TWO GREAT MEN DEAD.

Evening Star, Issue 11168, 17 February 1900, Page 1

TWO GREAT MEN DEAD.

ABOUafTHK DUKE ,OF WESTMINSTER;'. [From Our Special Corrl^pondext.] LONDON. January.S. I was “ home for the holidays ” —iiT'jSct, abed with influenza—when' the Duke of Westminster died la.st Meek'or I should have sent you a few notes regarding this most interesting and unusual man. His Grace looked like nothing so much as a depressed tradesman of tho better stamp. He dressed plainly and was badly valeted. And thereby hangs a yarn at which I assisted personally. On the afternoon of Oririoudc’s Two Thousand Guineas in IGC6 I wanted to got back from Newmarket to London early, and tried to ealeh the, first ordinary train after the big race. Unfortunately I had only just time to slop into the already crowded guard's van and find a. corner on a jagged box next to a sad elderly gentleman. When the train moved off everybody began to discuss tho recent race, and inethought my neighbor smiled drearily upon all agreeing Ormonde must certainly win the Derby, “ I tell you ” went on a typical racecourse liar of the half-crown ring sort, “ old Westminster won ten ‘monkeys’ (£5,000), and put Archer on three thou’ to one. Freddy told me that himself this morning, so it must he true.” " Where?” asked my neighbor sharply. Tile wclsher slopped and looked distrustfully our way. ” Tbct,” said he, “ is my ‘ biz.’ I niver betrays confidences. If you know Archer ar.sk him yourself?” 11 1 intend to. Meanwhile, gentlemen, believe me I speak with authority when 1 say tho Duke won nothing but the stakes and Archer £SOO at most.” “ And who the biases may you be to talk of dukcscs and jockeys. Eve been thinking I'd seen yer ugly phiz somewhere and now I can place it; you're the Cambridge Sosige Man.” Squaring his shoulders and looking straight at his adversary my neighbor said, lirmly and dearly. “I beg your pardon, 1 am the Duke of Westminster.” For an instant there was a dazed look in the bully’s eyes, then he derisively shouted : " A duke in a luggage van. with a had ’at like your’n. No, my downey old bird, that cock won’t fight.” The guard now thought it lime to put in a word. "Take care, Ikcy Johnson. - ’ he said sternly, “or ynifi‘ll he getting into trouble afore you know where you arc.’’ Then, turning to the duke he said distinctly ; “I shall be able to find your grace and this gentleman (meaning mo) a compartment at Cambridge, and we’re just running in there now.” You never saw such a. horrified lot of faces as Ikcy and Co.'s in your life, and when the (rain readied Cambridge platform they waited noj, for it to slop, but bounded off and fled. I went to town with the duke in the same carriage, and when he discovered he knew my uncle ho chatted frely to me about all sorls of thing;;. In Ids grim way I think he was enormously pleaded at winning with Ormonde, as both Minting and Saraband had been much better winter favorites. LADY JKUNE'R TRIBUTE. Lady Jeunc, who knew bis grace very well, writes : He embodied, to our minds, the ideal of what a good man's life should be. Born to a. position and wealth almost the greatest in the land, ho deliberately set himself to do what work came, to his hand, and to do it well. There was no cause too insignificant, no suppliant too humble, for his sympathy and'generous help. Science, ar,. literature, social questions, sanitary improvements, the condition of the poor, the protection of women and children, the rescue of the unfortunate, the cause of oppressed nationality, arc but a few of the causes which found a- warm friend and a hospitable welcome within the walls of what was well called tho " West-end Mansion House." And he was not content alone to lend his house ; he was noaiiy always ready by his presence and kindly recommendation io show his own personal interest in the matter he bad espoused. The versatility of the Duke’s sympathies (Lady Jeunc adds) was endless, and the largeness of bis heart and his great bounty will be difficult—nay. impossible--to replace, while his munificence and generosity will bo missed by manv of (he objects be helped and supported, and the loss of Ids ready sympathy and wise counsel will lx; as largely deplored. Hts name had become a household word throughout the country, and the fact that he approved and supported a scheme meant success —not from the mere weight’ of his name, but because (be public know bo had satisfied himself that it was a deserving one, and that be was a man of calm judgment and sound common sense. The social progress of England owes a debt to the duke that it is difficult to exaggerate, for he saw the needs and necessities of our modern life, and be put himself in the van to endeavor to dLeiU.isgie the ineivaring web of domestic problems which affected the community, especially the poorer classes. With his kindly heart still, his wise counsel silenced, his precious purse in other hands;, we may well mount the loss of such a man and feet how great and good a son of England has left ns. DEATH OF SIR JAMES PAGET. A FAMOUS SURGEON. Almost coeval with the nineteenth century was the late Sir James Paget, the most eminent pathologist, it has produced. Born in 1814, he was almost eighty-seven when lie died at the close of last week. Pet halts no man has been privileged to live through so many revolutionary changes in medicine and science. From phlebotomy to the Routgon rays seems, indeed, a far cry, but Paget, working with pertinacity and perseverance, followed all the changes that during the century have transformed the art of healing. Not only followed, but, in many eases, by his research and observation, caused the change. When still a lad, and apprenticed to Mr Charles Coslcrton, of Yarmouth, “the sovereign remedy for every complaint- was more C"‘ less profuse bleeding.” Patients came in shoals to be. bled, and young Paget in some cases bled them until they fainted for the moderate fee of a shilling. But his experience a,s a blood-letter forced the young surgeon to the conclusion that the loss of blood is not so prejudicial as is popularly imagined, and that in same cases the supposed obsolete practice of blood-letting is highly beneficial. In 1854 Paget came to London and to St. Bartholomew’s. In 1836 he became a member of the College of Surgeons, and in the year of the Queen’s accession be commenced practice. Bv his strength of will and determination he succeeded in opening medicine as a profession to poorer students by getting the governors of “ Barts ” to abolish the premium of 100 guineas which the young assistant surgeons bad to pay on their an" pointment to the staff. Thenceforward his career is one long record of continuous toil and unbroken successes. Elected otto of the first Fellows of the College of Surgeons, be w as but thirty-three when he was appointed professor of anatomy and surgery at the college. As demonstrator of morbid anatomy kt “Barts” ho had already obtained fame by his use of the microscope and by his .new descriptive catalogue of the Anatomical Museum. While preparing his lectures he is said to have almost lived in the Hunterian Museum. During bis tenure of the professorship he made his mark as a pathologist by the originality and lucidity of his lectures. His election as warden of the collqge

