The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-28
LEIGHTON'S HOME.
Charming Description of a
Visit to the Ideal House
of an Ideal Peer.
. PALACE BEAUTIFUL"
Hints for Summer Gardens Queen
Victoria's Personality-Sim-
pie Dinner Cards.

Writing from London to the Boston
Transcript. Alice Livingston v Il
went Saturday to the Private View of the
Old Masters (the annual winter exhibi-
tion.) and it was there l saw Lord Leigh
ton, and got my invitation to nave a cup
of tea the day
everybody was congratulating Lord
Leighton on his new honors. and he must
have been obliged to shake hands until he
was "aweary, aweary."
Lord Leighton lit still seems odd to say
anything but Sir Frederick. is one of the
few men I ave ever seen who looks the
ideal peer. He seems born to fill an ex-
allied position-as. indeed. he has always
done-and done it well. Not only is he
invariably the handsomest man in any as
semblage. but his manners are the most
perfect. I once heard a lady say that, to
her mind. he appeared a successful COM
bination of the Archangel Gabriel. Lord
Chesterfield and Admirable Crichton." She
couldn't have said much more.
1t is fortunate that Lord Leighton is so
commanding and splendid in figure in any
surroundings-with his acquiline features,
perfect as though cut in camera, his keen
eyes. his snow-white. waving hair and
beard, his good height and magnificent
b~earing-or else he would look dwarfed
and insignificant in his own beautiful
house-one of the very most. if not the
most, beautiful house in London.
Lord Leighton is always s'at home to
his friends and acquaintance on Sundays,
when he is in London. He has not been
very we'll of late. but he never looked bet
ter, handsomer. or more dignified thai he
did on Sunday last, as he received me and
my friend. in the celebrated Arabian
There are two halls in this Palace
BeautifuP'-an outer one. which. though
only a species of preface to hat which is
entered afterwards. is larger and finer
the great, Arabian Hall. which I have just
In the outer hall the object which first
bronze figure of Icarus. And thereby
HANGS a tale. It represents n OF MI;
bought by LORD Leighton, wig has ever
to hold out a kindly and helping hand to
AS the glories of the Arabian Hall
were opened for us by a decorous foot
fore bidding the day farewell, to turn
the fountain to diamonds. with a rain
The many-eolored dome above was
lighted up with a kindling radiance. and
Ing. Which h had saS t fsiS f dilss Som s1S in AY Da-
The tinkling music Of falling water
S our imagination plssyed =. us as. ia false 1.-THE The
clings to the rich woods and fabrics of
We had q quick impression of an i'm
the carved front of a zenana. set with
tiny. jealous windows: balustrades hung
g TiSh q 2 pasaoe Easts ssweI ngssi tai ana the
But. after all. it was only al impress
sion. for Lord Leighton came forward
to greet US. and for the moment we
He had other friends with him who
had never yet had the pleasure, Of ex-
70 tell them a story Of the Arabian
Hall. which he had once before told
Not long after the house and its dec
orations were completed. certain more
Or less distinguished members of a
a awG inndggeon, s saaa e o wsrs eatsrtaInsd
There " We're sa SIX q t Hea1 = Z ne ahIspso'a and
Der gazed With rapt attention at Some
re Arabian a. Hal sRps thai this his historical saS i'm m
taini He was ,folold inadvertently BY
every one Of his unlucky COMPANIONS;
(not having observed the large sheet Of
limpid water sunk below the level of
the 1oor); and they had all to be fshed
out, astonished and dripping. by their
regretful host and one or two assist
ants.
We passed on into the library, with
its magnificent store of volumes in
many Languages dor Lord Leighton is
artist, saw the swan and Barge
bronzes, the Ingress drawings, and the
Legos etchings. On into the beautiful,
four wonderful Corots and the Con-
stable-beloved of Lord Leighton's
case. and into the studio. The beauty
of the room is as soothing as Chopin's
music-with the same dream-charm.
The gallery above, the apse, the shad-
owy armor. the priceless pieces Of drap-
cry, and china, and bronze, and mar
ble. and above all the picturest