PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9064, 26 May 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

PERSONAL ITEMS.

F. Mariox Crawford, the novelist, is six feet two inches in height. He has done some very tall writing, too. Sir Richard Wallace, who has recently been suffering severely from rheumatism in Paris, is now much better, and able to get out. Professor Thorold Rogers has been elected Professor of Political Economy at Oxford, in succession to the late Professor Bonaniy Price. The will of the late Mr. Titus Salt has been proved, the personality amounting to £115,000. The will was dated so recently as September last. Bret Harte has taken up his permanent residence in London, where he is very popular both in society and at the Garrick and other literary clubs. The Professorship of International Law at Cambridge, vacant by the death of Sir Henry Maine, has been rilled by the election of Mr John Westlake, M. A., Q. C. t The Hon. Charles Archibald Hope, younger son of the late and only brother of the present Earl of Hopetoun, died at Torquay on April 2. He was in his 'Joth year. At a general meeting of the Institute of Painters in Oil Colours, Messrs. J. Watson, Nicol, Chas. W. Wylie, Herman Herkomer, and Yeend King, R. 1., were elected members.

Louis Kossuth, the ex-Governor of Hungary, who has reached his eighty-sixth year, has written from Turin to a deputy at Pesth, stating that he feels his end is approaching. It is stated that Colonel King-Hannan has been ordered by Sir Andrew Clark to take a complete rest when the House rises for the Easter recess. He therefore proposes to take a trip to the Cape. The late Frank Miles, the artist, was, with Oscar Wilde, the co-inventor of the " Langtry cult." He painted that actress' portrait, and dubbed her " the Jersey Lily." He was a skilful gardener and botanist, as well as an arist.

The other day the Emperor Frederick ordered his horse which he used during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71 to be brought before him, and expressed great satisfaction at the continued excellent condition of the animal.

The Queen of Sweden, says the World, is still the observed of all observers at Bournemouth. Sho takes her exercise generally on a diminutive donkey, using a fan to keep oft' the rays of the sun. Two or three menservants are always in attendance, one of their chief occupations being to carry what appear to be hot-water bottles. Hugh and Jane Jones, of Clynnog, North Wales, celebrated their diamond wedding on the 3rd April. Mrs. Jones completes her hundredth year next December, while her husband is ninetyseven years of age. The couple, who were heartily congratulated on the event, are in excellent health, and have had twelve children. Theylive with their son, who is seventy-two years of age. Several friends of Mr. Q. J. Holyoake, recognising his life-long services in the cause of political, religious, and social reform, have combined to provide him with some increase of income by purchasing for him an annuity. They made known their intention as others may be disposed to contribute to the fund, which at present amounts to £250. Mr. Holyoake is now over 70, and cannot look to many more years of working power. It is, perhaps, not very generally known that the German Empress Victoria is the fifth English Princess of Royal blood that haß ascended the German Imperial throne :— (1) Edith, Edward the Elder's daughter, married Kaiser Otho I. ; (2) Gunhilde, daughter of Canute 1., married Henry 111., German Emperor; Mathilde, daughter of Henry Beauclerc, the last Norman King, married Kaiser Henry V. ; and (4) Isabel, King John's daughter, became third wife to the Emperior i rederick 11. The appointment (says the Globe) of Dr. G. C. Martin to succedd Dr. Stainer as organist of St. Paul's will, wo think, give general satisfaction. Dr. Martin has for manyyears acted as sub-organist and trainer of the boys, and his efficiency in both respects is universally acknowledged. He is also nob without reputation as a composer of church music. Ib would, indeed, scarcely have been right) to overlook Dr. Martin's long and able services at St. Paul's, and the practical recognition now extended to the,m. will, we believe, be approved.