A NOTED GRANDE DAME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14225, 23 November 1909, Page 8

A NOTED GRANDE DAME.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

London, October 15. Lady Cardigan, whose remarkablo book, "My Recollections," has caused so much interest, is certainly one of the most) interesting of Society's grandes dames. In the early fifties she was considered one of the most beautiful women of the day, and she has retained her energy and charm to a wonderful extent. Lady Cardigan has been twice widowed, her second husband, the Count Lancastre de Saldanha, having died in 1898. Her ladyship is extremely versatile, and goes in for music and • driving. Fencing and yachting were also great favourites of hers, and she was always a prominent figure at Cowes. She has very original ideas in dress, and used to wear a leopard-skin coat which caused a great deal of admiration. It is interesting to note, by the way, that Lady Cardigan is the patroness of no less than ten livings. "My Recollections" contains many interesting anecdotes of well-known people, and it has already attained a huge success. Lady Cardigan is still a handsome woman, and this although she is, as a matter of fact, higher in the 'eighties than even her friends imagine. With a distinguished grace of manner she combines a charm and subtlety of mind of which time cannot rob her, and which contrast piquantly enough with her appearanceher blond curled wig, and the white girlish frocks she still affects. Time, wonderful to say, has stolen, too, but little from her voix doree. She warbled in the 'sixties as well almost as Palti, the critics said, and it is true that only the other Sunday she was induced to sing some of the old songs of sentiment, to the infinite pleasure of a rarty of guests in the country. Before her first marriage as Miss de Horsey, she was known not only for her singing, but her perfect playing on the piano. Later, she married a Balaclava hero, and was the heroine of more than one startling romance ; but in her queenly way she appeared to suffer fools gladly—did the fools but have the temerity to show any disapproval of her. A more Ouidaesque lady, in a word, than Lady Cardigan was never seen to make her curtsey at the Court, of St. James. ,