New-York tribune., 1908-03-01
LONDON NOTES.
Embassy Patronage-Fair Women
.Shou-Paritan Romance.
London, February p.

in London that plain statement or facts may
be instructive All presentations of Americans
embassy. but The number IS restricted by the
Lord Chamberlans regulations. Only four
American women can be presented at court
in the general circle. that the honor Is re-
served for sixteen I'm the course of q year. AS
there are scores of applications. very large
number Of American women are inevitably dis
appointed The embassy has the privilege of
presenting in the diplomatic circle women from
the legations in other capitals. but not the wives
and daughters Of consular officers. Consular
ladies are presented in the general circle like
ordinary visiting or resident Americans, and
they cannot attend court again within three
years nor are they entitled to invitations TO
subsequent court entertainments. These court
regulations apply 10 the consular services of all
countries represented in Great Britain Invita-
tions 10 court balls and garden parties come
directly from the palace officials and are not
controlled BIZ the embassies. The royal inclos-
ure at Ascot is the Kings private pleasure
ground and invitations are issued by one Of
the lords in waiting. Ordinarily as many as
ten Americans are invited at the request OF
the embassy, and these are visitors from Amer
lea rather than residents IN England II other
Americans are admitted to the inclosure it is
because they are the Kings friends and are
specially invited.
Court functions at Windsor, such as balls or
garden parties. are infrequent- When these
occur. invitations come from the court officials,
and the embassies do not have special priv
neges One or two seats in the visitors gal
Ieries al tn houses Of Parliament are at the
disposal of Americans calling at the embassy
Otherwise there are no privileges which the
embassy can command. in addition TO the lim-
ited number of presentations at courts and
levees and the ten places in the inclosure at
Ascot. There is always irresponsible gossip
over what is called embassy patronage, When'
as q matter of fact. there are few favors 10
bestoyz and a swarm Of claimants for thenl'
The chancellor Of the embassy, Mr. Garter. IN
the absence OF the ambassador, had arranged
for the presentation Of four American women
at the first court this week, but one OF therl'
ATrs. MahIon Sands. fell out at the last moment
from Illness. so that only three-AiSs NY1Ae'
Miss Scranton and Miss Van Zandt-were in
the general circle. Mrs. WyEne was precluded
r4v the general court regulations from attending
court within three years of her own presenta-
tion. but Mr.. Carter obtained q special invita-
ton for the consul general SO that he could
80 With his daughter The consul general. so
far from having any grievances against the en-
hEssv. has been treated with exceptional cour-
4esv since his arrival in London. Mr.. Garter,
who arranges the details Of presentations. is an
ideal first secretary. with perfect manners.
without trace Of snobbishness. and Americans.
whether residents or visitors. never have cause
for complaint Of neglect Or inconsiderate treat
n1ent Indeed there are complaints except
from people who want to have court functions
regulated for their own benefit
The Duchess Of Marlborough Is opening TO-
dav q most popular show at the New Gallery
an exhibition Of Fair Women" arranged by
the International Society Il includes over four
hundred works in oil water color. pastel black
and-vvFite. marble bronze and plaster; and IN
every instance the subject IS woman, and by
+1,a f7aIienabIe right Of the sex Is entitled to
be accounted fair and even beautiful The ma
4,-3tv Of the works have been loaned, the title Of
the exhibition having been an open sesame to
prtvate collections and the contributions are not
confined to members of the International So
cie+z. although they are fully represented. While
+Fe ,,ortrsite IN the Two large rooms are the
most interesting feature the sculptors and grav-
ers are not shut out. There are over seventy
examples Of sculpture in the central hail. prouTf-
-ant among them being Ny Watts's bronze Clytie,
three rortraft busts by n Auguste Rodin, pair
Of marble rnedallious by M Havard Thomas.
marble nortrait Of the Duchess of Portland by
Pietro Canonica. q large collection OF Jules
Da1o7I'= work. Mrs Charles Hunter in bronze and
Miss Genevieve Ward in plaster. IN the south
room and in the balcony every branch Of the
rrava-'s at is represented with fine variety the
exhibits being most artisticaIly arranged. There
ara drawings by NIillais. Rossetti and Burne-
Jones. Itbographs by Whistler. wood engrav-
inge bv 1Ir. Timothy Cole. sketches by Du
NIau-ier. Besnards pastel portrait Of Nine. Mar
chest three drawings or pastels Of the Duchess
Of Marlborough. and four Of M Sargent's char
coal studies-Lady Helen Vincent Miss Viola
Tree. Baroness de Meyer and Mrs. CornwaIlts
West
The ladies' hold high court in the large gal
Ierie= and If any are not fair they are al least
French and there Is a prejudice in the Latin
quarter against making subject too pretty!
a-o-tainl-. beauty IS not exaggerated in the line
Of French cauvases in the north room. but there
5- srlendid art in NJ Bonna1ss Mime. Edouard
F[arrl" emerging in triumph from reddish
brown cloud Of color, in the pair of Fantin La
tours. with their decisive modelling and in N.
Henri ReEnault's realistic portrait Of the vi
corntesze Dc Dampierre: and there are brilliant
flashes Of cIeverness in II. Besnard's portraits
of Nine Duruy and Nine Lemoine, in N,
Ranches Mile. Desree Manfred Lady
Diana" and in N. A de Ia Gandara'7 Nine
: Ivator-' on the opposite wall are five Sar-
gents the grand canvas of the Hon Percy
vvndharns three daughters among them,
in composition and decorative splen-
dor The stately Duchess Of Portland IN red
and white shares with Lady Eicho, Lady Ten
nent and Mrs. Adeane the right of being mum
bored among Engiand5 fair women. and so does
the unnamed lady in black with pensive face,
t71t elderly Miss Evans. from the Provost's
house at Eton. hardly belongs in the list of
beauties. mastery is the painting. and Lady
Icaa,,-s uecl, is as abnormal II was at the