The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-26
MumbO-JumbO Redivivus.

MumbO-JumbO RedivIvus.
From the World
For long period his Imperial Majesty the
Emperor and Apostolic King Of Austria has
refrained from a formal coronation as the
equally Apostolic King of Hungary. His wis
dom in thus refraining is strilkingly manifest
when we read the performances consequent
upon his folly in yielding at last and consent
ing TO be formally crowned. Herbert Spencer,
like very sharp philosopher as he is, and
remorseless, traces the senseless ceremonials
with which all the kingly observances abroad
are covered, and beneath which real royalty is
smothered, to Mumbo-Jumbo. DR.. Russell's
account of the elaborate ceremonies attending
the late coronation makes the whole perform
ance every whit as ludicrous as the stories Of
the parades of the Kings of Ashapgo and
Ashantee, at the head of their four thousand
wives, their eight thousand umbrellas and a
train of prisoners and paroquets, monkeys
and missionaries, in the rear. We have
printed Russells report as an Offset to the
Legitimate dramatic criticism upon the Japanese
genufections and gymnastics at the Academy
of Music. To begin, there was q procession of
Imperial Royal pages in cooked hats, knee
breeches, and silk stockings, mounted; of
Knights of the Golden Fleece, mounted; of
",
mounted; and of many other mountebanks, all
mounted, the like of which can be seen
nowhere outside of Franconi's, or some other
mans hippodrome in Paris Arriving at the
church, the King, with the assistance of the
Lord High Chamberlain, was dismounted and
Immediately placed himself, with still further
assistance, at the head of second procession.
The Barons of the Realm carried the crown
| Jewels; Count Andrassy carried the crown of
St. Stephen; the Ban of Croatia carried the
| globe; the Judex Curi@ carried the sceptre; the
| Tavernicus carried the pyx; the Royal Hunga-
| rian Cupbearer carried the sword of state; the
| Royal Hungarian Lord Chamberlain carried
| the CROSS; the Emperor, having nothing
| else to carry, carried himself with dignity;
| while the Court Purveyor, who is also, er
| O6fcio, a member of the Golden 'Fleece, -
reckoned up the royal procession, put down
| two hundred, and carried twenty to his private
A account. These were the ''carryings On''
Y usually mentioned in connection with such
1 performances. When the high altar was
! reached the genuine Mumbo-J Jumboism began.
| The King laid aside his pelisse, his kalpaok,
his sabre, his meerschaum, and his pocket
! copy of Complete Etiquette" and he was
then copiously oiled from head to foot to
| enable him to go through any bore that might
| subsequently be presented. He was then as
| saulted with about four hundred lines oi
| Latin. Then he knelt down, and the reporter
| cautiously says he seemed to pray" There
after he lay PROSTATE, at full length, ON his
face. Then he arose. Then the Primate,
standing on his right" on his right leg,
probably, laid the sword of st. Stephen on
the Kings head "And then the King,
standing erect, and turning his face to the
people, drew the ancient blade, and with
vigorous hand made the steel flash in the
light, as he cut first in front, then to the
left, according to tradition. This is according
to the report; but if the dramatic critics are
right, it is not according to the tradition; it
is 'one up and two down. the orchestra
playing as fast as fddles and swords can fly,
and the gallery shouting an approving "hi,
hi ~ More Mumbo- Jumboism; more prostra-
tions and contortiOns, not only by the King, but
by the Queen, and the coronation ceremonies
were finished. 1t is not surprising that the
King should so long have declined to be
crowned; nor is it wonderful that there should
be general desire in Europe to wipe out
any quantity of small Kingdoms whose Gus
toms and traditions entail so much Mumbo
Jumboism to the nineteenth century; and i
this ceremonial is the climax to American
sympathy for Kossuth and Deak, our sym
pathy, to say nothing of our money, wa
thrown AWAY.