at “ Barts,” which meant an income of £7OO - ' a year and a house, relieved him front till t-, financial worry, enabled him to marry,' and' / to devote himself to his researches, .But - he was no mere corpse-dissector. His sym-; : pa thy, tact, and courteous and conciliatory ways made Paget beloved by general practitioners, and “Paget’s manner has become at once a tradition and a model./. When the Princess of Wales was ’ la&m. ,•<» fiom an arthritic affection of the knee-joiht, Sir James, as he was by that time, waacalled in, and in 1871 rewarded for his care of his royal patient by being created a baro&eft Founaj-cars after ho was made-presidßnt»bf > the Royal College of Surgeons, the highest htmpr the medical profession' can. bestow. His addresses in that capacity revealed Che hitherto undisclosed fact that, in addition to being a great surgeon, he was also a great ( orator. His stately presence, his dignified and eloquent words, and his wellreasoned and weighty sentences attracted packed audiences. Perhaps his finest effort was his delivery of the Hunterian oration in 1877, attended by Gladstone, Huxley, and the leaders of science. For over an hour he spoke without a single note. He had committed his speech to memory while strolling in Hyde Park. Sergeant-surgeon to the Queen, surgeon to the Prince of Wales, consulting surgeon at “ Barts,” Vice-Chancellor ol the University of London—such were the . chief of the many honors showered: upon him. He was. wont to say that many so-" ceiled inventions were due to the accurate observations of facts which have been within' the reach of many, but Lave been overlooked by all except the discoverers. As an instance, cf his retention of his own powers of observation may ho mentioned his analysis at the, age of seventy-four of Mdlle. Jauotha’s performance on the piano of a rapid piece of Mendelssohn s, froni "which he concluded that the pianist’s mind in a second was conscious of ninety-six sensations, and directed at least seventy-two movements. J he great surgeon’s modesty and constant maintenance of a high ideal are reproduced in his second son, the present Dean of Chciptchurch, Oxford, But, beyond his great •abilities in his profession, he .was distinguished by a. wonderful_thurm of manner, an old-world courtesy, xm the highest sense of honor. He was Wgreat judge of character ; and as he put u high ideal before himself, so ho had a. horror of potty meanness or jealousy, and still more of'lack of complete candor. His influence for good on young medical students was unique. He u;as a devoted Churchman, and greatly rejoiced at the medical sendee held of recentyears at Bt. Paul’s Cathedral in the octave of St. Luke. He had a great horror of undue fussiness, publicity, or self-advertise-ment. But his kindness to poor patients, and the way ho attended many gratuitously, carefully avoiding wounding their pride,- was ■ very characteristic. He was one of Nature’s gentlemen, and thoroughly loyal to his friends. He was always interested and well- • informed in all the current questions of the day. He had a considerable sense of humor, and used to tell a capital story about himself. A man called upon him one morning for the purpose of consulting- him. The! ■», butler, with grave dignity, replied: “I am j sorry to say Sir James is' unable to. see any I patients at present, as he is sufferingtfrbtn i an attack of incomplete gout.” The visitor replied: “Indeed; then convey my compliments to vour master, and say that the next ■ time I call I hope to find that .Sir James has the gout in toto!”

“ No one who was present in-tho theatre of the college upon the occasion Sir Jas. Paget' appeared as Hunterian orator,” writes a contributor to the ‘ Daily News,’ “ is likely to forget the magnificent display of eloquence to which he treated his audience.. The theatre wAs packed ur even" part, and in the area were the late Mr Gbdstooe, the late Mi tHuxley, the Marquis of llijxm. odd 1 many other leading men of science. Without a note of any kind the oration was doUevered, lasting for upwards of an boor. As a, speaker he had not long enjoyed a. high reputation, hut it was generally‘agreed that upon this occasion ho surpassed himself. A lout three weeks afterwards he met an old surgical friend, who expressed!lris regret at his inability to ho present at!the oration. ‘Oh,’ said Paget, ‘I have now! forgotten, it entirely. On the evening before I delivered it I went to Hyde Park, and, walking up and down, repeated every word of itlfrom Login-.. ning to end. Now I should find it difficult* to repeat even a single sentence..d the example which Paget sot of learning his lectures and speeches off by heart before delivery has not Iree-rr lost >if)on those vho have followed him. lUu*<since, been, largely followed by his younger colleagues, lin’d others who desired to emulate his oratorical faculty.”