The will of the late Marquis of Westminster has been
pub- lished, and is a complete refutation of the stories which have for some time been going about. The new Marquis, of course, gets most of his father's estates—the London properties, Cheshire, and Welsh properties—that goes without talking ; but the second son is not left with "a pittance," unless, indeed, we interpret the word by an unfair comparison. He gets the Dorsetshire estates, whatever they are, and the whole residue, including we know not what of land, and the larger part of £800,000, under which the personalty is sworn. It is true, the Marchionos has a life-interest in it all ; but that has nothing to do with the general argument, which is, that it is unfair to strip a second son. It is unfair, after his mother's death. If there be such a thing as a natural heir, surely the wife goes before, not after, the children. She always does in Prussia, and would in England, but that we practically attach certain duties to the heir, and therefore make it needful that be should have certain property. A reversionary interest in a million or so would quite content most men.
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