"ALIEN'S" LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2988, 21 June 1911, Page 99

"ALIEN'S" LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

MAY

May 5. May Day woe a day full of the bliss ot sunshine,\ blue skies, and bird-song, and fulfilled the tradition, May makes the merry mood, fo" so far the spirit of the young month has. been joyous, and has fully justified all 'that the poets have written about it. The country,, the gardens, and parks are locking indescribably beautiful in their fresh and vivid greens of countless shades; t'n hawthorn is budding white and red, and the laburnum purpling to blossom. The orchards axe showy, the gorse and wallflowers, primroses and forget-me-nots, to say nothing of the blue carpets of hyacinths, are "scattered o'er the plain," •vvita the marigolds and daisies. The anticipatory spirit is abroad. There could not ba a brighter promise for the coming season than these sunny days; all the gl.com is forgotten. This week ends the Court mourning; then come the two first Courts and the opening proper of the London. season. The King and Queen returned to Buckingham Palace last week, mrtcn refreshed by their short holiday at Windsor, which will be their last quiet time of Coronation year. Their. Majesties will return to Windsor for the week-end to attend the memorial service to King Edward, at which Queen Alexandra, who . has just returned from her visit to her brother, the King of Greece, will also be present. The return journey of Queen Alexandra and Princess Victoria was full of sad memories, for just at that date last year the Royal travellers were hastening back to England on account of King . Edward's illness. There will be a large assemblage this week of- the Royal Family for the memorial solemnities of Saturday's mournful celebration. Prince Henry of Battenberg has returned from Algiers, where he spent a feiv weeks, and the Duke of Connaught, AVno was a short tune ago ago ill with an attack of bronchitis, is coming up from Scotland, and Prince Arthur of Connaught has returned from Italy. Prince and Princess Christian, with their son and daughters, are at Cumberland Lodge, and the Duchess of Albany is staying with her daughter at Henry 111 Tower, Windsor. On Sundav their Majesties and Court will lay aside the mournin gfor King Edward, which has been worn for a year, and on Monday coloured toilettes may be worn by the ladies, although the Queen may continue her mourning in private for her brother, the late Prince Franosi of Teck, until the end of May. Should she wear black at the forthcoming Courts, tho Mistress of the Robes, the Duchess of Devonshire, and Ladies-in-waiting will be expected to wear black also, although not the Maids of Honour. Ascot this year promises to surpass all previous brilliant meetings. Many will hear with pleasure that this year any and every style is fashionable; the quaintest and oddest style will not be too quaint, or too odd. It is left for every woman to array herself as she and her dressmaker and milliner desire. Many who are not lovers of the tight and hobble skirt will be pleased to know that the "dress as you please" permit has been taken advantage of by Miss Ethel Irving, who has reintroduced the charming "aocordion"-pleated skirt among the beautiful frocks she has" chosen for her Australian tour. One is a simple black chiffon, accordion-pleated over white sarin. Among other charming dresses'that Australasian playgoers will admire is a tightfitting evening gown of Princess shape, of Neapolitan violet charmeuse, and another of white crepe de chine swathed round , the body, and still another of white satin wi'-h an over-dress of pink chiffon fastened with a girdle. The first official visit paid by the King and Queen on their return to town was to "the Royal Academv. for the Royal pvh ate view of the exhibition before its opening to the public. The King and Queen were accompanied by the Prince of Wales, Prince George, Princess Mary, ! and Prince Albert, and- met a number of royalties at the Academy, among whom ~ were the Duchess of Albany, dressed in j grey and black, as she came on from a society wedding. The Prince and Prin- i cess Alexandra of Teck were of the party,- : the Princess wearing a smart black satin costume with a large hat and feathers, i Prircess Christian wore black velvet. The Royal party were presented with prettily- j bound catalogues in blue moire, and "did" , the Academy in a business-like manner, ! which from a Royal point of view is very interesting this year. But there is no j picture of the King: that will be for | next year —the Coronation group of King j George and Queen Mary. The private view at the Academy was : given last Friday, and, as is usual, there was a large crowd of well-known people, , who go to see and be seen of each other , quite as much as to view the pictures. ! Towards tho middle and end of the after- j noon it was almost impossible to move about in the throng. Society, art, litera- j txire, diplomacy, and the Church were all : represented, and from an early hour in j the morning people came and went, all j the rooms being crowded. This is one of | the occasions for smart dressing, but the • hues were half-mourning, greys, and .violets among the black velvets and satins, j Lady Tweed-dale wore black with emerald green feather ; Lady Hilton, mole-coloured velvet: Lady Wemyss, in black; and Lady Beauchamp, lovely grey satin with large hat. Mrs Asqrath wore black velvet with a cerise and blue hat; Lady de Bathe, sapphire blue and black satin. With all the coloured shades black was introduced. Tho Spanish Ambassador was present anong the gentlemen, also the Danish Minister* nnd Chilian Minister, Father Bernard Vanghan, Archdeacon Sinclair, i the Swedish Minister, and a number of j

(Specially Written for th<> Witness Ladies' Page.)

