THE TWO LORD HERTFORDS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR:']
SIR,—In the admirable article in last Saturday's Spectator, on Dean Stannus's libel case, the writer has confounded the two Lords Hertford.
The Lord Hertford from whom Lord Monmouth and Lord Steyne are supposed to have been taken died about the year 1841. He was a very different man to the one whose estates have lately been in question. He was an ardent politician and borough- monger,—a clever, shrewd, hard-headed, but somewhat vulgar man. His dying moments and his will caused a great public scandal, but he played a certain sort of political part in the events of the day.
The late man did nothing of the kind. He asked for the Garter because it amused him to wear it at Paris in bad society, and in order to get the Garter he visited Ireland, since which time he never went near his estates. All those who knew him agreed in saying that he was the wittiest Englishman of his d4r, both in French and English society. His last words are reported to have been, "I have but one regret in dying, and that is that I cannot see the faces of those who open my will."—I am, Sir, &c., G.
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