New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-10
"BY DIVINE RIGHT"
"REMINISCENCES Of SOvEREIGNS.


LECTIoNs BY ONE WHO
KNOWS THEM.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir "A few weeks ago The Tribune contained in It's
columns extract from one of Alphonse Daudets
prettiest morceaux entitled The Dauphins Death
he'd in which the little boy prince responds to
the exhortations of his chaplain with the eXcama-
ton But one thnS consoles me, Monsieur ABIDE.
and that is that up there, in TIE Paradise Of the
Stars shall still be the Dauphin. / know that
The good God is my cousin and cannot tail to treat
me according to my rank" In reading this |
could not help rejecting that although nearly
two centuries have passed away since the death
Of the little Dauphin referred to by the French
novelist, there are to-day many mighty potcn'a'es'
as well princes and princesses OF the Blood, VINO,
if they do not openly describe themselves as the
first cousins of the Almighty, at any rate are
firmly convinced that the clay out Of which they
are fashioned by Him is of quality vastly SUI
perior to that which lie employs for the compost
ton Of ordinary human creatures. Notwlthstand-
ing all the Spartan rigor and severity TO which
royal personages are, according TO their piosra-
piers subjected in their youth for the purpose
of dispelling any exaggerated pride OF nlrth ana
station, they nearly all Of them imagine that the
rights and privileges which they enjoy above their
feow-mcn are Of divine origin Some of them
have sufficient tact and good sense TO conceal
these sentiments and realize that they are not IN
keeping with the sentiments OF the age. Others on
the contrary, do not attempt to disguise them, and
become in consequence responsible for an accclcra-
ton in the growth of democracy on the palt of the
people among whom their lot is cast.
The existence of this peculiar belief in the semi
divine character of their superiority above their
fcllOw-cTeatures, can he readily understood when
the peculiar atmosphere in which they live is
taken into consideration. From their earliest
youth they are surrounded by chamberains and
eQuerries of noble birth, whose sole duty is 10
humor their every within, TO divine their wishes
even before they expressed TO say yea 10 their
yea and nay TO their nay without venturing TO
have any opinion OF their own, and who sup
posed TO preserve their royal and imperial charges
from anything that possibly prove offensive
even disagrccabe to THEN hiGhnesScs. When
70 this is added the pcmD and gury of the military
hOnOrS which are rendered 10 them by oncerS
and soldiers alike, and the adulaton whtl they re-
ceive not only from the masses, but from the
classes also, il becomes only natural that they
should end by possessing the most exaggerated no.
tons concerning themselves Even their very
faults are described as virtues and their most
fragrant offences and even crimes are described
harmless and amiable eccentricities 1t seems per
fectly natural 10 Europeans that the Crown Prince
Rudolph of Austria should be made the object of
universal sympathy and sorrowful pity, rather than
Of reprobatiOn and that the late King of Bavaria,
whose closing years marked by the most
appalling debaucheres should live il the hearts
not only of his fellow-cOuntrymen, but also III
those of the Old World AT large as one Of the
most brilliant if eccentric. geniuses of this cen
fury. Had either of The two princes above named
been of more humble station in life words
would have been strong enough 10 brand their
memories. There is an ancient saying, according
70 which Kings can do no wrong" This qua
ifcation might he extended TO princes and prin-
cesses of the Blood, and TO such an extent do these
theories prevail to this day that intimacy of
culpable nature between sovereign and lady
OF the aristocracy is invariably regarded as re-
fleeing honor rather than disgrace upon the dame
in question. No one would dream of closing their
doors against Princess Juriellsky, whose relations
with the late Gar were only lestimzed by a
morganatic marriage Il short time before his as
sassnation. The Countess De Clnchamps has
never been blamed for her intimacy with the Due
dAumale, although She has borne him two sons
who are now in the army. Nor is there any case
on record of a lady being ostracized for receiving
the addresses of either Napoleon III, Of Francis
apparent to the British throne Indeed, the only
person who is subjected 10 a social ban in such
cases is the misguided husband HhO ventures to
protest against the honor thus conferred upon his
house and TO object 10 this species Of the droit
du Seigneur' \ case in point is that of the well
known Scotch baronet Of ancient lineage and vast
possessions, who actually went far to in
cude his future sovereign among the correspond
ents in the suit for divorce against his lovely
wife and who, in consequence, has ever since been
considered by his fellow-countrymen much in the
same light communicated person is re-
garded by dcvout Catholics. Naturally exam
pie such as this 10 deter the citizens Of the
old world from any individual attempt 10 correct
royal errors If they happen to b. the victims
thereof they find it preferable 10 suffer in silence
and 10 try forget the injury rather than 10 show
any signs of resentment For they are aware
that any token Of the latter is certain 10 result
in a display of hostility not only on the part of
the court but also that Of the government and
Of the people that Will finally culminat, in their
social ostracsrn and even i'll their enforced cApa-
triatiOn. Under these circumstances it is only
natural that Princes should occasionally wander
from the right path. They have 10 draw
their attention to the fact that they have strayed
away from it. For they never hear the blunt
unvarnished truth, but only such things
likely to prove agreeable TO them.
A faint idea of the incense which is burned be-
fore these royal and imperial idols by the classes
may be obtained by attending during the London
season dance or ball at which the Prince Of
Wales is present. Nothing is more astonishing 10
tie dispassonate spectator ti4an the extraordinary
efforts made by the ladies present TO attract His
Royal IlghnesSs notice, and when that is achieved
10 retain il. Like the peacock with his feathers
they put forth all their charms to captiyate his
somewhat jaded eye; and their heightened
color, their manifest pleasure at the distinction
conferred by his address, and above all their
evident desire 10 please him with their
beauty and their wit, constitute an homage
with which any man, be he peasant or prince