LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1846, 22 January 1880, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE PIRMASENTZ REVOLUTION.

Recital of the Leading to the abdication op plukce richard of NA.SS A U - Us I NO EN. (Continued.) ' Then let ua begin on a more modeat scale—do what we can with a few thousand franca.' ' Robrecht, see our old money-lender and find out if he will alv.ince anv money If he will, let ns try M. Ro3sville's scheme.' CUAPTEB VIII. The money-lerder to whom the Prince resorted was one of Master Hubert'*) journeymen. Aore by acre, farm by farm, he had been buying up the principality of Nassau-Uf-ingen, till now he owned at least a third of it. That is to say, Master Hubert owned it, for the tailor it wai who found tho money and took the deeds, tho journeyman receiving a few florins for assuming the odium of these decidedly usurious transactions. It was not long before tho money ho advanced with apparent reluctance was expended, and then a fresh resort had to be made to him. M. Roseville's fii-at mulberries produced nothing but caterpillars. and new plantations had to be liiade. It was necessary, in order to inspiro the commercial world with confidence, that M. Eoseville should have a house, several servants, and a French cook, properly to

entertain his vieitora. Further recourse w*s had to the journeyman tailor, who found the money and took a mortgage ou the palace and its contents. Meinwhile, as the Prinea's affairs went on from bad to worse, he abandoned their direction to the Baron and Roseville, and applied himself to his flute. Meanwhile, also, Heinrich was stirring up tl • people cf Ti masentz. His uncle wished him to marry Wilhelmina, whom hia noisy and vulgar manner was far from pleasing but instead of seeking to overcome her antipathy, he gave himself up to frequenting the lowest pothouses, where to a gaping audience he would lecture upon the sights of man and instruct the people^that kings were necessarily tyrants, incendiaries, thieves, forgers, prisoners, &c., &c , eulogise Brutus, and lay to the account of the Govonimeat whatever happened to annoy or injure the governed. He formed a club, the members of which spent at its daily session most of the time they should have devoted to their occupations and families, and as this did not improve their business they found it more convenient to blame Prince Bichard than themselves- Anarchical theories developed with regard to government in general were applied to the local government without consideration or hesitation. From the axiom 'Kings are tyrants.' this was deduced—- ' Prince Richard is a tyrant ;'{from ' The people should overthrow tyrants,' 'Pismasentz should overthrow Prince Bichard.' Then, to prove disinterestedness, tho agitators invested the people with their individual misfortunes The man who could net get on in the world said, ' the people are compelled to go barefoot.' Finally there came a severe hailstorm in harvest time, when Heinrich and hia acolytes spread themselves through the principality, holding up to the rural population the example of heroic nations that hai obtained their rights from tyrants, leaving it to be plainly inferred, though it was not openly avowed, that one of the rights of man n to have no hail in harvest time, Chatter IX. The farmers, incited to thia canrse of action by the Heinrich Club, refused topay any rent, and held meetings to complain of and protest against their condition. M. Roseville's silkworms were attacked by dysentery and died, and as the Prince would gixj—could give him no more money, he set on foot a scheme for a railroad from a place where nobody had ever lived to another place which nobody ever went to. The Prince sold off two-thirds of the royal stud (which consisted of three horses) and dismissed three servants; for all this unpleasantness he consoled himself by teaching his musicians new pieces, fishing, and hotanising in the woods near the tailor's house, where by regular chance he always used to meet the pretty Wilhelmina. One day Heinrich clambered upon the tavern table and spoke thus—<lt is time, my friends, that the great should cease to fatten upon the substance of the people. The cowardice of the people breeds the insolonce of kings. let us break the fetters which bind our fair land I Let us shake off the yoke of tyranny I Let us march to your palace where the tyrant lies steeped in guilty pleasures, surrounded by his sanguinary minions, demand our liberties or, if needs be, perish in the attempt. At that moment Prince Bichard was in his garden, trimming the dead leaves of his rose bushes. To the palace hastened tho wild throng of patriots, swollen by constant accessions till it numbered at least eighty persona. The only sanguinary minion en. countered was a sentry at the gate, who was practising on the flute his part in one of Prince Richard's new symphonies, and who on hearing that the people desired to speak to their aovereigu bade them enter, but be careful not to tread on the grass. The Prince's calm and indifferent countenance embarrassed his visitors, who, when he asked what they wanted, replied all together with a buzz and murmur amid which the only sounds distinguishable were ' Liberty forever!' 'Down with the tyrant!' Inferring from this that he had to do with a popular demonstration the Prince smiled and said : ' Let one speak for all. It would take too much time if you all spoke in turn, and make too much noise if you aR spoko at once,' whereon the crowd hushed its clamor and wavered back, leaving Heinrich as spokesman. 'We come,' said the student, 'in the name of the people.' ' Are you quite sure you do ? And are the people aware of the fact ?' asked the | Prince. I

