The Strand Magazine/Volume 3/Issue 14/Portraits of Celebrities

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The Strand Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 14
edited by George Newnes
Portraits of Celebrities at Different Times of their Lives.

Princess Victoria of Teck. Edmund Yates. George Manville Fenn. Henri Rochefort. Arabella Goddard. Matthew Webb. Sir James D. Linton.

4160770The Strand Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 14 — Portraits of Celebrities at Different Times of their Lives.George Newnes

Portraits of Celebrities at different times of their Lives.

PRINCESS VICTORIA OF TECK.

Age 17.
From a Photo. by W. & D. Downey.
Age 24.
From a Photo. by W. & D. Downey.


T HE present is a particularly appropriate moment to present our readers with the portraits of the Princess Victoria of Teck at different ages, when the heartfelt sympathy of all the world has been with her in the recent sad bereavement which, on the eve of her marriage, it has been her lot to bear.

[Portraits of the Duke of Clarence, at different ages, appeared in the June number.]

EDMUND YATES.

Born 1831.

Age 12.
From a Water-colour by F. J. Childe.
Age 48.
From a Painting by W. W. Ouless, R.A.
Age 30.
From a Photo. by Watkins.
Age 60.
From a Photo. by Barraud.


M R. EDMUND HODGSON YATES, who is the son of the well-known actor, was for many years Chief of the Missing Letter Department in the Post Office, and while in that position wrote several well-known novels, of which "Black Sheep" and "The Yellow Flag" have, perhaps, been the most popular. Mr. Yates, who had himself written successfully for the stage, was for six years the theatrical critic of The Daily News. He retired from the Post Office in 1872, in order to devote himself entirely to literary work, and during the same year went on a lecturing tour in the United States. Two years later he established The World, a paper which, at the time of its appearance, marked a new departure in journalism, and which continues successfully to hold its own against a host of younger rivals. A full account of his career appeared in 1884 in his extremely entertaining "Personal Reminiscences."

GEORGE MANVILLE FENN.

Born 1831.

Age 19.
From a Daguerrotype.
Age 31.
From a Photo. by L. Bing.
Age 40.
From a Photo. by C. Watkins.
Age 60.
From a Photo. by Barraud.


G EORGE MANVILLE FENN, who has been spoken of as one of the most voluminous writers of the day, was born at Westminster, and his first short stories appeared in Once a Week. These were followed by others in All the Year Round, Chambers's Journal, and by a considerable number of graphic working-class sketches in The Evening Star, under the comprehensive title of "Readings by Starlight." His pen soon began to take longer flights, and some twenty-five three-volume and fifty one-volume novels have appeared with more or less success, this author's works being even more widely read in Australia and the United States than in England. Among the best known works may be mentioned "The Parson o' Dumford," "This Man's Wife," and "The New Mistress." During the past ten years Mr. Fenn has devoted no little time to the production of boys' stories. These have been very popular, and have made for him a wide and ever-increasing circle of readers. As Mr. Fenn's works show, he is a great lover of out-door life and natural history, beside devoting a good deal of time to experimental gardening.

VICTOR HENRI DE ROCHEFORT-LUÇAY.

Born 1831.

Age 28.
From a Photograph.
Age 60.
From a Photo. by Walery.
Age 37.
From a Photo. by Carjat.


V ICTOR HENRI DE ROCHEFORT-LUÇAY, known under the name of Henri Rochefort, is a celebrated French writer and politician, born in Paris, July 30, 1831. He is descended from an old and distinguished family, one of his ancestors having been Chancellor of France. M. Rochefort at an early period adopted the profession of journalist, to which he has adhered through his stormy and chequered career. After writing for various publications, and manifesting a determined and indomitable spirit of independence, M. Rochefort founded, on his own account, the famous weekly pamphlet called La Lanterne, the first issue of which appeared June 1, 1868, and produced a tremendous sensation in France. The writer was speedily compelled to leave France to avoid the imprisonment to which he was sentenced by the tribunals of the Empire. Since the fall of Napoleon III. and the establishment of the Republic in France, M. Rochefort's career has been one of continual agitation. Implicated in the events of the Paris Commune, he was condemned to transportation to the French penal colony of New Caledonia, whence he made his escape ten months afterwards, in March, 1874, on board an English barque, which landed him safely in Australia, whence he made his way to London. Subsequently armisticed, he returned to Paris in 1880, where he founded L'Intransigeant the same year. Again obliged to take refuge abroad after the Boulangist trials of 1889, M. Rochefort returned to London, where he has since continued to reside.

MADAME ARABELLA GODDARD.

Age 6.
From a Drawing by Victor Dolter.
Age 20.
From a Photograph.
Age 36.
From a Photo. by Elliott & Fry.
Present Day.
From a Photo. by Lankester, Tunbridge Wells.


T HE greatest of English pianists was born at St. Servan, in Brittany, 1836. At four years old she played at a charitable concert in that town, having to stand on an improvised board, being too diminutive to play from an ordinary seat. After studying under Kalkbrenner in Paris and Thalberg, she appeared at the national concerts in London when fourteen, fairly astonishing the musical world by her extraordinary technical gifts, her exquisite refinement, and a delicacy of phrasing which in later years constituted her one of the most remarkable pianists of the time. When the Monday Popular Concerts were founded in 1859, Madame Goddard was the particular attraction, and to her much of their subsequent success may be ascribed. All the later pianoforte sonatas of Beethoven, hitherto unfamiliar, were introduced by her, and numberless other works of classical importance, both at the Popular concerts and at her Recitals, doubtless advancing musical art in this country by fully twenty years. Since her tour round the world, from 1873 to 1876, she has retired from public playing; but, happily, her valuable advice as a teacher is a thing of the present. Madame Goddard resides at Tunbridge Wells.

CAPTAIN WEBB.

Born 1848.

Age 12.
From a Photograph.
Age 15.
From a Photo. by G. W. Fall, Trowbridge.
Age 27.
From a Photograph.
Age 31.
From a Photo. by Elliott & Fry.


M ATTHEW WEBB, whose great feats of swimming and untimely fate are still fresh in mind, was the son of a surgeon, and was born at Dawley. At twelve he was already a fine swimmer, and at fifteen, when on the Conway training ship, he had saved two lives from drowning. Our third portrait was taken just after his great swim from Dover to Calais, and our last portrait represents him just before his fatal attempt to swim the rapids of Niagara, which took place on July 24, 1883.

SIR JAMES D. LINTON.

Born 1840.

Age 16.
From a Daguerreotype.
Age 45.
From a Photo. by Walery.
Age 34.
From a Photo. by Rowland Taylor.
Present Day.
From a Photo. by Barraud.


S IR JAMES DRUMGOLE LINTON, President of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, was educated as a designer for stained glass, and was later engaged as a draughtsman for The Graphic; but it was in water-colour that he was destined to display the full extent of his ability. At twenty-seven he was elected a member of the Institute, not at that time in a very flourishing condition, and it is largely owing to his enterprise that the Society increased rapidly in importance, and the present fine building in Piccadilly was erected. He became President in 1884, and one year later—at the age at which our third portrait represents him he received the honour of knighthood. Sir James Linton's work is remarkable for its excellent draughtsmanship and for its richness and depth of colouring. His "Marriage of the Duke of Albany," painted by command of the Queen, is one of the most successful subjects of the kind ever represented.