LONDON CHAT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10619, 14 March 1896, Page 6

LONDON CHAT.

(Fbom Our Own Cobebspokdbnt.) London, January 31, THE WBA.THEB.

January 1896 has assuredly been one of the most wonderfully Dae and mild winter months wiihin the memory of man. No greater contrast could be imagined than between the laisfc week of this current January, with its genial Bprmg-!ike temperature, and fch* terrible corretpoudent week of Jannary 1895, when the thermometer evsn in Loadoa went dowa to 3deg. bslow zero, or ZSieg. below freezing point. j , THE DEATH OF PRINCE HENRY. j There bus been a great outburst of national I regret and sympathy with regird to the j lamented death of Prince Henry of Battenberg, ; who is now recognised on. »U bands as having ! been a thoroughly good fellow. A very unworthy fashion existed—3ot going by a ecutj rilous society weekly—of sneering at the Prince, aud of insinuating grossly untrue and unfounded reflections generally and on his courage in partieukr. But now that he is dead, having voluntarily given his life in the service of his sdoptsd coantry, people sxe beginning to recognise that there had bssn latent in hitn much of the gallant spirit which inspired his hero-brother, aud that he poseeised many of the elements of greatness had fate called him to another sphere than that of a raore consort of a princes. His great fafcherI iu-law, the late Prince Albert, was never fully ! undorsico:! aud appreciated by the English pooplo nutil his death. Such has been the case with poor Henry of Battening. Princess Beatrice, albboago inconsolable for her irreparable lc*s, be&M up bravely. But her friends »*y that she looks forward with deep Badness and unconquerable shrinking to the long life of lonely widowhood that Mas before her. It ia an inexpressible grief to her that her hmband will not oee the growth jof his childan to manhood and woraanhoud, or be present to aid her in planning tbair careers and promoting their welfare. Every wife and mother will understand this feeling and heartily sympathise with it. But it is some eomfc'c/rS to the widow that ail her children are old enough to ba able to rercembar their beloved and deeply mourned father. AH four j are remarkably pretty anci attractive children. I Three arc boys. Alexander, the eldest, ju»t J 10 yesr.i old, is a fine sturdy little fellow, and so | are ths two younger ones, Lsopold and Mauric?, aged six and fivs respr-csiveiy. The one girl, Princess Victoria Eugeuie Julia Ena, usually knowa by her fourth name, comes second iv j order, and is not quite nine years old. She is a I charmicg little maiden, with a singularly bright and winniog face. I have often seeu her about wi'-h her mother and {rrand mother. Oae of tlio last times I saw the Queeu, when.l was close j enough to touch her carriage, the little Princess Eca was with' her, and it wan impossible to help admiring her beauty, vivacity, and grace. It is a sad coincidence that Princess Beatrice should have lost first the lover of her youthful days, the Prince Imperial of France, and now tha passionately loved husband of h*jr maturer years, both "■aorifioai} to thow deplorable "little wars" of which the .African continent has b?en so prolific, and which have (tarried woe aud moursisg to so many a happy British home. DEATH OF 1.03 D LBIGHTON. On Saturday eveniug London w&s startled by j the news that Lord LeightoD, the recently ennobled president of the Koyal Academy, and the reoognwed leader of British art, hid suddenly puised away. It • had long heea known to ihe initiated few that Lord Lc.igb.ton suffered from an affection of ths heart which at times gave him trouble, but it was supposed that its nature was not such as to threnten immediate danger to life. For about a year Sir Frederick Leiffhton, &s he was up to a month ago, had experienced much psin from this disease of tha vessels of the heart, ludeed, his mudical attendants now say that in no case could bit life have been gro»t!y prolonged. Bus the i great painter had intense repugnance to publicity being given to the fact of his physical weakness, and so the secret wa« faithfully kept, except from a very few intimate friends, j Even when about the middle of last week ths dii»ea«e suddenly assumed an acnte slid mont i menacing form, in cosieeqii'-nce of a cbill ecu- j tractei on Wednesday through the patieut going out of doors in a cold morning mist, no one was allowed to know anythicg about the sufferer's illneac, and so the and news thit all wan ovar came with a painful shosk of »urpris«. Gout was the actual cause of the cardiac mischief which ultimately proved fatal. Gouty depo»ita led to diaeaae of tha veuels. Mr Avthur Roberts, Lord Leightm's regnlir adviser, wag assisted latterly by Dr Lauder i Bruntou and Sir Williara BroadbenS. Acting on their counsel Lord Leightou had spent last sutamn travelling in South Europe and Algeria. But he returned no better, and was obliged to avoid all exertion and excitement. He might havn lingered much longer bub for the unlucky chili of Wednesday, which brought on a violent cough. This shook him so fearfully that it greatly