The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-15
by LA NARaUIsE DE FoNTENoY.
HE Duke OF Roxburghe, who arr
rives in New York to-morroM

BY LA N1ARQUISE DE FONTENOY.
- HE Duke OF Roxburghe, who arr
rives in New York tomorrow
by the German liner. Crown
princess Cecilie, with his Amer
lean wife, formerly Miss Nay Goelet,
lhis being their first visit to the
United States since their marriage. sew,
en- years ago, bears name and u title.
phiies all the world over. for the
third duke. on account OF q romantic
love affair with a royal princess OF
one of the reigning houses OF Germany.
pledged himself TO a life OF celibacS.
and sought consolation for his sorrows
In the collection Of a world-famed IL
brary, which after his death was sold
at auction In London. The sale lasted
not less than forty-two days and at
tracted collectors from the United
nent OF Europe, among the most not
able treasures being the "valdarfer
Boccaccio." printed in Venice in 14I1.
and which after passing through the
hands of the late Duke OF Marlborough
and OF Lord Spencer. is now. under
stand, in the possession OF J.. Pierpont
Morgan.
The romance which led the third
Duke OF Roxburghe to live and die
unmarried, is but little known. yet Is
the year 1861 this duke set out on the
grand tour OF Europe, with all the
pomp and circumstance betting his
rank and the stateliness of his time.
He was handsome. gallant and twenty
one. On his way back from Moscow
he halted for time at the little court
OF Strelitz. which was then ruled by
the dowager grand duchess, to whom
her son, the reigning duke. Frederick
Adolph w. and his brothers. respect
tiers, Princess Christine. lovely girl
OF twenty, and Princess Charlotte,
small and frightfully plain. the ugly
duckling OF the family, The young
Duke OF Roxburghe fell violently IN
love with Christine. and she not only
smiled upon his suit. but promised
him her hand. her mother and eldest
brother looking upon the match with
approval.
! Then strange thing 9grn, napg gemand
on the part Of George III. OF England
for the hand Of the homely Princess
Charlotte, which was. of course, at
once granted, along with the accept
ance Of the stipulation, made by the
British government, that no m .a rn,e, !,
should marry British subject. This
dashed to the ground all the hopes
OF the Duke Of Roxburghe and put IN
end to his plans for union. with Erin.
cess Christine lie left strelitz at
once. and for the subsequent forty.
seven years which elapsed until his
death spent his life in virtual retire
ment, devoting himself entirely to his
books and never appearing at court.
The standard "Peerages" accord to MN
alluding to him as having been q
Knight OF the Garter. But Tor ms
sake Princess Christine, OF Nlecklen-
burg Strelitz, remained unmarried un.
til her death. rejecting all OFFERS OF
marriage. finding no wooer who could
L n n mi, orfa0 syith a a. liant and hand.
some scotchman who had won her
heart before her homely sister Char
lotte had become Queen OF I'm land,
It is only fair to King George IL.
to explain that he had no voice what
soever in the selection OF his 6consort,
who was chosen for him by his mother,
the Princess OF Wales. and by her Sunl-
lyersally detested favorite and Prime
Minister. the Marquis Of Butte. with
the object Of preventing the 1nfatua-
;cinating Lady Sarah Lennox leading
him into inviting her to share his
throne.
When this third duke died the hon-
ors and estates deyolved upon his
remote kinsman, William Ker. de-
second Earl Of Roxburghe. who mao a.
.!!hourished at the court of James II
He. too. died without issue, and Their
there Were number Of clatma nts tc
lsCH6 OuheuOHl. buI e0VeuLu1lAy llloSSol!
mittee Of Privileges Of the House Of
Lords awarded the dukedom and the
/ minor honors and the ordinary tri.
bunals of Scotland assigned the duca
estates to Sir James Innes Norcliffe
Bart, although popular opinion In
SEQ tlnnd, as we'll as q number of ge'
\ .nealogists. protested again this de
1. cision,, Insisting that 1t should have
been made IN favor Of Major Genera
Walter Ker, OF Littledeani as heir male
4 Of the Hers Of Cessford, The genera
4 was reduced to the direst poverty
\ completelYgruined by the legal expen,
dIture IN connection with his claim
4 to he,;duked ON. and his estate Of Lit
i stied can was sold and now forms par
Of Lord Pollsworth's beautiful place 4
N BerWickshire, on the banks of thu
Tweed The legal proceedings LASTED
4 for nun her, ofss years and amonf
llitthe claimants was Robert Hepburn
Kers baker, at Kingston, Jamaica, tt
Whom at one moment the commttte'
! Of 'sPrivileg seemed Inclined to aware
~ Tloors Castle. on the Tweed, tn,
principal home of the IKE Of, Rox
4 hurghe, which has been beautiful!
i restorad, refurnlshed and equipped
WITT allstheSmo dern luXur1es sine
Ms marriag Sc, Is a. u tle&oYer aOo year
s|5niiG and was bull t ccordl II e to n
II = ass',ans " = III Sir "a j ohm ~ anhruRh, IN