, and then aflera
| tnrriti: row. il which her brothers took a
hand and Aorsewipped the noble Earl with
| IN ~, inch Of his lie. he rounded out his ca
rser 0! disgrace by marrying the persoa who
had heen The cause Of all his troubles, and
! to.,t.,y Il iisreputabie woman bears the uamc
nf one OF the Droudest earidols OF mighty
| t1uiand
'rhn Naro1is ofBlandlord followed the lead
| uf 4is Grace OF Hamilton aud Brandon, and
| ot,e, scn,iinn his father. the old Duke OF
| Ifarlloroupl. t1 the grave because OF The
| DISGRACE his son brought OF his house and
name, BlaDdford. noW Duke Of nIarlbo-
rouph moi ONLY fills III" historic castle Of
Blen,jheim witn women who arc nameless
and characterless, but is absolutely pro-
posin- to sell lhe pictures u gratc
fuI country gave 10 Johu Churchill,
the great head Of The house, the con-
uucrc! o. Blcndheim. Families, ana Nal
nlan,et. Cor saving England's honor Think
nt ii--'rb;* wrctched scion of a noble house
| is about 10 barter away without hindrauce
beirlooro., that should 90 priceless for the
means of continuing his career of disgrace
and iishupor Surely England's nobility
have fallen very low when these things can
be done without aprotest from his order!
Next comes ihe young Lord Aylest0rd,
and the history If this case is identical with
that Of !he rest. Bad women, adventuresses
Of the first order. seem to be the bane and
ruin of young England. Ayesiord's wife
ran away with the Marquis of B!andford,
after enduring Il series Of outrages which
cannot even be referred to in type, and her
former lord filed his ancestral halls with
disreputable women, until, for very shame,
he had to leave England and take refuge in
the United rtnlcs I'LL his affairs can DC al
ius.ed. 4 pleasant story truly is the tale
Of the doinss Of the bluest and oldest blood
of England!
Next comes the son of the Duke of Wei
lingtop, Col. Wellesley, who left a sweet,
loving wife, whose heart and life he had
broken, and ran away with brazen- faced
creature, with painted face and hair, who
has not been decent woman for these dozen
,.,,rc ,,a,t ond who is at least ten wears the
80 oT tho IDIOT whose life she has wreck
ed Was there ever such folly9
And now, to round cut the story of in