Pars about Notabilities.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 287, 2 December 1911, Page 15

Pars about Notabilities.

- T Maitre Labori, who has just been elected leader ot the Paris bar, took a commanding part, in the second Dreyfus trial at Reiines. He is a leader of great force and possesses a style that is dignified and irresistible. Following his election he was given an ovation, the retiring leader, Maitre Busson-Billaut, publicly embracing him. Labori was 'born at Rheinis, in 1860, lie studied at home and then spent two years in Germany and England, being called to the bar in 1884. His writings on legal subjects are recognized as authoritative. The Hon. Mrs. Robert Hamilton, who is about to write a biography of her father, the first Viscount Wolverhampton, was earliest known to the literary world as Miss Edith Fowler in distinction from her elder sister, Miss Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler, the popularity of whose novels she never quite equalled. Both daughters of the stern and unbending Henry Fowler, a leading light of the Wisleyan Connexion to the last, embraced the" Anglican Church as they grew into womanhood; and the intending biographer is the wife of a Church of England clergyman. Professor William M. Flinders Petrie, who has returned to England from another exploring tour of Egjpt, bringing back some painting.? on canvas ana cedar panels, dating back to 100 A.D.. is rid wards Professor of Egyptology in University College, London, and has been exploring Egypt since ISSO. He seems to inherit something of the nature of his father, who was an Australian explorer of note. Professor Petrie has made many important finds, adding much to the "world's knowledge of ane.ent Egypt, and has published numerous works about its people. The proper pronunciation of the name of M. Maeterlinck, who gets the Nobel prize this year, is not Mayterlinek, but Mahterlinck. The name is Flemish, and the Flemish dipththong "ac" is the equivalent of the Dutch dipththong "aa," sounded, as in the English, "baa." Born at Ghent, M. Maeterlinck was educated by the Jesuits; and he hated them, not for the reason for which Protestants object to them, but because they forbade him to read the works of Victor Hugo and Alfred de Mussct. He wanted to become a doctor, but his parents made him a lawyer. He says, "The laurels of Cicero were not the laurels which prevented mc from sleeping." So he published ten poems, under the title ol "Serve.* Cbn"des." Prince Ferdinando Alfonso de Liguorl, who was recently arrested in Rome, being unable to settle a "cab fare, is a scion of D one of Italy's oldest families and. has had a remarkable career. His name is in the gold book of Naples, showing that the title conferred on Mb ancestors was a Bourbon honour. At the age of twen-ty-five the prince went to America and enlisted. His marriage in Italy later on resulted in a divorce. Tien the prince became a literary faddist, publishing book after book, regardless of expense, despite ridicule and the fact that few of the forty-odd volumes had any sale. Failing to enter a monastery, he was again thrown on his own resources, and is now in abject poverty. Two more members of the peerage have announced their intention of becoming chorus girls. One of these is Miss Eleanor Montgomerie, daughter of Lady Sophia Montgomerie, who is a sister of Lord Eglinton and Winton. The other is Lady Sydney Montague Ogilvie-Grant, a daughter of the tenth Earl of Seafield and sister of the present earl. Both these ladies have given as their reasons for doing so that they find social life dull and unattractive, and long for the delights of Bohemia. Miss Montgomerie has D secu.-ed an engagement with Mr. George Ec'wardes, whose company at „he Gaiety is already illumined by the presence' of Miss Ellaine Cecil, a daughter of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, and Viscount Dangan, eldest son and heir ol Earl Cowley. British interests in China during the astounding movement that is taking place there are in the safe hands of a man who has been in the East for thirty-five years. Sir John Jordon, who is an Ulster man with an Ulster wife, went out to Peking directly he joined the Consular Service in 1876 at the age of twentyfour. There he remained for twenty years, steadily advancing his position at the British Legation, and witnessing many of the remarkable movements, re-tro-rade and progressive, that characterised Chinese history during the latter part of the nineteenth century. In 1890 he left China, but only to go to Korea, where he "became Minister Resident five years later. Remaining at Seoul through the Russo-Japanese war, which led eventually to the annexation of Korea, he in 1906 succeeded Sir Ernest Satow as British Minister at Peking. The Earl of Cavan, who celebrated his forty-sixth birthday some few weeks ago, has worthily upheld the reputition of his family, the Lambarts, for his prowess in athletics and sport. He is one of the best all-round sportsmen in the country, for he hunts, shoots and" yachts, is a keen deer-stalker, cyclist and btlliardplaver and has been president of the Lawn Tennis Association. The Lambarts are a most original family, possessing very distinctive traits of character. The late Dowager Countess was a confirmed smoker, and strongly believed in the soothing effects of a cigarette; while Lady Mary Sladen, Lord Cavan s aunt, figures, or did figure, on the active list of the Salvation Army. She WW *&« uniform, with the letter "§ <*£■ collar, and held the rank of Serjwasftj Major. • I When Sir Henry Verney, whose engagement to Lady Rachel Bruce 18 announced, is married there will come into requisition an interesting heirloom This is the historic ring—with a miniature of Charles the First set in diamonds-found on a severed hand after the battle, of Edgehill in 164-2. Sir Edmund Verney the King's Standard-Bearer on that eventful day, was slain, but his was never found, and the hand was identified by means of the ring, with which mem- ! hers of the family are married. His son ! lived in France during the Commonwealth, and his grandson was created ! Viscount Fermanagh, whose son eventuI ally became Earl of Verney. "whose niece, I the last holder of the earldom, died in ! 1810, and bequeathed Claydonl House with all its treasures to her half-sister, ' Kathrrine Calvert. The larder's son in ' 1818 was created a baronet, and took the ' name of Verney. Sir Harry is the fourth : baronet, his father, Sir Edmund, dying I two or three days after the J*te LaJW 1 Edward-