A GOSSIPY AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

Evening Star, Issue 9582, 31 December 1894, Page 4 (Supplement)

A GOSSIPY AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

Sffi WILLIAM GREQOBY'S OLD F&IENDS. j DISHAELT, PALMBBSTON, AND PRINOB OF WALKS. . [Fbok Oub Special Oobesspondsnt,] ~ £ondqk, October 27. Far the most entertaining volume of personal gossip we have had this year is the late Sir Wflliam Gregory's Autobiography, edited by Ms-wife, and just jpubliahedT by "John Murray: This amusing veteran must not be confused with "Bit .Charles Gregory, the venerable civil, engi-' ceec, who- recently espoused the octogenarian, Mrs Stirling. Sir "William was a much moreimportant .and distinguished - individual The Autobiography was written for Lady Gregory and her boy, and not with a view to publication. " It must have been all the livelier for that before Lady Gregory (as she say Bin her preface) " left out many passages that seemed too per- ■ ' sonal, or that might have vexed the living or ' slighted the memory of the dead. 1 ' It is still' lively enough, and will be a popular volume this winter. The editing has been on the whole, judiciously done. A passage or two, however, deallng#ery freely with the private lives of Lady Beaoonsfield and her illustrious husband will not be read with universal pleasure. The gossip only illustrates the well known coni'ugal affection of a.devoted husband and wife, mt it wanted pruning in the printed narrative. We prefer this story, which, though it is not quite new, is freshly told : ANBODOTKS OV ME DISRAELI. M In the year 1868, one day, in the lobby of the Hou*e of Commons, Colonel Taylor," the whip of the Tory party, told him that many of his friends were dissatisfied at the distant manner in which he treated them. Mr Disraeli asked who the malcontents were. . •'' Here is one of them,' said Taylor, pointing to "'Pray introduce me at once,' said Mr Disraeli. "Accordingly he was introduced, and quite fascinated the old sailor, who, on shaking hands/* said: "' Mr Disraeli, I am extremely glad to make your acquaintance. I am not a novel reader; but my daughter* are. They have read all your novels, and constantly express a high opinion of them.' i "' This is indeed fame !' replied Mr Disraeli, in a solemn tone, but with an indescribable look at Colonel Taylor." Sir William Gregory was able to illustrate Lord Beaconsfield's staunchness to certain old friends:—" One day in 1867 we met in St. James's street, "and he took my arm as far as the Carlton. He spoke with jnuoh kind feeling about old times, hoped that although I could r not be his political supporter I would always i continue out of the House gur pleasant relations , of former days. I answered that I thought he mast be aware I had not forgotten them, for though on many occasions I had mide speeches adverse to his policy, I had carefully avoided , ever saying one word which could be personally ' disagreeable to him. He said: 'My dear Gregory, I should be blind if I had not noticed your invariable courtesy to me, and I have been anxious to get the opportunity which has today occurred of renewing our old friendship. And now let me ask you to do me a great favor. If during ray term of office I can sjrve you or yours in any way—of course I don't mean politically—give me the pleasure of allowing me to do so.' Some months afterwards there was a vacancy amongst the trustees of the National Gallery, and I said to Colonel Taylor, the whip of the Tory party, that I withe J he would mention to Mr Disraeli my desire to be named to the vacanoy. Taylor said he vould do so, but he feared Mr Disraeli could not comply with my wish, as he already had conveyed to him the desire of several of his supporters, peers, and M.P.B, for the honorable appointment. For all that the next day came a note offering it to me in the handsomest terms." The autobiographer, while acknowledging this favor, was not restrained from putting on record this frank opinion of his. " friend ": —" That4e was a man of immense talent, not even his greatest enemy can deny; but even I, his personal friend, must confess that from his entrance into public life until his last hour he lived and died a charlatan." THK BCNKUM OF " PEACE WITH HONOR." In