. other we'l-known men. In the Lecture Room, which is, as usual, set apart for scilpture, there are six busts of King j Edward VII, and it has been remarked that although they have no resemblance to each other, they all unmistakably represent the late King. There is also a statue of King George and one of Queen Mary. | King George is represented in. an admiral's uniform, with cap and telescope, and Queen Mary is in a handsome dress of raised embroidery and jewels. The statues are excelent likenesses of +.heir Majesties, and were t-xecuted by Mr Hamo Thornycroft' and Sir George Frampton for the Victoria Memorial Hall, Calcutta, There is also a very beautiful Peter . Pan monument by Sir George Framp- ! ton, a bronze cast of which is to be erected at Kensington Gardens. The Academy opened its doors on May Day to the public in general, and it was soon remarked that this year's exhibition includes no "problem" picture. Quite a number of works are mentioned as having been considered for the Chantrey Bequest Fund. On the whole it is a really interesting Academy. For portraiture it is a man's year more than a woman's. Mr Sargent's Archbishop of Canterbury has been called a " superb piece of realism." There is a large gallery of famous men—Lord Fisher and Lord R.ayleigh, by Herkomer; Viscount Kitchener, by Collier; Lord Lonsdale, by Bacon; Sir Edward Carson, by Philip »Burne-Jones; Sir Samuel Evans, by Christopher Williams, and a whole crowd of others. I One of the pictures' of the year is Mr ' George Clausen's "From My Window in the Small Hours," which is a picture it j would be a pleasure to live with, as also 1 are Mr Val Haver's " Living-rcom Pictxirfes," as he terms two exquisitely delicate pictures of lovely colour and light. They are so emphatic in their insistence on the essential features of the design, and at the same time so delicate in drawing, so tender in colour, so decorative in their sense of pattern, so peirsonal and distinguished among so many things that are mere commonplace representation, that it is impossible to overlook them, . even if one's curiosity is. not awakened ' bv their'fanciful quaintness of invention. The one, touched in with exquisite deli- ; cacy in clearly-marked flatpiatches of lovely light colours, with just a faint indication of outline, shows a group of graceful happy maidens dancing a roundelay on the green to Pan's merry tune. The companion, picture, an evening scene in a scheme of silvery greys—sober, but without a. hint of heaviness —is conceived" in a more eetrkmis mood. In this distinctly Japanesque design, a youth in modern costume is seen stretching out his arms longingly towards -some phantom figures that float like puffs of smoke across the foliage of some trees, beyond which lies a peaceful village clustering around a church. Mr Sargent has won golden opinions for his " The Loggia " and " Armageddon." Mr Dacres Adams's, i " The Church of St. Magnus, Lower | Thames Street," is a beautiful piece of work a soothing lyric poem of suburban London by night, when the darkness of the shadows and the glare of the lighted street in the distance help to plein-air painting of monumental dignitv. emphasise the bold masses of the silhouetted buildings and trees against the vibrant night sky ; the other, an archii tectural subject of noble design and I dramatic import. Another of the pictures of the year which is much talked about is a large one by Mr John La very called " The : Amazon," which is described as a vast plein-air painting of monumental dignity On the. stony ground of an eminence in the foreground, from which is unrolled a magnificent panorama o>f a. Moroccan plain and hill-land, stands in statuesque immobility a noble white Arab steed, carrying on its back a snlendidlv-poised '' Amazon " in a dark riding ha bit. She sits bolt, upright, holding in her right hand a spear, which is planted firmly on the ground, thus adding to the een.se of weight and temporary immobility. The white, cool light plays over the stones and shrubs on the billowy ground, the greens | and browns of. which are thrown up by reflection to the flank and belly of the horse, thus reducing, though not destroying, the modelling of the equine anatomy by means of light and shade. A broken, glittering white streak painted by thfi light of heaven on the ridge of the animal's mane and a broader patch of white on its back suffice to relieve the flatness which would result from the opening up of the shadows by reflected light. What Mr Lavery has achieved here is a glorious piece of decoration on a large scale, stated in terms of impressionism. "Tales of Cashmere," by Mr Dudley Hardy, is another water-colour of great beauty ; and Mir Arnesby Brown's large sheep piece, " The Drove," is attracting much attention. A beautiful large seascape. " Moonlit Shore," is by Mr Julius Olsson, a Cornish painter. There are several interesting pictures of childhood. Mr C. M. Q. Orchardson's, " A Problem in White," is one which represents a yonng mother keeping fond watch by her child. " Goblin Market," by Mr Frank Craig, is another. The female form divine is represented in three Eves by Collier, Herbert Schmalz, and Byarn Shaw. Among the portraits of fair women Mr Frank Dicksee has four. The " Marchioness of Ailesbivry," in white silk, with a magenta scarf, standing under a tree, is among them. One of the gems of the exhibition is by Edward Scott, " Her Thoughts Were' Her Children," a Madonna-faced mother with two children in her lap. Preparations are now complete for the visit of the German Emperor and the Empress to the King and Queen, The Royal guests are expected to arrives on May 14,

