The morning call., 1891-11-11
THE PRINCE's BIRTHDAY.

We learn from the d dispatches that the semi
centennial birthday of the Prince of Wales
passed almost unnoticed in England. He
spent the day at his country house at Sand
rngham and did not visit London. He de-
clined reception by the municipality, and
his mother, the Queen, does not seem to
have seen ut to call on him to offer her con-
gTatulations. The baCcarat scandal is prob
ably too fresh in the public memory for the
Prince TO risk an appearance at gathering
in which his personality would have been
the central objective, and ne preferred to see
his friends at home. His visitors do not
seem to have included the leading English
men Of the day. judging from the dis
patches few foreigners and representatives
of the London theaters were the most con-
sDicuous Of the callers. Considering that
he may any day become King of England
this Indifference Is a singular sign OF the
times.
Americans hardly understand the feeling
of EngliShmen toward the heir to the throne
He has wasted money, but that has been
one of the necessities of his station. If he
had been frugal he would have been scorned
on the ground of his parsimony. He has
never been the hero of gross scandals like
George the Fourth. The peculiar and ex-
tremely difficult position in which be was
placei-which forbade him taking part in
politics or mixing in public affairs, except
TO lay corner-stOnes or to take the chair at
benevolent society meetings-has made him
stranger to the people who will shortly be
his subjects. a certain class of news papers
have steadily reviled him as being a trifler,
and he has never been able to say word in
his defense. He may, for aught any one
knows he plpnr- ha cd md i,,ii afo
his father was. He has never had chance
Of showing what was in him. And all said
and done he has certainly preserved the
love, affection and respect of his wife and
children, which could hardly have been the
ease mad he led the dssolute life which his
detractors have painted.
He comes of race which never produced
man of ability. His ancestors, as far back
as they can be traced, were all common
people. Two of his immediate predeces-
sors in the principally of Wales chafed
under the inaction which their station re-
lulred, and became factors in politics and
leaders in public affairs, with the effect of
proving their incapacity, aud disturbing the
conduct of the Government.
Americans may perhaps be excused for
taking more impartial view of the career
Of Albert Edward than Englishmen, for the
simple reason that he has always been kind
aud hospiiable to American visitors TO En-
gland. Sandringham has been thrown oman
to them a few houses of the nobility have
been, and they have always found him a
plain kindly gentleman. His idea of a
gentleman differs from that of George ".
who loved to be called the first gentleman
in Europe He does not speak i'll of
people, nor parade All ostsntatious example
OF degrading vice. He has never been
heard to complain of the despotism of hSs
mother. nor of the idle calumny of the radi-
Gals. lie has strictly followed his fathers
example in keeping alOof from party strife.
lie has never uttered word liz public
which has provoked protest. His aim
through life has been to efface himself and
to avoid friction.
Such man may have become unpopular;
+. but II he has. the accident probably pre-
ceeded from the envy which his station was
sursto attract rather than from any dement's
of his own.