The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-03
A New British Subject.

Mr.. WILLIAM WALDORF AsToR, in re-
nouncing his American citizenship and
becoming British subject, swearing al
legiance to the Queen and her SUCCESSORS In
the British sovereignty. has proceeded en-
tirely within his legal rights. 1t is mat
ter Of taste, and that is Mr. AsToR's taste.
Nor is it an event Of importance so far as
this Government is concerned or 30 far as
it affects Queen VICTORIA. Mr.. AsToR,
having been born in 1S4S, Is now more than
fifty years OF age, and in military
capacity, accordingly. he is not likely to
be serviceable to his gracious sovereign.
Nor will he ever be in arms against us.
His cousin, Mr.. JOHN JACOB AsToR, rem
dered creditable service as an officer OF our
army in the war with Spain, but WALDORF
Is without military tastes. His only ex-
perience in any public capacity was one
term in the Senate OF New York and as
Minister to Italy from 1882 to 1885. 1t Is
not probable that the Queen will be moved
to employ him In diplomatic capacity,
and his reported and not improbable am
bition to get into the British Parliament is
not based on any record Of legislative
achievement in his discarded country
which would commend him especially to
Englishmen. When he aspired to Congress
here he was beaten.
Mr.. WALDORF Aston must be welcomed
az British subject on other grounds
When he was young man he started
out to be sculptor. studying and prac-
ticing the plastic art with the late
LAUNT THOMPSON in New York. Some Of
Mr.. AsToR's achievements in sculpture
have been preserved by himself, We be-
lieve, and now that he has become British
subject interest to inspect them may arise
in London. They are not very bad nay,
they are not bad at all, but very fair,
looking as well as do many sculptures
which are on public exhibition-in our
own Central Park, for example, and In
some instances In London also Mr.. WILL
| LIAM WALDORF Aston may point to them
as emitting him to place In the ranks OF
| British sculptors--not too numerous or
| too distinguished body
Mr. Aston also has such title to place
| In English literary art as Is established by
the Italian romance, Valentino" which
he published at New York in 1885, and by
| his literary contributions to his magazine
at London, more especially his recent bio
graphical sketch OF his grent-grandfather
JOHN JACOB Aston. His Italian romance Is
not bad little hard reading 1t Is true,
but not bad. The London presses turn out
frequently duller books.
The biographical sketch in his magazine
was prepared, manifestly, as a preliminary
to his introduction as a British subject. It
was, metaphorically, a shaking Off OF the
dust Of his feet as he was about to depart
from American citizenship; but 1t was more
also. 1t was put forth for the purpose of
| furnishing credentials for his admission by
right of descent to an equality with the high
est feudal aristocracy Of England; 1t was
in the nature Of an explanation why he be-
longed naturally to such an aristocracy
rather than in a democracy like our Ameri-
can. His pedigree as published by him
went back through noble line to knight
Of the eleventh century; and how many
Of the English aristocracy can do that
Obviously, too, 1t was prepared by a
genealogical expert, but apparently with
out much difficulty. D'AsToRaA, D'AsroRG,
is an illustrious name in France, and
1t was easily changeable into Aston.
Unfortunately, however. that very Ee-
nown induced genealogical criticism OF