HOME GOSSIP.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3902, 30 April 1877, Page 3

HOME GOSSIP.

(By "Atlas," in the "World.") 1 A3i able to say, in contradiction to some statements which have appeared, that the Prince of Wales will not depart on his intended visit to the antipodes this year, the reason being that, were he to do so, it would be impossible for him to see all that he wishes to see of our Australian colonies, and be back in time for the opening of the Paris Exhibition on the Ist May, 1878. His Royal Highness, who is President of the British Commission, is bestowing much time and attention on the work of furthering the success of the British section, going even more into the details of the preparations, which already are well advanced, than he did in connection with the Vienna Exhibition of 1573, to the success of the English department of which his exertions so much contributed. I need not say that the programmes of the Prince's torn-, which have appeared since last week I announced that it had been decided on, are wholly spurious. No details respecting the journey, its character, or its cost have as yet been gone into. Mr Tooth may not be the wisest or the most estimable of men, but I am sorry to hear that his health is so much injured that he has been peremptorily ordered to Southern Italy, and that it is feared he may never return. The malady from which he suffers has been not a little aggravated by his imprisonment. I hinted some weeks since at a " coming event" which has now become matter of notoriety. The most popular and charming of operatic singers, the richest and most successful of the profession, Madame Adelina Patti, Marquise de Caux, is announced to appear before the Tribunal de la Seine for the purpose of becoming legally separated from her husband. She is in fact already separated, having recently left St. Petersburg in company with the well-known tenor Nicolini, who is known in private life as M. Nicolas. Those who were behind the scenes at the opera last year will probably be not surprised at tins piece of news. The facts of the case are simple. Signor Nicolini has recently been separated from his own wife at her request, on the ground of her husband's liaison with Patti. The Marquis was, on his side, not without suspicion, and as he administrated the vocal talents of his wife for liis own advantage as well as hers, he made it one of the stipulations of the engagement at St. Petersburg that Patti should not play in company with Nicolini. Romeo, however, was not to be daunted, and went so far as to tempt the manager by offering his services gratis ; and so Romeo ,and Juliette played together under the very nose of the irate husband. The affair ended in a furious and noisy scene, and Juliette fled with her lover. Juliette, it may be added, is now in her thirty-seventh year. There will be, I am informed, an extraexcitement about this year's Derby, in the form of an action for libel to be brought by the owner of a favorite against the proprietor of a well-known journal. The case will be equal in interest to the famous Running Rein trial. As the royal procession was wending its way to St. Stephen's on the opening of Parliament, a kilted Highlander reclining in one of the royal carriages attracted the notice of the crowd. " Hooray !" cried the many-headed ; " 'ere's John Brown !" The Highlander thrust his head out of the window in a rage. "I'm not John Brown !" he cried ; " I'm Cameron of Lochiel !" People — "on" — say that Mr Henry Irving is dying. Mr Irving tells me that he eats well, drinks well, sleeps well. I see by the papers that he plays an exhausting part every night ; and that when he had a chance of rest, on Ash-Wednes-day, he travelled to Birmingham, and there gave a public reading of " Macbeth" for the benefit of a charity. But Ido hear that he will during the season appear in a new character, which he will play alternately with Richard, and thus relieve the tax on his physical resources. The Duchess uf Marlborough intends to make it a sumptuary condition at the St. Patrick's ball in Dublin Castle that ladies wear Irish poplins. This is well done, for the trade in that beautiful stuff is sadly declining for lack of patronage. The proposed yachting voyage round the world seems likely to be a success, the number of applications for berths in the Sumatra being already unexpectedly numerous. Probably less than 150 will be found sufficient to constitute a quorum. I hear that Sir G. Nares was asked to take the command of the Sumatra ; but, not unnaturally, he refused. Of old the touch of Royalty was supposed to cure the kings-evil. To-day the likeness and handwriting of Roj r alty would appear to have an equally efficacious hygienic result. The Builder states that Mrs S. C. Hall, who had been very ill for some time previously, has received an autograph letter and photograph of the Queen, and is " now getting better." Post h oc, peoter hoc. Young ladies will be interested to hear that there is a class of men who practice waltzing in the ordinary vocations of daily life. We refer to directors of public companies ; it is hardly possible to take up a newspaper without reading that some of them "retire by rotation."