PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 49

PERSONAL NOTES.

Lord Rosebery is one of the most neatlydressed men in Parliament.

Sir Charles Roes is the first known instance of any married man rowing in the university boat race. Sir Charles married Miss Berens, a sister of Lady Cairns, last year.

Mr William W. ABtor, the American millionaire, is a frequent visitor at the British Museum. It is understood tbat he is gleaning material for a historical novel.

Margaret Deland, the authoress of " John Ward, Preacher," and other popular works, is a bright-faced woman Btiil under 30. Her manner is gay and lively — not at all the demeanour that one would expect from the writer of theological novels. She never goes out without a large mastiff.

Lord Bosebery's first speech was delivered when he was 14 years of age, at a luncheon to volunteers given by his grandfather. He had even then his cool self-posseßsiju, and that remarkable glance of the eye which seems at once to take the measure of a man and to value him accordingly.

George Grossmith had a fight when he was at school with young Orwia — afterwards Dr Orwin, of the Throat Hospital — and was severely punished by the future medico. After the fight, Grossmith offered his opponent twopence to declare that the battle had ended in quite a different fashion, and the offer was accepted.

Living at a charming country place — Grim's Dyke, Harrow— Mr W. S. Gilbert has for a long time past been on the commission of the peace for Middlesex. In spite of his dramatic comicalities, the gifted author is a very Rhadamanthus on the judgment seat, etern of aspect, brief of speech, and unbending of demeanour. Prince . Bismarck has almost recovered from the effects of the illness which recently prostrated him, and is allowed to bring bis beloved tobacco pipe into operation once more. It is alleged that his Highness has suffered more by being denied the use of the fascinating weed than from the ailment for which the doctors treated him.

The Duke of Bedford has presented to the town of Bedford a field of 22 aores in the vicinity of the promenade on the banks of the Ouse, for the purposes of providing a public recreation ground and enabling the corporation to complete a scheme for the improvement of that spot> ' The land was valued last year at £8500. The late Mr R. M. Ballantyne made it a rule to write always, when he could, from his own experiences. Before he wrote " The Lighthouse " he lived for some time with the keepers on the Bell Bock. He prepared for " Deep Down " by a visit to the Oornish mines, for " The Pirate City " by a winter in Algiers, and similarly in. other oases.

Considering his age, the Pope is in excellent health; but all that can be is done to spare him fatigue, to which he is easily subject. The mitre he wears when he appears in St. Peter's on ceremonious occasions is a facsimile in painted silk of the real mitre, and even the apostolic and other rings he wears are made as light in weight as custom will permit. M. Galezowski, the well-known Polish oculist, is abont to visit the Shah. Nasr-ed-Din has himself been able to obtain a passport across the Oanoasus for the famous specialist. He proposes to recompense the doctor for his servicea with a royal fee ; he is to give him £7000 sterling, and to pay all the costs of the journey to Persia and back for both him and his family.

Mr Justice Lawrance comes of a long race of Lincolnshire squires. At the bar he was known as " Long Lawrance," and he is even now the tallest member of the judioal bench. Although over 60 his lordship is still fond of various outdoor pursuits, and his appearance is more like that of a successful farmer than a lawyer.

The Czar of Russia is very devout. He carries religion into every ceremonial of his life. When the keel of his new yacht was laid recently the ceremony began with religious services, in which the Czar kissed the prelate's hand, and was sprinkled with holy water. After this he remained for about a quarter of an hour with the Empress engaged in silent pra/er in front of the altar.

Miss Annie Hughes, the aotresa, occasionally uses her pen. She has written some verses called "Passy's BBtter Nature" — which Mrs Kendal is fond of reciting at social gatherings — as well as a few clever short stories that have been published in various magazines. .In private Jife the actress is Mrs Devereux, aW'Witbrhgr.husDagd ig fond of entertaining a small circle: of friends in a _fla.t near Kegent street, She has been on the, stage since she was 17. Earl Grey,. who. has just completed bis ninety-first year, is, with. the exception of the Bishop of Chichester (Dr Damford), the oldest member of the House of Lords, and there is no other man whose official record goes so. far back.. It .is now more than ,63 years since he took office as Under Secretary for the Colonies, and he was sworn a member of the Privy Council nearly 59 years ago, in the reign of William IV.

Sir Albert Eollit, president of the London Chamber of Commerce, is the most versatile member of Parliament of the present time, and, whatever the occasion, is always prepared with a speech which contains matter for reflection. By profession a lawyer, he made his fortune in Hall, where he has close interests in connection with a large shipping firm. He owed his knighthood to his chairmanship of the Executive Committee of the Jubilee of Municipal Oorporations in 1885.

The Barl of Aberdeen, Viceroy and Governor-General of Canada, is liable at any moment to be ousted from bis seat in the House of Lords, and deprived of his peerage and estate, by the reappearance of his elder brother, who vanished in a most mysterious fashion years ago, during a voyage from New York to Brazil, from a vessel where he was serving as sailor before the mast. Notwithstanding all efforts to discover a trace as to what has become of him, no clue has ever been obtained, nor is there any certainty of his death. Mr Brandon Thomas, the author of "OUarley's Aunt," comes of an old county family, but began life as a shipwright's apprentice at Liverpool. Before going on the stage, about 15 years ago, he passed through various vicissitudes in business life. By bis friends he was always considered,

however, a very clever reciter, and It was eventually on their persuasion that he was induced to try his luck as an actor. In two of his own plays he has taken the leading part, and he Has also produced some popular songs for the music halls.

Prince Oonstantin Wiasemsky, the distinguished traveller, is making a lengthened stay in Paris. Prince Wiasemsky claims to have covered a distance of 380,000 miles during the past 16 years. He is a tremendous horseman, and pursues his hobby with a passion which has never diminished fciace he first began travelling. His next achievement will be a journey across Africa, from the extreme north to the extreme south. The Prince, who is 40 years of age, is fall of vigorous activity, and capable of enduring great fatigue.

Lord Ripon will (says a Home paper) be made Lord Lieutenant of the Emerald Isle, Lord Houghton retiring from the Vice-regal Lodge and obtaining that promotion in the peerage which his recently inherited addition of fortune will enable him to sustain with credit. The Ripons are an old Yorkshire family, and originated with a Hamburg merchant, resident in York, who flourished in 1580 under the cognomen of William Robinson. He waß also Mayor of York. The surprise incident in Lord Ripon's life was, of course, his conversion to the Church of Borne. The firet indication of anything strange or unlookad for came in this form. In 1874 Lord Ripon suddenly and unexpectedly, and without reason, resigned the position of Grand Master of Freemasons. The Masons were stirred with intense feeling. What did it mean ? What could have happened 7 Had his lordship in a convivial moment given the sign to one of the non-elect 1 Speculation was the most active thing for a week, and a nine-days' wonder was nipped in the bud by the announcement that his lordship had joined that hater of all oath-bound and secret secular institutions, the Church of Rome. The Marquis of Ripon (he is the first Marquiß of Ripon) has very many estimable qualities, the foremost being that he is sinoere in his passions and bis faiths.