ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10425, 24 April 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[from the society papers.] The Duchess of Newcastle, who is to judge the Russian wolfhounds at asho,w to be held presently, is assuredly the first peeress who has ventured into "tho ring." It is not uncommou, however, to seo ladies judging the toy and lap-dog breeds at certain shows

Medical positions achieve,! by women during the past year include one that came too late for Miss Blackburn's calendar: that of Mrs. Garrett Anderson to the presidency of the East Anglian branch of the British Medical Association. Other appointments include that of medical registrar at the Royal Free Hospital, surgical registrar at the same, junior medical officer to the Greenwich Union Workhouse, and house surgeon to the National Eye and Ear Infirmary, Dublin. The total number of women guardians of the poor has this year been brought up to $95. At the close of 1595 nearly 2000 women had passed University examinations. Half of theso hold actual degrees from London, Royal Irish, or Victoria Universities. The other half passed the examinations at Cambridge and Oxford which should entitle to degrees.

Tho late Archbishop of Canterbury had many good stories to tell. Two are recalled by his private secretary, Mandeville B. Phillips, in some interesting "Personal Reminiscences," which he contributes to tho Sunday Magazine. One concerned Archbishop Tait's coachman, who was a very original character. One day a clergyman who called at tho Palace asked him whether he had still as much to do as over. The answer was sublime. " There's always a goodish bit doing, sir, but it's been a trifle easier since we took young Mr. Parry into the business I" Tho Right Rev. Edward Parry had recently been appointed Bishop Suffragan of Dover. Another of the Archbishop s stories, also of a coachman, will bo new to many. A gentleman living in tho neighbourhood of Addington, finding that the stablemen were not in the habit of attending church, spoke to his coachman about it. " They ought to go," ho said. " That's just what I say myself," was the rejoinder. "I says to them—look at me, I go, and what harm does it do me 2"

The Prince of Wales has been an unflag* ging patron of the drama this year. Foi three months, owing to tho death of Prince Henry of Battenberg, he was unable to go to the theatre, bub during the rest of the year His Royal Highness attended no less than thirty performances. These were all in London. It is very seldom indeed that a member of the Royal Family attends a performance in the provinces. In Turf engagements the Prince's record is still more striking. tie was at Newmarket twentyseven days out of a possible twenty-nine, at Epsom six days, and at Ascot, GoodWood, Doncaster, and Sundown four dayi each.

The Queen has been entertaining a series of "dine and sleep" guests at Windsor Castlo lately. Theso visitors, who are invited by tho Master of the Household, arrive about six o'clock in the evening, and they assemble in the corridor (every one in full dress) at half-past eight, when the lord-in-waiting settles tho order in which the company are to go in to dinner. The Queen enters from her own apartments exactly ab a quarter to nine, with the Princesses and the lady-in-waiting, and the party at ones proceed to dinner in the Oak Room, which adjoins the corridor. The conversation ab the banquet is not lively, Her Majesty strictly confining her remarks to general subjects, such as art, literature, music, and scenery. Any allusion to political or personal topics is absolutely prohibited. After dinner the Queen and ladies retire to one of the drawing-room.* (thero aro three— White, the Green, the Red), which opon out of the corridor, where they aro spoedily joined by the men of tho party. Formerly the Queen went round the circle, saying 9 few civil and pleasant words to each person, bub now Her Majesty does not leave her seat, and the guests are taken up to her in fourß by the lady-in-waiting and the lord-in-waiting, after which she retires to bet rooms with tho Princesses (if any art present), and the company finish the evening with music and whist. Tho guests' apartments are vary comfortable, with largi baths and capital fires. Smoking is strict!; forbidden except in the smoking-room, which is far removed from the Queen's own part of tho Castle. In the morning guest! breakfast either in their own rooms or with the Household-in-Waiting, niter which they take their departure. Princess Beatrice has rarely joined the dinner party.

A delightful story of the late Prof. Fronde is given in the current issue of the British Review to illustrate the thesis that the historian's views, " though never inconsistent with his principles, were sometimes a surprise to his friends." During a General Election a canvasser called ut Mr. Froiule's house in London 011 behalf of one of the candidates. Mr. Froude was out, so the canvasser had to content himself with in« terrogating the butloras to how Mr. Froude would vote. The butler— old servant who understood his master well—replied, " When the Liberals is in, Mr. Froude is sometimes a Conservative. When the Conservatives is in, Mr. Froude is always & Liberal."

Mr. Rhodes' answer to .Mr. Blnke who pressed him as to whether he thought hit preparations for the "going in" to the Transvaal was consistent with his position as Cape Prime Minister, "It is not foi me to judge my conduct; it is for thii Committee," has its prototype in a story which was vouched for by the late Mr. Serjeant Armstrong, of the Irish Bar. An Irish peasant was arraigned for some offence in the Leinster Circuit, and, in answer to the formal question as to whether he was guilty or not guilty, replied : " How can T tell that, your Honor, till I'm tried ?"

The Paris correspondent of the Morning Post announces tlio death, at the age of eighty-five, of Mdrae. Cornelie Falcon, a can tat rice who for five years had the most brilliant career imaginable. La Falcon made her debut at the Opera House on i July 20, 1832, in " Robert le l)iable." Th( i Temps declared that never had there been such a brilliant entry upon the operatic stage, while among the chorus of delighted critics M. Blaze de Bury wrote : " It is impossible to imagine a clearer or more incomparably beautiful soprano." Aftor five years of the greatest success La Falcon's voice appeared to break. Sho went to Italy in the hope that the climate would restore the lost notes, and then returned to Paris in the belief that she had recovered her voice. Tho Opera was crowded on the night of her entr6o. La Falcon was extremely beautiful, and the arrival of the favourite was the signal for round after round of applause. The orchestra began, but when La Falcon tried to sing she failed to utter a note, and, bursting into tears, lefl , the stage. She never appeared in publii again.

" The Poet Laureate at Home" is the title of an article in the March number of Casaell's Magazine. It is written by " One of hia Friends," who tells us that the poet hag i made himself the pet of society, and he uses his privilege "energetically." For instance : "' Are you in town, and is my room ready ?' he telegraphs to some great lady when he wants to quit his home in Kent for a visit to London ; and if the lady is not in town, back she has to come without) delay, or the Laureate will know the reason why. Often she comes back gladly enough, for the tyrant is a pleasant man to entertain. It is impossible for a house which holds him to be dull. In fact, ho may be set down as a social lion of the first rank." Why that is (so the writer adds) many a man would find it hard to tell. Mr. Austin, we art also told, has no enemy among those whc know him, But " foes, especially critics oi the contemptuous sort, he has in plenty and these, in almost all cases, are men who are nob personally acquainted with him, Often I have doubted whether they are personally acquainted oven with his works. In the newspapers, in society, and in the clubs, when he became Laureate you met scarce a man or woman who was not ready with a gibe at the appointment. The writer of the article makes the further statement that it would be easy to show by a review of : his' works that. Mr. Austin is as musical and winning as any other poet of. his age.",