RELICS OF THE STUART FAMILY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8472, 24 January 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

RELICS OF THE STUART FAMILY.

A sale of Stuart rol.ies at Messrs. Christie, Manson, and Woods lately brought together a number of " loyalists," as well as ot antiquarians pure and simple, and the prices given were tokens that, even in a commercial and realistic age, sentiment— noble and refined sentiment —stills holds its own against the low logic of accomplished facts. The modern Jacobite, if he or she does nob go too far and become a bore, is worthy of much admiration. The English, as a rule, do nob let themselves go on an idea. When thoy do, the idea is nob seldom an erroneous one, depending for its acceptation on the outward sugar in which it is rolled. Therefore, putting aside all such old-fashioned notions as loyalty to the throne.it is still refreshing to find that the story of the fated house still stirs the hearts of modern Englishmen. One great advantage the modern Jacobite enjoys over his ancestor of a hundred and fifty years ago. He can revel in sentimental sympathy with all the Stuarts, good, bad, anil indifferent; monarchs in ewe.and in -posse, and in neither, and yet keep unstained ids loyalty to his Queen. For among the adherents to the House of Stuart the Queen of England is the most devoted, as she is the most powerful. This is quite as be, for Her Majesty happens to be a member of the family, which is a great deal nioro than can be said of some of the least discreet modern Jacobites.

Among the buyers at the sale Mr. Holmes, the librarian of Windsor Castle, was prominent. His purchases included a gold memorial ring, set with diamonds and rubies, enclosing the hair of James I. and VII.; a gold ribband slide, with rock crystal, enclosing hair of Charles 1., which is said to have been cut off the day before his death; a gold memorial ring, set with diamonds, enclosing a piece of the shroud of Queen Henrietta Maria; and another gold memorial ring, enclosing under a facetted rose diamond a piece of the dress worn by the Princess Elizabeth in Carisbrooke Castle. Portraits of the "bonnie Prince Charlie," at the age of one year, a ring with his hair, and silver sleeve-links with his monogram were also among the Windsor librarian's purchases.