New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-03

Of whom he now offers mcagre sketches derived
| from the testimony of Others.
On this matter of supposed party divisions IN social
| circles. indeed. the author is pretty uniformly
unlucky. In one of the two eulogics IN LADY
Hayter, he speaks Of her as connected by ties OF
birth and personal friendship with one or two
powerful Conservative families. Lady Hayter is q
niece OF Mr. Beresford Hope. whose wife. now
dead, was sister to Lord Salisbury What IL
meant oy saying OF Lady Hayter. or of any ore in
similar position that she Is connected by personal
friendship with zone or two Conservative
families. it Is hard to imagine. Equally hard isit
to make out why the two parties in the State
should be represented in almost equal proportions.
mot indeed in her dining room. but in her recep-
ton salons" Why not in her dining rooms II
Lady hayter supposed to exclude from her dinner
table her Conservative connections or her Liberal
iriendsf III no other means of information were
accessible to this writer, glance at the columns
OF the fashionable journals which register lists of
guests at fashionable dinners would have set him,
right. But for this slip. it might have been Thought
that Lady Hayter's house in Grosvenor Square was
one OF which the author knew something He
describes it with some accuracy and he bestows
much praise on that accomplished and brilliant
woman; part of which is in good TASTE Again. It is
said that Lady Rosebery, "now that her husband
has been gazetted Cabinet Minister, will mako
Lansdowne House the focus of social Liberalism
Ii Is. however, to be focus IN which almost as
many Conservatives as Liberals will be welcomed
by her ladyship and her lord "-once more q flavor
OF Grub Street. If this means anything IL means
that Lady Rosebcry is to give big political parties;
which it is known she will not.
One other anachronism may quote; even moro
surprising than the error about Lady Northarnptou
One of the first persons to whom the stranger 10
likely to be presented is a lady famous for her
beauty whose career has been to say tho least
interesting" Then follows an account, partly
fictitious, partly Inaccurate of Mrs. Langtry's
entrance into London society. But as it is now
about four years since this lady chose to withdraw
from London society, there is peculiar quaintness
IN describing her rs one Of the first persons to
whom the stranger now likely to be presented.
Blots Of these and other kinds are TO be- found
throughout the book, and are interesting with
reference to the question of authorship. They have
another AMI very different value They enhance
very greatly ones estimate Of the abilities of tho
writer The more they point to the external posi-
ton he seems to occupy, the they force you to
admire the way IN which he has used information
gathered from the lips of Others. The volume
abounds IN clever characterization. in ingenious
description in piquant anecdote People who read
careessly speak of it as good-natured. but the
EXCEPTIONS to this Iue are very numerous indeed;
some obvious. some intended only for Tie friends
and associates of the victim There traces Of not
| few personal animosities. Some may he tile
wrlters more, perhaps. have found their way into
print without his knowing it. The book is. in
word, one from which something may be learned
abont society in London with pleasure aud with
very little fatigue But tho reader must he wary.
Neither facts nor opinions always correct. It's
style ranges from the siovenly verbiage Of tho
society journal to the most polished aad subtle
| diction. The commercial success of the book is
| beyond question. 1t is read in London eagerly;
| will. presume be read not less eagerly IN New
| York. where there many whose knowledge of
London will enable them to read it tn discrmina-
ton. to correct mistakes. and to supply It's most
surprising omissions. G.w.s.