New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-08
THE PRINCE And SULLITAN.

There is danger that the friendly relations
heretofore existing between the Prince of
Wales and Mr.. John l.. Sullivan will be inter-
rupted. The Prince lately visited the great
boxer by stealth and blushed the next morning
to find il fame in the newspapers Of two CONT
nents. The pupits of His Royal Highncss's
own realm took the matter up, and Noncon-
formist preachers held up the heir to the En-
pre on which the sun never sets to public con-
tumely for associating with prize-fehtcrs. His
royal mother is said to have administered
severe chastscment to her hopeful offspring by
penny post. The more severely he was crtl-
cised for the company he kept. the more eagerly
did his new found friends seek to be associated
with him. until he was actually compelled the
other day to deny in his own name that he had
consented to serve on tho committee for the
dinner to Smith and Kilrain. two distinguished
bruisers but less eminent than Mr.. Sullivan.
Times have changed, indeed, when royal per-
sonage cannot seek any low society he chooses
and royal personages have very frequently had
a taste for low socicty-without being ridiculed
by the newspapers and pummelled in the pull
pits and this is not the only evidence of it.
by tho way, that the Prince Of Wales or his
immediate descendants may discover.
If the Prince cares at all for the admontions
of the clergy and of his royal mamma, that fact
has not become public What has caused him
great annoyance, it seems, is the assertion that
Sullivan at their interview convcrsed with him
with easy familiarity. and assumed an air OF
equality to which the Prince is not accustomed.
1t is specially denied that Sullivan promised
to see that the Prince was created right if
he came to Boston also that the Prince asked
him to be mercifu to Smith, in boxing with
him, and that Suli,, -. declared that he would
knock Smiths hcsl1 g if he could. 1t seems
to us that the Prince "nld have had no reason
TO complain if Sullivan had met him on foot
ing of entire equality. sullivan was not there
to sec the Prince the Prince was there to see
Sullivan Seeing the Prince of Wales is
show that can be enjoyed almost any day in
London for nothing; seeing Sullivan is the
experience of lifetime. There arc many
princes there is but one Sullivan. 1t was dis
tincty visit of homage to the greatest man OF
his kind in all the world from man who is not,
we must say. the greatest man of his kind in all
the worldly good deal. The man who
offers to whip any other on the globe in twelve
minutes is wonder and worthy of the admira-
ton of the future ruler of race that is devoted
to boxing. The Princes visit was tribute
to genius, such as royalty has often been proud
to pay. When the Emperor Of Brazil asked
the privilege of being allowed to call upon
Victor Hugo, the poet stipulated that he should
come without attendants, and as a simple
gentleman. Thus these two citizens Of the
republic of mankind met on an equal footing.
Why should not the Prince of Wales and
Sullivan, whose tastes are no doubt as con-
genial as those of Dom Pedro and Hugo, have
come together in the same way, ignoring all
petty distinctions of earth, conversing upon
themes of high import, and meeting, as it were,
soul to soul?
We trust that Sullivan's simple nature will
not be wounded by the present attitude of the
Prince. The Boston hero is not only popular
favorite, but he has been given place in art.
A Boston sculptor has portrayed him as "The
Boxer in statue which, except perhaps for
stubbly modern mustache, is essentially Greek.
lie has also been celebrated by Boston poet
at great length in harmonious prose, in which
it was declared that he had perfected "the
vague, inchoate thing" known as the round
blow and completed its expression in art"
A man whose Importance has thus been freely
recognized, and who has the most alert and
destructive right arm ever known. is not to be
thoughtlessly sighted. 1t is to be hoped the
Prince will be careful not to irrltate Mr.. Sulli-
van 1t is painful even TO conjecture what
the consequences might be.