About Well-known People.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 9, 24 January 1905, Page 5 (Supplement)

About Well-known People.

MRS HERTHA AYRTON. Mrs Ayrton is that rare being, a woman of science. Women have achieved fame in literature and art, but as a rule science does not appeal to the fair sex. Mrs Ayrton holds the unique position of being the only woman member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. In manner and appearance Mrs Ayrton is quite unlike the accepted idea of the “clever woman.” A delightful conversationalist, she charms all she comes in contact with, and shows as great an interest in the lightest of matters as in those weightier ones of which she is master. Born at Portsea, a Miss Hertha Marks, she was educated first at a private school, afterwards at Girton. In 1885 she married Professor Ayrton, F.R.S., and nine years later carried out several series of successful electrical experiments which established her claim to be recognised as a leading scientist. Mrs Ayrton has contributed largely to scientific literature, notably a book on the electric arc, and twelve papers on the same subject written for The Electrician; she has lectured before the Royal Society, the International Electrical Conference, the British Association, and other high scientific bodies, and she is the inventor of a clever line divider. The paper which she read before the British .Association last month treats of the causes and mode of growth of the ripples formed on the seasand by the outgoing tide. Although the pursuit of science is her chief delight, she finds time for the reading of novels and for occasional sketching. THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH. The Duke of Marlborough is a man of many titles. He is Charles Richard John Spencer Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, Baron Spencer, Earl of Sunderland, Baron Churchill, Earl of Marlborough, Marquis of Blandford, Prince o fthe Holy Roman Empire, and Prince of Mindelheim in Suabia. Personally, however, the Duke is a modest, good-natured, unpretentious man, distinguished for his genial nature and absence of side. His marriage in 1895 to the only daughter of Mr W. K. Vanderbilt, brought him not only a lovely and charming wife, bu also an immense fortune, which has served to restore the glories of his famous house. The duke and duchess have two sons, the eldest of whom, the Marquis of Blandford, is eight years of age. It has been remarked that this has been a year of special interest to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, owing to the fact that, they have just entered upon the occupation of Sunderland House, the spacious ana handsome residence which his Grace has built in Curzon Street, Mayfair. Since Marlborough House reverted to the Crown the descendants of the great duke' have had no town residence of their own. ag had been built by the victorious general on a piece of the Royal Park of St. James’s, which Iris imperious lady, the Duchess Sarah, had procured from . her generous friend Queen. Anne. That the lease was not in perpetuity was one of the grievances which the Duchess Sarah entertained against her Royal mistress. Eventually, after being variously tenanted, the house passed to the Crown, and became the dower-house of Queen Adelaide. When his Majesty came of age Marlborough House was prepared as his town residence, and he first entered into occupation on his marriage in 1863. Since then its history has been indissolubly connected witn the Royal .Family/ In this way it happened that the Duke of Marlborough had to build his young American bride a new town house. Since fashion has decreed that Mayfair is the elect district of high life, his Grace secured a site in this congested area. For the past four or five years the handsome pile has been rising and rising, until it has attained dimensions, and can boast of handsome suites of apartments, such as did not enter into the imagination of the Duchess Sarah when she planned old Marlborough House. MR JUSTUS MILES FORMAN. Years ogo, Mr Anthony Hoye wrote a wild, fantastic, but altogether charming book, called “The Prisoner of Zenda.” It was something quite new, and it achieved an immense success. Probably no book in the language has been more widely imitated. One of the best as well as one of the latest of these imitations is “The Garden of Lies,” by Mr Justus Miles Forman. The story has much originality of treatment, and is told with great spirit. Mr Sydney Grundy’s dramatic version of the book, now being played at the St. James’s Theatre, will doubtless attract the numerous class which admires both stage romance and its clever exponent, Mr George Alexander. Mr Forman is an American not yet thirty years of age. He is the son of a wealthy man, and was educated at Yale University. Later on went to Paris and studied art. He has written several books and numerous short stories. Even before the “Garden of Lies,” by appearing in a popular magazine, widened the circle of his admirers, he was favourably known to many readers by his earlier novels, “Journey’s End,” and “Monsigny.’ Both stories are vigorous and animated, and won for their author great popularity in his own country. Now he may be said to have conquered the English reading public also. The play at the St. James’s was severely criticised, but there can be no doubt that the book from which it was taken deserves its success.