PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 58

PERSONAL NOTES.

• . ■ The Rev. Edward Allen, of Tiverton, has just completed his one-hundredth year. There can.bs but little doubt that he is the i oldest; cktrgyman in the Church of England. He was ordained pviest in 1522. The Rsv. Henry Good- runs hjm very close, being in his mnety-sightb. year, and having been ordained priest in 1833. * . • Everybody remembers the schoolboy's remark about the present Archbishop of Canterbury : " 01 course, Temple's a beast, bub he's a just beast." Dr Temple has *two» sons, and on one occasion some foolish person asked one of them if they were not afraid of so stern a man as their father seemed to be. The instant and astonished reply, " What ! frightened of old Daddy ?"■ showed the familiar and happy condition of his own home circle. • . • Mr Austin Dobson's fame appears to lack but one ingredient — an enamy. There is perhaps not another living man of letters of anything approaching his eminence who has contrived to evade so completely the envy of his less fortunate fellows. All the cliques and ail the generations combine to praise Mr Dobsou, and we sre afraid that, at his canonisation, no Davil'-s advocate wiil put in an appearacce. We are not sure that this is au unraixed advantage, but it indicates not only the, genial and simple nature of the artist, but also the isolation of his work. He has a department all his own, where he clashes with do serious rival, and his successes in it wound no one's vanity. — Saturday Review. • . • Regarding the forthcoming appearance of ihu Karl of Roselya in Mr Pinero's eew play, a gossip says :—": — " As his mother was a Fitzroy, Lord Rosslyn is a descendant of Charles II and Barbara Yilliers, Duchess of Cleveland, a lady who was in her day distinguished for her preference for the stage. Nor is Lord Rosslyn the only descendant of Charles II now upon the stage, for Mr Cosmo Gordon, a eon of Lord Alexander Gordon Lennox, now acting under the name of ,Mr \ Oosmo Stuart at ttie Gomadsuia a, desceu-

dant of Charles Lennox, Duke of Bichniond, left-handed son of Charles II and the famous Duchess of Portsmouth." • . • The Sultan oE Turkey is always seen attired in pale brown garments ; the Emperor o£ Austria affects grey. The ycung.. German Emperor has what may be called a lcul taste in clothes, and is never so bappy as when wearing the showiest of uniforms or hunting costumes ; indeed, when attired ia the latter he looks as thongh he thad stepped ont of Drnry Lane pantomime, so extraordinary and fantastic is his get-up on these occasions. The Emperor of Bussia, on the other hand, lik*9S the simplest, darkest form of undress uniform, and he habitually wears that which became so familiar in all the photographs of his late father. - ■ . • S'gnor Nicolini, before his fatal illness, was his wife's devoted caretaker. Hs used to watch to protect her from draughts the instant she quitted the stage, and that, she did not talk between the acts after tfca oarmine was laid on her lips. He wonld keep intrusive bores away, but was attentive to all those whom she wished to treat as frisndd. He would see that the water which was to wash off the face pigments was -the Tight heat, and oversaw the make-up operations. If Madame Patti were in the hands of, aa old nurse she could not have been inora tenderly, used. In appearance and manner he was unassuming and untheatrical, unlike the husband of a star or a professional tenor. • . • The late Mr Dodgson ("Lbwis Carroll") had his little ways as well as -iris hoobie?. '. He was particular about; his appearance. Ha j hated to be introduced sis " the author of I ' Alice,' " and his shors-aightedness was -sometimes exaggerated with a purpose. It j is not easy to realise that Mr Dodgson was | 65. His hair was indeed iron-grey ; but his I alert figure and his bodily vigour seemed to | betoken a younger man. He never wore an | overcoat in his life, aad he continued his lo»g " constitutionals "to the end. Though somewh«at of a recluse. Me Dodgson had many friends, both in Oxford and elsewhere. • . • The following story of the late General Havelock-AUan, told in an interview some time ago, is worth repeating. Fifty years ago General Havelock, the father of Sir Henry Hiyeionk-AUac,- was going with Dr Brock and bis ton tci 'a'FoJicitor's office, and oc passiog over London Bridge the father told tho boj, then about 18, i.o wait in a recess on thß bridge until thf.y returned for J him. This was about 11 o'clock in the i mornirg. At 6 ia the evecing the servant was told to tell youcg Mr Hjvelock that I dinner was waiting. A reply chub (hat he i had not been F«en all day. Talking- the i matter ever, the minister xeccliectea tlis i father telling the son to wait on the bridge. The general jumped into a hansom cab, drove to the bridge, and there found the boy." ' . • Oneof the prettiest of i he-many charming ante lot as of Thackeray was told by D:ugias Jerrol'd". He was one raoraingat tb.3 chambers of Mr Horacs May»jew,_ in Regent fatreef, when Thackeray fenocket 1 at the door, and cried, " It'a no us», Porry M»yhew, cpen the door ! " " It's dear old Thackeray;" said Mr Mayhew joyfully aa he opened the door. " Well, young gentlemen," said Thackeray, cheerily, as ho entered, " you'll admit an old |-£ogey." He took up tbe papers lying about I the reom, and talked with the two young ■ men of various matters of thß day. Then hs i took up his hat to go, but as if he suddenly remembered something he paused at the door. " I was going away," he said, " without c!oir g part of the business of my visiS. | You f-poke the other day at the dinner "' — referring to the Punch weekly meeting — " of \ poor George. Somebody — most anaccoonti ably — has returned me a £5 note I lent him a long time ago. I didn't expect it ; so jasfr hand it to Gaorge, and tell him when his pocket, will boar it just to pass ib on to some poor fellow of his acquaintance." With a nod the talJ, genial-faced author went hastily out of the xpom. Thackeray was a constant attendant of the Punch dinec-r?, and an important member of the council which discussed and decided upon the "contents of the forthcoming numbers. It is hinted that he and Douglas Jerro'd, who always sat next him, sora-etimes squabbled a little, but nothicg ever came of it. " Taere is no use of our quarrelling," Thackeray would say with irresistible good humour and l'-gic, " for we must meet again next week 1 "