The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-29

Of talk about the great industrial Exhibition
which Prince Albert had designed, and
which was 10 be held o twelvomcnth later
In the Crystal Palace. Our author deems
the date opportune for recalling his Inn
preston OF the young German prince who
had become the husband OF Queen Victoria.
Il knew no says, q great deal more
about the Prince than was known TO the
public, or indeed to any but . very few
parsons who enjoyed o real intimacy with
the Queen. One Of those was my mother.
in-law, the Duchess Of Sutherland, b
had been In the Queens service as Mistress
OF tho Robes ever since hor Ma5esty's
accession to the throne We are told
that tho Duchess had met Prince Albert
ut Romo and had then besn struck by the
beauty OF his oountenanoe. When he
married the Queen the Duchess had abun-
dant opportunities Of observing his pure
and conscientious Life aud tho unselhsh
devotion with which he labored system
atically In tho service Of the monarchy and
of its people. For his own part our author
testihes that 'the Prince had q oo~untenanoe
modelled on the type Of beauty conceived
by the great masters 90 representing souls
that have reached the spiritual world.
There was great sweetness and great gentle
ness In bis face, but no had q powerful fore
head and u calm, penetrating eye. where
moments OF reflection were intsrchanged
with chances which bespoke the frequent
suggestions Of humor and amusement
The fact II here ct the same lime Teco0-
nized that the insular dislike OF all foreign
ers, which Ii a feature Of the English char
aoter, told against any general popularity.
"The CLASSES, however, most Interested In
science and In art were all impressed by his
knowledge and ability when they came
into contact with him, and the long and in-
tricate preparations which we're necessary
to bring to q successful issue his great
scheme OF an International exhibition
were the hrst transactions which spread
widely among the middle classes some
knowledge Of this very remarkable man.
During the few years which he spent In
London before his entrance into Official
life the Duke Of Argyll went about o good
deal In socety, and he devotes some pages
to "reminiscences OF the men OF letters
and scientists whose acquaintance he made
at the time. Those were the days when the
habit OF giving breakfasts ~obtainsd-real
breakfasts, no synonyms for luncheons,
but breakfasts at which you sat down
from ESQ to 10 A. NJ. The principal break
fast gvers were Samuel Rogers, though
in 1850 he was 81 years old: Bishop Samuel
Wilberforce; Monckton Mines, afterward
Lord Houghton: Henry Hallam, the his
torian; Maoaulay: Lord Mahon, afterward
Earl Stanhope, and Sir Charles Lyell, the
g~eologist. When our author first knew
Rogers In is4l he was 90 and he continued
leading the same ubiquitous social life for
ten years longer. We are assured, how
ever, that he had lone Of the venerable
aspect OF age in his appearance. he
was hideous to behold, He wa
q small man with q bald head, q very fiat
face and a complexion perfectly cadaver.
GUS. His eyes were sharp and o~bservant,
but smiability was not conspicuous in tho
expression. His speech was slow and
always apparently premeditated. He was
famous for his sharp sayings, not infre.
quently bitter Rogers could never bear
to see those around him listening to any n
but himself. or this impotence he gave
an exhibition at q dinner given by Thomas
Granville, son Of the author Of the Stamp
hOt. SuE oubiiot SSoub bhDt IA SGNta
pundas had told q good story we'll. where
upon Rogers slowly lifted his corpselike
facs and with q most vicious expression
said: Il have been waiting a long time
till Dundas had ended. May be allowed
now to get In one word edgewise?' Rogers
must lave detested Maoaulay and have
longed oven more p~assionately than Sydney
Smith TO get from the distinguished monol-
ogist some brilliant flashes Of silence
OF Macaulay's breakfasts our author re-
cords that 1T mattered little who formed
the party 80 far as conversation was con-
oerned, for nobody listened to any m
except to Macaulsy himself. Macaulay
was the only great conversationalist !
have ever heard. or course. it was peculiar.
There was very little give and take II
ny one did interfere, perhaps to ask a
question, Macaulay would instantly reply,
Don't you remember and then recon-
mence with endless quotations In ~illustra-
ton OF his reply" The Duke can we'll
understand, he says, that people who
wished themselves to talk may have found
Macaulay oppressive, but he confesses
that to him who never had the least ambi-
ton Of the kind Maoaulay's conversation
was as delightful as 1t was wonderful. 1T
was the %outpouring Of an inexhaustible
memory illuminated by q brilliant intellect.
There wa one characteristic especially
enjoyable in Macaulay's conversation, and
that was Its sp~ontaneity. At his table
there never was the least possibility Of
suspecting that any subject was intro
duoed in order that he might hold forth
1t. Anything and everything that
turned up on any branch of history or Of
literature drew forth from him the lively
flow Of his abundant stores. The criticism
might have beer made that there was In
his conversation the same fault as In his
wn~dngs-that he drew always In strong
lines, and in somewhat violent oolors, that
the nicer shades were wanting; but the
strength Of the language always carried
~ away with unoeasing surprise and
admiration"
Sydney Smith was never seen but once by |
the author Of this autobiography, who says: |
He was a bulky man, with a large and
powerful head, a curved nose and a tremen-
dous chin. He was evidently unwell, and,
as regards any expected contribution to |
the conversation from him, the dinner was !
q complete failure. He hardly spoke, and
seemed dull and oppreaaed. We learn