The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-07-12
CROWNS AND cRAzlNESS.
Some Of the 5IaIadirz IfIaf Acct Royal
FanIlI.rs-


FaaIiI4cs-
a quick, uneasy donf.l has been
made by authority in Vienna OF a re
port that the Elnp,e Elizabeth is Ill
and doranged. SiGilar reports con-
corning her husband. the Emperor
Francis Joseph. have also been denied.
But there is an impression that in
both cases the rUmOrs arc correct
The unfortunate pair have had
enough TO deprive them of I"alth,
and even of reason in the leplorable
death Of their son and heir, and in
the scandals of his life that were
then made the subject OF public COM
menL
: Insanity in royal families Is. how
ever, becoming so common that some
thing more than n special cause for it
may be looked tor. Rudolph was not
the first Austrian Prince who became
crazy. There have been many mad
Hapsburgs. Hohcuzollerns. Romanoffs
ana Gucphs. The actual King of
Bavaria has for years been n lunatic,
and 50 was his b other. whom he sue
cccded. The King Of Holland, who- is
dying, has long been more or less OF a
maniac and lattcrly has been an i'm
beetle. There are and have been
maniacs in the royal family Of
! Belgium, and the list might easily be
extended. Among the causes OF this
/ tendency TO mental alienation in royal
/ lines iutermagriago is prominent
/ This is = cause either OF imbcciity or
/ madness. recognized by physiolo-
I gi~ts among people Of all ranks. II is
4 IL lE,
/ cause the number of parts allowed
by law or etiquette is limited; Prince
! Of one crazy family has often wed a
! Princess OF another, and the chances Of
I transmitting feeble intellect to of
spring are thus continually aug
! mented-
Physical maladies are also among
the results of the frequent intermar-
riages in royal families. Scrofula,
which often affects the mind injurious
", i promoted by the conjugal union
{ Of cousins or other relatives, and
rcarly all the older reigning families
Of Europe have scrofulous maladies,
developing sometimes in cancers,
lamenesS. consumption and other laI-
aides, The hoelthiest royal families
are those of modern origin, like the
Swedish, which began IN BonapaTte' >
times, and the Bonapartes themselves,
who, though not over-wisc, are at
least not naniacs or iuvalids. But the
great Napoleon son by his Austrian
wife was weak in body and mind, IN
heriting some Of the tendency That
has appeared among the Hapsburgs
of this time in Vienna Had he lived
10 be the father of children they would
probably have inherited that tendency
in an increased degree. -.
These are physiological points only,
but they show that the limited matri-
monial field for royalty leads to i'm
pairment OF body and mind. The
Princes brought IN luxury, idle
ness and selfish indulgence are apt TO
become feeble intellectually and
physically, and when one OF them
succeeds to ID throne and has the
burden of State affairs thrown upon
him, he is not likely to be able &C
endure the labor or 10 Withstand the
shocks to which he is as liable as
any humble man. Francis Joseph and
his wife We're apparently as healthy
rs most people, but the catastrophe
Of RudOlph's death was crushing, and
there is no improbability in the re
ports OF their mental and physical
condition which are 50 strcnuously
denied. The poorest pair Of peasants
among their subjects might have been
as much Crieved by a similar alflic-
tion, but they could have borne il
more patiently and bra y. Ihcy
arc not descended from a long line oI
intcrmarryiRg relatives; they have
had no notorious and shameful scan
dals in their family; they Lavc not
been worried by State affairs and
heavy responsibilities. and they are Of
"A sturdy stock that can endure the
heaviest blows of misfortune without
damage to their mental or bodily
health. Philadelphia Bulletin.