New-York tribune., 1886-01-17
SUNDAY EDITION.
JAN. IL, 1886
AN UNWORLDLY PRINCE.
DOM FERNANDOS PREFERENCE FOR NAT
URE, ART AND HOME LIFE.

rrRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBuyxl
PARIS December 81,
One of the celebrated pcrsonages whom I met
here in 1878 was the late Dom Fernando. of Port.
ugal, who was then here with his second and best
loved wife, the Countess Edla nee Henslcr. / met
them at the house of Portuguese lady of jewish
race, who formerly paid the Countess handsomely
for singing at her soirees when she resided some
eighteen years ago at Lisbon. Dom Fernando
looked like q cavalier painted by Vandyke. The
occasion on which saw him was an Informal mat
inee, for he disliked brilliant social gatherings, and
being fond of early hours spent most of his evenings
at home. He wore a velvet Jacket turn-down shirt
collar long and pointed at the ends aud kept In his
hand, unless when he was turning over the pages
of music books (which he read as easily as other
persons might ordinary print, soft gray felt hat
with high crown and broad brm. The figure
tall, erect without stiffness, aud clean built
1t also spare without appearing lean, and there
most prepossessIng air of mild nobility In the
uhysiognomy. The moustache and imperial were
long and white. believe they had originally been
fair. I was told that the thick and seemingly
vigorous growth of sIlvery hair on the top of Iis
head artificial product, Dom Fernando, like
the other princes of his house, having become
bald early. The blue eyes were very sweet. and
there was expression of serenity in the whole
face which charmed Francia the sculptor, who
thought him the handsomest old gentleman he had
ever seen. All the features well cut, and the
flesh of the face had not that pastness which marred
the beautiful outlines of his late sister, the Duchess
de Nemours and the late consort of Queen Victoria
who was his first cousin.
Dom Fernando was intelligent and what one
might call thoroughly we'll Informed man. But
the development of the upper part of his fore
head was poor With little moro
room there he might have done great artistic
things, for Dom Fernando was, Notwithstanding
his high culture and aesthetic sensibllites, only a
diettaute with German bent for pedagogy. This
last quality was. however, untainted with PEI
dantry The tendency of his finest faculties was
to throw him in the direction of philosophy. He
wanted, however, grasp of intellect Since he died
he has been accused of pilfering from the excheq.
uer of his adopted country. 1t is possible that
some of tho sharp mouey-malSlng spectators
who have formed Portuguese Cabinets may
have given him. when he searching
for investments useful hints, or obtained for
him preference shares in many industrial concerns
started under Government auspices. But the bulk
of his fortune may be otherwise explained. In
marrying the Queen of Portugal he did not ALLEVIATE
his right TO any part of the great Kohary heritage;
and what he did not spend in works of philan-
thropy aud public interest was invested in real es.
tate in Portugal which was bought cheap and has in
consequence of the extension of steam navigation,
RAILWAYS and mining enterprise, greatly risen in
value When Maria daGloria died in 1888, he asked
the Portuguese Chambers to allow bin q pension
of 800 600 a year-a monstrousy large sum when
the size of his family, for each member of which
proyision was also nade-and the smallness of
Portugal are considered. He was given it with
an elegant palace. OF his numerous of,pring
four only have survived him. They were brought
ND at the expense of the state and when they grew
up provided for bv tho Chambers Maria da Gloria.
like Queen Victoria, regarded all her husband saved
as being so much secured to her children. The
Countess Hensler has disposed otherwise. She
comes in under the will of Dom Fernando for all
that he could leave away from his sons OF his per-
soual and real estate tho third part of botr
The wonderfully beautiful country residence of Da
Penha goes TO her.
Dom Fernando and the Countess Edla when
first saw them had been ten years married. She
was considerably his junior and was manifestly
German Though brought up for the stage-tirst to
dance and then 10 sing-sho preserved sim.
pliclty and friendiIncss of manner which did
honor to her good sense and iee,ing: her eounte
something in it that showed diplomatic genius.
Perera a Minister of Dom LUIS, said OF her IN my
hearing: "She would make q capital dog sscaler,
because she has good nature enough TO coax away
dog from his master, and Is sufficiently deficient
in moral sense t. pron y r meg PPwsr , IL ahe Fri, ania
litiueps voice in speaking and she spoke with
fine dlstnctness, and an emphasis which per,
sSs sap' been niSnS IoquacioSs-whch H she was not
But though of fine hgure, she was Wholly devoid
of taste in dressing and of true sentiment OF ele-
gance. Herstrong forehead was masculine She
had also will and 4 we.l-pOisej mind and not only
knew her own mind, but W hat she was apout, And
YER shewas q thorough artist. Dom Fernando was
inseparable frosl the Countess as her shad"w.
Dom Fernando preferred her and Da Penha TO tho
Crown OF Spain, which General rrlm urged him to
forced by revolution TO quit Greece. the yacant
throne az Atneus The mperor Napoleon Iii thought
he would be just the man for the imperial position
he aud De M0ruy were thinking in 1862 Of creating
IN Mexico. But Fernando was not 10 be tempted.
He had fallen In Cintra on an earthly palace ana
he had made numerous friends in Portugal. Tho
Portnanese were not jealous of his preference for
Germ ms when was evnced In the composition OF
his household, the education he gave his family and
the marriages of his eldest son and bls two daugh,
ters. Dom Podro's wife was the beautiful and
asgelic-looking Stephanle OF honenzoiietn-
sigmarlngeu, who die died of nSr Group t.o0s be-
The eldest of the Portuguese InfaEtas is Princess
Leopnld of Hehenzoilern, about whose husbands
candidature for the throne o, sEan Ndpocn ZIP secnr AZ
Princess George OF SaNony. botn sisters were ire.
oucnt guests at the Tueres In the closing years o.
the Empire. and We're on long VISITS there In lsos
I Dom Fernando created the botanic garden of
Lisbon and obtained Subsidy for the opera HOUSE
impressions were struck of his engravings.
He also illustrated The Tales Of Ioit; LOFT
tbcm' When cancer took hold of him he tried
to find soIacc in decorating a porcelain dessert
service and got through dozen plates me second
dozen was begun OH the day on which tail he met
with on leaving the opera house brought Oh an
apoplechc fit. Dom Fernando's youngest son, the
Dnte de Coimbra was at Madrid at this time. His
BowaI UiShness was telegraphed for aud set out
without loss Of time. But he was stopped on tho
frontier and obliged to pass five day9 IN azaieo
Tba terror OF cholera was so great that, Queens
snn and Kings brother though he was the officials
would not cGrtaiI tho period Of puIilleatlqSa; 9
krostH The Duke de Coimbra and the Countess
EdIa 'I; are JOINT executors of Dom Fernandos will
In this will the testator asks the Count
ess Edia 10 90 nInntation followed bv her