aggravated the heart mischief, and brought on frequent paroxysms of such intense agony that chloroform had to be freely lifimiuistered. During the last two hours of bis life his pains were .excruciating, bnt: when the sdminisiration of chloroform had to be temporarily suspended owing to the patient's critical condition he bore his acute sufferings with admirable fortitude, only once asking: " Can't you do anything else for me ? " Unhappily nothing more could be done, and at the end he experienced a few minute?' freedom from paio, accompanied by complete consciousness. Just before passing away ho said: " Give my love to all at the Academy." Then he extended his hand to bia two widowed sisters, Sirs Orr and Mrs Mithews and to his friend and neighbour, Mr V*l. Prinsep, all of whom stood by his bedside, and, sinking back, passed quietly to his rest. , Lord Leigliton bad only attained his sixtysixth year—no great age for^a painter, when it is recollected that Sidney Cooper is still painting anil exhibiting «t the age of 91, while Mr G. F. Watfcg ia also in full activity though aged 81. Of his place in art it is not easy to speak. He excelled in his delineation of beautiful feminine figures, usually placed ?n classical sutrouhdmgn. He delighted to depict lovely girls, arrayed ia strnnge and often bizarre robe* and disposed in eccentric attitudes. Hia 11 Gitl with the Golden Hair " and bis " Fl&mlDg Juno" in last ywic'a Royal Acad*my will not soon be forgotten by tho»« upon whom their wealth of beauty and riohnisss of strange and vivid colouring burst as a revelation on Private View Day. That Lftighton's flash tints, whila most exquisitely delicate, often tended toward a waxen or ivory-like effect; that his figures sometimes seemed to lack the life-like touch ; aud that his sky backgrounds were purely artificial »nd nonnatural in tone, will hardly be denied by his warmest admirers. But all' the same his pictures always were tho "things of beauty" which we are told »re "a joy for ever," and at future Royal Academy exhibitions the ever beautiful snd acceptable contributions of the late president will be greatly missed. SIB JOSEPH BARNBY. Last Tuesday evening came upon na quite unexpectedly the unwelcome iate'.rigence that one of our prominent musicians, the prince of English conductors, had left us for ever. On Monday evening Sir Joseph Barnby bad conducted at the Albert Hall th« finsl rehearsal of Handel's oratorio, "Judaß Maccabssus," which was to be revived on Thursday evening. Next morning he seemed ail right, and was preparing to leave his house in St. George's fiqniire for the Guildhall School of Music, wheu suddenly he wan seized with dizziness and raininess. He sank into a chair, and in a few minutes all was over. He had been struck down by sanguineous apoplexy. Telegrams of condolence poured in by the thousand to his bereaved widow and family, one from the Queeu being among the earliest received : " The Queen offers you her deep sympathy in your great bereavement." Lady Baurnby will indeed have no lack of sympathetic friendship in her time, of sorrow. It may perhaps bo news to many New Zealand admirers of Sir Joseph Barnby's ever charming manic that he and Sir Arthur Sullivan were rival competitors for the Mend*lesohn scholarship of the K.A.S., and that Sullivan proved the winner. A& a composer he will perhaps be most affectionately remembered by hio exquisite put song " Sweet and low, wind of the western tea " ; by his charming cantata "Bebekah," »nd by his many delightful anthems and canticle services. He hat also written some very 'pleasing songs. Bnt it is as the conductor of the Royal Choral Society's concetta in the AI it Hall tbat Barnby's fame stands highest m,w will live lougent. Jfc has made that celebrated body of 1000 singers by far the finest choir on the face of the earth. No; Ido not forget tha Handel festival choir or the Leeds or Birmingham festival choiit. But tlwee represent triennial spurts ooly, whereas the Albert Hall choir is continuous in it« life imd work. And, further, I am not sure whether even the other splendid bodies I have mentioned come quite up to fee late Sir Joseph B&rnbj's corps at all points. I confess I should nod it very hard to award tha pslm in all respects to auy but the Rojal Choral Society. MADB IN QIiRMANX, Just now musioiana are about, the only thing " made in Germany" which John Bull will tolerate. We all delight in Henschel aud Eichter and Menus as much as ever, but we will not buy German goods if we know it. That ill-adviaed telegram of Kaiser WUhcltn's h»8 been almoirt as disastrous finaaciaUy in its effects to his subjects as President Cleveland's was to bis American clacquears. It is said that the famous message cost, Amerio at laa»t £200,000,000 sterling. Nobody can tell how much the Kaiser'a foolish telegram has cast German trade. Each has been a bitter lesson against meddling in an nnfrieuniy way with Old Ertghuid. Without even » declaration of w*r both countries whose rulers insulted Great Britain have been, mulofced in more than the I cost of a disastrous war, and this without any >km oteoit on BaaUntfßJiart. .Oufroahr-aemvto

