The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1917-02-03
ECL|PSED A PRINCE
Beau BrummeI 0utshone and
Then Snubbed the Regent.
STORY OF A FAMOUS cRAvAT.
After His Historic Quarrel With Wales
the Beau Won = sartoriai Triumph
That Almost choksd His Royal Mas
ter With Envy and Dismay.

That Almost choksd His Royal Mas
ter With Envy and Dismay.
1t was Beau Brummel who was de-
scribed rs the glass OF fashion and
the mold OF FORM and today there are
4, ordinarily only two things which the
name of the famous dandy Of the Eng
lish court suggests. One is an arbiter
of fashion, the other the incident In
which Brummel asked of companion
of the Prince Of Wales. who Is your
fat friendi"
In 1896 Beau Brummel still was liv-
Ing. and the New York Mirror. a week
ly publication devoted to literature
and the fine arts printed biograph-
ical sketch of him as figure In con-
temporary history. Reading 1t today
makes very real character now little
more than tradition.
For an obscure individual without
fortune or rank to have conceived the
Idea of placing himself at the head Of
society In country the most thor
oughly aristocratic In Europe, relying
too, upon no other weapon than well
directed insolcnce; for the same indi
vidual to have triumphed splendidly
over the highest and the mighticst-to
have maintained a contest with royalty
itself and to have come off victorious
even I'm that struggle-for such one
no ordinary faculties must have been
demanded" the Mirror said In Its issue
of June 4. 1886.
IL ,.ti %., hat
George Bryan. Brummel's father, was
Lord Norrll's secretary; that the son
ut Eton and later ut Ballot college ac-
quired reputation for being a swell
dresser and that still later he was a
favorite OF the Prince OF Wales, who
was to become George Nv. of Great
Britain The Mirror related the IA
miliar story of the fiat friend" immor-
tailed In Punch cartoon. explaining
the circumstances which led up to 1t.
A mutual friend had dared Brummel
to give an order to Wales. who was
then prince regent, and at n dinner the
dandy said to him, wales. ring the
bell!' The prince did so and when a
servant appeared said, "Show Mr.
Brummel to his carriage" 1t was to
repay the regent for this public humil-
iation that Beau Brummel uttered his
famous question the next day In the
street. The prince was growing cor
puient and sensitive of the fact. SO a
feud between the two was launched
with the remark.
1t is un old story up to this point, but
the Mirror proceeded with some facts
which probably have never been pub.
lished since. Brummel boosted that
he would put the prince regent out of
fashion, made his plans at once and
sprang his coup Mt brilliant ball
given by the Duchess of Devonshire.
In the Mirrors own words:
when the whole assembly were con-
versing upon his supposed disgrace,
Brummel suddenly stood In the midst
of them. Could 1t be indeed Brum-
mel: Could It be mortal who thus ap-
peared with such an encincture of ra-
diant glory about his neck? Every eye
was upon him, fixed in stupid admira-
ton: every tongue, MS it slowly recov-
cred from Its speechless paralysis fall
tered forth. What cravat!'"
And then the description Of the era
vat which COMPOUNDED the guests Mt
the Duchess OF Devonshire's ball:
'There it stood, smooth and stiff, yet
light and almost transparent; delicate
ms the music of Ariel. yet firm as the
spirit of Regulus; bending with the
gra"e OF Apollo's locks. yet erect with
the majesty of the Olympian Jove;
without wrinkle. without an indenta-