The Washington herald., 1907-07-07


out any trouble. Nine. Blavatsky, it may
be remembered. claimed that she was able
to be In London and New York at one and
the same time and l have met WE'LL
known citizens Of New York. men OF ac-
knowledgcd intellect. successful and
shrewd In business transactions, who have
assured me on their honor, by everything
that they held sacred, that they had con-
versed with Nine. Blayatsky in person
In New York at the very time when she
was presiding over public meetings Of her
followers in London.
While there were many who showed a
disposition 20 soon at King Oscars con-
version to theosophy, the doctrine Of
which 1t much be confessed are not in
keeping with those Of the nonarchicai
system. II Is quite easy 10 understand
that so profound a student of Oriental
lore as sweden's King. and so learned a
philosopher, should have been attracted
by the Idea that the cult opens up roads
to the knowledge OF the as yet unrevealed
and latent forces Of nature Nor is his
case altogether without precedent. There
have been other kings quite as noted az
philosophers, first and foremost among
them being Frederick the Great. who was
so fond OF describing himself IN that
french language, which he invariably
used IN preference to German as '1e Rol
Philosophe.' In fact be was so much OF a
philosopher that he found It difficult TO be
Christian snd whereas his brutal father
tWho would have put him to death as a
deserter had Il not been for the interven-
ton OF the German Emperor and Of the
King OF England) was a bigOted Luther
an Frederick the Great lived and died as
20 much OF philosopher that some his
torians describe him as an atheist. and
others as a heather. His contemporary
ana kinsman. King George II Of England.
was likewise more inclined 70 philosophy
than 10 Christianity, while the regicide
Duke OF Orleans, father Of King Louis
philippe OF France and great-great-grand-
Iather OF the present Duke Of Orleans.
was among those who set up in the Ca
thedral Of Notre Dame, at Paris. the God
oess OF Reason in the place Of the Trinity.
King Louis II. the Inflated ruler Of Ba-
yaria. whose death remains 10 this dav
one Of the most mysterious dramas Of
history, was likewise a ''Roi Philosophe."
He was so much wrapped up in the myth
illogical dlvinities Of his friend. Richard
Wagner's "Rheingoid." and his studies OF
the occult, that he had no leisure for the
performance Of his religious duties as the
head Of one Of the oldest Roman Catholic
dynasties In Europe. Il is not on record
that he ever attended mass. received the
sacraments. or that he gave any manifes-
tation Of his faith after becoming King.
Indeed, there was far more analogy be-
tween HIS private life and that OF Freder-
lex the Great after the Seven Years War
than is generally known. Their tastes
were 6s similar as their creed. and II
Louis inclined rather more 10 the old Ger
man Pantheism than Frederick. Il was
perhaps because he had a greater eIe-
ment Of romance in his character, and an
intellect which, though brilliant, was not
so well balanced as that Of the most IA
nous scion OF the House Of Hohenzollern.
Emperor Joseph II Of Austria was Ike
wise bit of a philosopher. but his ten
dencies in that direction were not appre-
ciated by his contemporaries. For he mar
rowly escaped accommodation by the
Pope, and revolution on the part Of his
subjects, who were firmly convinced that
he was crazy, an opinion which was very
widely shared in Europe at that time.
That he was no fool. however, is shown
by the fact that Germany owes 70 him
the emancipation Of the Jews. and many
other liberal reforms which have con-
duced 10 her economic prosperity and DO
litical grandeur
That the great Napoleon at one time
contemplated becoming q Mohammedan is
a matter Of history. and there IS a good
deal Of evidence in support OF the story
that he actually became a convert TO
Islam at Cairo, in the early days follow
ing his victories In Esypt. and when he
was still imbued with the idea OF creating
a vast Oriental empire for himself. In
which Turkey India. and Arabia were TO
be comprised.
Napoleon III. though cynical in so
many things. was for years a firm be-
lever in Splrltualism. and so. too. was
his consort, Empress Eugenie. over whom
an American Spiritualst obtained an ex-
traordlnary degree Of power during tho
latter days Of the empire. I can also
recall another OF these gentry who for
a time enjoyed a great vogue at Vienna,
especially among the women Of the great
world. II was not until ladies' Of the
imperial family gave evidence Of becom-
ing subject 10 his influence that II was
determined 20 put a stop to the cult.
The late Crown Prince Rudolph. and his
then intimate friend. crony. and cousin.
ArChduke John, undertook the task.
which was accomplished al a seance at
which a number Of illustrious personages,
including some Of the highest IN the land.
were present. It was In the palace Of
Archduke John, who disappeared. so mvs-
teriously some time after the crown
princes tragic death, and has never been
heard Of since. In the middle Of the
seance, by a preconcerted ARRANGEMENT
between the crown prince and the arch
duke. the lights we're suddenly turned I'D,
the doors behind the curtains at the end
Of the room were bolted, so as TO cut of
all egress, and the supernatural visitor,
frantically endeavoring to escape, was
found TO be the spirituallst in person,
with a white sheet over his evening
dress and In stockinged feet The man
was quietly expelled by the police on the
following day, while Archduke John and
the crown prince. in spite of the pres
sure brought by the fellows numerous
dupes TO prevent Il. gave to the Vienna
newspapers the report OF the expose
which they had drawn up, and to which
they had appended their signatures.
1t may be remembered that about fifteen
years ago the late King Of Wurtemberg
fell under the influence Of a couple Of
American Spiritualists, one Of whom was
a dentist by profession, which ended by
arousing the indignation Of his subjects
to such boiling pitch that his ministers.
In the name of his people, confronted
him with the alternative of either ex-
pelling the Objectionable foreigners from
the land, or Of abdicating his throne,
threatening him with deposition, and with
being put under restraint as a lunatic
unless he made up his mind one way or
another. The men were expelled.