LORD HUNTLY was born' in 1847, so it is easy
to imagine that his reminiscences will 'have an interest to students of the Victorian Age. He has written a large, talkative, and discursive book which is rather a storehouse of anecdotes and scenes, characteristic of their time and - place, 'than an ordered history of his times. The book is packed with stories of all kinds. There is a good one, for instance, of Disraeli, which makes our modern elections seem grim affairs indeed. It was at one of Disraeli's famous Buckingham elections. There were three candidates, Du Pre and DiSraeli (Tory) and Mr. Charles Cavendish (Whig). "The representation in the county had been thus arranged between the parties." Lord Htmtly gives us an account of the scene on the hustings :— " Do Pr6 spoke. first, and made a typical speech on the county (squire lines. Disraeli followed with a long, flowery. dissertation on foreign affairs, the iniquity of the, Whigs, and the cruelties under which the farmers were suffering. The bulk of it his audience could, not understand, but its exuberance awed thern., When it came to. Chilies Cavendish's turn to speak, he. was hoisted with difficulty on the tnble and received with loud cheers. All he said was : " Electors Of Bucksi ! - Thank God, Tam an honest risen ! " -and promptly descended from his rickety position while the applause was renewed."
But most of Lord Huntly's stories are of a simpler kind of Scottish humour. Here is a typical one.:1-- "-The express trains beiween Glasgowend Edinburgh used to stop at isarbert junction for the collection of tickets. rn-a full first-class compirtment one of the pasSengers could not find his ticket ; he searched his pockets back and fore, but no ticket was forthcoming. ' At -last the exasperated collector saw he had it in his mouth, ands pulling it out, he slammed the door, saying, " You hae it in 'yer moo, ye fule, keeping the train-waiting ! " When the train started, the passenger quietly remarked, to the astonishment-of the others, " Awm nae sic a fule.as I look. Yon was an auld ticket, an' I was
jist sucking the date ad."
Not the least attractive feature of the book are the numerous illustrations. Some of the reproductions of Lawrence, Millais, and Watts, portraits of Lord Huntly's relations, are quite charming. This is a book full of the atmosphere Of a bygone period and a bygone way of living, and will interest many people for that reason. -
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