The Washington times., 1904-12-04
The DucAess Of LEEDS
Queen Victoria's Entry Into the Literary
Field Inspired Many Members of
the Nobility to Take to
Writing Books.

| widespread philanthropy has earned her
/ the title OF the Charity Duchess"
But literary work is her real passion,
| and il is no exaggeration 10 say that
l If she hadn't happened 10 be born in the
purple. she would have made a name
( for herself as an authoress. Even as a
child she wrote. and had quite a lot OF
things published by the periodical, Lit
tie Folks" and before she became OF
age things OF hers had appeared in a
dozen or more leading reviews and mag
azines.
Accepted on Merit.
Nor was her work accepted because OF
her social position, either, for until
after her marriage she wrote only IN
der the pen-name Of ''Erskine Cover
Her first book was called, How ! Spent
My Twentieth Year" and was quite
an original little piece OF work. though
OF no great strength. Not TIL ten years
later-the duchess is now thirty-three-
did she publish anything else of any
Importance, but her novel, zone Hour
and the Next came out and was i'm
mediately recognized as d serious and
thoughtful book and one TO be reckoned
with
Since then the duchess. who now
writes under her fun title. has Dub-
lished dozen or more short stories
most OF them fun Of genuine merit. and
some OF these recently appeared in
I book form under the title OF The
/ Winds OF the World"
The Duchess Of Leeds fs sDctber
/ Enghshwoman OF title who has real
/ literary ability. Unfortunately her
health IS extremely delicate. a fact
which has prevented her doing an,
great quantity Of writing. She il
daughter OF the late Earl Of Durham
was one Of rather remarkable family
or thirteen brothers and sisters and
/ Is married 10 one Of the greatest OF Eng
lish mobiles. The Duke OF Leeds is a
/ descendant OF Charles IFS famous min
lsteF' ana he owns 1850 acres.
First Important Work.
The duchess first important literary
work was a novel called "A Lover OF the
Beautiful" IL scored a distinct success
and gave the impression that even bet-
/ ter work might be expected from its
author-an impression that was fully
confirmed by the duchess next work
a volume Of short stories with the odd
I title. "Capriccios."
/ Strangely enough. most OF these were
stories of humble life, il being Singh
lar TACT that almost none Of the women
/ or title who are writing fiction today
has dealt with the fashionable life
which they really know best. l under
stand that the Duchess OF Leeds has
another novel under way at present. She
| invariably spends the winter on the
Riviera. and she left. the other dav. for
her villa at BOrdighera. after sending
me the accompanying pbotogra OH
which Is the latest and best that has
been taken.
The other literary duchess-Her Grace
OF Deyenshire-is only so 10 a limited
extent. for her work with the pen has
been confined to the editing Of certain
letters written by the loveliest OF ber
predecessors, which We're published in
Lady Randolph Churchills Anglo
Saxon Review"
4 Literary Duke
England's literary duke is one or the
most exalted persOnages in the king
dom. For His Grace or Argyn, besides
being the author Of quite a lot Of Sc
nous works. many tales and poems. and
an opera librettO. Is closely related 90
the royal family by virtue Of having
married Princess Louise. own sister of
/ King Edward VII Besides his duke
dom he has twelve other titles. IL keep
er OF the great seal OF Scotland. con
stable OF Windsor Castle and has been
governor general OF Canada
But the duke is happiest when he is
writing, and one OF his favorite themes
is the United States and American mat
tiers generally. His most successful
work was The United States of Amer