New-York tribune., 1886-08-22
SUPPLEMENT-.
PAGES 9 TO IL.
DUBLIN CASTLE.
,rpsoNAL "REMINISCENCES OF LORD AbEh-
DEEMS vICEROYALTY.

IRON TIE h1"' LoxpoN, Aug. @.
The departure of the Viceroy OF irci"hu an" -"",
.rs.an from Dublin on Tuesday gave rise, as you
- 70 n demonstration OF the most s.'h'hs
h.rscter should have liked nothing oe''e' '"''.,
=. ,toess il and describe IT, Since tue iates "ou'"
,o, neruit that may perhaps use IL as 40 "oo"'o,
O. rsv,v,nc some memories OF visit 10 ouoiin '''s
u.rch The interest Of it Is still Hesh 70 n'o anu
Iho,s others NAV not find 1t stale went y" uo
,olitical errand. but spent ten days In tnc o"'',
9TH the Lord Lieutenant and Lady Aperoeen, anu
,.w something of the Viceregal state 'neto Nop''
',a .ometb,ng OF their relations with the people
,ho,, them those ale the two matters on WHICH,
eavinr politics and other vexed questions lot 'n'
-. ..r, nntouched. | oAer you my reminisceh-
20. had permission to do this at the tinie-a per-
.,.s;on the more Indispensable because must
,oucb On life within "a we'll without the 'as.'c
Tho name of Dublin Castle IS famous IN TWO "e''i-
snheres and couiures up visions of towers ana "a~
,ome,ts of orawbridge and portculs. ana all t"o
ua,ifo,d napniticence of mediDval architecture
fancy most people EXPECT to find 1t secoha io"7i
,fIondoo Arriving in Dublin very early OH
March morning drove to 1t In cao-ho' '"''
hut ramshackle four Wheeler which misho ha'o
come with mo by train and boat from Lo""o
Presently found myself climbing h'il up WIN"
ran strcet.cars on rather steep gtade. MY or''e'
tnrn,d sharp to the left we passed through gate
Itch ,,.,ed IN admit US and entered n square sur
r,r,acd on all sides by brick buildings nowhere
mara t,an three stories high. and everywhere SIM
cularly dingy and even dirty. Opposite inc ea.o
uas broad low porch beneath which tue cap' w
mv amazement pulled M. This Dublin Caste !
In,o.sible. The sight of a sentry pacing up and
cown and two or three policemen lOungng about
tbs doorway did not convince put the ques-
tn ha
cbarioteer ayes, sir, this is the Castle" linen
wonaerel how VIC got in without being challenged
knowing that after certain hour at night ana oc-
fore certain hour iu the morning no ono is admit
,oJ withont the password. Ny cabman did not look
. man like civ TO bc entrusted with such talisman
Uoweysr was expected. and orders had probably
been given and the guard had taken me for granted
on seeing the luggage on top OF the cap IL any
doubts fingered they were dispellcd by the appear
ance of q servant whom had seen 10 Scotiahd'
ard who saved the police the trouble OF putting
snv questions had they been so minded But
certainly went to my room in much perpiexity'
which finally solved by the comfortable conclu-
sion that the cabman had brought me in the ba OK
way. and that should see the true Castle and
courtyard in its real splendor.
Alas. | had already seen it. ] had come in by
the main entrance. During the next ten days
often went in and out and sometimes sauntered
along the four sides of that humble paralelogram.
and to the last could hardly convince myself that
this thir,l-rate barracks WAS in good truth Dublin
Castle The one fine thing there is about 1t Is
what ,s called the lower yard, where you may see
round tower of ample SIZE and the exterior OF tho
chanel: neither of them very fine but neither OF
them igpoble OF the interior of the Castle the most
one can say is THAT it 10 comfortable. The main
salrcase owes such effect it has to It's pancling
of rifles and stars and other wa-like decora-
ton The throne-room is Of good proportions, mod
crate in size. blazing with gilt furntnre the
throne itself gilt beneath a crimson and gilt can
opy ST. Patrck's Hall is the only room with pre-
tensions TO s2lendor. Earl Spencer In his time re-
decorated it in white and gold. and hung between
its gilt plasters some Of the surplus banners and
insignia of the Knights of st. Patrick. There Is
nothing in any waV remarkable about the ordinary
reception-rDOms The main drawing-room Is long
and narrow aud looks on the dingv courtyard, aud
is not much better furnished than the sittlng-ro0m
of.a good English hotel. which never approaches
the standard of opulence common to second-rate
hotelsu America. This however. sail that the Gov
eminent ofGrcat Britain thinks itself able to afford
for the representative of the Queen. Time was,
and not long ago either, when thcre was but ono
ct of furniture for Castle and Viceregal. Lodge
together. When the Vccroy moved he had his
choice between camping at in the Castle or camp
Ing out IN the Lodge while the furniture was en-
routs from Que to the other.
1t is in these patry circumstances that the state
an spendor of Viceregal establishment have to
be kept up. and are kent up. From the moment
you eater 10 the moment YOU quit the Castle You
are never allowed to forget that you breathe the
atmosphere Of Court. The Vicercgal household
is on great scale. The Vicerov has twelve aides
de-camp OF whom three at least are always on duty
a1l alwavs in uniform. There IS Controller
Chamberlain. Chaplain-a long list OF officials
OF whom yon shall hear moro presently. and they
have, most of them have very real duties to per-
FORM 1t NAV be hoped that the Physician-in Or
anary. and the Surgeonsn- Ordinary, aud especial
ly tue Surgeon Dentist-n- Ordinary, have sine
cures. There IS a Court Circular In which the
movements of tho Vicerov and those about him arc
daily chronicle including arrivals and departures
at the Castle, aud names OF tho guests who had the
hoaor of being included. the phrase goes IN the
Vicsregal dinner plrty--exactly as at Windsor
Osborne Balm ,ral The Viceroy is addressed
as HIS Exccency: his consort is. by courtesy. Her
Exceencv. la speaking to him the household
md the stranger say SIR; q form Of homage
which, common rs 10 is in America betwee equals
Is IN tnglaIl never employed except in speaking
TO the Prince OF Wales or some other male royalty
or a mark Of subord;naton in rank mlitary
u: other or by servants Ii ussd TO he understood
among those who were staying in the Castle that
We performed our uty and recognized our fealty to
u1cieut ex;ont 4 We each said "bir" to His
Exeellency once day. in private. In convers alton
In which outsiders took part the Sir" was used
strictly Ii came from the lips of the ladies' as well
Us the gentlemen.
Other marks Of ceremony and OF royal state were
numerous Whenever Ills Excellency-he was
never spoken of and Of course never addressed as
Lord Aberdeen -entered tine room. every BODY rose
ana remained standing till told to be seated. for
which a gesture suilced. 1t was the same At
luncheon, TO which the viceroy always came late
The whole table rose The ceremony at dinner
was elaborate. The company assembled in one of
TIE draw In e-rooms Whom all were thcre-and not