ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10319, 19 December 1896, Page 6

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

}*'' ' [from the society papers.] ( . -J'The I)uke3 are having a bad autumn of ib. The Duke of Portland, while recently out (hooting in Caithness, was bitten by a dog. The Duke of Bedford, while recently out driving at Cairnsmore, Kirkcudbright, was thrown from his carriage, with the resulb that he sprained his ankle.' The Duke of Roxburghe, while the other day attending to his military duties ab Sandhurst, was attacked by a horse, and injured so badly that he has had to 'go home to Floors Castle, where ho is confined to the house. After this ib seems hardly worth mentioning that within recent weeks the Duke of Argyll has had an attack of the gout, tho Duke of Richmond a cold in the head, and the Duke of Westminster a cold.on the che3t. '

The Dowager-Duchess of Sutherland is the third Dowager-Duchess within recant years to contract a third marriage. The others were the late Duchess of Montrose md Lily Duchess of Marlborough. Two more Dowager-Duchesses, their Graces of Devonshire (or of Manchester) and Buckingham, have contracted second marriages.

Sir Edward Burne Jones and Professor Herkomer are supposed to earn larger in* comes than any other artisb in England. There are wealthier painters, as, for instance, Mr. Val Prinseps, bub their fortunes

are derived from private means. The income earned by the late Sir John Millais at one period often exceeded £20,000 in the twelvemonth. Frank Holl made a very |argo income during the latter part of his life. Mr. Orchardsoii and Mr. Alma Tadema both enjoy large revenues from the practice of their art. The latter has sold at) least- one picture for £4000 within recent years, and Mr. Orchardson has sometimes received as much as £3000 for a single work. News comes from America that Commander Booth-Tucker has originated a fresh plan for Salvation Army work. He will start a floating Army barracks, which will cruise from port to port doing rescue work by the way, rescuing "Jack." from the clutches of the harpies. The boat will be commanded and manned by seamen selected from the ranks of the Army, will carry the Army flag, and be painted in tho Army colours. Bub is the idea altogether new? Did not General Booth some time ago try to enlist tho practical sympathies of an American millionaire with a view to providing a yacht for evangelistic work in the Western Highlands ! There is a pretty and fanciful poem describing how a maiden, who had fallen asleep by the side of a posy of flowers, was murdered by the flower elves' sweet breath. The truth underlying this fancy was illustrated the other nay in the case of a young American actress, who slept in a room with tome 3000 violets sent to her as a token of regard. When sho awoke next morning ;jer arms were stiff, her limbs refused to support her, her throat was sore, her head iwam, and she tell back half-unconscious. The evening before she had been in perfect health. When the flowers were removed and the windows opened she felt better at once, and the medical man who was called in discovered very soon that the lady was on the point of being poisoned by the purtamo of the violets. The short autumnal season in London is to be crowded with marriages. The whole I year has been a remarkably matrimonial I one, the number of weddings in the | aristocratic and upper middle classes having reached almost a record figure. There is not very much change in bridal array, but there are signs (says a Daily News' Gossip) that before very long the rather trying livery of white or ivory satin will be gradually abandoned in favour of softer and more becoming fabrics, such as silk muslin, crepe-de-chine, lace over soft China silk or crepe, and tho Liberty satins shat fall in artistic folds. Another innovation is the adoption of brocades for the entire dress and not only for the train. For very young brides such designs as are brightened by floral patterns are selected, ind as these brocades may be had ab very qoderate prices without looking "cheap," is a low-priced satin does, tho fashion is akely to be followed by those to whom jconomy is necessary. A recent bride wore Irish poplin on her wedding day. Another had a skirt composed of Brussels lace Bounces laid over pure white silk muslin. There was probably a silk lining, but ib was invisible.

In the November Cornhill Mr. Frederick I, Greenwood has an interesting article on I 1 "Characteristics of Lord Beacons field." i Discussing the foundation? for Disraeli's ! character, Mr. Greenwood points out that J the plan of conduct which he was supposed to have laid out in early life " began and 1 ended with the shrouding of his mind and 1 character in mystery; but a mystery that constantly piqued observation, constantly provoked curiosity, and as often baffled it. In this way he fastened a peculiarity of attention upon himself at twenty-two that lasted all bis life. It was never exhausted, nor is ib exhausted yet." Speeches that were received. a* far-fetched fancies only meant to flash and startle were, Mr. Greenwood says, prophecies soberly' u'tered where they were not understood. Disraeli's friendships were very few, but those he had were most warm and most affectionate. But there will, in Mr. Greenwood's opinion, be no complete portrait of Disreali yet awhile. All hope of publishing hi* life or any of bis papers in this century was abandoned long ago by him who, with most authority for the task, is by far the most competent to its performance. The enormous mass of Lord BeaconsGeld's papers, and the finished state of confusion in which they were left, may have had something to do with a decision taken 011 higher grounds." He Beems to have destroyed nothing like a letter that ever came into his hands.. In theory, of course, the proceedings ol the Cabinet are absolutely secret, the Privy Councillor's oath prohibiting all disclosure*. But more leaks out than is supposed. In the Cabinet of 1880-1885 the leakage to the press was systematic and continuous. Evon Mr.Gladstone, that greatest of all sticklers for official reticence, held that a Cabinet Minister might impart his secrets to his wife and his private secretary. The wives of official men are not always as trustworthy as Mrs, Bucket in "Bleak House," and some of the private secretaries in the Government of 1880 were little more than boys. The late Archbishop Magee — whose "Life and Correspondence," by Canon MacDonnell (Isbister), has just been published—loved a good story. In the work in question there is one told by him of Father Mealy, who was breakfasting with Mr. Gladstone, arid Mr. Gladstone said to him, "Father Healy, I wont into a church in Rome once, and was offered a plenary indulgence for fifty francs; on what principle dees your Church grant such things?" Father Healy replied, "Well, Mr. Glad' itone, I don't want to go into theology with you, bub all I can say is that if my Dhuic!i offered you a plenary indulgence for fifty francs, she let you off very cheap.''

Books of beauty are coming into fashion again ! For the renewal of this interesting old mode,, the world has to thank Mrs, Harcourb Williamson, who has collected in aoplendicl quarto volume, bound in white »nd gold, the portraits of seventy or eighty of the meat beautiful womea in England. They lire, lor'thu. most part, oxecuted'in photogravure of a costly kind, others being printed on Japaneso paper in. proof, and mounted on thick paper, ■ Some of the original pictures have .been painted by eminent artists, including the late Lord Leighton, and Millais, Wattii, Sargent, Shannon, • Richmond,- Ellis Roberts, etc. America has contributed some fair faces to the collection, notably those of Lady Henry Fitzgerald, Lady Randolph Churchill, Lady Coleridge, Mrs. George Curzon, and Lady Naylor-Leyland.. There are several portraits of children. • Contributions in prose and verso, edited by Mrs. Williamson, are printed on handsome paper specially made ,c. .. lor this work. Among the contributors are \ the Marquis of Lome, the Duchess of Bed- ,. , ford, Lord Crewe, Lord.Dufforiri, Rudyard • Itipling, and Lady Dorothy Nerill.'