New-York tribune., 1905-04-10

q
in the furnishing and decoration of It Che had
passion for buhl and Ormolu furniture) and there
he dwelt an exile in shabby genteel poverty. but
a man Of fashion. In September, 1880. he made
consul at Caen. His habits remained unchanged
through all the long period Of his decadence Once.
at Calais. a noble acquaintance. passing through
the town. invited him to dinner.-at O'Clock.
Really" said the Beau. Il cannot feed at such
early hour"
George w (for the Prince who had been Regent
from 1910. became King in 1920. visited Calais. in
September 1921. and he his old friend among
the people in the crowded street. but there was
meeting. and there Is evidence that any
muncatiOn ever passed between them. The quarrel.
whatever may have caused it. bitter one. and
the two men cherished resentment toward each
other to the last. At Caen Brummel's difficulties
increased. A stroke of paralysis in 1892. warned
him Of the approaching end In April, 1884, he had
another stroke. which came upon him while he
sitting at dinner; yet he had the presence OF mind
to rise hide his face with napkin, and retire
gracefully from the room Misfortunes never come
sngly. The consulate at Caen was abolished The
Beau arrested for debt and thrown into prison,
where ne languished for nearly three months. when
a friend paid his debt and obtained his release.
After that his mind began to fail His memory
grew confused. He soliloQuized. in public places
He became Indifferent to dress and appearance
His fine manners however, lasted, when everything
else went to pieces One Of his crazed fancies was
that on certain nights, he must entertain visitors,
and, those occasions, his atCendanCS would set
out the whist table. light the tallow candle. and
presently announce her grace the Duchess Of
Devonshire; at the sound Of which name the de-
mented Beau would rise from his chair and elabo-
rately greet and welcome this phantom of the past.
Other ghosts came. The lips of the old man teemed
with compliments and fine speeches He thought
himself surrounded with the lords and ladies OF
the court OF the Regent. Then his eyes would
NIL with tho tears Of dotage At 10 o'clock the
carriages were announced and the guests were dis
diem 1fGeqI
was not long delayed. Penniess. helpless, friendA
less imbecle, the wretched was. at last, con-
veyed to a religious hospital. the Bon Saveur, and
there, on March 80, 1S4O he passed away. HIS re-
mains were buried in the Protestant Cemetery OF
Caen.
Many characteristic anecdotes OF Brummel are
told by Captain Jesse. In reply to a nobleman who
had accused him Of leading his son into disreput-
able courses the gaming table, he said; ftes4ly
I did my best for the young man. once gave nm
my arm, all the way from Whites to Watlers'
To a lady at dinner who observed that he dld not
eat vegetables and inquired whether he never ate
any, he replied: ''Yes, madam, once ate a pea
On being asked. in an unreasonable summer
whether he had ever seen such a one. ne answered.
yes last winter" When some one inquired now
he happened to catch a cold, his reply was: / lefe
nv carriage yesterday evening, on my way TO town
from the Pavilion and the inhdel Of landlord put
me into a room with a damp stranger ROBIN
son." he said to his valet. wishing TO snuo ooIe
who was DoCnerlnB MN dDOuL IA40 A-4Si-94A '1~0
(which Of the lakes do admire2 "Windermere'
sir retoined the valet. "Ah yes" Brummel add
ed ''Windermere-so 1t is-Windermere come
to Brighton" he cried: well eat currant tart ana
live in chintz and salt water" When the Prlhce
Of Wales cut his acquaintance at a ball at the
Hanover Square Rooms he turned to a nobleman
standing near and said: "Alvarney. who's your rat
friend?" And this right. because Drummer
was one Of the givers Of the ball. and the Prince
had sought an invitation, and had acted IN an
an, PrIIr0 mel
nestly and Indignantly having used the words at
tributed to him another occasion; wales, rlng
the bell' That impertinent speech has been foist-
ed upon him with assiduty and 1t seems TO have
taken a prominent place in biography. He was
sometimes insolent, but that particular specimen
Of insolence is fictitious Lady Hester Stanhope'
who knew him we'll, said Of Brummel that ne was,
an exceedingly clever man, always suttlng his con-
versation to his hearers. and that ne almost az
ways paid her the compliment or taking
IN a sensible manner "Civility." he once re-
marked may truly be said to cost nothing; II II
does not meet with due return it, at least leaves
you In the most creditable position.
The personal appearance of Beau Brumnel was
impressive and winning He moved with and
grace and without haste. His dress was elaborate
and magnificent, but it was neither ostentatious
nor grotesque. He the personihcatlon or clean
uness He lived within the narrow circle OF con-
vention. He was not man of strong feelings OF
impulses Of fervid ideas and ambitions; ne must
have been both narrow and cold; but he was far
removed from a barber's block or a fashion plate
His paramount desire was to excel IN the ART OF
social intercourse. He wished to wear perfect
rainent and to maintain perfect demeanor-Dy
which he understood demeanor of tranquility, ele-
Rance and grace. He did not seek distinction IN
political nfe nor in the army. nor as writer HIS
world was the social world and within that realm
he was supreme. The period Of the Regency IN
Irneland was the right period for such man
for It was a period Of excessive luxury. The char-
acter of the Regent has generally been painted IN
dark colors and making due allowance Ior WhaU
Lord Byron aptly called the wrath ana parttAitS
of all good history" there seems no reason 10
doubt that he was luxurious, icentious. rapaclous
and cr1el-an insensate profgate and heartless
Ibertine But he was epcurean in his tastes ne
had grand manners, and he was splendid IN ms
profusion. He kept gay court, and ne practiSeu
and fostered liberal magnihcence OF manners
Men Of conscience simple. virtuous and deep 1eeI-
ings were not understood by him. and We're not
conpenisl with him. If such men came within the
scope of his influence and succumbed TO H. they
were injured by it. Sheridan was one or MS inu-
mates though eleven years his senior ana worn
with labor care and dissipation; but the intimacy
- ,,a,tbar +o sberidan's creult to his welfare
F2r,,uuel fitted into the sphere OF the Regent
without suffering detriment, for the reason that
his nature was shallow. He did not become de-
pressed His inclinations were toward rennemeht'
hut he had neither a deep heart nor acute mora!
sensbility. The plane on which he met the Regent
was the plane Of superficial things. His comeiness
Of person his wealth Of dress and his fine manner
originally commended him to the attention Of the
Prince when lad and no doubt his good heaItn
and his enjoyment Of the present hour confirmed
the liking Of that potentate. Various stories Of
him that are told by Captain Jesse denote that he
could accurately estimate most of the people with
whom he was brought into contact. and that he
dominated many Of them as well by a certain sub
acid tone OF latent in his speech as by his
overwhelming sincerity in the matters Of dress and
10 wit hR prin of