Year: 1868

4 cOndescensiOn on her part TO visit,


she may now approach in the attitude


of a suppliant. At such a time we


may remember how many have been
the adverse circumstances of her life.


and be glad that a lenient Judgments is


not inconsistent with Justice. Her


misfoTtunes begun with her earliest
youth. She was cradled amid the din


of civil war. the first tales that reach


ed her ears were of battles and still


more savage executions; her first in


structiOn was that large part of the


people she was called upon to govern


were bitterly hostile to her, and must


be ruled by force or craft. Political
intrigues, political treachery, con-


tempt of men. contempt for institu-
tiOns, were the lessons naturally


taught by the events of that unhap-
| py time Amid the gross political
profiigacy that was around her ii was


difficult to grow up pure, and Isabella
has shown herself on many occasions


a crafty and INSCRIPTIONS sovereign.
Her domestic life has been sullied by


misbehaviOr. immortality might have
been pardoned not so indeceney: and
the Queen has not had the wisdom to
hide her Offenses behind the vail of
decOrum. The scandal she has given
has been intOlerable even to the most
easy-tempered people in nherdOminions
and it will have been noticed that
even within the last few DAYS the
presence of one person at the Court
has been made a political question.


But even here the recOllections of our
readers will suggest eNtenuating cir
cumstances. The example she found
in her own home was none of the


best, and at the early age of sixteen
she was married, if report speaks tru-


ly, without any reggid TO her own


wishes. Though it must be allowed


that Isabella is not, by character or
education, fitted to govern a great ma


ton, yet we must think that TO be


placed in such circumstances from ear


liest infancy, was a trial from which


few would have emerged blameleSs.


In considering her career, we must
also bear in mind the extraordinary
and almost incredible ignorance in


which the Spanish Princes have been


allowed to grow up. Minds eloudei


by superstition are naturally unable


to discern the true bearings of
moral action; being uninstructed in
the history of the past, they find it
impossible to understand the present
or divine the future. sTo the proyis-
ional government belongs now the du-
ty of choosing a successor to the BOur-
bon exile. On this subject it is pre-
mature to speak at length. But we
have already given the reasons which
occur for thinking that the Duchess
of MOntpensier can hardly be the
choice of the people, and can not, if
chosen, sit on the vacant throne. 1t
may be further observed, that though
the Duchess is an amiable and inOffen-
sive person, and her husband is also
sufficiently estimable, vet the access
ION of the pair would not be popular
with the multitude. The Duke, to
say the truth, has not made much
way with the Spaniards during his
long sojourn among them. His char
acter too much resembles that which
the popular voice attributed to his
father, for him to be a favorite in
Spain, and especially in Andalusia,
where he lives. He is a worthy, care
full father of a family, with an eye to
the main chance, rather than an eye
TO the princely gentleman. His char
acter, moreover, is the reverse of DASH
ing, and, in short, he is better suited
for private station than to govern a
proud and turbulent people. OF the
Carlist pretenders we need hardly
speak; but there are not wanting 9TH
er Princes to whom the eye of the ma
ton may fairly turn, and the merits
of these will probably be busily can
vaSsed before many days are over.