New-York tribune., 1912-02-18
An international Visit
Copyright, 1912. by esors. W. smaIley.,


The charm of manner was irresistible
because II was not assumed. Can any
bcdv "assume" charm OF manner? II
| IL is artificial II is no longer charm;
unless. perhaps, sometimes upon the
stage; or unless a woman chooses TO
seem pleased when she is not; for which
we are all grateful, though we use an
other phrase to express it. i suppose 1t
may be assumed that on such occasions
host and hostess take some pains to
see that things go smoothly. If in this
case pains were taken they seemed su-
perfluous. and in any case their success
would depend on their being unnoticed.
Blenheim is by rights a Palace-the
name of It is Blenheim Palace-nor
would anything less than Palace have
been a fitting tribute to the soldier to
whom a grateful nation gave it. Be-
sides which, he great Duke Of Marlbor-
ough was twios over a Prince, being
Prince Of the Holy Roman Empire and
Prince of Mindelheim in Suabia, as are
his descendants to this day. And Il
ever there were Princess born to grace
Palace II was the second American
Duchess of Marlborough, who graced it
then and unhappily graces IT no longer
/ She had restored II to more than its for
mer splendor. priceless though the treas
ures were that had before her time been
sold out OF 1t. and she herself was its
, chief treasure.
The shooting was OF course excellent
the preserves having been kept up with
not less liberality than had gone TO tho
/ beautifying-which Polonius rightly calls
vile phrase-of the interior The Duke
1 is good but sometimes, like his kinsman
the Emperor of Russia, a dangerous
shot, and has been known to kill his
bird when well over the shooters TO
right or left. With the Duke this was
an exception, and 10 harm was done, but
with the Emperor 1t happened so often
/ that the household officials of the late
King used TO volunteer to be put next
to him so as to lessen the risk TO the
King. A mixture OF danger doth ever
add pleasure, il I may paraphrase a too
famous sentence.
In such circumstances all attractions
!
| had full scope and place, but one attrac-
| tion WAS missing. Princess Patricia was
not there. ] am not sure whether the
| Princess was then out" nor whether
princesseS have to come. like other girls,
out in order TO be in. Her presence was
| lacking but since you have all lost your
| hearts to Her Royal Highness in Amer
| lea, what need TO say that London was
before you in that? IF you say il was
because she is a Princess, the answer is
that there are other princesses in whose
presence men find II possible to keep
their hearts 10 themselves. Beauty. dis
ttinction. character, accomplishments, and
the one final word which sums up every
thing else and can dispense with every
thing else-charm-in these and not in
rank is t. be found the secret. To be a
Princess is only TO bring personal gifts
into a more brilliant relief. The title is
! the setting of the jewel.
If you think it easy to write about such
matters and steer a middle course be-
| tween too much and too little, assure
you II is not. have tried II often
enough to know, and to know how often
, in this as in other cases natural kindness
| softens the rigor Of editorial judgment,
and l hope sometimes of the readers
! judgment also. 1t is good rule, as a
rule, TO write Of no living woman unless
in some relation TO public affairs. But
the best rule must sometimes be broken.
and, after all. Princess stands in the
! light that beats upon a Throne
/ The English people have liked the
/ Duke of Connaught not only for his fine
'soldiership. They have liked him for
the self-sacrificing spirit which led him
/ TO accept great posts as remote as Bonn
bay, and the less remote and less con-
! genial commandership in Malta: a War
! Office creation already outworn and seen
to be useless. He did IL out Of loyalty
to the late King, and from that sense
Of patriotic duty never absent I'm this
! close-knit royal family. If he had been
a Sovereign he would have been a
working Sovereign. When he fought in
Canada and in Egypt he was a soldier
and soldier only. No danger was the
less, nor any risk spared him because
he was the son Of a Queen. When the
present Emperor OF Austria was warned
that he would do what he thought was
his duty at the risk Of his life, he an
swered, quite simply. But that is what
am here for" There have been, in
times past. Kings of England who were
less wise than the Emperor OF Austria,
but never one Of the House of Hanover
who was wanting in courage, nor can
you conceive it wanting in any member
of their House.
So long ago as 1882 Lord WolseIey bore
vice in the Egyptian campaign. The
Queen on her commanders return had
summoned him to BalmoraI. At dinner
she had paid him the unusual compliment
Of drinking his health; favor which
left him in great perplexity, since to
propose Her MaJesty's health in return
might imply an assumption of equality
as between Sovereign and subject. But
Lord Wolseley's tact did not fail him.
He acknowledged the honor done him
and then said:
II will beg your Majesty's permission
to offer in return toast to the health
of my gallant comrade in arms, His
Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught
whose services and whose courage have
alike been conspicuous in Egypt"
The Queens affection for her son was
known to all, and her delight may he
imagined IL WAS "a tr{bufa P.or, a. =.