The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-10-31
INTERESTING pYNAsrlEs.
Peculiar characteristics OF the verlou,
HouAes of Royalty.

HophhhA NhhEhObefthtiCa OF tine NHrlOui
HouAes of Royalty.
The idea not only of tho public, bu'
of psychologists and historians also, Ia
that man derives more from bis moth
er than his father; but It is curiouslN
contradicted by The history of European
dynasties, The sovereigns inheri,
thrones from their fathers only, or, il
a case like that of King Alphonse NIL,
or the Prince of Wales, from n mother
who is heiress, and therefore represents
not foreign family as queen consorl
does, but the reigning house itself. Yet
every dynasty bns 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 NVI., and an invincible
obstinacy which has illustrated or dis
credited them according to its object.
They have been different men, but no.
body mistakes the Bourbon face, and
we can not recall one of the house who
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 well as most of
the obligations of life. They believe
in themselves to a strange degree, and
on the morrow after defeat or on a
day after victory equally feel and he
have as rightful emperors.
Dignity, as we suppose it ought to be
called, is their special characteristic -
combined with a hurry to act which
comes out throughout their history and
is probably an inheritance from the
visionary Maximilian las strenuous
ness has been that of the Hohenzollerns,
who for the rest have resembled dom
ineering, thrifty, but not unexpected
land owners. One always thinks of
them as of a great race of squires, which
is what they have personally looked,
though Frederick the Great rose higher
and would have been taken for 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
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 responsible
minister. The house of Bonaparte has
characteristics as marked as those of
any older families whose habit of reign
ing has been less spasmodic Its mem
bers have all shown ability, have all
been ambitious of thrones-to be kings
is the role of Bonapartes as to be ad-
mirals and generals is of so many naval
and military families-and have all
shown an incapacity to feel the pres
sure of obligations, whether religious
or social or moral.
They have not been gentlemen, not
because they have any liking for com
mon ways, but because to be refined is
to submit to an immense number of
rules and obligations which oppressed
them much as clothes oppress Maori.
They have been at heart like the an
cient Coesars, soluti legibus, unbound
by laws-a position which, by the way,
the great Bonaparte used to claim for
himself when talking with his inti-
mates, in so many words st. Louis
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