New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-30
DIPLOMATIC HARMONY.
AMBASSADORS WHO WRITE LIBRErrOs
AND COMPOSE MUSIC

for the drama and for music. Some shine as play
wrights others as composers some again as
amateur actors, while quite large contingent.
especially the juniors. content themselves with
posing as patrons OF the stage For 1t Is only a
full-hedged Ambassador. such Sir Edward
Malet who has as his brother-in-law Million
aire Duke. owning the biggest theatre in London.
who can hope TO induce a manager to 60 to the
expense Of putting on the stage an opera bearing
His Excellency's name as author on the title
page Sir Edward is the nbrettist of the new
opera Harold" Usually it is the composer of
the music who comes in for whatever kudos the
piece may produce, and 1t is his name alone that
is associated with the opera the ibrettist remain
ing in the background and in obscurity. But In
the case of Harold" the composer. F. Cowen. Is
completely subordinated 10 the librettst.
recall seeing Sir Edward Pablo in his one
act drama Ca terina Cornaro Queen of Cyprus"
which was given in 1855 al Lady Duferins hos
pitable house in Cairo. Sir Edward has every
thing &c make good actor-a melodious and
pleasing voice perfect command Of his features.
plenty Of assurance. and an exceedingly 1.-the and
athletic physique OF the latter fact in particular
I can vouch as have seen him put eight high
backed dining-room chairs in line. and then
clear them with flying leap. like hunter. land
ing lightly on his hands and feet on the floor be-
yond Only once have l known him to come to
grief IN the performance of this clever trick He
lost his nerve at the critical moment fell short
and broke his leg the back of the last chair.
He took the accident philosophically. the only
concern that he displayed being lest it should be-
come known how the mishap had occurred. For
he feared that it would impair the prestige and
dignity of his Office the fact to leak out that
Her British Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary
had smashed leg leaping over the backs Of
chairs like schoolboy.
SIR EDWARDS ANCESTRY.
! Lady Ermyntrude Russell was considered by
some as having made p1salliance when. just
ten years ago. she married Edward Malet From
q purely financial point OF view this may have
been the case; for Malet had nothing but his OFF,
cial pay. whereas. daughter Of the ninth Duke
of Bedford. she was of the greatest heresses
IN the United Kingdom. But although a COM
moner. he was fully her equal regards lineage
and blue blood While the Russells able n
trace their ancestry only TO the reign of Henry H.
the Malets 20 back 10 the Conquest. Sir Edward
being the twenty fourth in unbroken descent from
the William Malet who figures In history as the
kinsman and comrade-in-arns Of William the Con-
Queror Perhaps there was just touch Of ances-
trail pride-very pardonable IL must be admitted
that led Sir Edward TO give so prominent role
70 this William Malet in his Harold. the
only serious defect in the presentation OF which at
Coyent Garden the other day seems TO have been
the odd mistake in the scene where Harold is
called upon to pledge himself TO support the
claims of William of Normandy TO the English
throne Harold swears on what ne believes to be
an ordinary altar. but has no sooner taken the
oath than priest draws aside cloth and shows
TO him that II is a glass sarcophagus containing
the embalmed body of a saint. dead several hun
dred wears On the Covent Garden stage this
glass sarcophagus is illuminated by electric lights
which seem droll and homogeneous when II Is
borne in mind that the scene pictured is one 0,
300 years ago.
For some reason Berlin seems 10 inspire British
Ambassadors with operate aspirations. Among
Sir Edwards predecessors in the Prussian capital
I can recall the name Of that Earl Westmoreland
who was far pTouder of the operas that ne COM
rosed than of his diplomatic achievements. He
was wont to surround himself with staff OF sec
retar,es and attaches possessed Of musical tastes
and instincts whose chief duties seem TO have
consisted not In writing dispatches. but in trans
scr,bine to paper the operas and morceaux com
posed by their chief These he would commun-
cate 10 them either by humming or by whistling.
md II is related that even when he went out rid
ing or driving he would always have one OF his
attaches with him 20 place on record anything
that His Excellency might be pleased to hum
do not know If any Of Lord Lytton's grace
Pull dramatic tr1fes were ever performed
eaye in tie salons OF Paris and London
hut his successor at tie Embassy In Paris.
Lord Dufferin, is one Of the foremost
amateur actors Of HE day, and appeared for
the last time on the boards with the Marchion-
ess at the British Embassy at Rome just before
the transfer Of the Marquis to the French capital
Sir Hubert birmingham formerly Blush Minister
at Belgrade and now Governor or Mauritius
mas likewise celebrated at one time for his acting
he used to figure in the private theatricals at
Compiegne, ST. Cloud and Fonsainebleau in the
davs of Napoleon III-and is the author OF a large
Number OF witty vaudevilles, while Sir Frank
1arceIles Her Majesty's Ambassador at St Pc
,ershurg used in days gone by TO be famed not
onIv for his acting as likewise Lady Las
c.l,es hut also for his extraordinary powers OF
mimicry.
DISTINGUISHED GERMAN AMATErRs-
There are no less than three Ambassad doris OF
the German Empire who may be said 70 owe their
eminence 10 their musical talents Inc one Is
Raron Won Keudell. so many years Envoy al
T2ome where he would spend hours every oay
playing duets with Queen Marguerite. he was
formerly Bismarck's private secretary, ana "heh
the Iron Chancellor was worried ana ahhoyeu
81. p,smarck BOYS would call upon "Tante'
(Auritie) Keudell. as tney hckhd"ed '''''
natured blond giant in consequence Vi ''' '
ical feminine ways. to soothe their ia'"e' ''u0"
r., the manner that David soothed Saul. by playing
with that Incompatible touch Of his some OF those
pIaintive pathetic old German songs which seem
e. have been composed especially for the purpose
~ driving away from ones heart hard and harsh
@houohts The Bismarcks always remembered
with gratitude the many troubles. disappo''i'
rents and annoyances that had been softened by
"Auntie' Kcuders plano-playing, ana may DC
sa,d to have paid their debt when they secured ior
him the lucrative appointment Of Ambassador 10
the Qurinal. ~ .,,,,
u,s .uccessor there. Baron Won Buow Is sun
~.,ra macdonald lover OF music and his talents IN