The Washington herald., 1912-06-09
Literary Review Of Latest PubIications
D a. %. IAcnRsoN. /.

By william Aangr collier. former United siats.
Minister tc Spain, Commissioner Of Labor. Con
missioner Of Civil Series Of New York STATE.
formerly resident Of Washington and menbel
Of the Chevy Chase Cluhs Published b. A. O
MoCmE Co. chie1so. Prics, 8 metz Pro
fusely illustrated
Mr.. Collier. who represented the Unit
ed States OF America at the Escurial
from 1906 TO 1903, Is presenting his ex-
periences at the Madrid Court, describ-
ing the life OF a diplomat as he him
self lived f. He writes candidiy OF the
period Of his residence In the city by
the Manzanares River, which was an un-
usually brilliant one as far as court
ceremonials were concerned. Hence de-
scriptions Of pageants and etiquette at
this ultra feudal European court figure
prominently in these pages.
OF course the volume cbounds in many
interesting sidelights on court intrigues,
troubles, and trials, from which repub-
lies are so free. Elucidating this, Mr..
Collier relates the following instance Of
how the fate Of a nation may hang on
a ribbon:
the marine in one Of the European coun-
tries resigned because the ruler OF q
neighboring country, on the occasion Of
his visit to its capital, gave him q GER
tain rank in a certain order, but gave
10 his colleague a still higher rank The
minister Of marine contended that II
was an insult 10 the navy OF his coun-
try, despite the fact that the ofacial who
had been the recipient OF the higher
rank, already had been given the lower
rank on q previous occasion In his
opinion his government, in not demand
ing that the foreign government give
him also the higher rank in that foreign
order, had permitted its navy to be in
suited. Therefore he resigned and the
ministry fell
Mr.. Collier dicsipates the impression
that, when kings take part in sporting
events, it is customary for other COM
petitors to let them win out OF defer
ence. He mentions a pigeon shoot be-
tween Alfonso Of Spain and his neigh
boring monarch, King Carlos OF Portu-
gal, in which the latter won out, and
says:
You may be sure that the best man
won, for kings are good sportsmen and
DO not esteem those who, from a false
sense Of Difference, let them win King
Carlos was known as a good shot, and
King Alfonso had the reputation OF be-
ing one of the very best in Spain. He
has won many prizes in all forms of
sport, but has lost more than he has
won. I remember once attending a
meeting Of the Yacht Club, when he was
TO award the prizes that had been won
IN regatta. 1t was amusing when he
announced that a certain money prize
had been won by his majesty the King
TO see him forthwith thrust it into his
pocket"
The author says that during his So
journ there ne has learned more and
more 10 esteem the Spanish character
In this period occurred the marriage Of
the Kings younger sister; OF the King
himself, and the birth of the heir to the
throne, and Of several other children to
the royal pair. Cardinals received from
the King the insignia of their high sta
tion, sovereigls made state visits to the
Escural.- Stately ceremonies attended all
these events, and grand pageants were
connected with many of them. While
all was modern, yet TO no small extent
it was clothed in medieval garb, as
prescribed by precedent and tradition.
Mr.. Collier has eschewed all mention
Of the glorious historic past Of the land
Of the Cid. He merely asks:
Who can help admiring the people
who in ancient days gave TO Rome's con-
quering legions their most stubborn re-
sistanCe and who-On the field Of Nu-
mantfa-rather died to a man than sur
render Who can resist the plaintive
melody Of the Song of Roland whicn
forever chants the requiem of Charlie
magnes great paladin, defeated in the
Pass Of Roncssvalles by the Spanish
BasqueS2 Who can fail to admire the
noble example, the fortitude, the per-
severance Of a race, who, after having
been hurled back upon the mountain
Businesses of the north by the wave Of
the Moorish invasion, for seven CEN
turtles waged ceaseless warfare until at
Granada they captured the Moslem's last
stronghold"
Mr.. Collier reminds US that a nation
that when their kings had faItered and
failed and the Corsican invader had en-
tered their country by treachery and
placed his brother upon the ancient
throne Of CASTLE and Andalusia, with
indomitable spirit and aided by their
British allies, beat back the armies Of
Bonaparte that had conquered an en-
tire continent, hastened his downfall,
saving all Of Europe from being sub
jected 10 the will Of one man, must be
unperishable.
THE CONVICTIONS OF A GRANDFATHER: By
Robert Grant. Charles scTibnsr's Sons, New Yolk
City.
II is barely possible to presume that
Judge Grant was serious in calling his
latest book Of amiable disquisitions on
social problems and phenomena "convic-
tons which he as a grandfather has
come to hold" for it is the characteristic
Of the grandfather he represents to have
opinions rather than convictions, and TO
be ready to exchange these opinions with
the changing times, and to prove that
the hardening Of the arteries, If begun, |
has not advanced far enough to produce
noticeable mental symptoms. He calls
himself, like every one else, a progress
sive,' and he really is one TO an extent
emitting him to pass for a radical in
conservative circles, and that is much for
any grandfather in comfortable circum-
stances and with similarly conditioned
descendants Of the first and second de-
gree.
The topics treated in Judge Grants
pleasant, lucid but careless style form
the subject of thought and conversation
among intellectual and cultivated people.
The effect Of real wealth, the amazing
ignorance of our gilded youth about
books that a generation or two ago
everybody knew more or less by heart, |
the injustice Of duplicated inheritance
taxes, the curious fact that our coun-
try, which is credited with having the
best, kindest, and most generous of hus-
bands, has, judging from the d. |
vorce court records, also the greatest
number Of desperately disseminated wives |
the rights and wrongs Of labor and CAPT. |
tai &C, &C, and a dozen or so other
disputables are debated between this |
grandfather and his wife, his sons and
daughters and their husbands or wives, |
a pessimistic doctor, a clergyman who
disproves Of everything and a multi |
millionaire pathetically eager to Justify |
his existence by reasonableness and