Shattered Glory

Rosebery’s was the reverse of an American success story. He began with every possible gift that birth and later Destiny could give, and ended as a melancholy failure. A Scotch peer with an English Duchess for mother—stately homes, Derby-wining horses, government offices ending with the Premiership were poured upon him, to say nothing of a Roths-child heiress in marriage. At Eton he was idolized by the fascinating teacher William Johnson, who trained every brilliant star the school produced but was sacked for inscribing over-Platonic letters to his favorites. Rosebery was deeply moved but slid aside from any scandal. Later he avoided the Dilke scandal (both being in Gladstone’s entourage) and we learn that he frankly declined the Prince of Wales’ request to make his bachelor house a meeting place for actresses and Queen Victoria’s two eldest sons.

The Jewish marriage astounded Society, sorrowing equally the Synagogue and the Duchess, who wrote a model letter for such an occasion. As he already possessed wealth and castles, it can only have been love which made the marriage a success. Hannah was not beautiful, but was painted by Watts to resemble Tennyson’s Princess. Though Rosebery was Gladstone’s political heir (turning out to be his Absalom in the end), we read of an amusing henfight between Hannah and Mrs. Gladstone. Rosebery was inconsolable at her death and was tending her grave when Queen Victoria called him to the Premiership. The Tory Disraeli had given the bride away and the Liberal Gladstone had gathered him into the Cabinet.

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Sir Shane Leslie

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Rosebery’s was the reverse of an American success story. He began with every possible gift that birth and later Destiny could give, and ended as a melancholy failure. A Scotch peer with an English Duchess for mother—stately homes, Derby-wining horses, government offices ending with the Premiership were poured upon him, to say nothing of a Roths-child heiress in marriage. At Eton he was idolized by the fascinating teacher William Johnson, who trained every brilliant star the school produced but was sacked for inscribing over-Platonic letters to his favorites. Rosebery was deeply moved but slid aside from any scandal. Later he avoided the Dilke scandal (both being in Gladstone’s entourage) and we learn that he frankly declined the Prince of Wales’ request to make his bachelor house a meeting place for actresses and Queen Victoria’s two eldest sons.

The Jewish marriage astounded Society, sorrowing equally the Synagogue and the Duchess, who wrote a model letter for such an occasion. As he already possessed wealth and castles, it can only have been love which made the marriage a success. Hannah was not beautiful, but was painted by Watts to resemble Tennyson’s Princess. Though Rosebery was Gladstone’s political heir (turning out to be his Absalom in the end), we read of an amusing henfight between Hannah and Mrs. Gladstone. Rosebery was inconsolable at her death and was tending her grave when Queen Victoria called him to the Premiership. The Tory Disraeli had given the bride away and the Liberal Gladstone had gathered him into the Cabinet.