The Washington times., 1904-12-04
london. November q.

~ ROBABLY when Queen Victoria
- wrote and published those two
unassuming works, Leaves
From "a Highland Journal and
More Leaves" she had no idea what
a remarkable effect her example would
have.
Probably il never entered her royal
head that titled folk of every rank on
this side OF the water would take the
tip from her and after a while il would
be an uneVenUful week mat did not pro
duce a novel a book OF poems, or at
least a magazine article by one Of them.
That's the state of things at present.
To take the first instance that comes TO
mind. there appeared recently-an with
in a few days OF each OtheT-a novel by
the Earl OF Gddeslelgh. a historical work
bv the Countess Of Warwick. and a col
lection of poems edited by the Duchess
OF Sutherland.
Within the past week there have been
announcements to the effect that Lady
Jeune is writing "a society novel. that
Lord EHesmere is doing the same, that
Lady Colin Campbell is hard at work
on an emotional play, and that Lady
BETTY Balfour is collaborating on a com
edy with the Hon. Mrs. Alfred Lytte-
ton. wife OF tho colonial secretary.
Fault Of the Queen.
IL is all Queen Victoria's fault. Up 70
about twenty years ago. although mem
hers OF the peerage frequently patrOnized
men Of letters. they mostly made no at
tempt TO shine in the literary armament
themselves. Women of title. especially.
-let the business OF authorship severely
90 ~.
countess of Blessington, was an excep-
tiou, il is true. but she was always more
OF less OF an outsider" Ia fact, so
FAR as can be remembered. up 10 the
time mentioned the one and only work
OF any Importance published by an Eng
lish woman OF high rank was that rather
gruesOme novel. Ellen Middleton "
written By Lady Georgiana Fullerton.
sister OF the famous Lord GrauvIlle-aud
IL appeared anonymously.
Followed Her Example.
Almost Immediately after the appear
ance of Queen ElCt0ria's book, however.
quite a lot OF women belonging TO the
court world went and did likewise" by
giving 10 the world portions Of their
distinguished diaries and umiably writ
ten accounts of their travels. And after
a while TWO or three. members OF the
peerage both men and women. came out
boldly with novels
Others tried their hands al poetry and
still others had "a go al writing for the
stage. and OF late years the thing has
become so much the fashion that the
list of titled scribblers includes one
Duke, three duchesses four cOuntesses,
nYe earls. and plain lords and ladies' tul
you simply cant rest.
Frankly the Thames has vet 20 be set
on IRE as the result Of a work by any
member OF this ilustri0us aggregation.
but II the literary. poetic. and drama
nc work produced thus far by Brit
ish titled folk isn't on the whole very
good IL isn't SO very bad. either and
there are perhaps half "A dozen men and
women of tit!- among the number who
have no small share OF the real stun
OF which successful writer's are made.
Success Of the Duchess.
First among these comes the youngest
OF the three duchesses meutioned-her
Grace OF Sutherland. She was the eId-
est daughter of the fourth Earl OF
Rosslyu. and is a sister OF the present
erratIc bearer of that title, who also
has had a shy az literature. and like
wise at acting, but who Is perhaps best
known as one OF the men who didn't
break the bank al Monte Carlo"
The Duchess of Sutherland Is distln-
euisLed in "a number Of ways She Is "a
beautiful woman. and since her mar
riage has dispensed hospitality at what
IL called the finest private residence in
the world. She has done "a lot OF really
important social work, too. and her