New-York tribune., 1891-04-23
KINGS AND QUEENS.
THEIR HARD. WORKING LIVES


ID. Appleton Co.
The anonymous author of these sketches of the
regnng sOveregns of Europe appears to have gatefed
good deal Of curious information about their private
lives, manners and customs, and has certainly !"
several instances had TO unusual sources Inc
result is volume which furnishes views OF the Nnss
and queens concerned far fuller and more h"ii"'0
than can be found elsewhere; and While IN lhe ha'0
OF the case IL is impossible to check the writer 80
ments they may confidently be recommehoeu "S l"'i
OF that kind of interest which poor human nature io,s
IN whatever is set apart from the maouIns 80"
and is exclusive or isolated in any sense Inc s'
sovcreigns reviewed embraces the sultan Oh iun9' my
the Car of Russia, the Emperor OF Austrla ...o "
peror of Germany, the King OF Italy' tno @ ni"e
SPAIN the reignlng family of Portugal, une ms "
Greece the King of Holland the King Oh 'no t,s
the royal family Of Denmark, the KING OF o"euon' ,I
roval connie Of Rumania the King OF serVla' 'L0
King of saxony the minor German sovereisns' ''N'
last though not least Queen Victoria OF Ens""u no.
pv mn means one Of the least interesting she'cncS
is that of Abdul IIamid, Sultan OF turkey 49,
author gives this ruler a much better c'"'"' ,o,a
he has received from contemporary ruinot .s
,nr % This writer indeed he is a remarkably 'H'u0
Tnrk a real rcforTner. a Sultan WHO not o1iy 'ele ~
bnt Governs From his virtues. however, sP'i"S 80,
n, ,be worst defects Of his administration lo' 10
learned 10 distrust oil his leutenants ana Mi',S'' ~
insists now that all the Administrative Wo'N "- oor
country shall pass under his own eyes, anu 'iio C
eoU1'-! - .h,s r,lo Is terrible and constant delay
ie
A. ,.nc ANYTHING and everyt thing done, since ~ Is
iu,nossible for one man 10 perform inc tasA O ST. ,
,3sion Secretary stanton attempted the s""0 1o
during one period Of the Reoeihoh' peo'"'0 - %
corrnptness that had crept into the military
s,.n and the result was that the wheels Oh eo'cin
s'. ar. a,nost brought TO a standstn In the case
:, Trrkev the consequences even more msche'ouS'
brt no doubt the Sultan prevents mnch TaSo"l'y'
Inlos asserts that Abdul Hamid is strenuous wo'A w
or In a Sultan this is certainly sohe'iinS u
~ hut in a crowned head it is nowadays 1ie rue' 40
,Iss volume very plainly demonstrates Ihoec"' uo
. ,,nrressIon the reader is likely 10 carry away
80 is that Of the formidable labors TO WHICH he"iiS
all modern sovereigns are devoted .,.
II must be acknowledged that there are io" l"sS
among them AS q rule no manager Vi ei0
noraton works half so hard or so long ua'ly a. oso
incos To rise at or before dawn, to toll al s't''e
,aners for hours together. to give aIdchces upon M
or.ant husness 10 preside over ministerial couio'lS
70 receive distinguished visitors, TO reVie" uoop' ~
,nemeet Notifications and shipping 10 DC Pieeo0 " ~
kinds OF functions, 20 appear at staVe lcSu' -
ncra etc and often, after the Court mas rurou' W
,,urra once more into clerical work and drudge aU
half the night; that appears to be ialf o"tio Vi ~
,,d % NE psually led by those whom SOCIALISTS anu
+bor ars In the habit Of representing as lazy droes'
stepped in luxury and dissipation Inc 0ui'"' Nv
ever is worse of than any of his brotHer soVereis'
with the exception Of the Gar of Russia eoth VHeSo
Iers live in hourly apprehension OF assassination te
horas ~ the Nihiists. Poison is what the sultan
breads and to avoid ii he has recourse TO pecuar
system of eating PolitikOs says: Ihe ioou lor 'n0
Sultan is prepared by one man ana MS aus anu noio
others touch IT, 1t is cooked IN silver Vesseis "iiu
when done each bottle is sealed by sup OF pspel anu
a stamp, and this is broken In the presence Vi u'o
sulan by the High Chamberlain who takes one spoon
t1 NJ each separae bottle before the Sultan tastes IT,
This Is 10 prevent the Sultan from being poisoned
The food is almost always served UP to the sultan III
the same vessels In which It was cooked, and these are
often Of gold but when of baser metal the bottle Is
cot ipto rich golden belshaped holder the handle OF
Which is held by slave while the sultan eats Eaoh
hottie is course and is served with bread ana Rhd
Of pancake which is held golden tray by another
slave"
rhe Sultan drinks no wine spirits, being In this
snect faithful follower Of the Prophet but he drinks
great deal of sherbet, and is very FOND OF lce-ce
to ronld reduce his harem if he could, but custom
makes this impossible, and the most stubborn custom
IS that which compels the sultan TO marry on ms
ladies and TO give each of them dowry OF Soo'ooo
TO secure this it is said many Pachas and other dig
,itaries send their daughters to the selamlk
The sketch of the Gar represents him as a spoiled
raformer. a man who has been reacted upon by Mill
ism until he has become ultra autocratic lie appears
in these pages, moreover. as Sarrownueu ana very
obstinate ruler whose sources OF information are re-
trced who is in fact led by the nose when he thinks
himself most free and who altogether leads anything
,+ pleasant life "A sort OF Chinese wall separates
,be monarch from all those who could transmit to him
tho thoughts and wishes Of his people who could in
struct him 10 the reforms they have right 10 oe-
mand for the internal administration OF Russia is an
evil that cries aloud 70 Heaven Therefore, though ne
mas the most earnest desire to be good monarch null
Of the mission to which he firmly believes he has been
snecioy called by God, conscious Of such response
biNties as he has realized only afraid Of doing that
which to him to be wrong little Is TO be hoped
for Russia under the regime OF the present Emperor.
whose absolutst leanings, whose narrow mindedness
and consequent self-suciency, close to him all the
Quarters whence could obtain information" Naturally
the account OF the young Emperor Of Germany will be
read with special interest 1t is full and written with
evident care, and uOes not contain anything
calculated alter the impression generally prevail
ing as to his character one odd statement is to the
effect that he Is strongly preudiced against the Eng
sh because he has always attributed TO neglect OIL the
mart of the English doctors who attended his mother
when he was born the injury to his left arm which
has partially crippled him. His intelligence is rep
resented as strong and his prepossessions a yet
stronger. AS regards his military aptitudes practical
experiment alone can warrant conclusion, but
Politkos evidently suspects that the young mans
vanity has led him to overrate them
The concluding sketch, Of Queen Victoria is ore
of the best and the author is clearly in full sympathy
with his subject though he has not hesated to blame
the Queen for her long seclusion. The portrait pre-
faced TO the volume by-tlebye is the first one which
shows the Queens age fully. in it she appears almost
decrcpit and there strange ac1-lustre look about
the eyes which suggests that Her Majesty does hnd
life very well worth living. Of all the royal personage
mentioned in these pages, inclined to award th(
palm Of genuine happiness to the King and Queen o.
Denmark, who appear to lead quite ideal life anC
though by no means wealthy remain contcnted, kecI
out Of debt cultivate and literature with en-
thusiasm. on the whole however, while thest
cmpses behind thrones are calculated TO crafty ;
general curiosity, they do not tend to the increase
envy but rather enforce the words Of Shakespeare
aI'neasy lies the head that wears a crown