ANECDOTES OF ROYALTY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 36, 11 February 1905, Page 12

ANECDOTES OF ROYALTY.

ONLY A KING. The Emperor Charles VI. of Gerininiwas passionately fond of music, asii the composer Fuehs congratulated hini on bis skill, saying, "What a pity, sire, you «, not a conductor." '■Well, it can't be helped," replied Clur. les. "I am only an Emperor, and miiit make the best of it." AUTHOR'S GIFT. On beinjr presented with the ume of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall ef the Roman Empire," his Royal Highness th? Duke of Gloucester (George lll.'s brother) received the distinguished anth«r\witli'' great affability, saying to him, as he lijj the ''quarto" on the table: "Another d—_ thick, square, book! Always scribble, scribble, scribble! Eh, Mr Gibbon?"SEEMED FAMILIAR. Several amnsing stories have been toil of the late Duke of Clarence, who. was King Edward's eldest son. The Prince ■was visiting his friend and tutor, Mr Oscar Browning, at the latter's roeai ig Cambridge University. There hung up»s the walls an engraving of Windsor Cattle taken from a point of view Uflftßjjiu: perhaps, to the young Prince. '•What a beautiful place!" he excUiaKiL as he looked at the picture. "Soawkev; I seem to know it. I think I must luitfl been there!" "Windsor, sir, Windsor,' , said Mr Brtwoing. Of course, the Prince auri mryiM lanjrhed heartily. outflanked: Frederick Ihe Great, the fajnerie Wαniander, sent to Dresden for Dr. Baylies, an English physician, to introduce ianicnlation into his dominions. When the* ait&er arrived in Berlin the King did not forget to ask his favourite question: "Well, doctor, how many hit* you despatched to the other world?" '• "Not so many as you, sire," was the quick and witty retort. NO LAUGHING MATTER. i • The Prince Imperial, killed in South Atrica in 1579, was one day talking with the young King of Spain, then Prince of- At. turias- ~-; '-• •-■.*- h : .- asked the former, "te.itkelw son you find hardest to learn?" ;.;; . The future King of Spain, in a lofnbrtouf . tone, replied, "Not to laugu at tie tkettrl when 1 am amused!" '•They let mc laugh as much as I like,™ replied the Prince Imperial. "But," *• added, referriug to Bismarck, who bad one on a visit to Napoleon 111., the frteee'i. father—"what I don't like is to b* tMifed to smile and look pleasant to men wh§ I know are my father's enemiee." STEAKGE LINGO. Princa Lncien Bonaparte, who aieij i> IS9I at tha age of serenty-elgjtf, #M a nephew of the great Emperor. He gai a. noted philologist, and lived long in Eu;Isnd. The following story used t* be f»li of him. He was once presented with SB *UttH by an Irish municipal body, ant by way ef special compliment the document tm composed and read in French. After !l»" tening to it the prince rose and, speakiac 1« English, expressed his gratitude, bnt*l4ed that he cou : d not reply to the addrwiM he would have wished, since it wai .fcK misfortune not to understand the IrW language! MET HIS MATCH. vaj King Frederick "William 111. (of TMtftii' was very fipare of words. One day lie leira* ed that there was at Toplitc, waere" Sβ will drinking the water, a Hungarian «il|p*t<l still less talkative than His Majesty Mβself. An opportunity for a meetieg »•« soon managed, and the following ooßfef** tion look place, the King begfciillf: "Bathing?" 'Drinking," was the reply. ••Soldier?" , '•Magnate. ,, 'Good.'.' "Policeman?" •'King." "Compliment*." SHARP PACE. Pace, jester to Queen EUaafcetk, •* so bitter in hie retorts upon HtrlW*** that he was forbidden her pr«eM«wAlW , an absence of some time friends Utetwa -, ed and entreated Her Majesty to rteffre him back into favour, engaging fer tfeat he would be more guarded ia bi* *& for the future. The very first time they again met, kowr ever, P*ce was as bad as ever. - "Come on, Pace," said the Queen, i» * gracious humour; "now we skall heal ** our fanlts." "No, madam," replied Pace: "I nwct talk of- what is discoursed by all tha world!" / PAINFUL EXPEBIMEHT. William Carstairs. the Beottish aitige, was suspected of beinjr implicated «* tlie • Rye House Plot, but when put to the excruciating torture of the thumbsetews he endured it heroically, withont cenfe«i»S or implicating others. Some time after he became confldeatlal secretary to William 111., and was presented with the instrument by which he h»4 been tortured. Toe King, wishing to see the measure of fortitude necessary tt-en-dure the terrible to-tura without njakiaS a confession of some sort, placed ais thumbs in the machine and told Carstairs to turn the screw. He turned slowly a.? ,1 cautiously. '■ f "It is unpleasant," said the Knjft. "?**'. it might be endured. Xqu are trjfli.PS with mc; turn the screw so tl|at I "W really feci pain similar t<? that you feltCarstairs gave a sharp turn. The shouted with pwin, and when released s* l " that under such agpny he would feseed to trne *r fata*