thaii tbe foolish acd bumptious men who did 1 tcs mischief could not suffer oil its conse- ■ quences instead of these falling on the heads of so j many innocent persons. As it is, Auglo-Gormau I trade is alrcoab paralysed. Many merchants and tradesmen who wore amassing Urge fortunes out of goods "made in Grerinnny" have seen their business dwindle to nothing and themselves on the verge of bankruptcy. Purchasers now carefully examine all goods offered to see whesther they are marked " made in Garmaoy" (rs required by law if 'their manufacture be Teutonic), and if thets words appear thn »rticlen, however tempting, are as a rule ruthlessly rejected. I have heard of numerous instances of this, and commercial travellers for German house* oompiaiu bitterly of the destruction that has fallen upon their trade.

They tell me that retailers are nob unwilling still to " turn an honest penny " by the sale of German-mado commodities, but, xa they n»tnrally say, " What's the use, when our customers won't buy ?" What, indeed !It seems that the German-made woollen underclothiug, which ia bo cheip and often good, was ia high and growing f».vouc ia the northern manufacturing districts, bat now the peopl« won't look at i!;. "No. Give v* soma good English stuff," they say; "no more of your German rubbish."

This, you see, meajis a bad blow to German trade, and its aevurity ia being enhanced by ! the remnrkable advance recently made in ! British teohuical industry. So marked, indeed, is the improvement in this respset that those who should know assure me confidently i that eveu when this international feeling shall j h&ve died away British manufacturers will be ! able to meet and beat the Germans on their own ground. NOTES BY A LADY. A feminine correspondent who is "well in the know " as regards Court matters writes to me as follows: —" It was Canon Liddon who Asked in his earmon on the death of tbe Duke of Alb»uy why it was that people were always bo moved by the sorrows of the Qaeeu. She had not mote, he owerved, than the common lot, yet we soemed to sorrow with her. It was, ha believed, because of the pathofcie isolation of the throne. This in very erne. When the Prince Consort lay iv all the majesty of death andths paraphernalia of Htate at Windsor', the Queen took the Duchess of Sntherlesd—gi-aDcl-mother to the present Duke—by tha hand and lad her iuto the death room aad removed the death cloth from the loved face. ' The Queen,' she said, ' from her position haa few fnends ; she cfl-u have ho intimate ones in Engi&ud, so my loss is doubly severe.' Th« Duchess enjoyed ber MaJßrfiy's confidence more than any o!1 h«r ladies, but it was not till after tbe'losa of her husband that she formed the friendship she did. Isolated as the throne may ba there is the human craving for human love and sympathy, and tbe Sovereign is a peculiarly feeling woman.

