Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-11

UNDAY MAGAZINE FOR AUGUST IL. ls'
foreign courts and in the leading capitals of Europe
where vice was fashionable, and connection with
divorce suit, the destruction of friends home,
far from being frowned upon, was regarded indeed
as constituting an additional title to fame and
distinction for the leading statesmen and politicians
of the day. Queen Victoria, by means of her per-
sonal influence, changed all this, and with the
assistance of her clever and high prncipled hus-
band, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, set to work
introduce loftier code of morals not only at court,
but likewise in English society. Vice ceased to be
fashionable. The appearance of woman in the
divorce court in the role of innocent and
much in ured petitioner carried with it exclusion
not merely from court but from association with
any of the Princesses of the reigning house for
the remainder of the woman's life, and while it
was found impossible to apply the same standar
of punishment to men in such cases, yet the late
Queen lost opportunity of Tlanifesting to them
her displeasure.
King Edwards Influence
A far as King Edward is concerned, the influence
the moment when shortly after his marriage, near
half a century ago, he was ntrusted by his widowed
mother with the task of representing the crown in
its relations with society public life, has likewise
proved of beneficial nature. The cause of temper
in particular owes to the King deep debt of
gratitude. Up to the time when he may be said to
have begun his social reign heavy drinking at dim
ner after the women had left the table the in
variable rule in England, and the phrase " as drunk
as lord considered term not of reprOaCh
but of praise. 1nebriety not looked upon
vice. nor even bad form, and small respect
consideration accorded by society to the man
who could not dispose of the traditional three bot
ties at a sitting Of course the example thus set
by the classes was followed and adopted in still
more intensified degree by the masses the only diff
ference consisting in the character and quality of
the liquor
Indeed during the early part of the reign of Queen
Victoria, the drunkenness in Great Britain
something perfectly appalling. The marked decline
of that vice, which was formerly regarded pc
culiarly English failing, due to King Edward.
1t is wholly owing to his social influence that hard
everything else the masses have followed the steps
of the classes
Drunkenness is now regarded as being in bad
form, in the banqueting halls of the peer as we'll
as in the back par1or of the small shopkeeper, in
the smoking room of the crack London clubs, as
we'll as in the cafe bar of the suburban
pub" or gin mill. Swearing and coarse language
too have gone out of fashion. Neither lord nor
commoner deems it necessary to preface every
remark with oath, or to interlard each sentence
with blood curding basphemy This change
for the better is, like the decrease in hard drink
ing, attributable to the social influence of King
Edward.
Then too, Edward has done much to maintain
the respect of the English people for religion, al
though he has never posed a saint Regular
attendance church certain exercise inf1u-
ence more beneficial than in furious, and the moral
tone of nation which has been brought by it's
social autocrat to look upon it sine qua of
responsibility be considered otherwise than
healthy in the extreme. The King makes it point