New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-07
4 DUCAL DINNER PARTY.
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homain ~ Reipbardtsbrunn, the beautiful grounds
of which are among the principal attractions OF tnlS
part of tho ThGringsn Forest AT present the reign
inc DIXIE Ernst IL of Saxe-CObuIg-Gotha, occupies
the castle spending most OF his time hunting IN inc
newlv-aoouired Schmslkalder Forest which Prussia
last year from the Electorate Of Hesse to
this duchy. The house of COburg does not owe its
nnomipence TO few lucky marriages, as some OF the
oojtoa writer's Of Europe are In the habit OF assert
,nq: its members, for the last three generations
have been men Of remarkable talent and sagaelty
whose influence has been none the less po5fuHe DO
cause it has not always appeared on the surface
In the first volume of Queen Nictouas DlOgiaPny
Of her husband recently published there arc SCOs
riopal cOu1parisDns between the two Princes Ernst
and Albert which perhaps unintentlonallyl suseooS
Che superiority Of the latter both IN character anu
capacities What the relative POSITION OF zoe I
might have been, had their sphere OF actloh p T%
moro similar, II is not necessary 70 princs
stations they filed were totally dssili,i;ar 18th 90
Albert accommodated himself to his pOslu9h VIII h o.
much patience as good sense; but Duke ErnsS uas
had the independence and courage, 10 stIiAes tb
new path for himself He is the only one o VI f So
local to national ideas and interests anu i s -;
his crown. wh0neyer II was neCessuS, " u ~ en-
Che front ranks Of party OF the people he IL en-
nhatically man Of Progress; his brother, ana MS
uncle Ie0p0ld Of Belgium were men OF Prudence.
The frst time i had the honor OF meeting the
nfinceIy brothers was stTuek with the difference
which had been developed in their air ana manner
It was in tho tower of the Observatory at Goths In
circular space, not more than ten feet IN dameteI,
around the telescope. Prince Albert bowed Win All
the gravity but more than the grace OF an Englisl
man Duke Ernst stretched out his hand and SHOOK
mine with a few hearty words. Both were tall,
6nely-fOrmed and remarkably handsome, the rIlhcei
as everybody knows with blue eyes, blonde mar ana
mustache and regular Grecian plofle; tne puK9
more swarthy, with dark brown hair, brilliant hazel
eyes, less regularity of feature but more IRE ana
Vigor of expression. The former moved ana spoke
with deliberaton, and evidently was not accustomed
to uttering his whole thought the latter was qulch
elastic, and impulslve .sy ia .ho
Prince TO me- repeating question which had heaTd
so many thousand times at home that could scarcely
repreas a SIM le.
"To Russia" answered ou,,o
"Ab Won are quito right" he remarked Who
aver wishes to see anything of old Russia must lose
no time. Russia is changing very rapidly she VIII
His words were true and pleasantly spoken, but
they were given with air of authority rather dis
propoTtioned to their value, which easily expaneu
10 myself on comparing the atmosphere OF the En-
Vsh Court with that of the little tower wherein we
we're standing No court in Europe is so incredibly
rigid and artificial as that of England; none less so
than that Of Saxe-COburg-Gotha. But the fTnCe
(,onsOTt was so truly gentleman, so evidently the
man of clear head and good heart SO IKE an AlclDl
AIDES, in his manly beauty, that could not pc very
critical in his presence The brothers were eVldenuy
nanny i'm being together ia their old home; nothing
conld have been more frank and ahectionate than
their manner toward each other. r
Since then j have frequently been the guest OF
Duke Ernst and have learned 10 value his lndepenQ-
ence of character his clear, telling speech, his Wit
and b0HhOmB his appreciation OF art and hteTature
and his feryent national sentiment Ills PrhcipaI
practical weakness seems 10 be that he cannot endure
q stupid person: Hence he is very unpopular WITH
the mobility of the little Duchy, among whom there
are few brilliant intelects. One who is familiar with
the manner in which most Of the heirs to sovereignty
have been educated is always surprised when ne
finds ruler who possesses any social quality what
