New-York tribune., 1886-03-21
SUPPLEMENT.
PAGES 8 70 II.
NOTES FROM LONDON.
CEREMONIES, THE ROYAL HOUSEHoLD'
Am prRSONAGES OF DISTINCTION.

at least, a significance as ahOrdlng some oN'"'''"
of the state of public feeling III the lrsn capltaI
I'm the old DAYS they used to he thronged. Inc
IRISH mobility and gentry came from the uttermost
parts of the >land to attend them, and whoever oi
The middle classes had any lam whatever to pre-
scut himself before the Vicorov was pretty sure to
rress il. Two causes now thin these gatherings
The Ma ionaists stay away as protest
against English rule. The LOyaists stay
away as protest against lrlsh
rule The Lord Mayor of Dublin may
stand for the NationaIists and he absent from
the last Levfc As Lord Aberdeen is known 10 ne
In sympathy with Mr. Gladstone on the suDJect oI
Irish government. It might have been Supposed ha'
the Parnell,tcs would he glad or at least Wiling
TO support him on occasions of ceremony hut 'h"y
think otherwise. do not pretend to understand
the reasons which govern their action. The lrlSh
Jcvoiists naturally look with scant favor on the
representative of Government winch is supPoSeu
70 ne ready 10 hand over Ireland to a class whom
Invali-tS regard as enemies to the Empire. Loru
Aberdeen Is in theory, the representative OF
tie Crown. but the appointment Is p01tical ana
the Vceroy of the day Is the agent Of the Ministry
oi the day. >oaIarce number of rich landlords
and of the rich upper classes i'll general abSeh'en
themselves from these functions. Both Levee aud
Drawing Room. nevertheless, are Thought to nave
been faIriv good IN point of numbers and, perhaps
stIl better in quality.
The momen 'ous Mistress of the Robes question Is
sad 70 be aprrolching not ISOLATION, bnt com
promise. The Queen is not disposed 70 accept rs
the iucumben, of this great Office any one of less
exalted rank than Duchess whether because al
other than Duca hanus are too mean tn handle the
M robes or for reasons Of state and ceremony,
will not undertake TO affirm. Her Majesty IL, how
ever-I have II on high authority, AMI nothing
loss tLou high authority should induce me TO
r,sk n statement on this solemn subject
is, | say. ill-pleascd at the repeated reiuSais
OF Liberal or eN-LIbeTal DucAeSSes 10 take
up tins honorable dnty. In matters OF politics the
Queen NAV not hold views of the kind which now
pass for LiheIal In matters treating of the royal
household brr opinion seems to be that polltlcS
sAonld be kept StTc' ly subOrdnated TO the con
vcnicncc Of ROYALTY. Here is a Drawing Room
ciaiI Q on tins week. A Drawing Room cannot be
held without Mistress of the Robes; Il Mistress
of the Robes must be a Duchess, no Duchess Will
aoree to be Mistress of the Robes, the Queen will
not put of the Drawing Room and the dilemma IS
therefore rs pretty one as could easily be con-
trivel.
II Is to he settled. as began bg saving. III true
English fashion 10y n compromise. Ihe once OF
Mistress of the Robes Is to be put into commission,
RI happens at time, with the Lord ChanceEorShp'
Tin. Lord Lleutenancy of iceland and other places
Of dignity. Its functions are to be discharged
iolutiy by the D0wager Duchess of Athple, the
powalcr Duchess Of RONbuIghe and the Duchessof
Bedford. The political scruples Of the latter are
overcome because an office in commission ceases
to he . pontl,al Office Tn, Duke of Bedford Is at
liberty 10 condemn Mr. GladotOne's Irish policy
INST as freely as IL the Duchess ot Bedford re
NAMED as she las been, an Extra Lady OF the
Bcdchamber, place INTO when politlcS 90
not enter. And 50 the Drawing Room can be held
IN due form and cnce more the British Con titutlon
has been saw from thodlsa>tcr that for weeks has
threatened It's existence.
crisis 50 grave cpuld hardly pass without notice
n Parliament. nor has ms. There Is ever some
eage-cyed member of rhe House Of Commons to
fas,en upon such events to call the attention OF
his felloy-Iu .lIbcrs to them, aud to call upon the
MIN Sters Of the Crown to explain their conduct.
The ea glc-eytd m"'nber who splcl peril IN TINS
business Of t., Robes was glib Mr. sexton. Mr..
Sexton gave notice last Friday that on Monday,
which was Yesterday. he would ask the
Prime Minister whether It was true as
ported that the three Du 'hcsses in question had
d clined the Office Of Mistress of the Robes. and
whether he would consider the dc-irablity of MAX
ing such reforms ds may insure that the foImatou
of the Government Of the British Empire shall not
DEPEND OF the good viii oi u ichcsse~ Tins sudden
solcitude OF Mr. Sexton about the Government Of
the British Ennle Is let rs hope. only one more
Indication that the era of Ang0-l sh fraternity Is
really drawing nigh. Bat II Is pdinfIl 10 have to
say that Mr. Sexton has not pcroeveTed WITH IN"
question. He wa, 10 baye put II Yesterday, bnt ne
failed 10 put It. ] will not guess why. am ab-
soIbed ia regrets thI, the prom sei light has not
been thrown on 4 great Imp rial question, aud that
il Is stIll open to conjecture whether the Govern
nacnr of the British EmnIr, or does not deuond
OIL tLe good will Of Duchos,e>.
IL is conceded that the political career of SIR
Charles Dixie is for the present, suspended. But
what about his social position. ask some of the
more curious well, there are persons of good
sciaI position who still cling to their old flvOrIte.
There is story Of a dinner gwen hip almost on
The morrow of the trial. / he gnver was an init
mate friend; the guests were all present with the
knowledge that Sir Charles was to be one; and
amoug them there men and women of unde-
MIA ole social rank. There are houses IN which he
Is still TO be met; and the number OF
Them may perhaps increase as time wears on.
Bot | aDqrchcnd that there are many
others m which ms reception would hardly he of
the kind which would pass for cordial. The sub
iect has be-n discussed all such subjects dis
cussed aud pretty well settled in narrow circle,
and the decision Of these few great ladies be-
comes known to other great ladies and 10 those less
great The accounts of such cOnclaves are no more
authentic than the accounts of what passes al CAD
met councils But they somehow obtain cred :nce,
and one of them to this effect" What should you
do" asked one lady of another who was her hostess,
"f Sir Charles Dixie should be announced1
She thought moment and answeIed: " should
receive HIM civ lily, but don't think should SIT
down till he went away In which circumstances
Ii may be presumed his visit would not be a long
ore
Before the echoes If tie Crawford-Dilke divorce
SUIT have d'ed away. the rumor-of another action
Is heard and the promise of another great scandal.
In this new case the petitioner The respondent and
one of the correspondents have already figured III