New-York tribune., 1910-06-12
Anglo-American Memories
IXXI.
PRINCE OF WALES PERSONAL INCL.
II.
ecoprright. 1910. By George W. smalleyl

and began the work &c which all the rest
Of his life was TO be devoted.
Long before that ever memorable visit,
in France as in England. the Prince knew
all sorts of people, and was popular with
all. and did not mind being of service
/ now and then TO people whom he did not
know at all. Driving one night with the
Due de la Rochefoucauld-B Bisaccia in the
Faubourg St. German he was asked by
his host to go with him to the opening
reception at the house of a banker in the
Boulevard Haussmann. The banker had
made a great fortune and had great So
cial' ambitions. The Prince knew very we'll
why he was asked, but good naturedly
went His going was chronicled and
blazoned next day in every one of the
seventy daily papers of Paris; and the
bankers ambition was satisfied.
That was one incident. Another was
his presence Of course in the Prince Of
Wales period. at a supper given by the
Figaro" in its new Offices. Celebrities of
all sorts were there. and the Prince had
to sit still while too well known actress
from the "Bouffes" proposed the Queens
toast and said nothing. 1t was no fault
of his. This also found its way into the
French pa pers; not into the English. He
had many friendships among artists,
men Of letters, soldiers, statesmen Be
tween the Prince and the late Marquis
De Galliffet, the Marshal Ney of this last
generation, there was a close tie; two
chivaIrous souls who understood each
other from the beginning. He was often
TO be seen in studios-M. Detaille's, NJ.
Robins and many others. He knew the
theatres in Paris Is well as he knew the
theatres in London; perhaps better. He
went to the theatre primarily. 1 think. TO
be amused, and the theatres in Paris
are more amusing than the theatres in
London.
The most patriotic Englishman may be
content to admit that.
II the Prince had any politics abroad
they were kept for his private use. To
the French Republic, as Republic, and to
successive Presidents of the Republic, he
showed nothing but good will. To
French statesmen the same--tO Gam
BETA, to WaIdeck-Rousseau and TO NJ.
Clemenceau, whose originalities and
courage interested him long before that
energetic individuality had become
Prime Minister They all liked the
Prince, but not one Of them ever guessed
that from him when King would spring
the new impulse of friendship which was
to make France and England in all but
name allies, and so impose peace upon
the restless ambitions of another great
sovereign. Gambetta. it is true, fore
told a splendid future for the Prince,
without explaining how it was to be
splendid.
I think If you moved about among
Englishmen this last week one thing
would impress you more than all others
in their tributes TO their late King. Not
their full testimony to his greatness as
King. Not their admiration of his
capacities. Not their pride in him as
Ruler. Not their sense of the incalculable
services he has rendered. Not their graf
itude for these services. deep as that is.
Not the Imperial spirit and the new
value they set upon the Unity Of the
Empire. Not his virtues Of any kind,
though to all of them they bear witness.
The one thing which would impress
you beyond all this is the affection they
bore to him in his lifetime and now bear
to his memory. He had known how to
establish new relations between King
and People. relations which had a ten
derness and a beauty unknown before.
They belonged to an earlier period of
history They were not quite patri-
archaL as in really ancient days, but
were like the relations which exist in an
old family: ties Of blood and Of long de-
scent They did not exist IN the last
reign. There was immense respect for
Queen Victoria; not much sentiment
She had withdrawn herself too much
from general intercourse, and even from
the ceremonial part Of her royal duties.
But this King. her son, went among the
people, lived among them. lived for them,
gave them his constant thought, won
their hearts. His loss is TO them a per-
sonal loss. They mourn for him as for
King and they mourn for him as for
Friend who is gone. That seems to me
the finest tribute OF all. G. W. S.