PERSONAL ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9307, 9 March 1889, Page 4 (Supplement)

PERSONAL ITEMS.

A Connkcticut newspaper speaks of "the Duchess of Marlborough,r«'e Widow Hamcrsle)'.:' gueen Victoria and the Prince of Wales have been winning many prizes ab the English cattle shows. Princess Adelbert of Bavaria was seized with hysterics in tho Berlin Opera House recently. Id is belivod that she is insane. Colonel Duncan, M.P., a noted English soldier, died recently from painter's colic, traceable to sleeping in a houao newly puinLed. Boulanger's popularity in Franco is commonly attributed to his outspoken declarations that Alsace-Lorraine must bo won back from Germany. The death of Mr. P. W. Wake, artist for the Graphic, at, Suakin, took-place suddenly from a bullet of the oncmy. He had only been ab Suakin a fortnight when this happened. The Empress Frederick is collecting all the obituary notices of her husband. .From papers printed in English she lias received 9,000, from Germany, 8,000, and from France 7,000. Mrs. Mackay gave a dinner party in London recently, on which occasion the table was decorated with magnificent crimson orchids in crimson baskets, surrounded by choice ferns. All the candle-shades were of crimson, to match the ilowors. The Ameer is particular about hia boots. On ceremonial occasions they aro made of fine buckskin lined with blue, red, or green leather, and embroidered in fancy device with coloured silks. His slices are no leas gorgeous, and the riding-belts are decorated to match.

Louisa, Marchesa Rosponi, youngest daughter of Marat, is still living and in good health, at Ravenna, Italy. She is now ninety-two years of age, and is said by a correspondent to remember vividly the tragedy attending the dethronement of Napoleon, in 1815. The Mormons seem to be settling down in the North-West of Canada. They were only allowed to take up land on condition that they relinquished polygamy, but they manage to evade the law by calling the woman their first married " wife," -while the rest of their spouses uro styled " aunties." It is proposed to erect a memorial over the grave of the late Mr. P. C. Macfarlane, in Glenquaieh. Celtic scholars of Mr. Macfarlane's abilities are so rare that a project to keep his memory green is in every way commendable, Professor Mackinnon, of Edinburgh University, will receive subscriptions. The appearance of the Empress Eugenic; is described vividly by a Paria correspondent as follows : A fragile form, .veiled and robed in black, a pallid-face and snow-white hair, and the infirm gait of a rheumatic invalid—such is the image now presented by her who was the most famous beauty on earth, and the world's queen of fashion as well, some thirty-five years ago. The change and rest of Windsor has had, says a writer in the World, a most beneficial effect on the health and spirits of the Empress Frederick, who is already looking much stronger and bleeps better than when she arrived. She is much calmer, and has now somewhat recovered from the reawaking of her sorrow by tho constant rerniriis-c-ences of her husband which her visit to England could not fail to create. The late Major Currio, who died tho other day ab tho ago of 88, was taught mathematics by Thomas Carlyle, ab tho Annam Academy. Carlylo was then a country lad, rough in speech and manner ; above all things impatient of stupidity. Ono of Major Currie's most vivid recollections was of him seizing a boy by the neck, and finally ejecting him from tho school, with "Go, you great hippopota-a-a-mus !" Mr. Ralph Copehtnd, Ph. Doc., F.R.A.S., has been appointed Astronomer-Royal for Scotland, and Professor of Practical Astronomy in the University of Edinburgh, in the room of Professor Piazzi Smyth, resigned. Dr. Ralph Copeland's appointment as Astronomer Royal for Scotland proves that there is no intention of abolishing that post. Dr. Copeland received hia astronomical training in Germany, and has made several important scientific expeditions. His " Circular" holds a deservedly higb, rank among astronomical literature.