a letter to Sir Henry Layard in 1878 also Sir William Gregory wrote: —" I Bhall be curious to hear the discussions at the beginning of next session, for already some of the most staunch Conservatives have not hesitated to express their convictions to me that they are not by any means happy about our position in the East, and that they fear there has been a good deal of charlatanism in the bunkum of 'peace with honor' of Lord B . These irreverent ideas are freely expressed, but I doubt if the feeling has pervaded the low class of voters in the constituencies, and if we should gain much by a dissolution." TRENCH'S HOTEL. (Sir William Or. 8 » f .r.. born in 1817. at th,e Under-Secretary's Lodge, in Phoenix Park. His grandfather was Undersecretary from 1813 to 1831, and the Lodge, at that time used to be called Trench's Hotel, from the frequency of the visits of the 'trench family. Lady Anne Trench was the autobiographer s grandmother. But "Trench's Hotel" was also, of course, not unfrequented by eminent statesmen whose acquaintance was useful to young Gregory in his parliamentary days. Among them he saw Lord Melbourne. Mr Gladstone, getting to know this in after days, asked Sir William Gregory : "Did he swear at you?" Sir William could not remember, as swearing was so common in those days, but he did remember Melbourne asking him if there was anything in the room he would like. Gregory coveted a stick of sealing wax, and Melbourne, adding a bundle of pens, playfully said: "That's right; begin life early. All these things belong to the public, and your business must always be to get out of the public as much as you can. : ' The Marquis of Wellesley took a keen interest in the classical studies of young Gregory, whose successes at Harrow are commemorated by a scholarship there, and who had Dean Liddell for his tutor at Oxford. His first parliamentary success was the defeat of Lord Morpeth, in Dublin. The story of this success leads up to reminiscences of Sir Robert Peel, O'Connell, and the Parliamentary figures of that time. LORD ASHLKX's DKFEAT OK SIR ROBERT PEEL. Lord Ashley's triumph with his Factory Bill in 1844 is vividlv described:—" His grand presence, his fine voice, which rang through the House, his deep sincerity, and the noble words of his peroration, caused a sansation such as I have seldom seen equalled. The young members deserted their leader and went with him. Tho division appeared to be a close one, but when the tellers advanced to the table, and the clerk handed the numbers to Lord Ashley, we who were supporting him knew that he had won. And so he had—by a majority of nine against the Government. The House broke out into cheer after cheer, and I, oblivious of all parliamentary decorum, jumped up and unthinkingly waved my hat over Sir Kobert's head, who was sitting just below me. He turned to me when the turmoil had subsided, and said, laughingly: 'My good fellow, I shall give you a scolding if you wave your hat over my head whenever you beat me; and the Speaker will give you a scolding if you wave it at all.' This waß a lesson, but it was administered in a pleasant way." LONDON GAMBLING IN 1846. In descriptions of the social life of the first half of the century (revels and duels), we read of the gambling at Crockford's and in London generally:—" The state of London as regards gambling was scandalous. There were copper hells, silver hells, gold hells, where pence, shil-_ lings, and pounds were played, scattered over the town, but especially in the region of St. James. They were nominally illegal, but were carried on with perfect impunity, ruining servants, tradesmen, and gentlemen alike. Sir James Graham set to work with no half measures; the police were orderel to break into every hell and bring the keepers and the t amblers also before the magistrates, by whom they were severely punished. But that was not all. In spite of the remonstrance of that class who, while honestly disapproving of evil things, cannot bring themselves to attempt their, removal, in spite of prophecies that the youth of England would betake themselves to private play if they had not the vent of publio play, Sir James Graham sent word to Page, the manager of the club who had succeeded ' Old Crocky,' that the police had orde/a