FEMALE AUTOCRATS AT ALMACK'S.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), 3 August 1881, Page 4

FEMALE AUTOCRATS AT ALMACK'S.

The lady patronesses were the Ladies Castlereagh, Jersey, Cowper, and Sefton, Mrs Drummond Barrett, the Princess Esterhazy, and the Countess Lieven. The most popular among these grandes dames was unquestionably Lady Cowper. Lady Jersey's bearing, on the contrary, was that of a "theatrical tragedy queen," and "whilst attempting the sublime,, she made herself simply ridiculous, being inconceivably rude, and in her manner often ill-bred." Lady Sefton was kind and amiable ; Madame de Lieven, haughty and exclusive; Princess Esterhazy was "bonne enfant; " Lady Castlereagh and Mrs Barrett, very great ladies. Many diplomatic arts, much finesse, and a host of intrigues were set in motion to get on invitation to Almack's. Very often persons whose rank and fortune entitled them to the entree anywhere were excluded by the cliqneism of the lady patronesses ; for the female government of Almack's was a pure despotism, and subject to all the caprices of a despotic rule. It is needless to add that, like every other despotism, it was not innocent of abuses. The fair ladies who ruled supreme over this little dancing and gossiping world issued a solemn proclamation that no gentlemen should appear at the assembles without being dressed in kneebroeohes, white cravat, and chapeau-bras. On one occasion the Duke of Wellington was about to ascend the staircase of the ballroom, dres3od in black troursers, when the vigilant Mr Willis, the guardian of the establishment, stepped forward and said, "Your Grace cannot be admitted in trousers," whereupon the Duke, who had a great respect for orders and regulations, quietly walked away. Not only were tbe rules as to full dreßS rigidly maintained at .Almack's, but twelve o'clock was adhered to with equal strictness as the latest moment at which any person could be admitted. The illustrious warrior who sinned by presenting himself in trousers also came %qi grief on the occasion by arriving at hal£-past twelve. Tho Duke was so great a xuan, that some hesitation vfas felt by the lady-patronesses in refusing to admit him. But Lady Jersey stopped all domur by delivering her opinion in favour of refusal. " We ought," opined the tragedy queen, " to make an illustrious example." And it wag/ 1 done. This celebrated lady was also famous in her old age as tho only person who had ever snubbed Lord BeaconsSeld, Mr Disraeli, with any approach to isucceas. She was of the

oxtreme Austrian faction its politics, and looked upon Count Cavour as an incarnation of the foul fiend. Mr Disraeli had early news of his death, and communicated it to old Lady Jersey as follows : " Yourladyship will be pleased to hear of the death of your greatest enemy. Count Cavour is deud." <: Mr Disraeli," replied the ancient dame stiffly, " I am sorry to hear of any person's death." Lord Beaconsfield had the last word, however, for in " Endymion" Lady Jersey figures as Zenobia. —All the Year Round,