The record-union., 1898-10-02

O good deal OF interest in the sugges-
ton that Henry Labouchere was the
original of Grandcourt in George Eli
OTIS Daniel Deronda." But though
George Eliot has her sincere admirers,
including not a few who consider her
the greatest of English novelists, she
Ia little talked of nowadays, and dis
cussion of the originals Of her charac-
ters Is somewhat out of date. L. II. 3
Escott, a well-known English man OF
letters, is responsible for the sugges-
tion, and he also holds that the pres
ent Duke of Devonshire was the orig
inal of Lord st. Aldegonde in Disraeli's
''Lothair" The latter statement is
more probable than the other.
The money subscribed for the erection
of a memorial to Robert Louis Steven
son amounts to fl 400. There is some
natural disappointment that the sum
is not larger. The reason attributed
for this lack of funds is that people did
not know what kind of memorial was
proposed. Was it to be mural mon
ument in ST. Giles Cathedral or a
statue ON the Cation Hill? It Is
known that Stevenson loved both
Edinburgh and the sea. Lord Rose
Ugly 1dNOTS the statue WHICH SIleiA
overlook the Firth Of Forth. Unques-
tonably the money necessary will be
forthcoming.
The Metropolitan Museum Of Art,
New York has become, through the
sinking Of the French steamer La Bour-
gogne, the beneficiary of the valuable
collection of coins found and owned
nv raro1,i Loot in,
that disaster. Mr.. Durkee's will,
which leaves the bulk of his estate to
his widow, Alice Durkee, provides that
his collection of coins shall go to the
museum. The collection is said to be
especially rich in early American and
old English coins. and should be VAL
liable addition to the excellent collec-
tons which the museum already owns.
Whatever the British Museum once
gets hold of it never parts with. Late
~ some very wonderful Celtic orna-
ments Of gold were found in Ireland,
and were transferred to England and
the British Museum. Recently in the
House Of Commons the Irish members
asked that these precious relics should
be restored to Erin. Mr. Balfour was
quite in the sympathy with the Irish
members and thought the museum
should give up the. ornaments, and that
Dublin was the place where they should
be kept 1t is but natural that the
capital of the Green Isle should be the
custodian of all the specimens Of old
Celtic art
There IS. q story attached to De-
camps picture "Enfants a la Tortue,"
shown as one Of the leading. works of
the artist, at the Musee Condo, Chantil-
ly. 1t was presented to NJ. Cuvillier
Fleury by the Duke of Orleans in 1910,
and Cuvillier-F leury had cared for the
Due diAumale during the African cam
paign. In 1862, the Due d'Aumale,
who was in England, wrote to Fleury
that he would like to have the De-
camps, and RENTED 10000 francs on
the condition that its owner should
keep the Decamps just as long as he
pleased until the time should come
when the Prince could put it I'D in the
Chantilly gallery. At once Fleury sent
the picture to England.
New York Times: The recent issue
of special postage stamps in COM
melnoration of the Trans Mississippi
Exposition at Omaha has met with
much adverse criticism in art circles
and by artists everywhere Double the
size of the ordinary postage stamps,
they are destitute Of any art quality,
and are simply inferior miniature steel
engravings. The Government has
shown such a commendable ambition
during recent years to improve the art
quality of our currency and stamps
that the step backward taken in these
Omaha Exposition stamps is all the
more to be regretted.
The hundredth anniversary of the
birth of Michelet, the great republican
historian and prosateur of France, was
,cecently observed by the writer's, art
lists and students of Paris by cere-
monies which were continued through
two days. On the morning of the first
a procession of his admirers marched
to the dead writer's tomb at Pere Lach-
aise Nine. Michelet, the widow, and
a number of cousins and nephews rep
resented the family. There were dele
cations from the students associations
and the normal school, where Michelet
was q Professor, each carrying magnifi-
cent wreaths of flowers. which were
placed round the grave. Forming a
group with Mime. Michelet in the cen
ter were number Of eminent per-
sons who made eloquent speeches.
Among them was NJ. Benito Sylvan, a
negro naval officer and aide-de-camp TO
the Abyssinian Emperor, Menelik who
represented the ''jeunesse noire" Of
Paris. His presence and speech were
further justified by the fact that Nine.
Michelet's father was Secretary TO
Toussaint LOuverture, the hero of
Santo Domingo. A Hymn to Niche
let" by NJ. des Essarts, concluded the
exercises. On the. following day the
festivities were continued at the Pan
theon where a concert Of music was
performed in honor Of the great repub-
lican writer's memory, and the pieces
selected had a republican spirit or were
associated in some way with the legend
of the revolution.
According to the London papers, no
art sale of the present season attracted
so large q number of sightseers as the
disposal of the remaining works or
the late Sir Edward Burne-Jones. For
three or four days before the sale the
rooms were crowded from morning UNI
til evening, while it is gravely recorded
that the Princess of Wales spent over
an hour in private view of the col
lection. TT is no exaggeration to say.
remarks the London Times" that the
sale has more than justified the very
wide interest which the viewing had
anticipated, for, In its somewhat limit
Ire l. 1..% n