xii POLITICAL LIFE 291 



natural impression to the scene. This fairyland was 

 approached, not only from the central hall but from all 

 the chief reception rooms of the house. 



The hot-houses, about forty in number, contained 

 not only tropical fruits and flowers, but those of 

 temperate climates. The vineries were so complete 

 as to provide fruit for nearly all the year ; and peaches, 

 apricots, and figs had each their separate house. I was 

 stopping at Oakworth House on one occasion when 

 Lord Ripon was also a guest. One morning Mr. 

 H olden took Lord Ripon and myself through all these 

 hot-houses. When we had got to the end, Lord Ripon, 

 with his glass in his eye, looking down on his host, 

 said, in a tone of banter : " Mr. H olden, I understood 

 you had got a large number of hot-houses ; where are 

 they ? " Mr. Holden, not quite seeing the joke, was 

 at first rather dumbfounded, and answered : " Well, my 

 lord, I think I have shown you a pretty good 

 number," upon which Lord Ripon, dropping his joking 

 manner, said : " Indeed you have, Mr. Holden." On 

 returning to the house Mr. Holden, who was always 

 fond of describing the precautions he took for pre- 

 serving his health, told Lord Ripon at the luncheon 

 table of the nature of his underclothing, and how 

 important it was that there should be a film of non- 

 conducting air between the skin and his garments, 

 and he said : " Do you, my lord, wear cellular under- 

 clothing?" To which Lord Ripon replied: "Upon 

 my life I don't think so ; what is it ? " " Oh ! " said 

 Mr. Holden, " I will show you," and then, sotto voce, 

 to his devoted manservant, " Barry, fetch his lordship 

 down one of my undergarments." In a few minutes 

 down came the faithful Barry bringing the garment in 

 question. This he handed to Mr. Holden, who held 

 it up before Lord Ripon. It was a combination 



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