BOOMING H.R.H.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7346, 26 June 1889, Page 2

BOOMING H.R.H.

Two notable contributions have been made this month to the Library of Eulogy which H.R.H. the Prince of Wales has probably begun to collect in some nook at Sandringham. To the shelves of this library he will go from time to time when irritated by the criticisms of the irreverent, to turn over the pages of the scribes whose admiration of his character and achievements find utterance in pages upon pages of dithyrambic prose. The first of these in order of time is the initial article of the new Quarterly. This his Royal Highness will read with a shrug of his shoulders. He is not immaculate, is the Heir Apparent, but be has too keen a sense of the ridiculous to enjoy flattery when laid on with a trowel in this astonishing fashion. Here are some extracts •which •will enable our readers to understand the note of the Quarterty'scriticism :— THE ADMIRABLE CRICHTON OF OUR TIME.

We have shown that the Prince of Wales has identified himself, at one time or another, with every great charitable object known to our time, and he has also been associated with all the moat important public works of the age. He drove the last rivet into Stephenson's bridge over the St. Lawrence; he opened the Thames Embankment; cocks, harbours, bridges, exhibitions innumerable, have been "inaugurated" by him; he founded the Royal College of Music; and he originated the Fisheries and Colonial Exhibitions, which were so popular, and did so much to bring the resources of our colonies under the very eyes of the home population. • In every duty that he has undertaken he has always acquitted himself well. HIS MIRACULOUS ENDURANCE. Without the most wonderful powers of endurance, he could never have gone through the wear and tear of his endless engagements. An ordinary day in his life would tire most men out. In this respect he has always been the same. When he was in Canada he went about to all sorts of places the livelong day, attended a State dinner in the evening, and finished with a ball, where he almost invariably danced from ten o'clock till four the next morning. Hie suite were sometimes worn out long before his Royal Highness showed the slightest sign of fatigue. For ten entire days in Ireland during one of his visits, he scarcely had an hour to himself except during the very brief interval snatched for sleep. As was recorded at the time, "there were presentations and receptions, receiving and answering addresses, processions, walking, riding, and driving, in morning, evening, military, academic, and mediaeval attire." He had to hold his own with "Cardinals, Chancellors, rectors, commanding officers, presidents, chairmen, local deputations. Without a very considerable knowledge, not only of the ordinary questions of the day, but also of art, science, and literature, and a still greater knowledge of human nature, ie would be impossible for any man to pass successfully through such ordeals as these.

" A FAIR KNOWXEDGK OF EVERYTHING." We should infer that for a Prince of Wales to become popular in these days, and to remain so, it is necessary that he should have a fair knowledge of everything: that he should be familiarly acquainted with the chief European languages and literature, have great discernment and penetration, be a good judge of music and painting, have a thorough sympathy with the sporting instincts of Englishmen, show an interest in agricultural pursuits, have at least a superficial knowledge of the principal manufactures of the country, watch attentively the course of politics without talking about them, be on good terms with the leaders of parties, without {falling under their ; ._ lnflaeocto,- be sifted with great shrewdness in judging of character, possess all the accomplishments of ordinary men, with a good many added, show amiability to all, and in all circumstances, and be absolutely iron-clad aga'nst fatigue. A NONPAREIL OP PRINCES. The position is clearly not in the nature of those sinecures of which we hear so much in the present day. We believe we only express the general senne of the country when we affirm that the present Prince of Wales has filled this position in a manner which has won for him universal respect, and even a much Warmer personal feeling, as was made manifest in the deep anxiety of the nationduring his almost fatal illness in 1871. Without entering into invidious comparieione, it may be confidently asserted, that no heir to the British Crown ever before took such pains to prepare himself for the high duties which in course of time await him. Sβ has submitted himself to a hard and stern apprenticeship. He.is known to have devoted the greatest care to the education of hie children, and to have stimulated in them that desire for travel which, In his own experience, he had found to bring so great a reward. WHAT NEVER? WELL, HARDLY EVER. Living in the full glare of publicity ; the man above all others in the nation around whom personal gosaip will continually revolve ; exposed at all' times to misrepresentation, or the shafts of malice ; in spite of all this, the Prince has never rendered himself fairly vulnerable to the least of the attacks which were habitually levelled at some of his predecessors. The late Emperor of Germany and our own Prince of Wales stand out among most Boval personages of the present generation for their anxiety to deserve well of their countrymen, and for their earnest efforts to fulfil every requirement incidental to their stations. The path of duty was very different in both cases, but in both it was conscientiously followed out. It would be almost miraculous if any one occupying a foremost position In any country entirely escaped the voice of detraction ; but, in justice to the good sense and good feeling of the English people, it must be acknowledged that this unwelcome voice is almost wholly silent where the Prince of Wales is concerned. Few, Indeed, are they who will not cordially and frankly acknowledge that bis personal Qualities and his lofty sense of duty, well entitle him to share with his illustrious mother, the Sovereign, the loyalty and affection of the British people all over the world. ■ MB BTJBDETT'S BOOK. The second and much more imposing contribution to the literature of eulogy is the indefatigable Mr Henry C. Burdett's stately volume of " Prince, Princess, and People" (Longmans. Green and Co.)—an account of the public life and work of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales from 1863 to 1889, together with sundry sage moral reflections oy the said Mr Henry C.Burdett,>who writes throughout with the royal **we" in a fashion which at first leaves some doubt in the mind *» to whether he is not the Prince, Princeas, and people all rolled into one. He is, however, well capable of sustaining the rdle.

