PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2199, 23 April 1896, Page 45

PERSONAL NOTES.

•.• President Faure of France follows the example of the late M. Garaot in haying all the game that is killed in the presidential "shootings " sent to the hospitals of Paris. • . • William Morris, whom the world usually thinks of as an artist and a poet, is a practical printer, and the owner of a printing press — the Kelmscott Press— which has turned out the most beautiful work, technically, of the day. * . * Munkaosy has received the offer of the post of inspector of fine arts of the kingdom of Hungary. The great artist, who is now living in Paris, is never ashamed to refer to his lowly beginnings. .Atone time he painted Signposts and tradesmen's walls. *.* Tbe Queen of Italy is studying the Hebrew language and literature with diligence, and is making great progress. Lately, when in Venice, she received in audience Rabbi Caen Porto, with whom she conversed in the ancient language of the Jews. .*.' Sir John Warren Hayes, who died recently, was one of the oldest baronets, one of the oldest clergymen, and one of the oldest Freemasons in' Great Britain. He was born ' in 1799, was educated at Harrow, and took his degree at Wadham College, Oxford, in 1821. - '.' Prince Biimarck now possesses all tbe - Prussian decorations. He has exhausted all the honours that it is possible for the Emperor to confer upon him. This unique condition of things has been brought about by ■ bis election aB a member of the Order Pour le Merits for Scienoe and Art. ' *.* Like one or two other American novelists, M r Hum y James ia fonder of England than of his own country. When a boy he was brought here on a visit.^nd he then resolved that at the earliest opportunity he would return and make London his home. The novelist is nearly 53 years old. • . • Young Earl Granville's accession to the diplomatic service, to which he has been appointed- with the rank of third secretary, will be a gratification to the many who remember that his father, who was so long leader of the Liberals in the House of Lords, was devoted to foreign affairs. * . * Mr Henry Arthur Jones is the son of a Buckinghamshire farmer, and was taught to regard the stage with Puritan horror. Mr Jones believes in the mission of the stage. "I place the stage next to the Church," he once said to a lady His first London play was produced by Mr "Wilson Barrett, himself a farmer's eon. * . * Though Oom Paul Kruger lives very Simply, he is a very wealthy man without doubt. *He is worth in capital not less than £1.000,000, and in addition he receives in all about £8000 a year for his State duties. A carious allowance to the President of the Transvaal Republic, which Kruger receives, is £400 a year for coffee, the national drink of the Boers. • . • There is a story of the late Prof. Blackie standing in front of the fire at the lodge of B J'iol College, and shouting out, with a roll of tbe famous^ plaid, and a toss of the equally famous wild white hair : " I should like lo know what you Oxford fellows say of me behind my back I" After a moment's pause Jowett replied mildly : "We don't mention you at all 1 " • . • King Oscar of Sweden and N> rsvay recently appeared in a new role at tha performance given by Stnart Cumberland in S'ockbolm. Mr Cumberland does not know Swedish, and his interpreter failed to appear; so the kirg, who is an excellent linguist, offered his service?, and explained things to the crowded audienoe with surprising- ease and fluency. •. 'George Dv Msurier's friends never Speak to. him of " Trilby." He has grown so weary of the book and the heroine that made him famous as a novelist that he never speaks of his creation, and objects to, all reference to the same. For a time he kept a " Trilby scrapbook," but it became so cumbersome'af tef a time that he has not recorded recently-received newspaper clippings. *.* AU through the severe crisis (says the Weekly Sun) that has endured since Christmas Lord Salisbury has been quite unmoved. When the hand of any Power was raised in threat against us, and at any moment might bring about a declaration of war, Lord Salisbury wet,t about bis work serenely and soberly, as his wont. His rest was not disturbed, nprhia appetite impaired. ' • . ■ Madame Adam wrote her first article before she was 16. It was an attack on the crinoline, then intensely fashionable, and appeared in the Stecle. The celebrated editress of La Nouvelle Revue is now nearly 60. and is one of the hardest literary workers in France. She has one fashionable recreation, however — the drama — and has a large room in her Paris house fitted with stage and footlights for amateur performances. * . ■ Mrs Isabella Bird Bishop is regarded as one of the most valuable members of the Royal Geographical Society. Being skilled both as a photographer and a descriptive writer, she has sent home to England from the Orient much novel and interesting material from remote regions of China, Thibet, and Persia. She was one of tbe first women to see the Coreans face to face, and several times narrowly escaped death among Asian tribes. - . • Like Sir West Ridgway's appointment to be Governor of Ceylon, the nomination of Sir Claude Mac Donald to be British Minister Bt Pckin has occasioned no little surprise. The explanation is, we believe, to be found in a desire to appoint an able man to a difficult posb. Except that he was in Hongkong some 20 years ago as a lieutenant in the 71th Highlanders, Sir Claude's experience of the Far Hast is nil. But he has what was considered preferable, if it became matter of choice— a reputation for ability and diplomatic tact.— Saturday Review. . • . • An early Incident In Lord Wolseley's career was characteristic of the spirit of the man. At the end of 1851, in recognition of bis service In tbe Crimean war, he was ' gazetted captain. When it was discovered, ' however, that Wolseley was little more than ' 21 years old the captaincy was cancelled. Bat the young man protested so vigorously - against this injustice to youth that by the direction of some higher authority the can* cellation 'itself was cancelled and the captaincy restored. • . * The* late Charles Jamracb, the naturalist and dealer in wild animals, was married toon than once, and it is said that when a

