The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-09

7 is the custom of historians to divide
literature into two great classes
classical and romantic-and some
the same dual division. Looking at the
subject from one point of view it would
not be amiss to similarly segregate archi-
lecture. and no one with a scinctilia of
romance in his bosom can fall to thrill
under the impress of romance az he
drives down the principal thoroughfare of
this city by the Isar, rolling rapidly"
and passes in review the magnificent
display of architecture replete with every
style known to the art and erected at the
command of an accutely aesthetic mon
arch. The styles may be purely classical
but the spell which they weave is de-
cidedly that of romanticism.
L love Munich, the capital of the
Swabia of old, the home of the minnesing-
ers and the gem of Bavaria. Its very at
mosphere is subtle, unique and entranc-
ing. So wander through It's pinakotheks
is to revel in a dream of fantasy, to visit
it's glyptothek Is to commune with the
spirits of those who once peopled ancient
Greece, and have never entered its great
FrauenK Kirk. but have been irresistably
impelled to spend a few moments upon
my knees In prayer. Surely here the rhap-
sody of the minnesinger, the chivalry of
the days when knights were bold,' and
the generation of the monk, from whom
the city obtains Its name. are all COM
mingled to weave charm and fascina-
tion that are as delighting as they are
potent.
Much. if not the greater portion, of
Munich's exquisite beauty of architecture
and charm of environment. Is due to the
fantasies of king whom people called
mad. The late Ludwig was undeniably
eccentric, but most men of genius and
all romanticists are. He loved nature
her haupts and her rAtreats; consequent
ly he dotted the mountains of Bavaria
with innumerable castles that were gems
sparkling in isolation, palaces of secret
glory and havens of covert happiness.
One of his favorite vacations was to
wander alone In the gloomy mountains
and present to the peasant maidens whom
he CHANGED TO encounter jewels of costly
value. Often at midnight he would have
q drove of horses turned loose upon a
mountainous road and at their approach
a squad of hidden soldiers would upon
command open a volley of fire with blank
cartridges causing the frightened steeds
to stampede In wild fury down the wild
passes to the great delight of the mon
arch. Those who maintain Ludwig's
madness point to his death by drowning,
which they claim was suicide, but there
are others who hold opposite views. The
monarch had sense enough to resist the
absorption of Bavaria into the German
empire; under existing conditions the
easiest way to remove tho resistance to-
imperial unity was to remove the King
and 1t Is darkly limited that Ludwig's at
tendant was bribed to drown his ward.
This happened in 1886 and the dead
monarch's brother, Otto. became King.
He was then and has been ever since a
raving maniac. His uncle Luitpold was
appointed King-regent and died quite re-
Gently In office at good old age. But
Otto was just last week declared de-
posed and Luitpold's grandson Is now
King of Bavaria. This move was deemed
necessary to relieve the incongruity of
the situation and to check the growth
of the spirit of democracy which the
anomalous predicament was engendering.
People saw but little difference between
an impotent monarch and no monarch at
all. so that republic was being suggested
and tho suggestion had to be nipped In
the bud.
A few words anent the divinity that
doth hedge a king about" would not
be out OF place here. A majority of
Americans, especially those who have
never visited Europe, are prone to ex-
aggerate the crown and attribute to
royalty degree OF solemnity and state