WHAT ABE THB DUTIES OF A PEINCE?

The standpoint from which Mr Bnrdett views the object of his eologium is thus described:— It is laid upon him that he ehonldtate a leading part in all movements that make for the progress of his people in knowledge, comfort, and morality. Their welfare is his; and as it is undeniable that most people are bo constituted that they will eete the merit and desirability of a project mere clearly when a royal finger points it oui he most always be ready to uplift his hand to do so. He may think in his heart that he is less fit than others to do this. That is not the point. He is placed by the action of a thousand far reaching and complicated forces, which he is powerless to undo, in a position in which all eves are upon blnv—hestands in the front rank of the battle of life, and though it may be done from the highest of motives, if we only knew it, we cannot bring ourselves greatly to admire the man whp when bidden to advance modestly retires to the rear. The rest of his book is devoted to a demonstration that these duties are all performed to perfection by his Royal Highness. Says Mr Burdett :— So let us hope that a knowledge of the facts which this book will afford to a wide circle of the work his Royal Highness has

done for his country and countrymen during the last twenty-six years may secure for him as bis reward for so large a devotion to duty, with special self-denial and much genuine labour in the cause of others, a recognition commensurate with the great results he has accomplished in the best interests and to the no small adY&ntage of all classes of the community. THE PRINCE'S EDUCATION. Apart from the peaceful home life which has reacted from the palace te the homes of the people in all classes, and the inculcation of the usual branches of instruction, including the dead languages, the Prince had been taught French, German, Italian, and other modern tongues, and had been trained in physical and athletic exercises of various kinds. . . . Further, with, a prudence and forethought for which the Royal mother is deservedly esteemed, the Prince and his brothers had been trained as handicraftsmen, had taken his seat at the bench as an ordinary workman, and had thus acquired no little mechanical dexterity and knowledge. THE PRIXCE AS LANDLORD. It may be news to some it is none the less true—that the Prince of "Wales is never more happy than when at Sandringham, where he enjoys a freedom from restraint of every kind, and enters with spirit into everything that appertains to the ordinary life of an English gentleman in his country seat. . . . During a large portion of cash year, and, as our researches have proved, during an ever increasing portion of it, the duties and engagements of the Prince are so multifarious that it is quite impossible at such times that he should be able to call even a part, much lees the whole, of the day his own. Indeed, these circumstances tend to promote a complete enjoyment of the quietude and leisure of the home life at Sandringham. The cause of the general respect and esteem in which the Prince is held is not difficult to discover, for, as we have said, not only does the Prince thoroughly enjoy his country life, but, we make bold to say, he sets an example by his conduct as a landowner which might be followed with great advantage to the people by every peer and squire throughout the length and breadth of the land.

During the twenty-six years the Prince has lived in Norfolk, he has endeavoured to lead rather than to follow other country landlords in promoting agriculture and every other movement calculated to advance the welfare of the county in which he has so large an interest.

Within the last few years the Prince of Wales has given an impetus to horsebreeding in England. Noticing the demand for horses from abroad, fie has started at Sandringham a thorough-bred stud, a half-bred stud, and a shire horse stud, where he keeps valuable specimens of these breeds of horses, which he allows his tenants and others who reside near Sandringham to use at nominal prices.

As a landlord the Prince appears to leave little if anything to be desired. His interest in the houses of the working classes throughout the country has been shown in many ways; and it is gratifying to find that his Royal Highness is prepared to put in practice on his own property the principles which he commends for the general adoption of his countrymen. His Royal Highness has endeavoured to improve the cottages on his own domain, and has take a genuine pride in having his workmen properly housed. He went very deeply into the question, and by visiting some of the poorer neighbourhoods in London and elsewhere H.R.H. became impressed with the f eelingr.shared by all who have an intimate knowledge of the question, that the poor and working classes needed something more than hoube accommodation, and the special attention ought to be paid to the provision of healthy relaxation and amusement .... As

a result, the Prince set to work in Sandringham to establish a club at his own expense, where the men and boys of the village might resort in the evenings and during periods of leisure for social enjoyment and intercourse. We understand that the regulations enforced at the Sandringham Club are based upon Dr. Arnold's system, and that the full confidence and trust which is placed in the members has secured a complete and genuine success for the Prince's kindly experiment.