THE KING OF THE NETHER LANDS.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 10, Issue 678, 17 June 1887, Page 2

THE KING OF THE NETHER LANDS.

\ One might at 1 the nHague*aY long time, say b Figaro, without discovering, that the D utcb . possess a, monarch - at all. Time 5 after f ime. t'made protracted Visits Jjp ; that most charming of_ capitals without „ seeing., or "Heating** anything! of. His ;vMaj >v£L fi> last, thanks to tjae-foct^that he has attained his seventieth jiirtliday, Europe has. positively heard something, of the Dutch fCmg,. for whom 1 hw ; ;^oJßc|^ cherish great respectih their.phl?gnaatf(|^' Batavian fashion. His Majesty- r« quite T ' content' to live on in. a tjuiet- -cosy «sbrt* of way, his only weakness, if I: may. * us© the- terqi,", i>eing bis pajsipnuferg horseflesh. His hobby is literally the horse, and the-few English visitors who are able to pass the 'gates- offtheß^yil palace and to thoroughly examine, his Mai esty's. , • stables , , are nojb „ to* forget the unexpected treat afforded them. Like M. GFre'vy, too, and the King of Roumanian the J|ing of the Netherlands is— or rathe? was, for he plays but little no w— an accomplished^ billiard played But it is intKe Biorse • and itSt-accessories tljatf he his chief delight,, wjbiqh of late years has taken the fbrm' of making a most interesting collection of historical harness, ■, showing., the, , variations? ; iii£ saddle and bridle from the earliest .dajSg down to the, present.; The. care as<f the. money wbichi His Majesty has t lavished on this interesting fad is li&ljf''* to result in something more thaii'the I**1 ** mere selfish gratification *o£ a- royfil'^ whim, for a clever young draughtsman . : has long been^ engaged in a aeries. of / finished sketches, which will probably* be some day reproduced ,in the_superb .. volume which the ' ~ King, of Holland means to devote' * to ' his favourite subject. Should he live to be added to Waipple's list of Royal authors, *.his title to a place in it will be founded <&| an edition de luceeofr&te BumptuOusnels* and beauty;- ."^•?,- -,.-; =_ : „,.: v ••-. ■ ■-. >* »■-,*« ;.