and stay till May—thai, ie, from the Sunday till the next Saturday. The Imperial yacht Hohengollen, with the Emperor and Empress and their daughter Princess Victoria Louisa on board, is due to arrive in the Medway, off Shearoeas, on the Sunday evening, and will remain there all night under a guard of British warships. On Monday morning the Imperial visitors will land at Port Victoria, being mist by the Gorman Ambassador, and, travelling by special train to Victoria Station, will there be welcomed by the King and Queen and others. Should the wet then be fine, they will drive in open carriages to Buckingham Palace. Each carriage will be drawn by four horses, and the postilions will wear Ascot uniforms. In the evening there will be a family dinner, and the next day the longanticipated unveiling of the statue of Queen Victoria. The ceremony of the unveiling will take place in front of Buckingham Palace, and will include a striking military parade, blades the impressive religions service, in which the choirs of Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Chapels Royal, and St. George's Chapel, Windsor, will all take pari. The choirs will be grouped round the monument.

That earn© night there is to be a State banquet at Buckingham Palace, and the next, night the command nerformance of "Money" at Brury Lane. During the whole week of the Imperial visit one event will follow another in quick succession. Probably there will be a visit to St. George's Chapel, Windsor, to lay a wreath on King Edward's tomb, and a visit of a like character to the tomb of Queen Victoria at Frogmore. The Royal naval and military tournament on May 19 will be of great interest to the Kaiser. The tournament is for charitable purposes, and a great gathering is expected. The King and Queen will visit it on May 23. On. May 19 a State ball is to be given at Buckingham Palace, which will be one of the most brilliant functions of the year, and at which the Emperor and Empress and Princess Victoria Louisa will be present. From now on one •■show will fhistle another. Next Friday the King and Queen, accompanied by the _ Prince of Wales and Princess Mary, will make a Royal progress through the streets to open the great Festival of Empire at the Crystal Palace. In a landau drawn by four horses their Majesties will leave Buckingham Palace at 2.30, arriving at the Crystal Palace at 3.20, where an address will be presented to • the King. The inaugural concert, to which their Majesties will remain, and which will be of a very fine description, will occupy about an hour and a-half. Then, after partaking of tea, the Royal party will drive round the Crystal Palace grounds to see the many buildings of many parts of the Empire erected far the Exhibition. The 15,000 performers taking part in the pageant, will be massed on the parade ground in costume for the inspection of their Majesties. A visit is also to be paid to the Dominions Club, which has been erected adjoining the Crystal Palace grounds, feir the reception and meeting-place and entertainment of visitors from overseas.

In choosing tall men to .represent the giants in pageant some interesting facts have come to light concerning the unusual height of men who have offered from various parts of England, Ireland, and Scotland. Many have been almost 7ft. One family of quite young men were all over 7ft, and the other day these numerous giants were all capped by a young man from Ireland Bft high. Mr P. o'Conner is believed to be the tallest man in Ireland, and comes from Tipperciry. He is 29 years of age, and of fine proportions. On the Coronation route London is becoming a forest of timber piles and platforms. All around Westminster Abbey and Parliament square stands are being erected, which about the time this reaches you will be occupied by spectators of the great event. A stand is to be put m> opposite the Home Office and in the Mall at the foot of St. James's Palace. Lord Kitchener has an arduous time ahead, and has now taken over his duties as Commander-in-chief of all the troops present in London for the Coronation. These will be no less than 60,C00 men. Ten thousand Territorials are coming from the provinces, and will camp in Regent's Park. There are between 30,000 and 40,000 regular troops, with their Sun ply trains, and 1000 veterans and a contingent of reserve men, contingents from the Dominions and from India. The overseas fcrce are to be accommodated in the Duke of York's School: and the Indian force' will encamp at Hamptcn Court. Great interest will centre in the Royal progress, which takes place on Friday, June 23, the day after the Coronation, and in which all the troops take part, for although not of the dignity of the procession to the Abbey, it will be a° noble spectable, and the rcute extending over a far greater length, millions will be able to see it. May their Majesties have royal weather.