PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIV, Issue 24, 17 June 1905, Page 2

PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT

A New Music Diploma.

The Council of the Auckland University College has lately instituted a diploma of Certificated Teacher in connection with the School of Music. The requirements are: To play what is required for the Associate of Music, to pass

First recipient of the newly-institutec diploma in connection with the School of .Music. Auckland University Council. an examination in Theory up to the standard of the senior grade examination, and to pass a viva voce examination on the technique of torching. with special reference to backward pupils, and the difficulties generally met with in teaching Miss Ruby Moses, who is the first recipient of this diploma, is a beautiful piano player and an able theorist.

The Love Affairs of a Princess.

The following highly-coloured and imaginative article from the Chicago “Times” on the love affairs of Princess Victoria is a typically American production. “Princess Victoria of England, the only unmarried daughter of King Edward. declares that if she marries at all it will be for love. She is 37 years old and for twenty years has refused to consider every marriage proposal suggested by her father the king. “If I marry it will be to the man of my choice.” she is reported to have said. “Father, mother, and government shall not choose for me. I will love the man I marry, if I ever marry, and I shall not. under any circumstances, have a beer swilling foreigner, afraid of soap and water for a husband. He will have to be a well bred, clean, English speaking gentleman with some ideas.” Tfus bold declaration by the daughter of a king has shocked royal and aristocratic circles all over Europe, but it has been read with delight by the English people. In Europe princes and princesses rarely marry for love. “Reasons of state” generally are considered first, and love afterwards. Naturally, a princess with so much spirit as Victoria has had few love affairs. There are rumours, however, that even so independent a princess as Victoria of Wales has had several “affairs of the heart.” .Many years ago an Indian prince visited England. He came as a lad and was put to school, first at Eton, afterwards at Oxford. He was a sturdy boy. and as he grew older became a famous cricket player and an oarsman of repute. He was, in fact, an Englishman in all except the dusky hue of the complexion. the dark, dreamy, liquid velvetness of the eye. and the long, thin, nervous hands of the Oriental. His rank gave him entree to royal society, and he was lionised much. The

Princess Victoria, it was whispered at the time, was extremely friendly to him. So much so, in fact, that British statesmen began to ponder among themselves whether a marriage alliance between :■ English princess and a son of one of the great princes of India might not be a stroke of policy that would knit more closely the political ties between the kingdom and its great Oriental dependency. The matter finally went so far, it is said, that discreet overtures were made to Princess Victoria. A statesman, whose hair had grown grey in the service of the queen, ventured to discuss the question with the princess. In guarded, well-chosen words, he hinted at the great and lasting benefits which might accrue to England by such a mar riage. Then, as the princess lis'enrd. he painted with warmer colours the splendours of the Indian court, where the young prince one day would reign. He hinted at its wealth, the luxury, the Oriental splendour of the capial of In diaThe princess was silent and the statesman passed on to praise the young prince himself. When he had finished (he young princess is said to have looked him in the eyes for a moment and then to have said:, “My lord, would you marry your daughter, the Lady Mary, to the prince?” The earl’s face is said to have mantled red. “We will say no more about it. your highness.” he hastened to reply. From that day on British statesmen knew that they were no* to use the hand of Princess Victoria as a treaty with a foreign people. Then there was another “affair of the heart.” in which Princess Victoria, for a time, was believed to be concerned. She

frequently visited her grandfather, King Christian of Denmark, and at the great castle of Fredensborg she met Prince George of Greece. For a time there were quiet rumours that perhaps a match might be arranged between them. Prince George of Greece, however', is Princess Victoria's first cousin. This seems strange at first, but not so strange when it is remembered that when tire modern kingdom of Greece was established the powers placed an alien king on the throne. They selected the son of King Christian of Denmark, and therefore the King of Greece is the brother of (>vn Alexandra of England. A marriage between Prince George of Greece and Princess Victoria might have

Lord Kitchener, of whom this is the latest portrait, is unostentatiously but firmly reorganising army ar: '.ngements in India.

