The Portland daily press., 1897-07-23
DueLs THAT ARE REMEMBERED.
Several Famous Ones That Never We're
Fought.
(From the London Spectator.

In England; single combatS at an earlier
date are not to be SO described. We are
not without instances by any means I'M
der this limitation. Charles V wrote to
Francois that he had broken his word,
and offered to prove the same upon his
body. Francois replied "Qu'il en- await
menti dams SO gorge" and invited the
emperor to fix time and place. Sporting
gentlemen of the period found no takers
probably at any odds when they offered
TO bet that royal match would come off
this time. But it did not. The original
letters in which these sovereigns gave
each other the lie so bravely were found
in the carriage of Joseph Bonaparte after
the battle of Vittoria, and sent by the
Duke of Wellington to Sir Walter Scott.
Where are they now? The latest of such
abortive cartels, and the most amusing,
was that sent by our George II to Freder-
lex William of Prussia. They quarreled
over the projected marriage of their
children-a story so long and SO .wearl-
some that 1t bores one when Carlyle him
self recites it. Both monarchs were in
cdIuG6U, duu UOUA WCIo UIdfO do 1liCh
could be. They named their seconds
Brig-Gen. Sutten for England, Col. Der
schein for Prussia. The spot was fixed,
in the territorysof Hildesheim, convenient
alike to Hanover and Berlin. But when
it came to appointing the day, sagacious
Count Borck reminded Frederick that he
had been unwell lately. His hand proba-
bly, would not be SO firm as usual. In
IL do GOLF 1rlGftnR
Better wait until his nerves had recov-
cred their tone. That was the argument
to weigh with a king SO passionately at
tached to reason and fair dealing that ne
pursued them like mailman. FREDERICK
raved, but he postponed the meeting I'M
til his health should be quite restored;
And meantime grave events distracted
both monarchs.
An old duel which did come to fighting
was that of Sir Jeffrey Hudson, the dwarf
of Charles The who was served up in
pie Though less than four feet high,
Jeffrey had great soul and not a little
talent. He accompanied Henrietta Maria
to France. A young gentleman named
Crofts-whose sister is all too famous in
day and the dwarf challenged his insult
ter. Crofts could not refuse knight, but
he armed himself with a squirt. They
met on horseback in the park at Nevers.
When the word was given Jeffrey set OIL
at full speed and in passing shot his foe
through the head. Mazarin was furious
at this breach of the law and the queen
in consequence was furious with Jeffrey.
Dismissed her service he fell into the
hands of the Algerians, and died in that
terrible slavery, If we remember right.
But 1t is more agreeable to recall duels
which ended with the challenge. Horace
Walpole tells an instructive little story.
He accompanied party to Vauxhau,
among whom was a certain Miss Spune,
who desired nothing SO much as the fun
of seeing duel-a thing which, though
she is is, she has never been SO lucky as
to see'' This is in 1850. Some lively
young gallants intruded, and the gentle
men thrust them out good naturedly.
Such incidents were usual at Vauxhall.
But the ingenious Miss Spune did her
utmost to make Lord March call one Of
declined. But this is by the way. Every
one who bears in mind the customs of the
period, while reading Macintosh, must
wonder what came of 1t. Unless the gen.
tleman SO mercilessly ridiculed and belab-
ored there were incapacitated for fighting
by some physical or moral impeachment,
he must have challenged his critic; other
wise he would assuredly have been cut by
his friends. The fact Is that he did SO,
and with firm resolve to shoot him; but
the incident has not received so much
notice apparently as one might expect.
Wallace was the hapless editor's name.
He could not find proof that Macaulay
wrote the article until the latter had
sailed for India; but with ruthless deter
mination he awaited his return. So I'M
compromising was his tone when the
moment arrived that Macaulay had "no
notion that meeting could be avoided,
as he wrote to Napier. And the most in
teresting point Is that he himself was
quite ready. We look in vain through
the correspondence published dealing
with this matter for any scruples, or, in
deed, any physical qualms, The scholar
brought up among the strictest sect OF
Chaplain, delight and pupil of Hannah
More, would have exchanged shots appar-
emily with as little remorse as a fire eat
ing ensign Was that the effect of the
Indian atmosphere? However, when
mutual friends despaired, Lord Strafford
found an ingenious solution. If Mr..
Wallace would declare that he meant no
disrespect to Sir James Macintosh by his
remarks. Mr.. Macaulay would express
regret for his criticisms. And SO peace
was made.
Voltaire fought several duels, but the
one which did not come off was the most
interesting, as usual. The eminent Man
pertuis wrote to him-after publication of
luHG Immortal bhblIt- nave Stlll
strength enough to find you wherever you
may be, and to take signal vengeance. !"
Voitaire answered, "You will find me in
bed, with nothing but'-appurtenances
of sick chamber, described with Gallo
precision meet you with. But SO
soon as I regain my health will have a
brace of pistols charged cum pulvere
pyris, and, multiplying the mass with
the square of velocity, so as to reduce the
action and you to zero, will put some
lead into a skull which seems to be in
need of 1.-THE sting of this reply is best
appreciated by those who recollect the
wild humor Of ,"Dr. Aloastra. "Maupertuis
thought it wisest let bad enough alone.
Savage Lander challenged the attache of
the British legation at Florence for whist
ling as a woman passed by. Vainly did
ali present demonstrate that he could not
possibly have seen her. The poet would
have blood, and when this satisfaction
was firmly though merrily denied him,
he wrote to the foreign office denouncing
the 'sinfamous character of those wretch
es whom you employ abroad The
abolition of dueling in this empire was
caused by literary quarrel, the hero Of
which was Sir Henry Lawrence, of all
Rrhf