Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-03

personality of the queen-becanse, for
instance, she telegraphs coincidence on
the death of president, MS if there were
some martyrdom in it-they will never
realize the profoundly historic signifi-
cance of her unpopularity among her
subjects The fact is that England, hav-
ing outgrown all the reality Of monarchy,
has more fully come to value it rs the 30
cial and decorative department of the ma
ton. The monarchy has finally become
a ceremony, an ornament, national
drawing room, center of festivities
and just as the country has been politl-
cally evolved to distinguish that as the
sole raison detrc of monarchy, behold,
that is Just what Queen Victoria is not.
If my reader will recur to the grounds of
the queens unpopularity given above, he
will find them to be mainly the denial to
her of such qualities ms would make
gay, lavish and decorative monarch. Of
course deacon might say she is all the
better for the absence of such qualities,
but the average Englishman' reply would
be that he can pension plain, retired old
lady in apartments Mt Windsor for very
little money, and, since he pays largely
in money and loyalty for n splendid his
toric court, he would like to have it. The
monarch being n constitutional automa-
ton, so far as concerns politics, If she Is
not socially and ceremonlally adequate, it
amounts to abdication.
The Prince of wales.
The queens growing gunpopularity mea-
sures the growth of the Prince of Wales's
popularity. This has been steadily in
creasing, until it is fast mounting up to
enthusiasm. The prince has endless good
humor and marvellous tact, an instance of
the latter being his prompt consent to go
off to Eastbourn and open n small asylum
there, because it was named after his de-
ceased sister Alice. He is clever, too.
Not long ago the Savage club invited him
to attend banquet Mt their rooms; the
whole thing was slightly snobbish, and
there was n good deal of satisfaction when
the Prince, after dinner, suggested that
80 large and fine club (it consists chiefly
of actors and musicians) should found
scholarship in the new Royal College of
Music. The afluence of the club was
chiefly on the table, but they could not
excuse themselves to the prince, and are
now learning that dancers who indulge in
n royal piper must expect to pay him
royalty. The prince always make fault
less speeches now Che has lived long
time since he spoke of Queen Elizabeth
us his ancestor), and never puts on any
airs. He has outlived q good deal of gos-
sip. arising from his liking for pretty
girls lin which there was always more of
the merry German than the dangerous
English ''1irtatiousness') and his love
for the princess is shown not only in his
constant attentions to her, but in the
bloom and beamirg happiness other face.
1t is probable that there is not happier
pair in Europe. While it is known that
the prince is not wealthy, he is known to
be generous, and has never been accused
of mean thing. He shows no inclina
tion to mingle in party politics, or in sec
tartan matters he is brilliant man OF
the world, able to converse with any Eu.
ropean in his own language and his
visit to any foreign court is there wei
coined as signal for exceptional festivi
ties. Even if Queen Victoria possesses
more good qualities than she is creditet
with-and / nave no doubt she does-sht
could not but be eclipsed by her heir who
shows precisely those ornamental quail
ties related TO the now merely ornamental
character of the British throne. He ant
his princess are now virtually the king
and queen in all save the salary-and
few official duties which, as Carlyle lonl
ago showed, could be done quite rs wei
by an autograph. h.automaton.