Old Court Customs and Modern Court Rule. By the Hon.
Mrs.. Armytage. (Bentley and Son.)—A readable magazine article might have, been made out of the materials which Mrs. Armytage has been at the pains to collect for this volume, if only she had arranged them a little better. As it is, there is not a little confusion. Under the head of "Royal Balls and other Entertainments," for instance, we learn that in the last century, "Duchesses, Marchionesses, Countesses were entitled to a message from the Queen on the birth of an infant,. or upon the death of their husbands, or any relative for whom they put on black gloves." Generally, we find much that everybody knows, or, at least, might know, and much that nobody need oare to know.. On the whole, the impression is left that Royalty is much less in sympathy socially with its subjects than it was. But this refers to the upper class only. With the people generally it is more in sym- pathy, being brought into it by the share taken in various movements, philanthropic or other. Two hundred years ago the King dined and played cards in public, but then there were no openings of museums and exhibitions, no hospital festivals, and the like. These bring, if not the Queen herself, yet the Royal Family into constant communi- cation with the people.
Previous page
