Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-01
ROYAL IMBECILES.
Disease. and Death Besieging All the
Thrones in Europe.

Vienna letter in New York Tribune.
Hidden away in the depths Of a dense forest,
some five hours by rail to the south of this city
is one of the most picturesque and stately cas-
ties which it is possible to conceive. The broad
moat and heavy drawbridge, the dark walls Of
undressed granite, pierced with mullioned win
dows and surmounted with turrets and battle
ments all unite TO carry one back to the feudal
ages, an impression that is further strength
ened by the venerable aspect of the glorious
old trees which constitute the setting Of this
architectural gem. II stands quite alone. far
away from any other human habitation,
and with the exception of the game
keepers and foresters. CARRIED in the imperial
livery. who have orders to prevent the APP
proach OF any stranger within two miles of the
chateau, not soul is to be seen anywhere in
the neighborhood. Hardly sound is to be
heard, and notwithstanding the presence of
over sixty blooded horses in the marble wains-
coted stables, and of whole army of attend
ants and domestics in the chateau, a strange
and uncanny silence reigns on all sides. Every
voice is hushed, and even the very dogs appear
to have been trained to bark and yelp in a
mere whisper. Indeed like the enchanted pal
ace of the sleeping beauty in the fairy tales,
the whole castle seems to be subject to the
spell OF some malignant sorcerer.
1t Is to this romantic spot that the latest vic
tim of that dreadful malady which constitutes
Tue HerSultdTV curse OF the imperial mouse OF
Hapsburg was secretly conveyed some three
weeks ago. The late Count Beust's cutting and
cruel remark about Austria's idiot archdukes
has received another notable illustration. and
few would be able to recognize in the mental
and physical wreck, which scarcely retains a
vestige of humanity, the gallant and chivalrous
Archduke Leopold, who inherited the vast
wealth of the house of Este. Born in 1926, he
has for the past twenty five years held the rank
of commander-in-chief of the engineer and
sapper corps Of the imperial forces, besidespos
sessing colonelcies in the German and Russian
armies. Tall and elegant, with a handsome
face and an exceedingly winning manner, he
was by far the most popular member of the
emperor's family. With the solitary exception
of Archduke John, he was the most talented
and clever prince of his line. while his i'm
mense fortune enabled him to dispense gene
rosity and muniticence on a magnificent scale.
Needless to add that it is epilepsy in its most
hideous form which has thus so darkly clouded
the eventide of Archduke LeopoIds well-spent
life. Str. tched on bed. no longer possessed
of either the strength or sense to feed himself,
he has reached that loathesome state of idiocy
which the French so expressively describe as
'gatisme," and his only occupation seems to
be to gaze with kind of imbecile stare at the
splendid portrait which Amerling painted of
him, in the striking garb of a Crusader, which
he wore at the Carousel at the Hofburg here,
just twenty-five years ago.
With the sole exception Of the emperor him
sell, almost every one of the ninety-eight
archdukes and archduchesses who constitute
the imperial family of Austria is subject
in a greater or lesser degree to fits
of epilepsy. The good old Archduke Albert,
uncle to his majesty and generalissimo
of the forces, is perfect martyr there
to. The emperor's youngest and favorite
daughter, Princess Valerie. suffers from occa-
sional fits. Archduke Louis Victor, the
youngest brother of the emperor, has been
rendered almost imbecile by the malady. The
late Kaiser Ferdinand was reduced to such a
state of idiocy and disgusting bestality by the
disease that he was obliged to abdicate in 1S4s
in favor of his brother, the late Archduke
Francis Charles. The latter, however. know
ing that he too was subject to the family curse
refused to accept the proffered crown. and
passed 1t on to his son. the present emperor.
Even the poor little three-y ear-old king of
Spain is reported to have inherited the malady
from his mother, who is an Austrian arch
duchess. The sad fate of another archduchess,
the mad ex-empress of Mexico. is too well
known to need more than passing mention
here. But perhaps the most serious case of all
Is that of the emperor's eldest nephew. Arch
duke Francis, who, in default of male issue on
the part of Crown Prince Rudolph, will sue
coed to the imperial crown of Austria. but who
IS eplleptic to such a degree as to have rem
dered 1t necessary on two occasions already to
place him under temporary restraint.
1t Is not. however. the Hapsburg dynasty
alone on Wnlcn the mana or providence weighs
SO heavily. Indeed at the present moment
there is scarcely single royal family in Europe
which is not tfiicted with some terrible kind of
hereditary infrmity. produced as rule by too
frequent intermarriages between near relatives
for several hundred years past, which has re-
suited in the impoverishment and vitiation of
the blood. Heretical and reasonable though
it may appear from European point Of view
TO advance such theory, there is no doubt but
the blood royal means tainted blood, and that
both from a moral and physical point of view
the blood of the peasant classes is of far more
generous and healthy quality than that of the
aristocracy and of royalty.