The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-22

mo AEaghth Duke on Argyii.

I 0VMH NASU hUU1Aaa
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~ The Eighth Duke OF. Argyli.
The most important contribution %
British biographical literature which has
a. yet been made In the twentieth century
will be found In the two thick volumes that
cot forth the narrative entitled Georos
Douglas, Eighth Duke OF Argyll, edited by
the 4Dowager Duchess (E. p. Dutton d
Coz. In the year 1897 the subject OF this
work had begun an autobiography, which.
however, at the time Of his. death In 1906
had only bean brought down to near the
close Of 'les1s The autobiography OCCUPIES
the first volume and some ninety pages OF
the second volume Of this work. For the
account Of the remainder OF her husbands
life we are indebted to the Dowager Ouch
eos, who has continued the narrative, 90
far a. possible, In the Dukes own words.
by reproducing his thoughts and opinions
through the medium Of letters to friends
and quotations from his speeches and
writings. What gives peculiar interest
10 this hook IL the many sidednees Of the
subjects career. His high rank and the
conspicuous part which 'he long played I'm
public LIE brought him. of course, into
intimate relations with tho men who made
Britain's political and economic history
dufine the last half Of The nineteenth GEN.
tufy, while owing to his own literary ao-
cotnplishments and his considerable scien-
tihD, requirements he enjoyed familiar
intercourse during much Of his adult life
with most OF the distinguished scientists
and men Of letters Of his day. His i'm
prsasions are recorded with a happy mixture
Of iffanknees and discretion In the auto
biography and in the letters which form q
large part of the second volume.
The autobiography begins with a sketch
Of he authors grandfather, the fifth Duke
ofgArgyll, who was born in 1873, just a
oeStury before the date Of the authors
birth. With a oreditable reticence the
Ddtte lea ves the reader to obtain from Brit
ishshiStorians an outline Of the earlier rec
ordh of the house Of Argyll. We may briefly
suIa up the story, which he ~refrains from
telling, by recalling that about the begin
ming Of the fifteenth century large estates
in Argyllshire we're bestowed by the Scot
tish sovereign on the Campbells Of Lochow,
who have ever since reta ined most of them.
Colin, second Lord Campbell. was crea ted
Earl Of Argyll in. 1857; Archibald. the second
Eati, fell at Fl6ddeh: another Archibald,
fourth Earl. was the first nobleman in Scot
land to declare himself q Protestant; still
sn6ther Archibald the fifth Earl. was q
fanious supporter OF Queen Mary: Archi-
bald, the eighth Earl and first Marquis,
was that champion Of the Presbyterian
cause who was defeated by Montrose in
1o4b, but. who SIX years later 'plaoed the
crown on the head Of King Charles II. at
Scone, having been aliepated from the
English Republicans by the execution OF
Charles l. That service was presently for
gotten, for, having gone to London after
the Restoration in 1890, the Marquis Of Argyll
was arrested and imprisoned, and when
subsequently, tried at Edinburgh was con-
victed Of high treason on the score of al
legged reasonable correspondence with Gen.
Monk, was condemned to death and the
forfeiture Of his titles and estates. and
executed in May, 1901. Charles H., how
ever, RENTED the forfeiture Of the esta les
In favor Of the Marquis's son., who was
created Earl Of Argyll. but who himself,
having taken part in Monmouth's rebellion
against James H.. was convicted Of treason,
attained and behea ded at Edinburgh In
June. 1885. '''
His eldest son, also called Archibald.
came over with the Prince Of Orange in
1855, and wa admitted into the convention
tenth Earl Of Argyll, though his fathers
sttainder had not been reversed. In 1901
he was created Duke Of Argyll, and on his
death, two years later. wes succeeded by
John, the second Duke, who ultimately
Was created by George I. mot, as the auto
biography says. by Anne) Duke Of Green
wich also. With the exception Of Marl-
borough, he. the second Duke Of Argyll, &C
<~,rol tbo h;ohast rop,taftop ~ mn Enolish |
Of his time and after the accession of
the House Of Hanover took a leading part In
the civil administration up to 174O, three
before his death. His successor,
Archibald, the third Duke, had commanded
the royal army at the battle OF Sheriff.
muir, in the rebellion OF l715. In l7s4
was made keeper Of the Great Seal, and
retained this office till his death in 1851.
The Mamore branch Of the family descended
from q younger son OF the ninth Earl, now
succeeded to the ukedom OF Argyll, in the
Of the great grandfather Of the
Of the autobiography. The latter's
is said by him on page 10 to
have become the fifth Duke in 1857. while on
page II he makes the date ITO, which is
The fifth Duke died in 1905 and
followed excessively by his two sons,
The younger Of whom was the father OF the
subject Of the present work We should
here mention that the latter's patemal
grandmother was Elizabeth Dunning, the
daughter Of an Irish country gentleman.
md reputed IN Britain the most beautiful
woman Of her time, who married. first.
he Duke Of Hamilton and secondly Col
Campbell, afterward fifth Duke Of Argyll.
George Douglas Campbell was. born On
April 30, 1923. in an unimposing country
house which had been built on tho site Of
he old Castle OF Ardencaple, and COM
mands a view Of the estuary Of the Clyde.
father, who. during the lifetime Of his
elder brother, the sixth Duke, was not the
posaessor Of a large income. had married
'or his second wife Miss Joan Glassel, Of
stock, whose father had bought In
Lothian a small landed estate yielding
m income Of rather more han G., 800
! year. John Glassel's wife, however, our
maternal grandmother, was a
Brown, whose sister married the ninth
Earl OF Dalhousie, and through whom the
treat MARQUIS of Dalhousie, Governor-Gen-