The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-24
SUPERIORITY OF BIRTH.
Kings and Princes Differ Little from
Ordinary Men.
London Letter.

The King seems by his unexpected rapid
recovery from serious operation to justify
the Spectator, which contains long and
interesting article on the kings and princes
of Europe. Without, of course, making any
particular application, the Spectators arti-
Gle proceeds:
1.-The princes ought, for example. to be
a rather rotten race, and they are not,
Most of them-indeed all except the Swedes
and Servians-belong to families which
have lived in great luxury for 500 years,
and have in that period been shown up,
time after time, as individuals of eXcep-
tiOnal immortality, VINO have preferred in
termarriage to any method of seeking
brides, and ought, therefore, by this time.
TO be thoroughly worn out They are not
worn out at all. They are rather good lives
az aCtuarieS count lives, and would make
very fair troop of dragons. and are per
sonally rather more energetic, not TO say
more fussy, than other people. With the
exception of the Spanish BOurbons, they
have shown, and are showing, little signs
of feebleness, and even in that house the
unexplained faint in the blood seems TO be
working itself out.
This. as the Spectator points out. is at
variance with the theories of heredity, as is
also the fact that different lines have pro-
duced rather more than their share Of ex-
ceptional ability. 1t instances the HOhen-
zolerns and the BOurbons who have pro-
duced at least three hrst-class soldiers.
and the Hapsburg and ROmanOffs.
Moreover il says, "all have manifested
one singular power as even the compara-
through ages of storm anc stress TO keep
themselves at the top of the world They
have been helped, doubtless. by advisers
greater than themselves, but the capacity
TO profit by advice is not a mark OF a de-
caying race"
The Spectator goes on to say the princely
families have also upset the theory that as
animal can be bred to a certain point of
perfection. so a race of men. we'll fed
taught exercised and employed, could be
developed TO a point superior to any that
hnIa
though the conditions which should make
such race are those under which princely
houses have been reared, they remain very
like other people. The Spectator continues:
They are on the level. for the most part
Of competent English squires. but no high
err Very few have been original and the
men descendants of those few. without ex-
ception, have slipped back TO the ordinary
level
From this theory the Spectator deduces
that truly royal cast cannot be bred ac-
ought TO bear. il SAYS definite stamp and
De an easily recognizable type OF mankind
Yet this is not the case of personal like
uesses which occasionally occur. such as
that OF the Car and the Prince OF Wales
There is no more general similarity OF type
between these men than among members
of the House OF Commons. where accidental
likenesses are very common. Princes bear
no professional cachet such as comes 10
superiority bred by training. and all are
nervously sensitive OF their dignity There
the similarity ends. The Spectator declares:
zone thing they are alike in is the failure
10 exhibit genius In any OF its more ordi-
nary manifestations"