New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-05
London. May 10.

/ been said about King Edward the Sew
enth, every tribute paid him from every
quarter OF the world; and the mourning
Of his own people is the best tribute Of
all I should like to add an estimate
from a different point of view and
tribute. but 1 suppose they would have
no proper place in these papers. and L
confine myself therefore TO memories I
will go back TO the period when he was
Prince OF Wales. and TO the place where
he put of most Of the splendors belong
! ing 70 his rank. and where most of the
| man himself was TO be seen; not once
nor twice, but for years in succession.
Homburg was to the Prince Of Wales
a three weeks holiday I do not think
he took the medical side of IT very seri-
ously. He drank the waters and
walked, as the doctors bade him. but
with respect to diet he seemed 10 be his
own doctor, and his prescriptions were
not severe. But then nobody, the local
physicians excepted. ever did take HON.
burg very seriously as a cure. What the
prince liked was the freedom. Of which
he was himself the author. On occa-
sions Of ceremony and in the general
course Of his life at home. strict Ell
quette was enforced. At Homburg the
Prince used his dispensing power and
put aside everything but the essentials.
He lived in a hired villa. He wore
Iounging suits in the daytime-some-
times Of a rather fiamboyant color
and q soft gray hat. In the evening
black dining jacket, black tie, black
waistcoat, black trousers and soft
black Homburg hat. The silk hat and
the dress coat and white tie or white
waistcoat were unknown. Most of the
officers Of his household were left at
home. but General Stanley Clarke was
always with him.
His way Of life was as Informal as his
dress. He was there TO amuse himself.
and il was an art he understood per-
fectly. Homburg is village. but it
| had. or had at that time, many re-
sources. The three or four streets OF
which the place consisted were so many
rendezvous for the visitors. The lawn
/ tennis grounds were another The walks
| in the woods were delightful There
were drives over the hills and far away,
/ in the purest air in Germany. Il you
tired Of the little watering place or It's
zyests. there was Frankfort, only eight
! miles distant, with resources Of a more
varied kind. But in Homburg itself the
Kursaal. though there had been no gam
bling since 1869. and the hotels were
always open and sometimes lively.
What the Prince liked was society, in
one form or another. The open air life
suited him. It was sufficiently formal
hut less formal than indoors. He liked
stroIling about and meeting acquaint-
anoes or friends When you had once
seen His Royal Highness leaning against
the ratings Of q villa-the villas stood
each IN its own grounds-and talking 10
2 lady leaning out Of the first floor win
dow-the first floor being the same as
the American secondhand this interview
lasting quarter Of an hour. YOU felt
that the conditions Of life and the rela-
tons OF royalty 10 other ranks In he
had taken on quite new shape in HON.
burg.
But the attitude Of respect was MAIN
tanned. Certain formalities were never
I forgotten. The Prince was always ad-
dressed as Sir or as Your Royal
Highness.' But these observances were
not frksome nor was conversation re-
z+ricted or stiffened by the obligations OF
! Difference or by the accepted conVen-
+ionslities which. after all, were more
| matters Of form than of substance. And
! n his most careless moods the Prince
had q. dignity which was the more I'M
pressive for being apparently uncon-
sc,ous Nobody ever forgot what was
5ua 70 him. or never forgot 1t twice. 1t
Vas an offence he did not pardon. or
hardened only IN those who could not
remember what they had never known
4 foreigner, an American, who erred IN
,,,re ignorance. might count on forgive
| ness.
The Prince gave many luncheons and
dinners. almost always AT Ritter's or al
the Kursaal. should think there was
mover g dav when he did not play the
host The dinners at the Kursaal were
given on the terrace. always crowded
Nth other dinner parties. AT Ritter
they were on the piazza. This open air
bosnitaIity was the pleasanter because II
was so seldom possible in England He
had brought the art Of entertaining 10
nerfectjon. He put his guests. even
-bose who stood most in awe OF royalty
- their ease The costume perhaps
beIned. When a company Of people were
IN dining Jackets and the men wearing
ttair soft black hats. even at table by
the Princes command. etiquette became
. less formidable thing. The Prince
talked easily. fuently and well he
might ask a guest whom he liked 70 SIT
,ert him. ignoring distinctions Of rank.
h,,, during the dinner he would TAX
sooner or later. 10 r-body. There
-,lrht be = dozen guests. = number sell
1,-, exoeeded 7 win give YOU one OK
.-,vf. o. The dialogue which went On,
,-s no more The late Duke - Devon
.rt-. ~ that tire 'he Marquis ~ Hart
.-g.,- uaa sitting nearly opposite" me
rs-lrrs bat ~ sors nftis distance. sHd
,s.a .rlIseut took place
. Harrington. sou ought r"' '' 10
r-trairF 40 fhaf champaign
.s.. .fr krra Q nHvrfn
..r er. "A. 500 "a.
Gwen af- fs.s wHfe Ha
49,. t.f rather no. # naH ar4 fHrH
-. ...... fsE.ra .a.e ~