FIRST MEETINGS OF FAMOUS LOVERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 109, 8 May 1903, Page 8

FIRST MEETINGS OF FAMOUS LOVERS.

There are few moments in a man's life which linger so long and tenderly in the memory as. that in which his eyes first, rested on the face of the woman who was destined to' become bis life companion, the sharer of all his joys and sorrows.

"0, Edward, do look there! Did you ever see such a lovely face? I, wonder who she can be?" exclaimed Mrs Bulwer to her son at a literary gathering in London one day three-quarters of a'century ago, and the son turned his eyes, languidly in the direction his mother indicated, to find them arrested by the most beautiful vision of girlish loveliness he had. ever seen. That glance of a; moment sealed his fate, for Kosina* Wheeler became the wife of the young man who was later "to be known to fame aa Lord liytton/ ; ;

There* was little that wa6 romantic

in the first meeting of Kean, the great tragedian, and the woman who was to tear his name. It was on the stage of Cheltenham Theatre that, Chutes itean and Missl Chambers, a\ pre Sty; young actress, first saw each other. -, — , "Who is that shabby little man with the brilliant eyes?" Miss Chambers asked in the hearing of the king of the |tage. "And who," Kean retorted aloud, "ip that odd, little-woman?"

From this singularly. inauspicious opening Kean's love drama proceeded so swiftly that before ! a month had gone the curtain was rung down at the altar. • '

'.Scott's first passion .took its origin in a shower, when he gallantly affered his umbrella to a charming girl as she was leaving church. It was not long before the proffer of his umbrella was followed by the offer of his hand, which was accepted equally graciously.

It was at the first performance of his "Sylvania" at Frankfort that Weber, the famous, composer, met his matrimonial fate. At the close of *the opera the applause was deafening, and the delighted audience clamoured loudly for the composer, who, overwhelmed by nervousness, declined to show himself. At this juncture Miss Caroline Brandt, whose singing had contributed much to the success of the performance, seized hold of Weber's Hand aud dragged him by main force before the curtain. It was with much less reluctance that he held the same hand later before the altar.

Describing his first meeting with his wife, Bishop Hall wrote:—"Walking from the church with a grave and reverend minister, I saw a comely and modest gentlewoman standing at the door of that house where we were invited to a wedding dinner, and inquired of that worthy friend whether he knew her. Tes,' quoth he, T know her well and have bespoken her for your wife.'"

Cobbett first saw the girl who was to become such a devoted wife when her arms were deep in the soapsuds of a wash tub. "That's the girl for me!" exclaimed the young soldier, as he then was, and five years later "the maid of the washtub" became Mrs Cobbettrx

Balzac was gazing through the window of a Swiss inn when his reverie was broken by the sweet voice of a girl asking if he would allow ber to remove her book from the »window seat against which he was leaning. The lady was the Princess Hanski, who later dowered the composer with her love and her riches.

When Archbishop Tait was first introduced to his future wife she. was busily engaged in making the identical pair of slippers which, unknown to both of them, he was to wear during their honeymoon, and the first glimpse Miss Reed had of Benjamin Franklin was as he,passed her house on his return from a baker's shop with a roll tucked under each arm, while he-was diligently eating a third.

Miss Glynne's attention was first drawn to her distinguished husband, Mr Grla4stone, at the dinner table of a mutual friend. "Take careful' note of that young man," her neighbour whispered to'her, "for one day be will be Prime,-Minister of England." Warren Hastings fell a victim to the charms of Baroness Imhoff during a voyage to India, when he had the misfortune to be taken seriously ill, and owed his life to the tender nursing of the failGerman lady., And Dean Biickland lost his heart, while .travelling by coach in the. West, of England, tp a pretty young lady, who he found was - immersed in himself was. reading. This accidental discovery of a kindred .taste- to the, young man possibilities which were richly realized when Miss Morland became Mrs Buckland. '

Brindley, the great engineer/was introduced to his wife when she was a small school girl, and his first love offerings took the welcpme form of gingerbread; while Macready's life romance began when he scolded a tiny nine-year-old actress for. forgetting the words" of her part. He made ample amends, however, for this seeming unkindness when in Later years he rehearsed the marriage ceremony with her.