friend condoled with him on the loss of hfe second wife, the naturalist answered, with a heavy Bigh : " Yes, yes, as you say, she was a good wife. But," he added, as if he felt compelled to speak the whole* truth, "she never took kindly to the animals. Why, even in winter, she wouldn't let the snakes sleep under the bed." '.'A rebel Cuban leader named La Cret is said to be the most expert swordsman in the world. In one of the recent skirmishes in Matanzas province, La Oret, while leading his men against a band of Spanish infantry, received from behind a slight bayonet thrust in tbe left arm. La Cret, so the story goes, never paused in his impetuous charge, but, glaccing over his shoulder, measured the distance, and with a single "backward sweep of the sword arm beheaded his foe with neatness and despatch. • . • The men who have seen Sir Walter Scott must now be getting few. Mr John Usher, of Stodrig, who died the other day, himself an enthusiast on Border ballads, was one of the rapidly diminishing little company. He used to tell with no small pride i that on one occasion, when Sir Walter was a visitor at Toftfield, his birthplace, he had sat on the great novelist's knee, and had sucg several songs, for which he was rewarded by Sir Walter with the present of a white pony. Mr Usher in later life was something of a poet himself, and a colleor tion of his verses and songs appeared about a year ago. • , • A feature in Pearson's Magazine is the brief illustrated acoounts of notable men and i women, which appear, under the^suggestive title of "In the Ptfbllc Bye." Mr Norman Gale is dealt with in an appreciative way. The photograph which suggests what manner of man the poet is does justice to the traftß indicated in the following extract : — " Mr Gale is an adept in nearly all games, whether those that are played in the house or those of the open air. All sports that involve the suffering of dumb ''animals he shuns as he would the plague, and he is never tired of implanting- the creed of mercy in both old and young listeners." Mr Norman Gale was born in 1862, 'was 'educated' at Oxford, and settled dovrh in Warwickshire as a. schoolmaster until some three years ago, when he awoke and found that his little book of | verse, "A Country Mane," had made him famous. ' * . • A strange idea, that of M. Jean Lasealle, the world-famous baritone, writes The May " in' To-day. He has entirely g _>ne out of Paris life, and a fotgetful -world had almost osased to talk of him, when every artistic temperature in France was shocked to hear that he had established himself as a cement maker — of all thin gs I He was perfectly contented, but seemed rather annoyed at being dug out of retirement. "Yes," he Baid, " I prefer this to the theatre, and the late hours, and the applause.- I have got three little men growing up around me, and I shall die the happier for leaving them with a flourishing business to look after rather than a fortune—to spend." M. Lassalle, who is still under, 50, .bad long decided to devote the fortune he .bad made to founding a cement works, and throughout his artistic career he had made it' a hobby to study every scientific work.dealing with the subject. He said to a friend in London once,, after a big triumph, " I like the applause of the English; it seems to me- so spontaneous. You never think of the word claque." But his greatest pleasure was to receive a frank and hearty shake of tbe hand, and an honest word of congratulation.