New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-11

III.
264. John Lane.
The second number Of Lady Hanoo'ph
Churchill's sumptuous periodical ILLUSTRATES do
did its predecessor. the combination OF 'iheh-
ness with serious literary quality requisite 10
make this at once a magazine and book Tne
most interesting point to observe Is that some
Of the most opposite papers contain matter
rort, reading at any time. Thus Mr.. Cyril
Davenport in his long note on the b'nding'
con,ed from work by Derome. has given a
capital little vignette of the famous French
craftsman; Mr.. Lionel Gust, writing about the
frontispiece. a reproduction Of the portrait OF
Queen Elizabeth at Sena, provides some really
valuable suggestions as to the authorship OF the
paintings; and. finally. Mr.. Davenport. writing
con Canoes. With Special Reference to the
Marlborough Gems" traverses admirably the
history and technique Of gem cutting. and states
interestingly some facts relating to that Duke
of Marlborough who formed the famous collec-
ton This article on canoes is illustrated with
reproduction Of Sir Joshua's beautiful portrait
OF the Duke holding his favorite sardonyx in
his hand with his son. the Marques OF Bland
ford standing beside him with one OF the large
cameo cases in his arms
The most readable pages Of THE Anglo
Saxon are those devoted to further selections
from the letters Of Georgana. Duchess or
Devonshire. II would be hard to say which was
the more captivating in these fragments. the
Duchess's vivacious portrayal of her own charm
ing personality. the glimpees which they give
of some of her most remarkable contemporaries
The Duke of Dorset wrote to her from Paris In
1856, saying: Remember you told me you were
now Seven and-Twenty years old-consider
what an age that Is. In France you would be
welcomed an elderly woman as we marry our
young folks at twelve and fourteen" The
Duchess gayly declined to be reckoned elderly
She babbles OF all things politics. books, So
ciety and her babys clothes. with the candor
and sprghtliness OF irrepressible youth. though
not without an occasional undercurrent OF the
gravity BETTING great lady with duties 10
perform. She protests that for all her frivolities
she reads sermon of Blair's every Sunday she
explains the discretion with which she means
to carry herself toward the Prince OF Wales
and his ambiguous relations with Mrs. Fitz-
herbert; and when the Countess Spencer Is OBJ
viously perturbed over something she has heard
about her readings she is at pains TO show that
she had taken up Les Iiaisons Dangereuses
OF Laclos only because Of 1.-The noise the book
made" and defends her perueal Of Rousseau's
Confessions on the ground that 1t Is an IN
teresting and surely not an useless book" John
!
him very commodiousy" into conversation
with the Duke and Duchess She writes:
He was in great good humour and vastly en-
PERTAINING though his first debut was dry-he
said upon young Burkes asking him II he was
quite well-Sir | not half well. no nor
quarter well-and he talk'd in too high strain
about friendships and Aristotle but when
he got more at his the Duke took him
under the Lime trees and he was wonderfully
agreeable indeed. We set him on the subject
OF Topham BeauClerk-he said he had mind that
had II not been perverted was capable or any
thing but that as his wine strong and high
Sc was his vinegar sour-he talk'd Of his temper
and said he seldom spoke but with design OF
hurting, but added he told him that he failed
in hurting when he attempted it. by the
force Of anything he said; he only hurt me by
the design.
DR. J was r.:ewise very entertaining about
Sir William Joness learning-in short Lady Eliz
and me were very sorry TO leave him for the
public day-he din'd here and does not shine
quite so much in eating In conversing for he
eat much and hastily.
Countess Spencer. replying 10 this account.
observes that Johnson a critic was often
prejudced. that his manners were unpublished
and even brutal, but she adds: 'He Is one Of the
first Geniuss have; and. abiding TO the
general run Of our modern wits and witlings."
declares that he Twill outlve all their Rub
bish." one more testimony to the manner in
|
The Duchess received a visit from Mrs. Sddons
and says: "She looks thin and rather coarse off
the stage, but vastly well behav'd and real
ly quite entertaining" She tells OF how Lady
Lucan asked Mrs. Siddons whether in learning
her part she attended most to the foundation
or superstructure and Mrs. Siddons thanked
her Ladyship but really old not understand
| her" which is hardly surprising. Sheridan she
describes amazingly entertaining" and re-
! cords that "he is going to Werstay to shoot for
silver arrow he is such boy Fox appears
talking with drolery about his increasing fat
ness Sewyn. Garrick Mrs. Thrae, Burke and
other notabilit:es also fit through the CORE
spondence Here is a metrical squib on the
lady:
When Madam Thrale was prest to play at whist
Her love OF learning warn'd her to desist-
| At last the Dame gave way, the table came
| She own'd she was novice in the game.
| No sooner seated than the Lady saw
That Madam Montague began to jaw.
| She could not bear to lose the palm OF wit
/ And turning on her chair uneasy sit
THAT line is Grays-pray was 1t that won
| TIE duce Caesar. who that trick begun.
The game and learning trying to persue
She lost her money and her reason too
The Duchess confesses, however that she used
poetical license In thie verse. for Mrs. Thrale
won the rubber. There dozens Of other pas
sages we should like to quote. but in parting
company with the delightful Duchess must
content ourselves with part OF her letter on
drawing room accident. She says Upon these
occasions ! always think 1t right to go into
something like hyeteric-I really must do
something to brace up my nerves. or else shall
be going about the world like Winifred Jenkings
In Humphry Clnker who you know every
event is in high sterics. and is obliged to have
burnt fathers and Asses fetida to smell to-"
The fiction in this volume is poor and the
| poetry is not much better "A Poets Prayer"
by Mr. stephen Phillips. is sadly inflated Mr..
Money Coutts. in his Angling Days" offers
some verses which are not striking. but will pass.
Lord Iovat contributes a good travel note in
! ,,s manor on Abvssinia: NJ Corney summarizes