been of great political advantage to England. Prince George's mother is the sister of the Czar, and the marriage, therefore. woiild have bound England. Russia and Greece eloser together. But Prince George is a great deal of a swashbuckler in his way. It was not known at the time, but his administration of the government of the island of Crete has revealed traits of character which no one dreamed he possessed. The maidenly intuition of Princess Victoria, however, seemed to read his character—and she would have none of him. Then there were rumours of a suitor near at home—an Englishman, but not royal. He was not a “beer swiller,” and he was not “afraid of soap and water.” He was none other than John Baring, who is now Baron Revelstoke. He is a member of the great banking firm of Baring Bros., and one of the directors of the Bank of England. Tn many respects John Baring was a suitable match for a king’s daughter. He is a millionaire many times over. His family, while not noble, is one of the proudest and most aristocratic in England. He lives in one of the great homes in Carlton House terrace, and is only five years older than the princess. But Princess Victoria could not bring herself to love even so good an Englishman, and so eligible a man as John Baring. Another famous Englishman, and a noble of the bluest blood, was prominently referred to in connection with the name of Princess Victoria. Earl Rosebery is so high in England that bis feet are close to the carpet of royalty. He is one of the handsomest, one of the wealthiest, one of the greatest men in England. To him have come three greatest delights of an Englishman—he won the Derby, he married the richest girl in

England, and he was Premier. He has been a widower for some years, his wife, who was Hannah Rothschild, daughter of the world’s most famous banker, dying in 1890. But nothing came of the ru° mour that Earl Rosebery might secure tin* King’s consent to wed Princess Victoria. The Princess Victoria is domestic in her tastes, and cares little for the ceremonials of court life. She does not like London. In faet. she feels more at home at Fredenborg Castle, in Denmark, the home of her grandfather. King Christian. One of her reasons for disliking London is that her health is always bad there. Buckingham Palace is especially her aversion. It is built on low, swampy ground, so low, in fact, that its first floor windows are on a level with that of the river Thames. A three days’ residence there usually is sufficient to affect the health of the princess. Last year, when social duties kept her at Buckingham Palace longer than usual, her health gave way entirely, and she was obliged to leave London at the height of what had been the most brilliant season in years and go to Scotland for rest in complete retirement. Princess Victoria, strange as it may seem, has not taken kindly to automobiling. She still prefers the bicycle, and she is extremely fond of riding in parks and country lanes. She has toured the greater part of England on her wheel, and likes to travel with as little ostentation ns possible. Indeed, many a carriage has passed the royal cyclist on the well-kept country roads with scarcely mon than a glance, little dreaming that the young woman in quiet cycling habit and plain chiffon hat was the daughter of the King of the greatest empire on the globe.

Princess Victoria is the warm friend of the Czar of Russia. She is his first cousin, for his mother and her mother arc sisters. She is not so fond of that other first cousin. Emperor William of Germany.

The Princess is a clever amateur photographer and fond of animals and children. She would make an ideal wife for a king, but she doesn’t care for kings. She would adorn the home of a millionaire. but she doesn’t care for wealth. She prefers to be a wholesome, indepen dent English girl, who would rather die an “old maid” than marry a man she does not love.

From the Grant Duff Diary.

Sir Mountstuart Grant Duff, who is

known to many readers as a most interesting diarist, brings his literary labours

to a close with two more volumes of his diary, which have just been issued in London. Tn humorous stories nnd witty bits the writer will be found as prolific as ever. He tells us of a gentleman. who rather overvalued himself, looking at a case of birds, saying to an ornithologist who was with him. “What is that bird?” “That.” said the other, “is a magpie.” “It’s not my idea of a magpie.” was the rejoinder. “Perhaps nok” replied his friend, “but it is God’s idea

of a magpie!” The story is told of an American bishop, who before going to sleep adjured the conductor of the train in which he was travelling to call him at six o’clock, as he had to get out at Syracuse. He slept the sleep of the just, however, till he reached Buffalo, a hundred miles further on. He then went to look for the conductor, whom he found in very evil case, a finger broken his head cut open, and so forth. When he remonstrated with the man for not having called him. he received the reply. "Lor’ Bishop, it wasn’t you. then, that T put out at Syracuse; he did struggle a bit.” We are reminded that Brillat Savorin said of the Jesuits that their redeeming vices (after colonising and civilising the New World) were the discovery of the turkey and its introduction to the truffle. A friend mentioned to Sir Grant Duff that a countryman came to the bar of a country inn. and asked for a glass of "mother-in-law.” The barman handed one to him. which he drank. When the customer had gone the bystander turned to the barman, and asked. "What is mother-in-law?” "Stout and bitter.” was the reply. The present Bishop of Oxford was looking over the accounts of a school, and found an item. "Occasional monitor.” "What is that?” he asked, but presently added. "Oh. T see. T suppose it i< the Nonconformist conscience!”