The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-11-29
MONARCHS IN EMILE.


the prince or princess without prin-
cipality, presents one of the most un-
dignitied and perhaps melancholy of
pictures. The attempt to keep up the
glamor of royalty is there, but it is
the husk without the kernel; it has
not even the dignity of dead sea fruit,
which at least is beautiful to look at,
even if it is nothing but dust within.
And what a lot of such royalty there
has been floating around in all parts
of the earth, in all ages of the world,
and still men will go on believing in
the divine right of kings and bow
their knees and crook their backs to
hereditary rank.
There was Charles II, he had a
taste of king in exile, and a very royal
figure he cut with empty pockets,
wine stained doublet, and a rollicl<lng
rake belly set of companions. who
gambled for petty stakes and kept
fuddled from morning to night. He
came back to the throne and proved
most ungrateful tc everyone who
precious crew. As long as we read
about him on the throne there is Il
sort of glamor thrown around him,
but if you want to see the true
Charles, the utterly mean and con-
temptble Charles, in point of fact, the
naked CHARLES you want to read up
Charles in exile.
The fact is that kings, queens or
princes without their trappings have
very little dignity. One calls to mind
Thackeray's caricature of Louis NV,
the Grand Monarque. First there is a
most imposing figure in flowing robes.
full wig, high heeled shoes, orb and
scepter, which is labelled Ludovicus
Rex. Then there are the robes and
wig and shoes, etc, but no fact, the
mere trappings of royalty. This is
labelled Rex, and finally there is lit
tie, stumbling, bald-pated old man,
the meanest looking little creature
This is labelled Ludovicus. 1t is one
of the keenest pieces of Satire draw
ing, and strips royalty to its very core
If the trappings are taken from roy
atty Their is nothing left. There is
Oft" more natural dignity in the
chiIu of the streets than there is in
the child of the palace.
IN n
flying to England from Revolutionary
France, was by no means dignified
figure, and yet with the aid of "A uni
form and court painters brush,
something was made of him while
king, as any one can see by looking
at his portrait in the Executive build
ing. Blowzy Isabella of Spain, with a
characters like Rahab of Jericho fame,
presents a disreputable figure, now
she is in exile, and yet she had no
better character, and was just as dis
reputable, when she disgraced IA
throne. But there was that glamor of
kingship about her, which prevented
many eyes from seeing the faults.
Another king without throne,
floating about Europe just now, is Mi
Ian of Servia. He is the veriest black
leg and rascal in Europe. At present
this hereditary ruler is devoting his
energies to training horses for the
Vienna race course. He is believed to
be a good trainer, but his character is
so crooked that ten to one he will sell
the races before they are run, and
there will be only another scandal
added to his royal name.
When royalty goes out of business
the wisest thing it can do is to hide
away in some obscure corner. In fact
it would not be bad idea for hered-
itary monarchs to start a sort of hos
pital for Out-at-elbows royalty. To
have them floating loose around the
world, claiming precedence for rank
which has ceased to exist, and showing
what a sham all royalty is, is an OBJ
ject lesson 60 the people which is apt
to spread Republican IDEAS with great
rapidity, and those who are in the he
reditary business ought to try and
keep their impecunious, or their dis.
reputable brothers and sisters out OF
sight, if possible. The idea is good
one, and The Star will make no charge
for it, \ hospital for broken down
royalists is the very thing needed.
1t is to be hoped that steps will be