ever bnt the Duke is the life and soul OF his own
table knowing the deadening influence of court
etiquette upon the spirit of conversation he has sue
seeded in abolishing it from his board. Those who
invited 10 his table generally receive me addl
LiOnal request: Come IN morning dress" long
ago made up my mind,' he once sad to me- that
half the world is ruined by ceremony and VIII have
as little Of It as possible"
In speakinC of the dinner to which l was hidden
two DAYS ago desire to say only that which DOth
the noble host and the other guests would accept as
being permitted to traveller. i have always en-
deavored to keep sacred those fine and natural obll
cations of hospitality which due to the pubic as
we'll as to the private man, and will therefore limit
rnyseif TO such details as violate no privacy and
betray no confidence As l write chiefly for tho un-
travelled American reader, to whom the life Of courts
is AN unknown experience cannot better describe
the position and surroundings oil liberal rnier IMAM
by contrasting them with the mechanical nummery
of the Middle Ages, which Is stu Kept up Dy most OK
the European soyereigns
so to be on the safe side, donned the usual even
ing-dress. The hour named was six; and as APP
preached the Castle the temporary wire fences
placed across the walks dividing the more PIivate
grounds from those of the park announced that the
Duke had returned from hunting. When he IS abb
sent all the grounds up to the easte-doors are free
TO the public. The park Is small but one OF ire most
perfect in Germany. The former Duke had pas
sion for trees and surpassed any landscape gardener
in the disposition and arrangement Of them. Taking
the superb lndens planted by the monks Of Rein
hardtsbIunn five hundred years ago, as the nucleus
around which to group his improvements, and fore
seeing the growth and character Of every tree he
planted he constructed mounds, masses capes ana
islands of foliage, various, yet so wonderfully pal
anced i'm color aud form that know not where the
like of them is to be found. In the evening, when
the sun hangs low over the Uebelberg, and the
beech forests of Abtsberg make background be-
hind the descending slopes of emerald turf, there ~
splendOr OF light on lake and lawn, breadth and
repose of shadow and harmony in the combined
features of the picture, which suggest better planet
than this. ] have seen IL o hundred times ana al
WAYS with tho same feeling OF delight. . .
Istepped over the wire fence and walked through
this ideal landscape to the castle. AT the arched
entrance there no servants the Teceptl0n-hah on
the ground-tOor was closed, but was zen minutes
too Presently another guest made ms appear,
ance-the English Resident Mr. Barnar whom
knew. Hanf-taengl, the Munich artist followed;
then the Dukes two adJutants ms secretary, Or
Tempetey Ia nephew of Jean Paul Richter and
poet( and finally Gustav Freytag, the author OF
Debit ard Credit" and The Lost Manuscript"
one of the first living German writers. These gen
temen were all in frock-cOats and gray pantaloons,
and some Of them wore felt hats We strolled up
and down in the shadows of the hndens, ana bad
almost forgotten the approaching dinner, when the
clock in the tower struck SIX.
Punctual 70 the stroka- the Duke came forth,
dressed like the Others and wearing nat gray felt
hat He greeted us, collectively and then, remark
ing my exceptional costume exclaimed: What
does that dress-cOat meant Why We have nothing
of the kind in Reinhardtsbra1n explained how
t was that happened 10 make the mistake, and
added that the difference in coats lay IN the tas 1T
%Oud not be perceived when were once seated at
che table "Come, them said he and led the way
along the eastle-frOnt to an angle OF the building,
where, in the shade on the green turf, table was
set Not far on almost hidden by the hanging ivy,
was the door of the kitchen and tour servants in
half-livery were waiting at q slde-table:
The Duke took his seat at the head OF the table,
and the guests seven ia all, placed themselves at the
sides and foot. Hats not removed, and the only
approach to ceremony was that the D%ke designated
the two gentlemen who should SIT next 10 him.
There Marshal attached 20 the Court, order 10