The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-07-17
The King Then and Now.
,bserves the Herald of Boston:

Observes the Herald Of Boston:
All the world is more or less interest
ed in the doings of royalty. The prop
osition to give King Edward VII a
more fitting title than that he now bears
has awakened widespread curiosity.
With India full of mutterings of revolt,
Ireland as defiant and as determined as
ever, and the Beers keeping up Wig
orous, open warfare, it remains to be
seen whether any of these countries
will be specially mentioned in the new
title the King is to bear. The inhar-
moniousness of the prevailing condi'
tions calls to mind the words OF Scott:
"who DER the herd would wish to reign,
Fantastic tickle, fierce and vain
Vain as the leaf upon the stream,
And tickle as chang tul dreami
Fantastic "a woman's mood,
And fierce as Frenzy's feyered blood.
Thou many N eaded monster thing,
o, who would with to be thy kingF
Scott's summary of the mlseries OF
king belonge, with the bulk of his a.
ways delightful poetry and enhancing
fiction, to medieval times, or to the
times when, in the modest phrase of
1.-THE Grand Monarch" of France,
sThe State-I am the STATED" was the
kings humble estimate of his rank
and importance. In those days, before
the evolution Of government founded
on the "unalienable rights Of men,"
uneasy lies the head that wears a
crown" was more briefly descriptive of
the perils and sufferings of the king,
and more graphic also. But the johns,
and Jameses, and Henrys, land Richards,
and Edwards of England and Scotland
were one class of kings, with one sort
of experiences, and the Edward OF the
twentieth century kingdom is in an en-
tirely distinct class. No personal lead
ership in battle with spear and shield,
or with battle axe or sword against ar
mored knight,-1o contest with an i'm
perious Lord Protector or truculent
Parliament, no summons to the block,
no midnight assassination, no drown
ng in butts of Malmsley wine, no suf-
ferings Gin dungeons low chained
down" by rivals for the hour triumph
ant. The king business of the times
of Scott's heroes or villains, and of
Edward VII, is as unlike as every
thing else in feudal days and the times
of this new century.
There is discomfort in India; there
is in Ireland the unappeased sullen-
ness of centuries, LEGACY of English
misrue; there is in South Africa war
that chills the warm blood of human
hopes and asprations-al laid close to
the grasping and bloody Threshold of
British power-but these are not bur
dens King Edward is bearing. No care
of government seriously vexes him.
If the king were still the State he
might still be the subject of commser.
alton. II British sovereigns had habit.
ually followed, in virtues ways, in the
footsteps of the somewhat mythical
"Good King Alfred" of England's
earlier history, the kings cares and
labors might not be less or lighter, but
they would lack the canker that comes
from wrongs inflicted and injustice
done.
Edward VII is not the State. His
business ia not governing. He is the
drum major of the State. He wear;
the toys and twirls the baton, and ill'
the eye OF the gaping crowd, but Sails
bury or Chamberlin ia the power be
hind the throne. II misfortune Gomez
Edward will not go into exile, his re
gal head will not be demanded as al
expiatory offering, no anxiety respect
ing the permanency of his office, or it
revenues and honor afflict him. Tn
only enemy that can disturb him in th
possession and enjoyment of the baubl
of sovereignty and its emoluments j
the common enemy of mankind
death. Edward VII appears to hav
the softest job on this round earth.
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