The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-06
What the Aunt of the King of Spain
Really Wrote in the Little Volume
That Brought Her Into Royal Dis
favor. Vigorous Views on Divorce,
and Other Problems.

COuulSbS VI ANlldi puDllSuSu ny me /
Societe Franchise dImprimerie and |
de Librarie of Paris Such is the |
title page of the most discussed book
of the decade, for the Countess of |
Avila is none other than the Infanta
Eulalia of Spain, and the Thread of
Life" is the little volume of essays
which our visitor of 1893 has involved
in so violent a discussion with her
nephew, the king.
Report made it quite probable that
the publication of the book would
cost Eulalia her allowance, and pos
sibly even her titles, although these
can be revoked only by a decree of
the Cortes. On reading the essays
one is indeed moved to hope that the
royal lady has an income that does
not depend on the approval of the
Spanish court, for "The Thread of
Life" is as fiery declaration of in
dependence as ever woman nailed 10
the wall.
Eulalia is in revolt against very
nearly every convention that royalty
is brought up to respect, and she has
a whole-hearted, unequivocal fashion
of speaking her mind. She believes
in education for everybody, in all
sorts of rights for the workingman,
in the completest freedom for women
in every walk of life, and in divorce
for the asking. Could a Spanish
princess wave the red flag of revo-
luton more vigorously?
It is the essay on divorce which
has called out the severest protests,
we are told, from King Alfonso. 1t is,
however, reasonable to believe that
in her remarks about the family and
women she has also thrown a few
bombs into the court in which she
was reared For her book is not a
compilation of commonplaces.
On the subject of the indissolubility
of marriage there is no doubt that the
Infanta feels strongly. Her own mar
riage was unhappy, and she speaks
from the heart when she declares her
self in favor of divorce. She argues
the matter at some length
In her preface the Infanta says that
she has been placed near enough &c
the social questions she discusses &c
know them and far enough from some
to view them without prejudice She
believed that opinions as honest anC
as carefully thought out as hers
would interest those who seek tC
CLEAN from all elements of society in
dications of the tendency of the pres
ent. And she adds, with decided
pen, that she has never been afraid
of criticism.
She talks of the sources of happi
ness, of friendship, of a score or more
of topics, some mildly speculative ant
some distinctly burning, as when she
turns her attention to marriage.
Marriage" says she, "considere'
in our society as a necessary mode o
union, is a convention regulated b.
the laws. In the eyes of Romal
Catholics marriage being sacrament
and indissoluble, divorce could no
exist.
According to this principle "
would have to resign ourselves to az
cepting as a sacrament an earthl
bond which has more to do with IN
material than with the spiritual, bu
it seems singular that the Roma
church should teach men, throug
the voice of it's ministers, that huma
perfection is found in the acceptable
of all the sacraments, and then car
fully forbid it's representatives ma
riage, which of all sacraments wouI
be useful to them. In doing this II
church makes an illogical exceptic
to its rule"
With this beginning the royal reb
prepares to free her mind OF mar
thoughts that must have been accui
ulating for years. She quotes wi
appreciation and at some length fro
DR. Toulouse on to the nature of ml
riage Freedom of choice in marria
is to him the supreme point of eyoI
ton, society has reached its noble
when men and women choose free
in the mates they love, This does n
mean promiscuity, for that Meth
men nor women of high developme
desire it is merely freedom to choo
happiness, and this point has,
course, been Appropriated in ma
countries. But" adds DR.. Toulou
there is a corollary to this name