The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-06
A FORGOTTEN LONDON PALACE.

area lying between Piccadi1ly Circus and
the Mail To imagine The aspect Of the
/ neighborhood before The GENTS OF Nash
was given free play. one must picture Re-
gent Street as a mean. ugly thorough
| fare of irregular houses. called Swallow
| Street, the neighborllood Of Trafalgar
/ Square occupied by a labyrintno Of nois0ms
/ alleys and squalid courts, known as the
| Bermudas. the Carribees and Porridgs
Island; = veritable hay market held three
/ times a week IN the road which stlh
retains its name: and a toil-rate IT HYDE
Park corner. IN addition Waterloo Place
! and Carlton House Terrace mdst be onl3t-
| Grated from the map. ana in their stead
must be substituted q vast rambling
! building. forming three sides OF quad
rangie. and shut OF from the eastern
end OF Pan Mall by long row of columns.
which, apparently. served no purpose ex-
fcept to provide the wits Of the day with
q butt for their satire.
The exterior OF the house had as lit
/ tie 10 recommend it as the other London
| residences OF royalty. being OF the nv
| brid classical order 50 dearly loved of the
/ Regency In its original form. before
1 its ideal situation caught the attention
/ OF its princely tenants Il must have
/ presented many more attractions than in
/ the zenith Of its glory 4 substantial red
/ brick mansion. set in a bower OF green.
| where the rocks built and the nishIin-
gale warbled. il was erected IN I7c9 by
I Lord Carlton on the site Of the old Null
! berry Gardens. and AT the death Of that
noblenan passed into the hands OF his
nephew. the famous Earl of Burlington.
who probably thought lightly Of his new
| possession in comparison with the SPLEEN
| Gors Of his town palace in Piccadillv
| Whatever may have been his motive he
disposed OF his property in 1722 70 Fred
ericR. Prince of Wales, for whose recep-
ton some attempt was made 10 give the
building distinction worthy of Its new
dignity. How unprocuctive were these
efforts is shown by the structure passed
upon Carlton House by a contemporary
writer, who remarks that no place vas
! capable Of more Improvements, or more
in need of them.
If there was little OF architectural dis
tinction about this forgotten palace its
mediocrity was more than atonsd for by
the human interests which its notorious
| inmates have given 10 it. There is 4 Gu
rious similarity between the lives and
characters Of the two royal tenants who
are most directly associated with the Carl
ton House. Both were Princes Of Wales.
in open opposition 10 their fathers and
both sought to undermine the influence
of the crown by series OF unfiiisl in
trigues and cabals. OF the two, Freder-
lex. Prince of Wales, father Of the
third George is perhaps the more de-
serving of sympathy. That he was a
weak. foolish arrogant, and profigate is
generally admitted, bJl, there is nothing
in the records Of his life TO Justify the
venomous hatred In which his parents
held him. it is surprising that woman
with so many virtues as Caroline of Ans
pach could write OF her dear first born"
as the. greatest liar and the creates;
canaille. and the greatest beast Ia the
world. and 1 heartily wish he were out
of it.
The Royal Ishmael did not allow his
wrongs 10 cloud his gregarious views OF
life. Carlton House became the scene Of
a miniature court in undisguised opposi-
ton OF that of st. James. To appear at
the one meant a certain taboo at the
other. All that was young. gay. progress
sive, and DISCONTINUED in the society of
the day gathered TO the feasts and jun
ketings which formed the daily pro-
gramme of the Princes household. Here.
too, was Matched many a conspiracy
hardly less ridiculous than the pleasures
which diverted this fseble coterie The
more serious business of plotting against
the Government was pleasantly DIVERSE
fed by visits to cock fights, bull bait
ings. and fortune-tellers. The great Pope
was not the least obsequiOus in his
attendance on this Prince Faineant.
On the death Of his father. IN 175l
George, III. passed his gloomy youth at
Carlton House. under the storn tuteIage Of
his mother Augusta. Princess OF Wales.
and her mentor. Lord Bite Upon the
contemporary scandals toIwhich the in
timacy of these gave rise or of the pop
ular destestation in which the nobleman
was held. it is needless 10 dwell. IT VIII
suffice TO slip the generation. and take
up the history Of the palace at the com
ing of age in 1884 Of Prince FlOrizel. rs
the future regent was fondly called. The
nation resolved to mark the occasion by
a gift which would adequately convey
the sentiments in which the first gentle
men in Europe" was regarded By its sdor-
ing people An enormous sum was ex-
pended in making the old house tit for
such paragon
Two floors were devoted to magnificent
suites Of reception rooms. which dazzled
the eye with the wealth and glitter Of
their upholstery. There was the saloon
draped in lemon satin. the drawing-room
in crimson, the state-room with it's chairs
Of gold and damask. not to mention the
rose satin and the golden drawiug-roorn.
the Gothic dining-roonl. the classic cup
ola-rcom. and the guard circular stair
case. At first Fun the Fourth made an
dor. Initiating his grandfather. he sought
70 convert the palace into a political cen
ter of all the factions Of war with the
King. He posed also as patron Of art
science. and letters was the one real
effort of his life. and IS renarkab bic (
only for its brevity. All too soon. Pitt.
Fox and Burke pass srom the frivolous
scene as though ashamed Of their presence
there and give place 10 folders. fops sy-
=.
House became mirror OF its masters
foliies- Affairs Of state were forgotten in /
a continuous series OF drunken orgies. !
vulgar routs. and Garantuan bangaets.
or the dinner il IS recorded thar < com j
menced at noon and was prolonged TIA !
the following morning, = a suDper q I
which 80 guests st down. that q marble /
canal occupied the central table wffh 4
gold and silver fish disiloTting themselves &
IN the water AmoBg ali this motley 4
throng. the only figure which threatened f
the supremacy OF the tsilor-ulade Prince .
was TIE equally worthless Brummsl Ills 1
reign was dazzling. bar Il lad tragic 4
ending. The reason Of 'lis downfall IS M 4
certain. but he r. surprised 90 have com +
mittcG the unpardonabie oaense ~ say-
ing 70 hiss ROYAL host "Geofge ring the
bell Tie was. however. gwen another
trial. and celebrated hes rctuvn hy Eetffng
aggrcssivelv drunk. Theuceforth 30 Was
never forgiven. Bat th.s long record ~
hunooneTv ard license - broken coca
sionslly hv an accide7t which redecnas
poor Fior.zel career ~ Carlton Epase
from the cemm1nnlacs.
It RaE here tHat iu s7S Sc rs.d Mrs.
Fitzherbert the deubtfaI compliment -
r. carrying Der according - tie rules ~
the Roman Cathoiir Ch.zrrh Bar shs re-
eelred better treafuent frnra him thsn
sid bis la~fal spouse. fhe siiiF islt haD-
less Caroline who egseIt here heT short
span ~ recognition as futufe Clesu. T