, 1873-06-15
MORGANATIC MARRIAGES.



Some Royal I0Ve-StoT1es.
From nhs Cincinnati Gazette.
Morganatic marriages are peculiar instltu~
ton in Germany. When a royal parsonage falls
in love with lady Of lower rank, he marriea
her morganatica1ly is, with the stipula-.
tion that tho bride and her children shall not
enjoy the rank nor inherit the possessions Of
the husband, The name is said to have
originated in the fact that the mozgen gift, or
morning gift, or dowry, WAS given in lieu Of all
other dowry and inheritance. The Princess
Augusta, OF Liegnitz, who has just died, in her
79d year, was the morganatic wife OF Frederick
William III. OF Prussia, whom she married in
1924. Bhe was, therefore, the stepmothsr OF
the Emperor William, and Of his brother. tho
late King, Frederick William ~, though sev-
erA years younger than both.
The offspring Of morganatic marriages are
sometimes 1aised to royal rank. This was the
case with the Prince Of Teck, who married into
the English royal family few years ago. His
father, the Duke Alexander, Of Wurtembsrg,
married morganatically the Countess OF Hohen-
stein. In 1868 the Prince and an older sister we're
rnised to royal rank, while younger sister, who
had lust before married simple Baron, WAS left
in her old social position. In Germany, and espe-
CHILLY in Austria, noble descent il passport to
privileges to which no amount OF money or even
dazzling title than secure admission. When
candidates for q responsible Office are adver-
tised for, it is sometimes mentioned that
they must have certain number OF quarter
ines on their coat Of arms. Ono OF tho Ester-
hazy Princes married daughter OF the English
Farf OF jersey. She WAS boautiful and accom-
plished, but then one Of her ancestors was the
daughter Of banker. Consequently the aris-
tocrats OF Vienna turned up their noses At her,
and disputed over her claims to precedence.
Many Of these sticklers Tor " blne blood are
poorer than fairly well-off American merchant
or lawyer, bnr they are the opponents Of sys-
tenn, and are sharp-eyed and sharp -tongued
enough to make ono sigh over the shortcomings
OF his pedigree. Prince Christian, OF schleswig
Holstefn. whom Queen Victorin married to one
of her daughters, though thero were ugly
ru1nors Of his having wife or mistress and
half d dozen children, supported his high rank
on about $1,000 per annum, and there
are others Of his class as poor, or even worse on
then widower 81 years old, fell in love with
Mary Lee. & pretty and wealthy young lady from
New York She would not consent to = NOR
ganatic marriage, and the head Of the house
would not allow one OF 1ts members TO "eo
plebeian bride. Consequently the Prince laid
down his royalty and WAS given the non-royA
title Of Prince Of Moor, under which hs Was
espoused to Miss Lee few weeks later. The
union was not of long continuance. Ihe happy
Palr Travelled in Syria and while as sey[1ot g % n me
1865 about sight months after the marriage
He left no issue, but had son BY his FIRST mnr-
riage oight years oldar than his stepmother:
All readers OF Carlyle's Frederick the Great
eau, called by the author 'fthe Dossauer." He
was one OF Frede1icka ablest Generals, Il brave
soldier, and little more, one Of whose chief
claims on the public recollection was the inven-
I-R ofr~$n Vat n Y11yfy.