New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-07
FILIAL CHIvALRY.
srxn- BERKELEY AND RICHARD WAL
LACE SACRIFICED TITLES AND POSI-
TON FOR THEIR MOTHERS
sAKE--A PRINCELY GIFT
THAT CONVEYS RE

.ued his widowed mother for money winch nc
himself admitted in court that she had iaVisheu
unon him during his minority ana the rreho"
s,,,. u.,o held his dead mother up to public con-
-. &c q rnornhomaniac because she be-
..,hAa bar fortune TO his stepfather instead OF
O. himself IL is refreshing TO turn to the history
-, such sons as the sixth Earl Of Berkeley ana
Cir Richard Wallace The fifth Earl OF Berkeley
had gone through a secret marriage ceremony
with his wife several years before the death OF
his father enabled him to wed her puplicly. AL
his own death the Committee OF privileges IN the
,1orse NJ Lords decided that the secret marriage
was invalid and that the children born OF IT
nrior 70 the public ceremony were illegtimate
Thomas Moreton Ftz Hardinge Berkeley, beins
the eides, son born after the public ceremony
was in consequence thereof. called to the House
Of Peers as de jure sixth Earl Of Berkeley. But
he declined 10 esoond TO the summons and re-
fused either to occupy his seat in the Upper
Chamber or TO assume the title of earl taking
the ground that il he were to style himself Lord
Berkeley II would stain upo;; the fair name
of his mother. II was in pursuance Of this idea
that he abstained from marrying. and passed
through long life of eight-and-eigh.y years
under the name Of plain Mr." Berkeley beloved
and esteemed by all who knew him.
The case Of Sir Richard Wallace is very similar
and is recalled TO mind at the present nivment by
the news that his widow. Lady Wallace, has be-
oueathed his priceless collection Of art treasures
the most valuable that has ever been owned by
e private individual. TO the British Nation.
Sir Richards story is even more remarkable
and romantic than thai Of Mr." Berkeley. He
was not the ilegitimate son Of the fourth Mar
GUS Of Hartford, as has been stated in many
references made of late 10 his famous collection
1a-iri hro- her no hfr1 MAJ
Of Hartford. who is the peer portrayed by Thack
cray in VANITY Fair under the name Of Lord
s,eyne married Marie Fagniani, an Italian lady
&C extraordinary beauty and charm. She hap
pe-.d 20 be in P4ris win her two eldest boys
Lord Yarmouth and Lord Henry Seymour. at
the beginning OF the war between France and
England which preceded the first exile OF
Napoleon. The latter took advantage OF her
presence or the banks OF the Seine TO detain her
and her children as hostages throughout the du-
ration o. the hostilities II was toward the latter
portion Of this period that she gave birth to the
son who in after life became known Richard
Wallace. Her husband, either through indiffer-
ence or by reason OF his consideration for her
fcrbore 70 disavow the paternity OF the child and
hence Richard. having been born in wedlock, was
entitled TO style himself Lord Richard Sey-
rnour" This however, would only have served
u 1ttdCt 1-ttNNloA ~ blv Nii NiiiSNoHNVS VI
birth Now Richard like his two elder brothers
Lord Yarmouth. Who afterward became fourth
Marquis OF Hartford and 10 ID Henry Seymour
who founded the Jockey Clu7 al Paris-was pas
sionately devoted to his beautiful mother. and it
was solely out OF love for her thai he preferred
70 pass through life as Mr. Rithard Wallace in
stead Ct as Lord Richard Seymour encouraging
the popular impression that ne was the illegit.-
matc son Of the peer who was really his elder
brother, and who was his senior only by about
ter IT eleven years.
Richard lived with his mother until her death
In 1876 after which he became the inseparable
companion Of his eldest brother, who had mean
while succeeded to the title on the death OF
this peer in 1870. L found that he had
bequeathcd his whole fortune well as his
priceless art collection ard ali the unentailed
estates 10 Richard Wallace, rs "a token Of
gratitude not alone for the loyal affection
which he has ever manifested toward me, but
more particularly for his loving care and de-
vo.i7n . our mother" Inasnuch Lord Hert
fo-l died chillless nd uith0u. leaving am other
brother Richard Wallace could have clamei the
succession His forbcarance to do SO was. how
ever ENTIRELY in keeping with his past life and
due 20 his anxiety to avoid any public stigma
being cast upon mis- mother. The peerage there
fore. passed On to a distant cousin to whom
Richard Of his own free will transferred GER
tain amount Of property in order thai the title
might be kept up with betting dignity.
SIR RICHARDS BENEFAcTIoNs.
Throughout; the war Of 1s7O-'7l Richard Wal
lace made USE in the most noble ard philan-
thropic manner Of the immense wealth Of which
he had become the owner He organized and main
tanned number of anlbulances and hospitals,
and fed throughout the siege colony Of INDECENT
English people who had been una bic TO get away
before the French metropolis was invested. Be
sides this. his purse was open at all times TO
every demand made upon it by the French in the
cause Of charity. SO splendid his munif-
cence that, in the days Of the Commune. when
the mansions OF the rich were looted by the in
surgents, not thing that belonged him
touched. even the worst rufhans OF the COmmun-
list hordes respecting his property as that OF
man who had relieved much misery and suf
fering among all classes Of the population In
token % admiration for his benefactons the
Fl ench Government conferred upon him the
highest grade Of the Legion Of Honor of which
II could dispose and addressed TO him a vote Of
thanks, besides giving his name 10 a great metro
politan thoroughfare, while Queen Victoria ere
ated him a baronet.
Sir Richard. pleased with this took I'D his resi-
dence in London. and at proceeded still
further to ingratiate himself with his countrymen
Che had lived until then almost exclusively in
Paris) by loanng the whole Of his art collections
10 the nation, ana Tor several years they on
public exhibition in the Bethnal Green branch Of
the great Government institution known as the
South Kensington Museum. II might have been
though that all this. well his openly pro-
claimed intention OF beQueathing the collections
TO the State for the benef; Of the public. might
have induced the people al Court especially those
connected with the LORD Chamberlain depart
ment not 10 look too closely into his domestic
affairs. Lady Wallace was a Sin ;u.ary Oh irn
ing and accomplished woman. and in every way
calculated 10 shine in society Unfortunately. IL
was discovered by busybodies that Sir Richard
had who. as q captain OF cuirassiers had
greatly distinguished himself during the Franco
Prussian War. but who had been born several
Years nrior 10 the date OF bis mothers maria 90