The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-02

When child no had boon carefully traine d
! in principles OF religion and morality, ana
! Il had been his fathers intention to watch
| over the boys development personally
! In his early youth he was regarded as
virtuous and promising prince. ""nh'
ont doubt he hath sweatness OF dispoei-
! ton not easy 10 be corrupted asserted
! Hyde (afterward Earl Of Clarendon) IN
| 1847 Hyde was soon to learn that in that
very "sweetness' lay Charles's most fatal
! weakness, namely, an incapacity to deny
anything to anybody, a shrinking from
CONVERSATIONS" and reluctance to ak
press disapproval, oven when he felt IT
most strongly. If did not hope he would
outgrow that inirmity it would break
my heart" declared Hyde. But Charles
did not oitgrow it; on tho contrary, II grew
on him, and this constitutional Incidence
and lack of moral courage were the root OF
all his failings. In character he was more
Bourbon than Stuart, fact quickly
perceived by his cousin. Mile. de
Montpensier, who, commenting on MS
frivolity and dsinclination to business,
remarked that in those things she recog-
nized her own blood. Charles himself, only
too conscious Of his resemblance to his
grandfather, Henri w. OF France, was
wont to excuse his vices by the plea that
they were an inheritance bequeathed to
him by his Bourbon grandfather.
When Charles, then Prince OF Wales.
left the island of Jersey, in which he had
found temporary refuge. an arrived at
Fontainebleau in August, 184e. he was but
II years old, He is thus depicted in the
book before US. Not only was he shy and
awkward, but absolutely unable to speak
q word of French, while his mothers rela-
tons were as ignorant OF English. yet,
being tall, good looking boy he made bet
ter impression than might have been ex-
pected. He was well made, says Madame
de Motteville; his dark complexion suited
his fine black eyes, his mouth was large ard
ugly, but he had very fine figure. His
cousin of Montpensier la Grande Mad
emosellel describes him in nearly the same
words. He was very tall for his age,
with fine head, black hair, brown COM
plexion and altogether very passable In
his person. the most inconvenient thing
about him was that he neither spoke nor
understood a word Of French.
The only part Of Charles's exile which to
some extent redeems a record otherwise
unedifying is that which began with the
expedition to Scotland in June. 1850, and
ended with his escape from England in
October, 1851. There is no doubt that his
position in Scotland. after he was, as the
English papers phrased it. safely "catched
in the syringe Of the Kirk" justified the de-
scription "most sad and dangerous, given 1t
by one OF his adherents who had accompanied
him from France. He is outwardly served
wrote SrEdward Walker, and waited on with
all fitting ceremony due to king. but in his
liberty not much above prisoner, sentinels
being placed every night about his lodging
few daring to speak freely or privately to
him and spies being set on his words and
actions The zeal Of the Kirk for Charles's
conversion to Presbyterianism was untir-
ing. Prayers, sermons and theological
discourses. "some of a great length, and
all favored with bitter invective against his |
father, his moth and himself. were his daily |
entertainment. On one occasion he was |
condemned to sit through as many as six
sermons preached in succession.
An irksome wat oh was set on all his looks
and gestures" He was mot so much as
allowed to walk abroad on Sundays" and
received a sharp reprimand III he smiled
on those days" All card playing and
other amlsements were severely repressed.
There is story that once when the King
had been seen at cards through an open
window the Minister deputed to rebuke
him concluded his pious exhortation with
a recommendation to shut the window
next time but such levity was uno ommon
among the brethren Of the Covenant.
Charles. of course. only endured the Scots
because he hoped through them to regain
England. where he expected a general
so soon as Cromwell's army
had been drawn off northward.
After the battle of Dunbar (Sept. 10,
1880, in which the army Of the Covenant
was completely overthrow by Cromwell
Charles's position in Scotland was very
much improved. A violent reaction took
place among the Scots in his favor, and
against the Covenanters, and on Jan. /,
1851, he was crowned at Scone. The corona
ton was no empty form. Henoeforth
Charles was a genuine King. endowed with
real authority, and held in considerable
esteem among his sui jects. He managed
to raise a new army OF 1000 men, COM
posed largely of devoted loyalists and
many Highlanders. With this
force he undertook early in August the ex-
petition into England. The English Royal
lists, however, when called upon to join
the invaders. remained quiesoent, and
when Charles reached Carlisle his army
had been so reduced by assertions that he