PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, 14 December 1893, Page 42

PERSONAL NOTES.

One of the best shots, perhaps the besf-, in Britain is Earl de Grey. He is credited with having durieg a Bingle " driva " accounted for over 700 pheasants. An American who has been visiting Professor John Stuart Blackio says the latter has the bluest eyes he ever saw, the brain of a scholar, and the heart of a lit Je lad. Miss Jean Ingelow, the well-known poet and novelist, makes a point of giving dinners three times a week to 12 poor persons frashly discharged from the hospitals of London. The Visjountess Sborbrooke, widow of Robiit Lowr>, ia a wonun of strong character. She has sense and courage, a heart and a hea->, and she bore a l^rge part ia her husband's public life. A number of clever repartees ara c ■edited to nor. To hear iSims Reaves sing is like listening to a masterpiece of eloquence. Horn is no cileminale atftcbation, but a sincerity and breadth which make tho voicj a great instrument o£ feeling and expression, not a mere raed for idle piping- Hh elvcution, f.o exquisitely modulated, has ail tho effect of a combination of gong and oratory. — Sneaker.

Professor Louis H. Meyer recently read an interesting paper concerning the musical attainments oE various royal personages. Tha Czar of Russia has a special fondness for brass instruments, and has made himself an expert performer upon the trombone. Prince Henry of Prussia is an excellent violinist. The Queen of Italy is a finished pianist ; while the Queen of the Belgians plays the piano, and is a skilful performer on the harp. Toe Duke of Connaught's Alder3hot appointment Is (says a Home paper) most popular with the army, and many reforms at the great camp which have for a long time been necessary will now be introduced by the Duke and his staff. It is the very old j generals that are duffers, and the Duke of Connaught has done more real regimental duty than most general officers of his rank, and there are one or two of them " as is well known " gone quite off the line. The Duke of Connaught has been honoured by having conferred upon him the honorary colonelcy of the 4th Regiment of Hungarian Hussars by the Emperor of Austria. This is one of the smartest regiments in the AustroHungarian army, with uniform in which light blue attilas and red chakos are conspicuous features. Tae Duke is the third English Prince upon whom this honour has been conferred by the Emperor. A similar compliment was bestowed on the Duke of Cambridge in 188G, and on the Prince of Wale 3in 18S8. Mr James Van Alen, who has jast been named Amsrican Ambassabor to Rome, is the son of the late General Van Alen, who distinguished himself in the American Civil War, and who was a well-known and very popular individuality, not only in New York, but in London society. The gallant general was a great admirer of good pictures, diamonds, and pretty women. He was lost at sea in a mosS mysterious way. It was on a Cunarder, and he and his son and daughter-in-law were returning to the States after a season ia Europe, when one night the general was missed. There was no suspicion of suicide, for there lived no man more thoroughly contented with the world — and especially with himself — than the gallant general, who enjoyed both good health and considerable wealth. His sod, the present ambassador to Rome, m-irried a Miss Astor, so that this is the second time the United States will be represented in Italy by a member oE that millionaire family. The richest man in all America is John Magee, whose life has been as romintic as that of Monte Christo. In 1875, Mageß was Vics-Consul for England at St. Jose, where he occupied his leisure moments in making collections of insects. In some manner he managed to offend the Governor there, Don Joie Gonzales, who ordered that Mr Magee should receive 75 stripes from a whip on his bare back. This order was executed, and when the last one was given, the inhuman wretch Gonzales cried, " Give him 25 more for good luck." After M-jgee's terrible flagellation he sent a justly indignant account of his treatment to England. Soon afterward, ths State of Guatemala receive 1 an order from the English Government to pay to Magee the sum of 5000 francs for each sferoke he had recsived, under pain of seeing San Jose bombarded by English men-of-war. The money was at once paid, and 500,000 francs (£20,000) was the foundation of Magea's present enormous fortune, it having brought him good luck, as Don Jose has maliciously remarked.