New-York tribune., 1885-09-13
A MAN OF THE WORLD.
REMINIsCENCES OF LORD HoUGHTON.
GENERAL ADAM BADEAU's STORIES OF THE ENG
LIsHMANs Wit AND ODDITY.

| racontear, the most popular nobleman In LONDON
He had his eccentricities, and he was inclined 10
| cultivate them, for he was an acute man OF tno
world and perceived that to maintain his position
he must keep himself talked about. He wanted not
| only to know everybody of importance, but 10 DC
known to know them, to be recognized by every
| body else of them. This was not the highest
possible ambition, but neither was it 30 completely
petty as it might seem to an American. To be
| figure in the society in which he moved required
certain ability IL was a very different thing from
| being q fashionable man In New-Yorl or Pha-
dephia. The tone of the talk in which lie bore his
part so well was very high; the men-and some OF
the women-among whom he was welcome were
| the makers OF opinion, the leaders OF parties, the
| first thinkers and dOers of England, and, they
| thought, of the world. He had, fancy, taken his
| own measure. and discovered that he could never
he frst-rate writer statesman so he determined
| to bo 6rst-rate man of the world. IL was said
that when Lord Palmerston. always one OF his most
intimate friends refused him place in the Govern
ment believing him destitute of high political
ability the disappointment was bitter. but decisive
After this he accepted q peerage, and gave himself
| up to the life that he lived TO the end His
amability was never-failing and was deeper than
mere manner: it came from a good heart. lie
helped along many social asprant no had go0d
word for all the young artists and authors. ana he
was stanch in his friendships, as more than one
American can testify. For he especially liked
Americans; not only the important men aud pretty
women, but those whose pretcnsions or attractions
were less conspicuous never discovered 1t from his
behavior. When one American woman who had
been very successful in English society suddenly
fell into disfavor he supported her strennously.
kept up his correspondence with her, and was 30
warm in his advocacy that IL rumored lie must
he a suitor. But there was no foundation for the
report lie only following out the bent OF his
really fine nature, and loyal to one whom he liked
and admired.
took letter to him when first went to Eng-
land as Secretary of Legation with Mr.. Motley lie
| asked me at once to breakfast, at his house i'll
Upper Brook-st. tor he one OF the few English
men who retained this delightful fashion of enter
taining There were twenty or thirty people IN the
room when entered. all men of eminence in char
acer ability. but of them people OF literary
or general culture than of affairs. There were also
two or three clever lords. but stupid ones, which
shows that the host was discriminating, for clever
lords ale not TO he found IN every fine house III
| London. The table was neither lavishly nor
| luxunously spread-at English breakfast parties
! the fare is apt to be plain; the guests helped
each other and the talk the principal entertain
ment Lord Houghton told story of Macanay
repeating the list of the Archbshops OF Canterbury
from the Conquest backward. All who had known
the great historian agreed that though of course
| eloquent and learned to an extraordinary degree.
his conversation invariably became tiresome
because he Insisted on absolutely monopolizing the
talk.
When the season was over Lord Halifax asked me
down to his country house in Yorkshire. lio is
inst dead now at the age OF oighty-hve; he was
thon in Mr. Galstone's Cabinet Lord Houghton
was of the party We were talking one day Of Slr.
Motley who had Just been recalled from his post as
American Minister. Lord IIoughton fully approved
the Presidents course though lie appreciated the
historians genius aud personally fond of him.
a. everybody was who knew him Intimately.
sBntr said Lord Honghton. with e'uai acunen and
wIr Motley ~ an historian ne il used TO dlstrib
uting praise and blame to Governments. lie cannot
understand that ho must take orders from them"
was capital criticism, and yet not unknd.
One night party of fourteen drove from Lord
Iiafay's house 70 Wentworth Woodhouse the seat
of Earl Fitzwiam. ten or twelve miles away.
There were a hundred aud nifty guests at dinner.
not one of whom had been invited. it was field
day nj Wentworth. The custom has como down
from baronial times and open house IS still kept
every autumn. For two months any OF the neigh.
boring gentry who choose may dino with LORD
Fitzwilliam on a Tuesday. without being asked
Indeed some appear then who are not expected to
visit Wentworth at other times but on these occa-
S.ons none are nnwGlcome Modern manners nave
,omewh hat modified the fashion; Lord Halifax told
mo that people now generally send word in advance
when they expect 70 stay all night and he had
notified the Fitzwilliams OF the number OF his |
party Not all were so c0nsifcrate, however, for |
one woman arrived lat,, Just as the guests were |
being marshalled for dinner; she had six In her |
partv aud wanted 90 remain for tho night. Lady |
fItzwiiam turned her over 10 the housekeeper.
Poor Lady Fitzwinm she had n list ia her hand |
nearly yard long, oHq Ms yy ss 20 cot t'sG below pos tHs
sons and daughters oil barons was TO take IN |
Lady HARDWOOD, and when this was Determined
Lord IoughtOn told mo delightful story. There |
had been feud for a generation between the Hare
woods and Fitzwilliams which was harmonlzed |
that night. They were the two great families OF
Yorkshire and each had au eldest son who wanted |
to sit in Parliament for the county. The contest
was keen. and the story went that each family |
spent n hundred thousand pounds on the election |
The Fitzwillams and neither ever visited the
other aftcrward rntil this night when the Hare
woods came to dinner at WentwVftn oPunouse ora
Honglton told me- he had beer arranging little |
tour of vsas for me. He aud Lady Houghton were |
aoout 30 drive 20 Ser;by Hall the seat of his |
brothcrIn-law, Lord Galway, about twenty miles |
away Lord Galway was an IRISH Nlscount but |
an Engshman and member oil the House OF
Commons. Lady galway was having party for |
week and Lord IloughtOn had procured mo an |
invitation Lord Galway was great ioN hunter |
aud master OF the harpas or s 5our a%% s out s" NTH
the hounds when ] arrived. ANA came to dinner IN |
dresscoats Of pink as fo ora dnt t sct
Int found more pleasure IN the Nandykes and |
tiainsboronghs with which the house was stored,
Lord Houghton, and Lady galway being my
of the old English sqnirearchy Ithe family was
orlv cnnobied In Lord Honghtons dag, but |
m"3iled by modern culture and the life Of London
society I Thought tho whole that they liked |
the library aud the picture-gaery better thnn the |
bnntIng-iield; but they conformed TO the habit OF
the house and of their class.
Prom Seilby went 70 fIyS,on horu n Phis
Sonse fairiy overiowcd with books double rows
many of the shelves. in monastlc style. with rare |
volumes behind, not to he inspected by every |
visitor choice copies illustrated editions valuable
hstSrG" G SSlSDs sysytnTSg ydanS toec sSft
Tso Tseathy ana SftS wtS the foS,hnntng hall was
marked. .,. L.. l.. .i