The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-24
THE QUEEN OF SPAIN
sympathetic sketch of Her a..
Seafs Virtues


There appears In the aue,,s, n,,,,,a-
of The FOrtnightIy Review an article -,
The Dynasty Crisis in SPAIN vxbic5
presents the Queen Regent in a different
1sht from that in which she has usually
been depicted. The writer says:
IL IS peculiarly invidious task 10 seek
20 mold the mirror up to nature without
allowing art its privilege OF ideaHzine
when the model is a lady and a Queen
and the realism indispensable 10 the MS
torian tnparts a disasreeabIe shock 70
the cnivalry Unborn in the SDaniard
truth. however. should have no reticenc-
e and monarch no sex bona Maria
CHRISTINA Is undoubtedly one of the mild
est meekest, and most modest ladies'
VINO nave ever worn an earthly and mer-
..ed a heavenly crown Her acquired
s .a'eiits are likewise of a high order and
nave stood her in good stead during the
trying times inaugurated by the Cuban
TeDeiiion- But il is idle To DENY that me
Iady'si admirable qualities. innate and
acquired. are precisely those which au-
peal least TO the Spanish heart and
mind. and almost unfit their poszezs1r
for discharging with the fullness ~ sue
cess the arduOus duties OF a S7anish
monarch Her virtues would suitably
adorn model German hausfrau. bur are
wOefully wasted upon frivolous Span
iards. whose ideal of a monarch differs
little from the picture which the He
brews drew of the Messiah.
Outward splendor, visible majesty
sumptuous pageantry and generous hos
pitality are among the main attributes
which should, in the eyes OF my fellow
countrymen. mark the exalted position
and characterize the official activity of
the successor of Philip II Large-heart-
edness, strength Of viii. splendid generos-
ity and self-reliance cover a multitude of
sins in Spanish monarch, and cannot
be replaced by any number of ausSere and
domestic virtues And the Lady has
never displayed them Extreme thrift.
the modesty of the violet which fourishes
in the shade, the quiet joys Of the narrow
domestic circle. and an utterly un-Spanish
conception OF the duties of a monarch,
are predominant among the traits which
distinguish Queen Maria Christina from
her predecessor. Dona Mercedes
The masses complain that her majesty
takes superfu0us pains to announce by
her every act that she is not Spaniard,
while the aristocracy eensure her for
bourgeois virtues which are royal defects.
The former refuse 10 pardon her for the
contempt with which she has ever treat
ed their national festivals and amuse-
ments-neither she nor her son having
hOnored the bull fights with their pres
ence-and the latter maintain that since
the death of her consort she has locked
| the portals of the palace halls. less be-
cause OF her grief for the eternaIly alb
sent one. than because of her repugnance
! to take part in Spanish festivals No
doubt there is much in a bull fight which
is neither attractive nor edifying and
court society at Madrid may at times be
a trife trying.
political duties 20 perform. and like those
of most professions. although occasion
ally very uncongenial. they can seldom
be shirked with impuni-y. Spaniards,
therefore, unhaSita tingly respect the wo-
man. but dislike the Queen She has
never become popular figure. but has
remained for the masses a mere symbol {.
statue OF purest marble sufficier- Is
softened to admit the breath of life bat
far too cold or spiritual 70 feel the warm
thrilling touches of kinship with her
present human surroundings. For in
Spanish King orQueen nOn-conformiTy
Is a serious crime. and the sonora cuI-
tiyates 1t as assiduousIy as il it cOnsti-
tuted one Of her highest titles 10 the af-
fectionS of her people The resuE1S Of
this unroyal attitude We're painfully Wis
IDLE when. in 1872 the Queen of Portugal
paid q visit 70 Madrid. The beautiful
Dona Amelia sauntered about the
streets of our capital. enjoying the sights
and scenes. was present at the bull
fights. and smiled graciousiy unon the
speilbound men. who. hat in hand and
hearts on their lips. enthusiastically
greeted her whithersOever she. went. All
| Madrid iuv0lun. ariIy compared the Por-
| tuGueSe with the Spanish Queen and
| several OF the journalists. who contrast
| ed the conduct OF the two mJnarchs. had
10 expiate their temerity in the T0del
prison"