New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-12
ADMIRAL BYNG'S SISTER.
SOME LETTERS OF THE LAST CENTURY.

published was not only Interesting IL "~N
was nearly related to several persons whose names
figure in history. She was the great niece oil
Dorothy Osborn and the sister of the unfortunate
Admiral Byng. who was made scapegoat for the
sins of the dominant party. She was also the
mother of Sir Danvers Osborn, who, being up
pointed Governor of New-York and sailing 10
take possession Of his Office, died six days a1tcr
landing; and SO escaped participation In the
troubled times which were then beginning IN Vhe
Thirteen Colonies. Left a widow at twenty-iour'
Mrs Osborn found herself called upon TO manage
her late husbands estate, which had been wofuily
mismanaged, and she had full charge also OF her
y, two minor children These she brought up, one
of them dying before attaining his majority. linen
the surviving son married and lost his VIE aiVer
2 She had borne him two children, and the capable
grandmother reared the motherless little ones
She was throughout her career in the tnicR Oh
the political and social life of her period Related
to many great houses, in position to hear all
the rumors and news, her houses, both In Town
and country, rendezvous for people oil consequence
she was naturally able to fill her letters Win
lively gossip, great part Of which, however, mas
lost its SAVIOR with the passage OF time MIS-
Emily Osborn has no doubt done her best In edit
ing the MSS. lettersb ut professed man OF letters
could have enhanced their interest materially by
multiplying the notes and explaining the many Cd
Scure passages. Inc nanuWTlUluB OAuiVSi"PiiJ
of Mrs Osborn are in themselves curioslties, but
the latter is so eccentric sometimes to prove a
serious obstacle to apprehension of her meaning.
Among the particularly interesting things in
the early part of the volume Is description OF
the cost of living in the middle of the eighteenth
century. OF course due allowance must be made
for the difference in the purchasing power OF
money then and now; but after taking this July
into account it will be seen that living was very
much cheaper formerly than it is to-day. Mrs
Osborn drew UP plan of domestic expenses for
the use of her son, Sir Danvers Osborn, and it is
from this that We shall quote. She writes
The whole of the affair is this that when live
by myself / generally spend in what l call house
keeping, which is only eatables, 80 shlInngs a
week. If company or any unforeseen thing happens
il INCREASES according 10 that, but never is under
so that | recon myself and five servants at that
rate exclusive OF Beer, Goals Candles, Tea, Conee,
Sugar Wine, and several other articles which SIP
into Housekeeping. When live alone | only have
slice of the Servants joynt, without any ordl-
ton whatever; but that cannot be if any one
person is with me, and whenever you have been at
home il has seldome been under GA a week there
FORE / recon week with another IL will gen
orally come thereabouts, for recon you Will have
two servants here, but have more or less, you
will only he at the expense you losing with you.
In those days the wages of servants were low.
butler had S125 year, footInan S75, and
lady's maid $50, and the cost of provisions may
be gathered from the fact that six persons could
he subsisted for 81 so per week. But there was
greater economy then. Even rich people, for
instance, did not think of continually renewing
their furniture. That kind Of plenishing often
passed from generation 10 generation. Thus Mrs
Osborn, upon recovering church cushion for her
sons use, discovers that 1t was first made 100
years before In the letters will be perceived ample
evidence of her economy and housewifery, and it
is curious to note how often furniture and other
fror town IN nfJu vice
versa Contemporaneous political gossip occupies
much space, too, and toward and during '45
the excitement and finally the panic, of London
reflected faithfully. The Highlanders who
marched with the Pretender caused the most terror.
for they were dreadful plunderers. Mrs. Osborn
gives hurried instructions for burying the plate
at Chicksands Priory, the family country seat.
Everybody was doing the same thing and the
alarm and confusion were general. Sir Danvers
Osborn went to fight the invader under the Duke
Of Cumberland, who had not then earned the nick
name of The Butcher" The Pretender's army
did not get as far as Chcksands Priory, however,
and all the alarm of London for nothing.
In q letter dated in 1851 Mrs. Osborn gives an
account of a recent duel, which conveys very
striking impression of the civilization of the
period.
The duel which was in the papers last Satur-
day is most melancholy afaire. Mr.. Dalton
was very soon to marry one of the Miss Green's and
a snufbox which he had given her was taken
from her by Mr.. Paul, who told her she took so
much snuff that he would keep it. Dalton said
he insisted he should not, but give it TO him, so
from Jest TO Earnest wrested it out of his hand,
and Miss Green had her box returned At night
Paul went TO Dalton's house in Hill Street. not
wrote a letter in which he said he had used him
ruffiey, and that he expected he should ask his
pardon, or give him satisfaction like gentleman,
and sent his Servant with it where he suppl, and
to say that he should wait there till he came
home, which he Immediately did. Both their
chairs waited at the door, and they sent the Ser
want to stay in the Kitchen till they calld, and
not 70 let any one in that lInockd Dalton said,
If they must fight the present time was best, so
drawd their swords. In the scutile the Candles
and Tables were thrown down, and one of them
said: Don't let us fight IN the dark peace till
we fetch the Candle out of the Hall, but it was
soon over, and Paul went out Of the door, gave
o his chairmen 2 shillings to discharge them, and
3 went for Hawkins the surgeon Ithe only circum-
il stance In his favour to go for Dalton, for he be-
leved he had killed him, then run to Lord Ravens;
worth to tell him his misfortunes who advised
him TO get off directly. lis only from what he
told Lord Ravensworth that the above particulars
are known, for the poor man never spoke Upon
the street door shutting, the Servant RAN up, found
his master stone dead upon the floor. Ile ran tc
Mr. Wright in Grove Street, who was Dalton's
uncle, they sent for Middleton, who came ter
minits before Hawkins, therefore suspected Pau
did not 60 to Hawkins till he wos advised to dc
so. They found the challenge in Daltons pocket
and the appearance Of very unfair t Wound G No.
The swords both lay by him. Dalton was much
hacked and all Tallow. He knew nothing, Of q
sword. and the other fenced well, nevertheless
most people think he had the mortal wound afte
he was down, tho the Surgeons eudeavor TO make
IL possible 10 I've otherways. The Coroners IL
Quest was not finished till last night, and brouSh
Il In Wilful Murder.
Upon this Mrs. Osborn comments II pity
Paul's parents but he did this too premeditated Il
escape hanging; though what the end was we arr
left 10 conjecture. Soon after this the great grie
of the lady's life came upon her; the arraignment
conviction and execution of her brother, Admira
Byng, for an error OF judgment Accused o
cowardice, disloyalty, and error of Judgment, tn
court-martial acquitted him the first tw
counts, and found him guilty Of the third.
condemn q man to death for an error Of iudgmen
was of course, monstrous and iniquitous IN