" There are many silly reports going about a» to tha cause of Prince Henry's goiig to Afrioa, but the real one was his wish to do something to win over the English people, and to lot tiietn feel that he bad real grit in him. He might with caro have avoided the fatal Fever, buG hu aad Major Ftr/juson would jjo snipe shooting against feue barnest remonstrances of tha doo-'or. And, sis we all know, snip-.* flock in swamps. Tha Princess ons hora*lf arranged the mmical projjrr.mme of tho funeral. He is to be bailed beueiith the coznmunioa table, where he w*h unitad to his sorrowing widow. IS was tho wish of the Priuce to ba buried in the Isle of Wight. His happiest days had been spent there. Tae Princess goi'S in the Royal yacht to meet tbe remains of her bu-bind, and convoy them to the.ia shores. The news of the death rer.ched her Majesty while »he was at brea'rfiirt, a meal she always taken alone. Sb». wrb quits prostrated for a time, and then rallying, insisted that fha only phould be the bearer of the sad news to her daughter. Sha hid a very bad night, but she rose at hsr u«ual hour in tho morziinp;, and at the same hour as every morning retired with her privets secretary, and conducted State business. This nhe doe.l each day, and tuch has betn the accwioa of work lately, in consequence of the state of Africa and the American questions, that tbe luncheon hour has to be 2 instead of 1 ».s hitherto.

" Tho death of Lord Loighton," (continues my correspondent) " was cot unexpected, but it was looner than had been rf a'ised as likely. Hio family—thic is to any, his two sisters— had'do ides of their brother's critical state. Oae of them told me jmt a few days befora tha sid event that she was co glad to think he was so much better. He was engaged on a picture, which he said satisfied his critical judgment. I was at the soiree last year at the Royal Academy, and I was struck with his worn aad suffering look But he'stood bravely to the very end, receiving the niauy hundreds that swept past him. Sir John Millais and bis wife atood near him, and I thought at tbe time that Millais, tco, seemed far from well.

"Lsighton's proper successor would be Millais, bat there was the unfortunate matter about Lady Millais, aud the Queen never relaxes her prejudices against divorce. L»dy Millais was, it will be remembered, the wife in the fitst instance of Mr Kuakiu, from whom she got the relief of a decree of nullity of marriage. Mr Richmond is talked of also as a likely candidate for the important post, but Mr Prinsep is rich, and will be able to entertain. The splandid house the late presideut hid bnilt aud adorned for himself he hits left to all fnfcure presidents of the academy for their official use in perp3tuity. But the academy will never have such a splendid president again os Lord Leighton, or one more accomplished as a, linguist snd as a widelytravelled and well-read man. He was also a generous benefactor to rising talent. Having never married, it is not known jet who is to be his heir. Hi« last words were pathetic— ' Give my love to all at'the academy.'

"It is stated that the Qaet-n his always hated black H&tiu since Mrs Maturing, the murderess, elected to be hanged in it. She was strung up in a black satin gown. This fact injured the popularity of the fabric for long yesrs. The Queen herself selected all the mouroiog to ba worn by the Connaugbts, the Lornes, and the Princess Beatrice. She did this ou the very ''ay of the news being received of Prince Henry's death, The marriage of fchs Princess Maud will be a much quieter affair than was anticipated in eoaaequence of this sudden mourning. I hear there will be a great many valuable pre«enfce. " The Duke and Duchess of Fife are at Brighton, and oycHug to their hearts' content on tbe seaboard among all the vinton). The Duchess manages her tnf.cliine gracefully as well as skilfully. !?he wears a short skirt, a covert coat, and a toque, or a small oval-shaped hat, with game quills to tho side."