The Bossier banner., 1891-12-31
lNrEREsTINe .pYNAsTIEs.
Peculiar Chara It sristIcs of the Various
Houses of Royalty.

Peculiar characteristics OF the Various
Houses of Royalty.
The idea, not only of the public, but
of Psychologists and historians also, is
that a man derives more from his moth
er than his father; but it is curiously
contradicted by the history of European
dynasties The sovereigns inherit
thrones from their fathers only, or, in
case like that of King Alphonse XII,
or the Prince of Wales, from mother
who is heiress, and therefore repre- sents,
not a foreign family as a queen consort
does, but the reigning house itself. Yet
every dynasty has represented certain
marked and fixed tendencies, extending,
like the Hapsburg under lip, even to
physical peculiarities ~.
The Bourbons, who inherit from men
only, have always been very royal, able
to reign if not to rule, with certain
largeness of view visible even in the
unhappy Louis XVI, and an invincible
obstinacy which has illustrated or dis
credited them according to it's object.
They have been different men, but no.
body mistakes the Bourbon face, and
we can not recall one of the house who
has lacked the special Bourbon qualifi-
cation, which we can best define as
regality.
The Hapsburgs have been much more
alike, and have all exhibited certain
Jovian serenity as of men above the ac-
cidents of fortune as we'll as most of
the obligations of life. They believe
in themselves to a strange degree, and
on the morrow after a defeat or on a
day after a victory equally feel and be-
have as rightful emperors.
Dignity. as we suppose it ought to be
called, is their special Characteristic
combined with hurry to act which
comes out throughout their history and
is probably an inheritance from the
visionary Macmillan las strenuous
ness has been that of the Hohenzollerns,
who for the rest have resembled dom
ineering, thrifty. but not unrespected
land owners. One always thinks of
them as of great race of squires, which
is what they have personally looked,
though Frederick the Great rose higher,
and would have been taken for a per-
sonage in any society in the world.
The British reigning family, which
has never ceased to be German in ap-
pearance, has always exhibited in diff
ferent ways character of strong Or
dinariness, which the English people
have understood as the HanoVerians
did, and, on the whole, with most Curl
Gus little outbreaks of popular con-
tempt, have agreed to approve. 1t is a
character which rises at crises and some
how impresses those about them, prob
ably from conviction, always grateful
to Englishmen, that they will never do
anything wholly unexpected.
What the English would do with a
really original monarch it is impossible
| to say, probably move an address Of
both houses, praying him never to speak
in public, except through a. irresponsible
minister. The house of Bonaparte has
characteristics as marked as those OF
any older families whose habit of reign
ing has been less spasmodic. It's mem.
bers have all shown ability, have al
been ambitious of thrones-to be kings
is the role of Bonapartes as to be ad
mirals and generals is of so many nava
and military families-and have al
shown an incapacity to feel the pres
sure of obligations, whether religious
or social or moral.
They have not been gentlemen, no
because they have any liking for com
mon ways, but because to be refined i.
to submit to an immense number o.
rules and obligations which oppressed
them much as clothes oppress Maori
They have been at heart like the an
cient C@sars, soluti a legibus, unbound
by laws-a position which, by the way
the great Bonaparte used toicfaim fel
himself when talking with his init
mates, in SO many words.-St Loui!
Post Dispatch. .ssa