New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-20
TIE END OF A WORTHLESS LIFE.

Furope has lost another from her list of
soyereigns on the retired list. Duke Charles
Frederic August William of Brunswick has
died at Geneva of apOplexy at the age OF
sixty He played his part in this world
in a way which may be called truly kingy,
as he died guiltless Of any good. brave or
sensible action. He was very rich, very sell
fish and phenomenally mean. He lost his
throne by his kingly qualities, and had no
manly ones to enable him to regain it. He
disgraced the throne while he held il, and
after he was turned out of it, he made 1t the
business of his life to call attention to the
fact of his disgrace by insisting upon his for
felted rank. As kings are good for very little
now days, except for examples, it Is rather
to be regretted that so fine specimen oil the
class is taken away from the world.
The late Duke had precisely the kind OF
training which is generally supposed to be
most advantageous to princes He had
childhood and youth of vicissitudes, and of
as much prvation as can fall to the lot of
those born in the purple. He lost his mother
early, and passed most of his first years in
wandering and exile. His father fell at the
battle of Quatre- Bras, when the little Duke
was only eleven years old. He was left by
the will of his father under the guardianship
of George w., then Prince Regent of England.
His disposition was so bad, he was so I'M
tractable and violent in temper, that even his
dissOlute kinsman and guardian surveyed
with some apprehension the prospect of Civ
ing him the reins of power. But when it
could no longer be delayed he placed him
upon the throne of Brunswick, and the worst
apprehensiOns of those who knew him were at
once confirmed. He wasted few years in youth
full follies. in travels by which he learned
nothing, end in adventures which left no
moral behind them. He came home, and
attempted to add the fame of tyrant to that
of debauchee. But it was an unproptious
time for such amusements. The air was full
of the premonitOry breath of revolution which
was to freshen TO a gale in 1880. The great
school of French literature and journalism
was just learning its power, and something
like q new political and intellectual life was
waking in Europe. Among the greater States
that turned of their kings, the little Dukedom
Of Brunswick found its disgust too heavy to
be borne, and mustered its petty tyrant out
of service. A family council declared him unfit
to govern, and placed on the throne in his
place his younger brother, William, who sus-
tanned himself during a long reign with
unusual tact and good sense. He had the
discretion to place himself on the Liberal side
during the tornado ofa1S4S, which was so fatal
to thrones, and so passed safely through.
The ex-Duke established himself in Paris.
where he has since passed the greater part of
his life. Forty-tbree useless and ignoble years
he has spent in petulant repinings over his
lost throne, and in pitiful attempts to compel
the homage to which he had no further right.
trait of the Guelphs. If the Queen of England
should lose her throne tomorrow she would
still be the richest widow in the world He
fell into the mania of buying diamonds, and
made one Of the largest and most costly col
lections in Europe. He inhabited a pretty
rose-colored palace in the Avenue Friedand.
house and garden jealousy guarded from the
street by high walls crowded with statues, and
the entire establishment was constructed with
reference to the safety of the Dukes jewels.
Not door or window could be opened with
out a clamOrous ringing of bells, and the cas-
kets where the diamonds lay could only be
reached over his dead body. This was the
theory, but the practice was otherwise. He
was regularly robbed every year or two.
though his most valuable treasures always es-
capped. He was insufierably mean in all his
dealings. The very tradesmen who supplied
and cheated him did not desire his custom.
lie never paid bill without q quarrel, and
charge Tor fees still stands uDpaid by him on