New-York tribune., 1893-12-24

anu dIHOHB ioyuiN' ''"' -
proverb. Henrietta. whose early prospects were
far from bright. was carefully educated on lines
that would have done credit TO a person OF much
lower rank. Her skill as n musician ana her
grace in the dance yielded to her taste and intel
ligence In letters She did much-more than any
one else surcly--for the success OF Moliere and
Racine: and the sncerest mourner at her death
was the most brilliant Greek scholar Of his time.
NJ de Treve who at once abandoned his post
at Court and left the world to become a recuse
at Port ROYAL There Is a natural dlstrust Of
funeral eulogies, but all hearts apparently as
sented to the words Of Bossuet when he spoke OF
the beauty Of the talents of the Irresistible
charm which made this princess the adored or
ALL and when "he dwelt on her rare gifts OF
mind on her fine taste In art and letters. on the
incomparabe sweetness Of her nature. on the
royalty Of heart and soul. which made this
daughter Of kings even greater than she was by
birth" Yet she was only twenty-sx years OF age
when death earned for her such praise. Her
brief life was anything but happy. She had the
hatred OF her husband. the Duke Of Orleans. only
brother Of Louis XIV. Her mere existence was
an obstacle to him. and offence to his favor
ite. the Chevaler de Lorraine. Only the fact that
her talents were indispensable to the king made
life endurable. And these talents were devoted
to the service Of her brother, the King Of Eng
land
It may be that the results Of her diplomacy
were not what the English could have wished. 1t
must he remembered that though she was born
in England her whole life and training were
French. She must have looked at things wholly
from the French point Of view. Her presence
made impossible the ordinary conduct Of affairs
between the two nations The result was that
while she deep in the secret councils Of the
two kings the time of the ambassadors was
largely taken up with the petty things of dip
lomatic life. There were inccssar, chickering's
over fancled insults The two kings had evil
IDENTIFY chosen their representatives. each with
view to the dis0omf0r, Of the other. Louiss own
disposition to make much Of all questions OF pre-
codcnce was the cause Of endless quarrcls which
Charles would probably never have troubled
himself about for he ana his sister agreed in
their dislike OF etiquette. II WAS only when some
question Of this sort arose in which The French
king manifestly aimed at an encroachmcnt on
rights established by previous custom. that
Charles took 40 the cudgels for himself. This
happened in the famous quarrel n the coaches"
which was caused by the demand of FORD Hollis.
as British Ambassador. 10 take precedence u
princes Of the blood. his predecessors In Office
had done. In this case Charles went 50 far ~
to write to his sister. There H. nobody desires
more to have n strict friendship with the King
of France than d. but Will never buy II upon
dishonorable terms. and thankc God my cond-
ton is not 50 H. but that can stand upon my
own lcggs and believe that my fr1ndship IS as
valuable 10 my neighbours as there's is - me.
Evidently he would have been willing - fight
rather than give up the point. ana he could
surely have counted on the hatred Of France
which he had . resist among his subjects during
his whole reign q have supported HIN In the
struggle But Henrietta was to- familiar with
the punc'ilios 81 tho Cour' not - devise some
honorable exit from the difficulty. AFTER vany
trying to effect a cpmpromisc Madame m length
suggested that the public entry should be given
up. hu, thu, the Ambassador should he presented
- Louis XIV at nt-Gcrmain." Both sides for
many months stubboruly refused T. accept this
plan. bu, they had 20 yield n. last. worse on
tanClcmcn, was threatened when the King ~
France took II into his head that he would no
longer permit his ships 10 offer those court"ses
which England claimed as her due Every ounce
OF Charlcs's patriotism as an Engl!shnan was
up I'm his feet. There passages In
Pcpys wh!ch show what popular Indignation was
stirred by The failure - n British commander 10
exact AT the cannons mouth those formal acts -
homage which hal been customary or which
were generally supposed 20 be So Charles would
have been driven to fight for the national preju-
dice on this point lie gave the key to his real
feeling with regard to France when he wrote 10
Henrietta hoping 10 weaken the Dutch cause
"'rhe truth Of II ls am prosst NJ this time very
much. and am offered very advantageous condi-
tions. but prefer the frindship with France in
the first place In case can have IT, and |
,,,i ~ 10 Qr.a why I Jp =, ia
because yOu are there"
Charles II was not merely King of England
He was the brother Of his sister. and that sister
was perhaps more loyal 10 France than tho inter
ests Of England required He loved his little
"Minette." az he called her. above all other
human creatures and II was her presence In the
French Court which kept him waiting upon the
pleasure ~ monarch whom no affection ever
blinded TO his own advantage whether in small
things or great. So long as Henrietta could keep
her brother moderately content. Louis was free
10 exert his strength In some other direction.
The letters from Charles 10 his sister. nearly n
hundred in number. and now for the first time
published written. In English show through
out as he said. that he desired the goodwill Of
France mainly his sisters account II
he was less Of n king for this reason he was Ger
talnly not less n man His weakness appeals to
human sympathy. He demonstrated. moreover
that he could make alliances for the advantage
Of his own country. Independent Of France. and
he really forced Louis into the NEGOTIATIONS
which led on the one hand 10 the Treaty OF
Commerce and on the other 10 the Secret Treaty
which seemed 10 promise a lasting peace between
the two countries and "A union Of forces agans,
the United Provinces. The negotiation Of this
Secret Treaty was wholly the work Of Henrietta
She and the two kings were almost the only per
sons who had any knowledge OF the document or
It's contents. Her skill in carrying out the affair
was n theme Of admring comment among d.
plomatists. She accomplished everything she
hoped for and all that her brother desired. II he
was short-sighted that not her fault As
the granddaughter Of Henry Of Navarro she
was. however more than politician. She was
n devout Catholic who hoped to make others