to enter it with as little ceremony, and to arrest its inmates, as ii.it were a oofiee-hell frequented by costermongers. The consequence was that in a month or two it was dosed. No private play resulted from this closing." LORD PALMRBOTON'S MOT. A Palmeretenian jest is among the political reminiscences:—"l remember a oharmingmot of Lord Palmerston one evening 'at a party at his own house. The Princess of Serria was going out, and her dress caught in the doorway. Lord-Palmerston stoopec'l and loosened it, and then, bowing and laughing, said: * Vous voyez, princesse, e'est tonjours la Porte qui voub incommode.'" THE QUBTSN'S BAL POCDBE. Here iB a description of the Bal Poudre in 1815:—"It was in this year, on June 6, that Her Majesty gave her celebrated -Bal Poudre, to whioh I had the honor of receiving an invitation. The costume was limited to the period between 1750 and 1750. My draw cost between £7O and £BO, eo X «W, > as well describe-it. High red-reeled show with diamond buokles; white silk stockings with gold clock; cherrycolored velvet breeohes; a deep waistcoat with flaps of white satin, embroidered with arabesSues; a turquoisekColored velvet coat with jgold uttone, from whence 'emerged a sword; and on my head a sm»ll thjsee-jjornewd bat trimmed

ll iiiii ilcM-wrmJytiSomfr fmn«a.amj>p3gHm -roe weremJaielftlgfr JRwper de.Oowerley ( ;:6mfcoWtry; danoos., Aft*73V Majesty -had dWedlW minuet' the other forwardr an|.danoed before her. ", Xnerer »W f so Bttikinffadidiii* this ball. Besides our own tational *ttdre, "olri] and military, we had Hungarians, .T«rieeuia, Hussiaßs —in short, the- inhabitants of all Europe in the dress of 'the period,-? and the ladies Jeokai Buperb lu powder, rouge, andpatobes, especially, ladies ta the autumn of life, who, for that jaigb.t at all events, completely out down the younger ; and-mora oloonunr debutantes. >. . .At about half-pasttwo-mthe-moraiog I felt averjh unpleasant laxity in the state of my carls, and found that the heat-of the atmosphere and my dancing exertions were gradually relaxing them into 6traightneeß,'a»'d so I took my-departure. It was a lovely warm morning, and the streets quite deserted., I .walked up to St. James's street on my way-home, and found Orookford's open. On going, upstairs, the supper room was full of men from the ball, and'not one in-ordinary attire. It was an exact representation Of Hogarth's 'Hake's Progress.' The rakes of 1845 were not drunk, to be sure j.btifc there they were as in 1780J with their legs up and their swords thrown on the table or the ground, their bob-wig either on the pack of their heads or altogether off. -It was one of .the most curious sights I ever saw. I only wish I had had the power of Hogarth to record it.. I am not aware that any drawings were made of the costumes, but well do'l theex- ; traordinary beauty of' Lady Waterford, Lady , Canning - ,' and Lady Douro (now Duchess "of 1 Wellington), and how fascinating and piotur- , esque Lady Villiers looked as a Frenoh marquise. , I can still see Lord Cardigan striding proudly . through the rooms in the uniform of the 11th ; Dragoons at Culloden. How strange my friend Robert Gurzon looked in a quaint Venetian • dress, how high-bred Lord WUton and Lord Alford, and how odd the guardsmen, in their i long white infantry gaiters and old-fashioned • high-peaked oaps!" THB PRINOK OF WALSH AND THE EBBKL LADY. ) Sir William Gregory got his KO.M.G. while ; Governor of Ceylon. He reeeived the Prince I of Wales there, and here is an incident of the i brilliant assemblage at Eandy:—" After dinner we adjourned to the audience Hall—now the , hall of the Supreme Court—formerly that of : the Kandian kings. Here were assembled all the great Kandian chiefs, each of whom was ) introduced to the Prince, and received most L graciously. Moreover, the wives of these chiefs were also assembled, in a blaze of jewellery, i Among them was a celebrated old lady, one of | the largest landowners in Ceylon. She was a L woman of the highest rank bluest blood, i and had been lady-in-waiting to the Queen of i Kandy. To the memory of her ancient mistress ) she had remained unswervingly faithful, stab- : bornly refusing to p&y~ her respects to the i governors or their wives—a good, honest rebel I in