New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-21
THE SHAH.
airs WEEK IN LONDON AND WHAT LONDON
THINKS OF HIM.

silent autipathies, or OF the newest aunWrltteh
doctrine of the social code. which you can neglect
only on payment Of penalty. Sixteen years ago
Il was possible to put the question. Have you
seen the Shah pit was almost obligatory To
day you take refuge in polite periphrasis. Such
are the caprices of fashion. If you could account
FOR them, they would not bc caprices.
II In not that the interest in this second visit
IL less than in the first. Neither in society nor
with the general public has IL been less. The
afeotation Of indifference is only aftectation.
1he public has not been enthusiastic but has been
curious; has not cheered much, but has thronged
the streets As for society, IL has discharged all
its social duties to this distinguished visitor with
unfAiling conscientiousness. All the functions IN
his hsuof have been crowded. and with the right
psople. They were sure 10 be- IL is the Prince
OF Wales who has taken the lead. lie made the
vidt of the Shah personal interest and pressed
him upon his friends. Bold would be the man
or wctnan WHO should undertake TO resist the wish
Of H. K ii. in such n matter Look at the list
Of entertainers. Lord and Lady Cadogan, the
SEASONS, Lord Rosebery Lord and Lady Brown
low, Mr.. Alfred de Rothschild Baron Ferdinand
de Rotbschild. They are all the Princes friends.
omit Lord Salisbury. He is Prime Minister of
England and Foreign Minister, toe. and the doors
df Hatfield could hardly remain closed 10
high political import 20 England No pressure
from the Prince can have been needed there.
Perhaps the Prince might have thought twice
before putting pressure on the Prime Minister,
especially when the Prime Minister is Lord Sails
bury. lie did not shrink before that awful func-
tionary, tho Lord Mayor, nor from all appeal TO
him for City hospitality to his guest. The Guild
hall luncheon the direct result OF the Princes
importantly, not less than the dinner at Chelsea
House or the dinner in Berkeley Square or the
nights stay at Waddesdon.
This last is over this morning, and il may be
hoped we'll over The habits # the Persian King o.
of his suite not. according TO current gossip,
such as to make him and tn m welcome guests. The
incidents of 1873 are not forgotten. The Shah
is q great monarch in his own dominions, and an
0rient,l and he did not then feel bound 10 take ac-
count OF Western preiudices lie behaved in
Buckingham Palace as he behaved in Teheran.
Why should he not? His reception such as,
do not say 10 turn his head, hut t0 confirm him
in the conviction of his Own greatness. lie mis-
interpreted many of the civilies bestowed on him.
They seemed TO him acts of homage. If people
10 formed u b m, why sin ul lie conform o thom
And he did not. This time his views of things
are perhaps more accurate and they say that he
has suppressed out OF Difference to his enter
provoked most criticism. Nevertheless his hosts
took precautions. You hear o costly furniture bang
stripped OF its brocade, OF silk curtains put into
bags of carpets taken up. Of precious brio a-brac
locked away. In Persia property is at the mercy
of the monarch. TO transfer such a doctrine TO
England, and to leave the application of il to
some Of the less dignifed and less scrupulous
members OF his suite might, You perceive, have
awkward consequences. | dare say this appre-
hension did injustice to these Persian equerries
and gcnlemcn-n- waiting, but il existed, and was
TO some extent acted Oh.
Those who have seen most OF the Shah say that
the stories about him and these strange suspicious
do him wrong. lie is an Oriental, but as great a
gentleman in his way-in the Oriental way--as any
Occidental of them all Sir Henry Drummond
Wolf has expressed his dignatiOn. lie is not
merely incredulous, he theoretically denies the
existence of the habits and customs imputed 10
the King and Court, near whom he has repre-
sented the majesty of Great Britain. There are
these who say that Sir Henry has coached the
Shah and that, if there he change for the better
since 1878, il is not the softening influence OF
time, but the gentle counsel Of the British Min
lister which has caused il. Whatever the truth
be- this is true that Sir Henry Wolf is very
able man. an astute diplomatist. versed in Oriental
man of so presenting Western wishes to the mind
of an Eastern potentate as 10 give them the best
chance of acceptance. lie has been in close at
tendance since this visit began. and is one of the
few subjects of Her Majesty belonging neither 10
the Royal Family nor TO the Royal Household who
has slept in Buckingham Palace room or
suite of rooms was assigned TO him. in order
that he might be near the Shah, and think il
may be said positively that the food supplied TO
the Queens guest not sent in from the nearest
hotel, bin for il sent in upon his de-
parture No such incident has occurred since the
Empress of Russia came to England TO be present
az the first lying-n of her daughter, the Duchess
of Edinburgh.
What happens in private has been more dis
cussed than what happens in public; probably be-
cause il has 70 be guessed al, and the mysterious
is always interesting. But in public there has
been certain modification of the Shah's de
meanor. lie has less the air of regarding those
about him as too infinitely beneath him TO re-
quire consideration. His manner would not be
thought a good manner in an English Prince; in
plain words, it would be deemed intolerabe.
But one sees that he means to be, in his own
way, gracious or even kindly. lie acknowledged
the salutations of the populace on his arrival,
and that an entire novelty. He is pleased
with proofs OF his own popularity, anu permits
il TO be seen that he is pleased lie seems aware
that the Prince of Wales has done great deal
for him. and his bearing TO him is not quite so
lofty as 10 Others What he has learned, or
has learned most imperfectly, is 10 treat women
as they are treated in England. They say he adj
mires and likes the Princess of Wales-t would
be odd if he did not But il this admiration and
liking exist, they are not shown; the commoneSt
forms Of respect TO lady in her position, or in any
position, are not shown. lie preserves his ORR
entail notions and Oriental manners. At the
Umpire Theatre, last Thursday, the Prince and
Princess had arrived before him. They were
punctual, he was twenty minutes late. When he
came the Prince left his place and went TO the
entrance of the royal circle 10 meet him. As
the Shah marched IN, he had to pass the Princess,