New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-12
HOW TIE LlST OF THE GEORGES BECINl
BLIND.

From Temple Bar.
Nothing eXerglseu q more peculiar and important
influences on the character OF George v, aad
through his Chara ter on his history, than his blind
ness and his biildnes5 was the result of three
secutye mSfortuncs lie perhaps bad a constltu.
tioua tendency 10 it, tOl his father was blind OF
one eve but ar any rate, he rst lost the sight Of
th, LETT evo In q disease of childhood aud then in
1888 when he was fourteen. he seriously injured
the other by an accident while at play with the
present Duke OF Cambridge IN the garden OF Wind
sor Castle. He was amusing himself by throw ing
long silk purse with heavy gold tassels up into tae
air and catching 10 rs It FELL and WAS warned 70 10
careful of his eye, the purse had already nearly
struck hi face; out the very next throw, It fell
noon Tho rjgs5 owe and impaired its vision perma.
uently though without rs yet taking it altogether
swnv That was lett Tor another accldeI5 IN 1870,
Tie elder Craze, the celebrated Berlin Oculist,
was Brought to the Palace OF Hegtcuhausen to per-
tOsu an operation upon tue injured organ, and OY
some fatal shake OF the hand accidentally cut
through the optic nerve The surgeon. driven TO
de.par by what lie had dOlo took refuge in suicide
immediately bis return from Hanover. The
Crown Prince remained heuceiUrth IN lmpenetraDle
darkness he bore this calamity Ike a brave
man and a philosopher. lie never complained OF
IT, lie was full Of that cheerful II subduCd, Tepose
which 50 often surprises us, and charms and re.
proves us in the blind. lie even took that light
estimate Of his aict0n which sonnet mes surprises
I'll, even moro. lie used TO say that eyeslght was
the sense we could most eosy dispense with
In his fathers lifetime George was always treated
az ii he saw LyyDc9y vas obliged TO Spe3k Oh hia
and 60 hlul If be had 10 defect, and thought 10
never exhibited this SeusitlyenesS himself he suH
from habit, prObabiy-OiteD used the expression;
" I see" He always said: " am glad TO see you
Bur while he was sriu CrYn Prince. there wasa
party IN Hanover VINO thought thiJ detect Legally
dis1ualiG fed him from the succession, aud there was
some dissatisfaction on tho sHplocU down e'ento
tho last year OF his reign. In that year one OF tne
leading newspapers Of Berlin published 10 Us
HanOyerlau spondcnce an account Oh eigou'
ceremony thai took place IN connection with SONS
family event IL tie palace and mentioned tha.s
sermuu WAS preached from q certain text OhIe'
ferung 70 this text. II was found 10 be: Woe 20
the country whose King IS blind Tie Taragaapaa
was of course 20 mYstihcatlon No sucl sermon hsu
been delivered, but the King was much hurt When
Fl was discovered that the writer OF the paragraph
Wcs a h,eh official Of his own treasury tus
official Immediately took TO flight. and the knk
with 70 truly royal magnanimlty supported wy
fOrsakCn wife ana children from ms own pitaYyy
purss. But Is 10 the prejudice AGAINST Olhe
king, the history Of George y. shows noth WucloT
is wrong and where 1t IS right lt is entirey WIS
in considering blindness necessary inteilectHa-
OuaIi Gca'iOn for government. On the c0hsSl!i
nj, de fprt perlap, leave, 20 the mind more GlspO-
stlOn and more leisure 10 reflect upon lhp0iI..as
affairs; and King George az any rate hl O.t
and more enlightened grasp OF public questions tus
any OF his chief Ministers. But his 9.none,5' v
creased curious and sinister effect on MS icI'..ig
with his cOunsellors. lt made INN eAeeII' oyea
ifalOus OF his mOnaTchlc0i prerogatNe, anI - -
WHEN he had the highest personal regard ana an'C y,
ton for his Ministers he mOrbl1Iy suspcloe,.Is
them making encroachments, ana Gohaels.n,ns
never gave them his entire confidence. For Ilg sa"'
reason ne never had any Minister OF gieat 19nny IA
Before leaving the subject Of ms Dtih,lli0'rTss
may be added that in spite of that detect &c W.
an excellent AMI even daring rider. VI cou'sih
could not take the lght directions OF
out assistance hut in some respects ne h4u vs.
wonderful sense of locality. 81 remen15gl,. 80.
MedinK being one day with him on mn =. I'm.
Tar and ascending watch tower; be st0ou VIZ. rhos
face to the north. and then explained lhe va
prospect round the horizon. naming every PS'
every hill without making u single misiaAeei and
King George was very fond o. Sea-palh,"s tina
Yachting. and Tor these purposes leSlueu rear
island of Norderney for some months e'yLti ifsof
Here all ceremony was cast aside, an" m LAND
the Court was the happleSt and iIeesl' lIs o
belonged TO Hanover. but the hlug "lsnoeeonaf
have the neutral character OF an lnteln";. ncos.
bathing resort. and always malntaiheu N,Ie nlain
uito while he resided there. lie wore Only W. hiou
black clothes of citizen with the star alu ',nnsr
uf the Garter and he had every day il.s' ioyitsd
TO which the visitors ON the isi"hu W. paid TO
without any strict regard pci"s, Court
their competency 10 appear ~ oyucss
These little entertainments wheIo Hnfiua
and clergy and players met on easy "a made
were thoroughly enjoyed by tbs hins' invita-,
most agreeaUie to All who were present, o. oue
ton to a trip ON the royal yacht was Ths KIM
OF tho terrOrs ut NOrderney Tor niAhg' Is often
never suffered from seasckness' Ut 10 Who en-.
the only one ON board except thc OIoo", hrothei
loved this immunity Herr Won Mahteu9fra auently z
of tho PIussan Minister OF that hhn - the King
implored uerutssion 10 remain ashore, Ou .ha mis-
ALWAYS withheld it with q augl, % antici.
ely OF ths poor man. who was ALREADY ~ hiw 20 Nor.
patton The Queen rarely accompanied u hetween
derney. The tenJeTest affection regnei .rye com,
them he always called her, even oeloie ,srg much
panies my angel. queen out sue ,,taTv and recu
of 10 recluse and her ways were Soilt.S snaied tht
liar Much misfortune might have Oeen I'D espech
family had she beeo fonder oil society, she youi(
allv had abe cultivated as In that cAso s;~ns Will
almost certainly have done. friendly tpr"ss,a
the neghboring and connected ia'uin "