The sun., 1896-06-21

united 70 give her mind breadth and training
which her face expressed.
| H.
The man who loved her was but seven years
her senior. and, like herself, was Irish by birth
| and descent. His father, ,Viscount Mountjoy, had
been well-known figure In the Irish Parltn-
| mont, where he had warmly advocated tho
| claims Of Catholics to equality of legislation.
Tho sooond husband OF Margaret Farmer had
| been educated at Eton ana at Christ Church,
| Oxford; wns elected In 1909 o representative
| peer for Ireland; and. two years before his SEQ
| ond marriage, had been advanced TO the earl
dom Of Blessington Tall. vigorous, briRht-eyed,
| and winning. generous TO extravaganza and
| sweet-natured, no was oaressed by all who. like
| himself, loved Gayety and seised tho sunshine
| of the passing hour. Whom about twenty seven
| years old. and still viscount Mountjoy, he had
| met lady named Brown, whose beauty was
| tho means ofparting her from her husband q
| Major in the army. Enthuslaatio In all things,
| but especially in love. ho carried away tho
woman who charmed him. and bought . house
| for her at WorthtnE, and another in Portland
| square She bore him two children . boy and a
| girl. before her husband was considerate enough
| TO die, vheroupon my lord made her his lady.
| In gratitude for which she bore him two othor
| children, also girl and q boy. Soon after the
pirtn ot this siek''nie.o ne", 'ne iosnot o''ano
III ana her husoanu tooh heI '" rfnm.e' WIN
| the hope of benedting her health. They had
not 5ourneyed further than st. German. how
| ever, when she died. and furnished Lord Mount
| Joy with an opportunity Of indulgins his tho
| atrical taatcs by providing funeral which cost
MIN irom threo 70 ioul 'nous"nu iounue. ~.u
osea'he 'he 'aiA VI 'n'ee HuiotV"" sse'.
ms e,oue 'ook pinee in s.p.eupor n,l,. "na
three years ara nVe month ia.er !.oru n'eS'i,S-
- IT, hA hA0 In
ton "erIieo "arsere' FARMER. III 'no oekiu
n'nk vi h'o e"r.er 'no SNti 'neo'e n"" -. 20.
'hHtY tnousano pounae yea,' ou1 o"int , !" ni'
Westetul nnoi'e u nea u"lhaieo 10 t"enty- -iouF
thousanu at Inc tine VI MS 'eeonu in"f n"ks
With tho change In her fortunes, Lady Bless
ington was not fcrRetful o: her family, gen.
erosity, as We havo said, being ono OF her dis
ttnguishinG traits. LonR-expect0d ruin having
overtaken her worthless father. he with Ms
wife. left Clonmel and settled In Dublin. where
they were supported for the remainder OF their
lives by Lady Blessington and her slater Elton.
Tho latter had been invited TO England by Mar
Earet before her marriage to the Earl. and had
become the wife of John Homo Purves, son of Q
Scotch baronet. After the death OF her FIRST hus-
band. she married In 1928 Charles Manners
Sutton. son OF tho Archbishop OF Canterbury.
and, for eighteen years. Speaker OF the House
OF Commons on retiring from which once he
received q pension OF f4 900 year, and was
raised to tho peerage as Viscount Canterbury.
Her second sister. Mary Anne. was adopted
and educated by the Countess, and eventu-
ally married an old French noble. the
Comte st. MRrsault, from whom. however, she
soon separated. Her eldest brother. Michael.
got a commission. apparently through Lady
BlessinG;on's influence. In West India :es-
ment, and diod abroad. while her second brother,
Robert, was agent OF the BesstnGton estate.
Soon after her marriage Lady Blessington
went with her husband to his patrimonial es-
tate. Mountjoy Forest. but owing probably to
some slight received from the Earl's sisters, one
OF whom was wife OF the Bishop OF Ossery, she
never visited Ireland again She induced her
hurhsnd TO give up the house which she had
tor,ne7ly occ'. l:cd in Manchester square, and to
Lease In ST. Jamss's square a mansion Of much
magnifceIce. which ZOO. became noted as n
centre where the most brilliant and dfs.in-
gushed men OF the day congregated around ono
OF the most fascinating women OF the period.
Here she remained for some four years, and
probably would never have gone on the Conti-
nent TO live but for the fact that, owing to the
peculiar circumstances which had preceded her
second marriage. the desirable members OF he-
own sex would not visit her. So far as men were
concerned. however her hus bs nd s high position
and her own engaging manners brought around
her the most distinguished personapes in Lon
don. Royal dukes rub bed shoulders with men OF
letters and statesmen with painters and actors.
Here came Lord Palmerston to forget politics.
and here John Philip Eemble to speak Of the
past glories OF the etaee: here Tom Moore re-
latad to his hostess tho last news received from
Byron. her meeting with whom was, later on, to
form en- episode IA her life; hero young Lord
Castlereagh. a poet and . traveller, gained more
attention than his gifts alone would have COM
manded. from tho fact that he had figured In a
romance with voluptuous Venetian whose
husband had shot him through tho arm. SIP
Thomas Laurence came to sec her whose beauty
had given him the opportunity Of painting his
finest portrait; and with him his brother in art
Wilkie; Samuel Rogers, banker and poet: Lord
John Russell. James Scarlet. afterward Lord
AbinRer: Lord BrouRharn. Jekyll. Erskine. and
Earl Grey, tho latter q warm admirer OF my
lady. congregated in her house. moro re-
markable figure wns DR.. Samuel Parr, one
OF the very few Englishmen OF learning who
may be classed with Bentley and Porson. A.