Public Ledger

An Historical Name.

[London Letter, June 22.]

On Saturday the Prince and Princess of Wales went on a visit of a couple of days to the Duke of Wellington, at Strathfieldsaye, the estate presented to the Duke by the Nation, in recognition of his services. It is so seldom that one hears of the present Duke that his name comes upon the ear as a revival of the past. Even if he had been a man of any power, he would have found it difficult to sustain a comparison with his famous father; but, in reality, he has no pretensions of any kind. A quaint genial old gentleman, full of simplicity and gentleness, though not without a touch of hereditary shrewdness, and with a softened resemblance to "Old Beaky," as the soldiers called the hero, in his face, he is a good farmer, a generous landlord, and, when in town, a hospitable host, though avoiding all forms of State and public display. To the generality of people his figure is utterly unknown, and it is only some casual circumstance that reminds one of his existence. He will be succeeded in the title and estates by Colonel Wellesley, a nephew.