heart. She, however, bad the Strongest re- ■ gard for Mr Parsons, the Government agent of • the Central Province, and placed the most un--1 hesitating confidence in him. He had persuaded i her that she could not avoid, as a great laad- ■ owner, paying her respects to the Fon of her sovereign. Mr Parsons pointed her out to the Princa, and told him her story. He at once ■ descended from the raised dais, went to the old • lady, and took her by the hand. He said: 'I i have heard of your unshaken fidelity to your . former mistress, and I admire you for it. But 1 she is gone and dead. I ask you now to show > the same fidelity to my mother and your queen, and to accept and wear this ornament (a gold i brooch representing the Tudor rose), which is : one of the symbols of the English crown, in remembrance of me.' These few words were said with singular kindness. The old lady was silent for a minute, and then burst into tears ' I will always wear it,' she said, ' in memory of ; you and your mother, who will henceforth have nb more devoted servant than myself.' And a devoted loyalist she became, and remained till the end of her life." THE PRINCE IN DANCiKB. -The Prince of Wales's elephant hunting in Ceylon was the cause ot no small anxiety to Sir William Gregory:—'l detached two of our most famous hunters (Messrs Varian and Fisher) to keep a watchful eye on the Prince, and not to scruple to lose their own lives in saving his. I must confess I watched him and his companions off the next morning to the scene of action with unmitigated apprehension. Telegram after telegram was being forwarded that, under no circumstance, was I to'permit the Prince to incur danger. But to try and stop him would have been as futile as the Pope's bull against a comet. We had provided against danger as far as We could—by placing the guns on rocks above the jungle, and towards these points the elephants were driven. But they refused to advance in these directions; they rushed madly about in terror. The jungle was about fifteen feet high, so tlat only their motion could be seen. At last, after waiting ti-I their patience was exhausted, the Sportsmen determined *« loavo their posts and go down into this jungle, whioh was impassable, saveMjy the elephant tracks. It was a most reckless undertaking, and such as no experienced hunter would have dreamed of. Fortunate was it for them that a notoriously fierce elephant, with one tusk, had broken away from the herd the day before, or there would have been some dreadful work; Mr Fisher described to me the scene in the evening. He could not tell where the elephants were going, as he could see nothing save the waving of the bamboos. All at once one came right down upon, and, as it were, over the Prince, who was as cool as a cuoumber, and brought him down, literally at his feet He shot another, and jumped on his carcass in triumph to possess 1 himself of his tail. When this was effected they say that the courtier-like elephant got up and made his way to his friends tailless." LORD CHARLES BEBESFOBD'S JOKE. > Alfter the elephant hunt the drive back to 1 Colombo was enlivened by the following epi- < sodes:—" Lord Aylesford was on the box, and 1 took the reins from the Tamil coachman and began to flog the horses, who, having had enough i of it already, swerved and upset the party into i the ditch. No one was hurt, and the Prince's sole care was not to lose his elephants' tails. ■ The Malay escort soon put the carriage to rights, Lord Aylesford was removed from the box, and all was ready for a start, when Lord 1 Charles Beresford, pointing to the coachman, who was mounting to his seat, said to the Malay , sergeant, in a solemn tone of command: 'Cut \ that man's head off 1' Out flashed the Malay's , sword, and in an instant the command would . have been obeyed, for a Malay is sver ready and | willing for an rce deed. But fortunately the coachman understood English, and sprang up on the other side of the road to a ledge of rocks, where he was safe. Lord Charles, seeing how nearly his joke had caused a serious catastrophe, \ now called out in stately tones: ' The Prince has graciously pardoned him; let him come down."' These extracts show the lively character of the Autobiography of this former Governor of Ceylon. __