New-York tribune., 1901-02-17
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
LONDON.
THE CITY SETTLING DOWN TO NORMAL
CONDITIONS.
A DULL SESSION OF PARLIAMENr-rHn
MARRIAGE OF THE DUKE OF WEST.
MINISTER AND MISS CORN
WALLIS-WEST.
Copyright: 1901: BY The New-York Tribune,

WALLIS-WEST.
Copyright: 1901: BY New-York Tribune,
lBY TRIBUNE.I
London. Feb. 16-The King and Queen have
gone quietly to Windsor to-day in plain car
riages without guard of honor. This is sign
that the period Of royal pageants and town
shows has ended. and that London is settling
down 10 normal conditions of prosaic existence.
An interval of peace and quiet will be welcomed
by all classes. except possibly the smart sets.
which find it difficult to reconcile themselves to
a state of public mourning without other source
Of pIeasurable excitement than theatres small
dinner parties with the game of bridge played
sub-rosa- Military parades and state functions
at st. Stephens interfere with business and In
terrupt the course Of trade. Sober minded peo-
pie glad to have a release from unnatural
excitement and turmoil in the streets. The
splendors Of Court pageantry have not blinded
| the eyes of thoughtful spectators to the public
responsibilities either Of royalty or Of Parlia-
ment in a period Of war. when military opera
tions dragging and the burdens of taxation
! are steadily increasing
The arrangements for the historic tableau in
the House OF Lords caused much irritation
among those who entitled TO be present
but displaced by four hundred peeresses
and smart ladies' in diamonds. The majority of
the peers were turned out of their own house.
and only one commOner out of six managed to
enter the overcrowded hall and then. after
Unseemly scramble and rough and tumble
struggle like a street mob. The grumbling
among the commoners has not yet ended, and
even those who are not nursing their bruises are
declaiming against the conversion Of stately
function into peeresses' matinee and a ieweIled
masquerade of smartness and urging that the
traditions of the College of Heralds would be
better honOred in the breach than in the OBJ
servance. There may have been another diarlst
like Greville present TO note down what go
ing behind the scenes and the comments
which the peeresses were whispering among
themselves while their diamonds were flashing.
If there a secret chronicler OF that splendid
pageant. there win be what Horace Greeley used
70 describe as mighty interesting reading" for
another generation. Meanwhile. there is a
cuckoo song by drawing room and club gossips.
and 1t is not pleasant tune.
| There has been sense of artihciality In the
\ speeches and proceedings Of Parliament. The
/ front benches have spoken in muffied tones and
there premonitions Of dull uneventfuI dis
| agreeable session No large legislative meas
| ures have been proposed. and the programme
| Is made up OF scraps and odds and ends. The
/ revision os the civil list will cause embarrass-
ment 10 both sides Of the Commons. and the
main business OF the session will be the sane
/ tiOning of fresh taxes tea. spirits tobacco
I and incomes TO provide for deficits IN the war
chest This is not an exhfaratins pastime
even for we'll 10 do Tory squires and there Is a
general disposition among the commOners to
find fault with Sir Michael Hicks Beach for
standing in Of Sir William Vernon Harcourt
and refusing to finance the war in broad mind
/ ed, enlightened spirit. done in America
by Secretary Gage.
Evidences OF staleness in public opinion are
not confined to politics. where the Ministry only
seems half alive and the Opposition is without
energy or nerve. Literary circles are stagnant
the publishers complaining that the book trade
has been ruined by the death Of Queen Victoria,
as 1t was damaged last year by the war in South
Africa and by the autumn elections and novel
lists lamenting that the public has ceased to read
anything except newspaper reports of Court
functions and OF the opening scenes OF the new
reign. Books are made in great number but the
demand for them is limited. and the cMef
houses are not proSperng. 1t is necessary in
order 10 keep books before the public TO
create some convenient mystery about them, as
done in the case of the authorship of a book
of love letters published by Mr.. John Murray
which has had a success Of curiosity beyond it's
merits The Duke of Argylls life of the Queen
will be profitable investment for publishers.
although his style. like his fathers is hard and
dry. and he Will not be in a position tell all
he knows. Among issues announced for early
publication novels or collections of short
stories by Miss Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler Mr.
F. Frankfort Moore and Mr.. w L. Alden
The art dealers have attractive exhibits. but
complain of the dulness of trade and the decline
OF patronage from the rich classes. The Fine
Art Society. in a private view to-day has a
small collection OF water cOlors by Mr. w. Ball
of west-of England scenery. and a group entitled
In the Times of Peace by Mr. W. L. Hanley.
Agnew has a large and beautiful assortment OF
drawings.
Concerts have begun again. with the Ysaye
Quartet at St. James's Hail. where the leader
plays solos by Hitler and Zarzycki to-day
ThueI Burnham. an American pianist barely
out OF his teens. has given a recital this week.
showing signs OF nervousness and playing coldly
if boldly.
audiences eager for lively entertainment The
revival of Peril at the Garrick is a doubtful
experiment. but the return of Lady Ursula TO
rick Campbell is going from bad TO worse in her
proposed substitution of Mrs Ebbsmith for Mrs.
Daventry.
The marriage OF the Duke OF Westminster and
Miss Cornwallis-West came on this afternoon
in semi-state at st. PauTs KnIghtsbrldge
There were eight bridesmaids in Empire dresses
of satin. with embroideries of jessamine and
roses and two pages. with costumes copied from
GainsbOrOugh's Blue Boy" at CirosvenOr House.
The bride arrayed in delicate embrQideries
with richly designed train shimmering with
pearls and garlands of silver leaves The Duke