ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8020, 6 August 1887, Page 3 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[from the society papers.]

Society remarks:— "As our extensive Royal circle now includes some four or five eligible • Princesses, it is to be hoped that they will not bo bestowed at random on the firafc matrimonial aspirante who present themselves. There has certainly been no undue haste in bringing the daughters of the Heir Apparent out of the schoolroom and in launching them into society. Their Quaker* ish uniform still serves as an excellent foil to the elegance of the maternal toilets, and almost makes people forget that in a year or two the-complete trio will have taken leave of their teens. In one reapeot Princess Louise is too valuable to be married in haste. She comes next her brothers in order of succession to the throne, and, as a countryman once observed after scanning the Court news in his weekly paper, ' If anything happens to them abroad we shall have another Queen and another "Jarmin" as king. . ' This foreboding may never bo realised, as the eons of the Prince of Wales havo tamed up safe and sound from every trip. Bat, considering the freaks which destiny some' times plays with the Royal race, and that her present Majesty commenced her existence as the child of a king's fourth son, with some six or seven lives between her and the crown, it is reassuring to lind that; our most important young Princess baa not been married off like her cunta." Mr. Lewie Morris has been bidding boldly for tho Laureateahip, and seems to have secured the reversion. Ha is already tho lieutenant Laureate, so to speak, having beer, appointed, through the influence of the Prince of Wales,, to write tho Imperial Institute ode which is to bo performed, to Sit Arthur Sullivan's music, on the 4th of July at the Albert Hail. After the reception accorded to his Carmen Seculare, ,, on© , cannot wonder at Lord Tcnnyaon'a indisposition to have anything more to do with "Some Imperial Institute," however " regally gorgeous"; and the Princo of Wales has shown a just crilic.il insight in choosing Mr. Morris as his locum teneiis. Unless Mr. Swinburne enters for the raoa—in these dayt no abyss of bathos scema to have auy terrors for Mr. Swinburne—Mr. Morris should walk over the course when tho laurel falls vacant. We trust he may yoi have long to wait lot his promotion. The report that the Queen will confer a a peerage on Prince Albert Victor is, tho London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian says, vary likely to be true. It is thought by competent authorities that the Queen will give the young Princo a patent in the name of one of his father's peerages*, • end that he may bo called to the House of Lords by the title of Earl of Chester. 1

•' A married Englishman" wriiea to tho Pall Mall Gazette :—Sir,—ln order to tect our countrymen in futurb from the danger of perjuring themselves, with which your somewhat partial correspondent, "An Observer of Both Hido3 of the Question," charges English husbands, may 1 bo permitted to suggest that the word 3, " With all my worldly «oods I theo endow," be omitted at all weddings? My father and my brothel (not mentioning others) both amply provided for their widows by giving, devising, and bequeathing to them all their property and effects, real and personal; and this couree has been anything but unnsual with English husbands, though sometimes attended, unfortunately, with very great detriment to their children or other relations, when their widows, by either improvident marriages or otherwise, have lost, cquandered, 01" bequeathed away from them either all or the greater part of euoh. family property. A life interest only for the widow ia generally safest for children aad relations.

The following story is told of the Princess of Wales :—A little while ago she visited tha Milbaak fenialo prison, and waa shown over the place by the zealous and devoted chapaln, the Rav. George Merrick, In one o£ the cells the Princess waa shown a woman who waa so violent that it had been found * necessary to ha;:dcuiT her. Her Royal Highness spoke kindly and tenderly to the woman, remonstrated with her aa to her conduct, find completely broke down her sullennosß. The refrnctory woman burst into tears, and oa the Princess asking her to promise that if the handcuffs were removed she would not ba violent, she faltered out in a voica choked with sobs, "I will really bo qood, my lady, if they take them thing 3 off." They were at once taken off.

'Cycling has taken a greater hold of tho country than many people might imagine. I learn on good authority that there are no fewer than 400,000 'cyclists, and that IS,OOO persona aro employed in tho manufacture end repair of 'cycles. Of tho 400,000 'cyclists mentioned, many would join a 'cyclist corps who would ■ not join any ether branch of the voluntseriv That military 'oycli3ta can bo made very nmtf fal in war, if they are modest in their asnirations, no one who baa considered tho eabjecf can, I think, doubfc. Tho following fact is interesting, as shown that Continental nations aro fully alive to the importance of military 'cycling. No fewer than three dif« ferent War Ofticea havo entered into, and are negotiating, a contract with 'cycle makers of England for the delivery of between 300 and 400 'cycles.

The Italian Government baa ordered tho excavation of the site of tbe lost city of Sybaris, in that part of Southern Italy known as "Magna Grecia." Tho city liea seven fee!; under the water of tho river Crati, where it has reposed for twenty-five centu? ries. The results are expected to bo as interesting as thoaa attending tho resurrection of Pompeii. Vanity Fair remarks :—" Americans look on yastnesa as possessing more claims to admiration than any othor quality. If they havo a civil war it heats all previous records for size and slaughter. If they set asid< ground for e park, it has the dimensions of * country. If they indulge in eympathetio embezzlement, they point with pride to the fact of its being the biggest steal ever known. Tho latest instance of tho admiration of on? cous:n3 for va9tnesa is tho expenditure of a* American now in London on a musicroom piano designed by Alma-Ta3ema, K.A., and painted by Mr. Poyntor. It has coet £7000 ; the chairs cost £1000 each, while tho entiro outlay on the room reaches the enormous amount of £100,000."

Private sooiefcy in London of the ordinary , ' type is somewhat languishing, not so much for want of funds—for everybody eeemfl hotter off than in recent years—bub because, aa at present organised, it does not euit the tastea of the indispensable "younq man," and because there ig a certain amount of unreafcliy about it whioh repela the present generation. Tho main object of society is supposed to bo to bring young men and maidens together with » view to promoting matrimony ; but in these days of innumerable and gigantic parties, W ordor to fill a house it is necessary to call together numbers of young men and maidena who don't want to marry when they meet,' and if they did wouldn't be let. Already the official and ceremonial society, on the other hand, is flourishing exceedingly, partly because it is Jubilee year, aud partly because the Tories are the hosts, for thoy know more people, and have fewer unpresentable hangers-on. On Saturday there wae such a ievoe as was never before known in England. Three thousand gentlemen in gorgeous attire* passed through tho statelv old world drawicgroom of St. Jame3* Palaco, and bowed to ti%2 Prince of Wales, whose neck at the end refused to- ■?« its office, so that he could only recognise those who passed baforn him by a movement of his wearied eyes. By hia side was tho Grand Duke Michaelovich o> Russia, who is said to bo engaged to hia second and mostly lively daughter. The Grand is a very jovial, boyish young fellow, whe talks English fluently, and is fond of English society ; but tho bride will have to enter tho orthodox Greek Church, which will make a splutter among the Puritane.