The daily critic., 1890-07-23
LORD STEYNE S" SON.
Els DEATH RECALLS MEMORIES OF
BECKY SHARPES TEMPER.
Tie " as Not Like Hts Father-Inherited
the Marquis OF Hertford's weaitb
Rndwas Kniehted by the Queen.

man ne ThRa8ao1i1 Record.
LONDON, July Every one who has
read Tbackerys great novel Vanity
Fair, will be interested in theannounce-
ment Of the death to day Of Sir Richard
Wallace, one Of the richest men and
greatest collectors of art in Enqland
Sir Richard Wallace was the illeeitlmate
son of Lord Steyue one Of the great
figures In the novel without hero. but
he was a very different man from his
father. who in real life was The MARQUIS
of Hertford.
Readers Of VANITY Fair" will re
member Lord Steyne, The rich, selfish.
cynical and dissolute old man whose
portrait was instantly recognized by the
great world Of London in the reprobate
W HON Rawdon Crawley fslled TO the
floor when he surprised him and Becky
Sharpe at the midnight supper. The
Marquis devoted his enormous income
10 the purchase Of pictures and other
works OF art, sparing no expense to
crafty his exalted tastes, at the same
time shutting himself up for years I'm his
superb mansion in Paris. and allowing
no human eyes 10 feast upon his art
treasures but his own,
He was never married, and Richard
Wallace was his son by one Of the
many ladies To- whom he was devoted
at one time and another in his long and
reckless career. The Marquis bounti
fully supplied his son from his own
enormous fortune, and the young man
was enabled to make a great figure Ia
London and Partisan society. On at
tanning his majority he received from
his father the gift of a magnificent
estate at Lisburn, in ireland, and mar
Iied Mile. Julie Amelie Charlotte Castel
nau, the daughter of an officer in the
French army.
During the Franco. German war and
the siege Of Paris Mr.. Wallace devoted
himself and his fortune most generously
to the relief OF distressed British sub.
ieCts, and his cxertions In this field were
so conspicuous and meritorious that
Queen Victoria conferred a baronetcy
upon him in 1871 On the death Of the
Marquis Of IlertfOrd he bequeath three.
fourths OF his vast fortune to Sir Rich
ard Wallace together with the magnif
cent collection Of works Of art which
had been so long and so iealOusly
guarded in the Partisan mansion; aud
the Marquisate, from being almost the
richest, Is now one Of the poorest Of
English titles Of that grade.
Sir Richard Wallace did not inherit
his fathers temperament, and soon after
The latter's death lent the whole Of his
priceless collection for public exhibition
for year al the new Bcthnal OR on
Museum. Sir Richard completely
stripped beth the houses In Paris aud
London, uncovered his walls emptied
his cabinets aud sent his choicest treas
u1Cs 10 give q new pleasure 20 the lives
OF thousands who never before heard
the names, much less saw The works.
Of Turner Rembrandt, Reynolds and
Murillo.
What will become Of his treasures,
since he leaves no heir 10 inherit them,
Is a question that will seriously interest
the artistic world of England.
Sir Richard Wallace was a decided
Conservative In politics, in which he
took an active part for several years
He sat In the House of Commons for
the Irish borough Of Lisburn from
February, 1873, to November, 1885,
when the constituency was merged In
other districts lie served as one OF the
British commissioners for the Paris Ex
position Of 1878, and for many years
was trustee Of the National Portrait
Gallery Of London.