The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-21
Court Gossip of Interesting
Events on Two Continents

nally on the side of the new order Of
things. because their Ctopican schemes
gave not been realized at once.
report that has found its way
into Pail Mall Club circles is hased
. on fact, the Portuguese authorities
have invoked the aid of the British
Foreign office in restoring order. and
the reign of law in The Inflated re-
public. This is very significant I.
begins to look as though monsrcbv
has better show now than ever he
fore since the expulsion Of the Bra
! ganZas, unless the republic is boIstered
up by powerful influence and assis-
lance from outside.
Julius Caesar. at the Lupercal thrice
declined crown, but, reading between
the lines of history there always was
more or less of a suspicion that II was
put-up-job" in which Mark Anthony
| had hand. Therefore II would be DIFF
ncuit to find an exact precedent for the,
action OF the Duke of Montpensier in
refusing to accept the crown of AL
bania. True. there have been a num-
Der OF such cases; but one of them. I
believe, was quite like that Of the
French duke, because he declines to
accept kingdom that in reality has
not Yet come into practical existence
head is rather level, and his Judgment
sound. He prefers Paris to Scutari-
small blame to him-and he does not
fancy a kingship with the embellish-
ments of assassins lurking in ambush.
or men who would be kings there is
legion. but he could be king but will
not stands out in solitary grandeur,
the only one Of his kind. We recoIlect
that Alexander of Battenberg accepted
crown Cthat il Bulgaria. and it
proved a thorny one indeed that at
least it would be AN agreeable souve-
mir. Well. it turned out To be not
even that. as events proved. The Duke
of Montpensier wisely thinks different
ly. and he is right. for it will he a far
more agreeable souvenir, his reColIeC-
tion that he declined a crown-that
particular crown. anyway. Who. by
the way. had the authority. anyway
to offer the Bourbon duke such a crown
under the present conditions?
The Plunkett family in all its
branches-even in that which cuts OF
the final letter styling itself PIunket
appears to be one of the luckiest Of ali
great families in Ireland. Neither Gel
tic nor Norman. but Danish in its ORR
gin. il seems to have weathered the
terrible vicissitudes of Irish history
Norman families
The Anglo-NOrman pale in Meath
sheltered the Plunketts. while il did not
shelter its own Norman founders The
branch of the family numbers
the martyred Oliver Plunkett. prelate
Of Ireland. among its members. OF
late years the Plunkets have attained
in various ways in the
Protestant branch. Lord Plunket the
late archbishop of Dublin, was Lord
brother. The archbishop's
son was last week elected Bishop OF
Tuam. Killala. and Achonry. As the
Rev. Benjamin Plunket he was a zeal
ous worker in Dublin. His mother was
the only sister of Lords IveaGh and
Ardilaun. The intermarried families
Of Plunket and Guinness offer the curl:
BUS and unusual example. on each side.
II two brothers holding peerages at
the same time-or. rather. did so when
Plunket was still alive.
Sir Horace Plunkett has taste for
lions" Of the gentle roar or other
wise Kilteragh. his hospitable home
II FOxrock. always has welcome for
persons from all parts
II the world. Bernard Shaw was his
guest. and let us hope received many
object lessons in hfs native country.
rom which he has been an exile so
ong. Exiles from Erin of the voIun-
airy type usually can settle the Irish
quest in the most dispassiOnate way.
ust as philanthropists. only too fire.
luently. are lavishly generous in help
ng the poorer and weaker brethren
rom other peoples pockets. Mr.. Shaw
md his views are clever and witty,
whatever else they may he, on any sub
ect. and as such are always welcome
o a bored world. FLANEUR-