New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-30

acquaintance not long after IArst came to Lendsau
have seen him often since. and though Of lstg
years he was thought, naturally enough, TO have
lost some OF the charm which used to DO his,
never met him without hearing something fresh
from his lips something which nobody but Lsrd
Houghton would have been likely to say. or to say
so WELL He Is one of the last of tho last generation
of takers men whose conversation had solid be-
sis of knowledge and good sense With wit or
bumor or lightncss of fancy above. Mr.. King
lake and MI. Charles villiers are his solesurvivor
do not include Mr.. Browning because Mr. Brown
Ing with all his seventy-three years, belongs -
much to this generation to tho one which pro-
coded it, and combines many of the finest qualities
of both But Lord Houghton had upon him the
stamp of time anterior to this, when life moro
leisurely and more various, when men thought IL
possible to cultivate something beside the useful,
when certain ornate elaboration of phrase did not
seem artificial, and when they had breadth Of
manner which came from regarding social
intercourse as fine art. The last
of the great takers who went over 10 the
majority before him was Hayward. and a COMPARE
son between Hayward and Houghton would be An
interesting one If there space for it in letter.
Houghton, however, who was long rival to Hay
ward, had what Hayward had not-wit and felicity
of speech and responsiveness Hayward used to say
of him that he had finer mental powers than be
oftea showed in talk, or even In bnoks. He had,
moreover a singularly complete equipment He
had literature. anecdote, immense acquaintance
with the inner history Of courts aud Of
general society. He delighted in surprises aud
uttered with the most captivating carelessncss an
epigram which he had spent hours In polishing.
You have and heard him in America, and II
your impressions of Lord Hougaton are as pleasant
as his were Of his American friends need say
nothing more You must have heard him speak
also, and have formed your own opinion on tho
business of the applause which his English speeches
have obtained. In Parliament he had no higher
rank as orator or debater than he had with the
country as politician. lie continued to deliver
neat little essays in the House of Lords bat there
was always the note OF the amateur in his
political speeches. lie owed his ora.orical fame
to his occasional addresses and to his afterdpner
harangues. They were innumerable and many Of
them were admirable.
Lord HougIton's breakfasts have been talked Of
and written about SO much that little which 10
fresh can now be said. Undoubtedly he studied, az
few Engshmen study, the art of bringing people
together who will go together. He liked ceebri-
ties; one might say he had passion for them, and
if one came In his way at the last moment he would
add him to chosen company of guests mt the risk
of Some ncOngruity. But this was the exception.
Nor do | think he ever made allowance for the
r0ughness of manner which some Of his own coun-
trymen show ut times to those who ere
not their counirymeD as well as to those who ara.
They mean no rudeness. they merely lack the pol
lsh which q Frcnchinan for example, expects and
comedies in every form of social relations Lord
HOughtDn once had TO breakfast foreigner of great
distinction in literature but not then widely known
in England. lie happened to bear the same name
as an Engishman whose cinlneDce was of a differ
ent sort and adorned by title. As titles are nos
always, or even commonly, used among intimate
when Lord Houehton named his guest
to another. an Englshman, to whom he proposed
man then, when the unhappy and untitled for
eigner was brought up TO him, SO keen was bis dis
appointment that he turned his back on him with
an "Ohw of unc0nccaled disgust. The mistake
was one which Lord H0ugbt0n was not likely TO
repeat, nor did ever hear of the Englishman be-
Ing asked again TO breakfast.
Incidents OF that sort were rare, and the celebrity
which Lord Houghton's entertainments long since
won was. deserved. Latterly he gave very
few breakfasts The fashion mas somewhat
men in London who are most wanted on such
occasions too busy to give mp their mornngsi
Ra nave NO y
fresh at 10 I, the forenoon as at 10 in the even
the set Of the fashion In such matters. People
como TO your breakfasts" said he, with q charac-
teristic touch OF his worldly shrewdness, What
does it matter whether Others give breakfasts or
liked"
The best Of all the stories on this subject
Ia one which | think has never been in
print. and which Hayward delighted In tell
ing. Carlyle was once storming away In his
usual fashion against the decay of every thing and
in particular. of reverence for great men, And as
he could never long discuss subject without
bringing in an illustration, he presently observed
that Jesus Christ tn return TO the earth and
come to London, nobody would pay him the least
attention. Then. interrupting himself he added
Yes, think Lord Houghton would ask hum to
breakfast" @. W. s.