'We come,' continued tho orator, 'to protest against the flagrant abuses which we have too long—' ' My friend,' Prince Richard replied, ' the only abuse in Pirmasentz that I can think of is your present abusing of my good-hamour. What are you doing here ? My people since you remind me that I have a people—are not so numerous as to need spokesmen. If the nation has anything to say to me, let it assemble in the palace oourt to-morrow and we will talk matters over.'

' The people,' said Heinrich, • does not bandy words —it commands.' ' Then I wish I were the people, so that I could command yon to lot me finish trimming these rosebushes in peaoe, but as I am only a Prince I must beg of you to do so.'

* It is thus,' asid Heinrich solemnly, ' that the Interests of tho people are sacrificed to the personal ambition of Tyrants.' ' My poor Heinrich,' retorted Richard, ' my profesaion of Princo is not so amusing that I should devote myself to it oontinually. To-morrow I shall be the Prince at your service ; to-day I am only a private individual, concerned about my roses. As a private individual, I should like my privacy respected. Go in peace, my friends, and don't tramp on the bordero.' ' Will you,' said Heinrich, turning to his followers, ' will you remain calm beneath the malignant irony and contempt which lurk in the Tyrant'a words V ' Friend HeinTich, you are theatrical. I may add that in my capaoity of a private individual I am in the habit of resenting impertinences with my cane.' ' I Bee that the defenders of the people,' said the student, ' have entered npon a perilous path. I see that the career I have begun leads to a martyr's crown. I welcome it! lam ready to shed my blood for the people. Take my head !' ' What on earth would I want to take your head for, unless possibly to pull the ears attached to it ? I Bhall expect the nation to-morrow, when wo will have some beer and talk matters over. If it should rain we will adjourn indoors.' CuAMER X. When they had departed, Bichard made a bouquet of hiß fairest roses and sent them to Wilhelmina, with a note to s.-\y that he hoped to dance with her noxt evening Early next day the army was concentrated at the palace to rehearse tho Prince's symphony. ' What can have induced my people to think about me —to recall my existence !' he said. ' What, ho, there ! Some clean glasses for the nation!'

There came about one hundred persons somewhat constrained and boisterous; another hundred cams to sea what they Intended doing, and the remainder of the population put in an appoaranae to see what the seend class had come for

'My friends,' Eaid Bichard,' drink your beer before it g*t stale. Now, what have you to say to me?' 'Down wi*.h the tyrant!' cried Hcinrich. _ ' Down with the tyrant 1' echoed fleinrich's friends.

'Djwn with ths tyrant!' repeated the people. ' Why is the Prinoe surrounded with hired cut-thr. at 3 ?' demanded Heinrich. ' They havo come to rehearse our new symphony—the 120 musicians have. The remainder of the army is—l doa't know where. What have yoa to complain about ? Are any of you in need ? lam not rich, but when any of yon have como to ths palace at dinner-time tb*y have always been invited to ta.ke pot-luck with the household.' 'Speaking by my voice,' said Heinrich, ' the people demand the restitution of their rights.'

' I may be very ignorant, but really I cannot Bee how when the Prince never has claimed any rights over the people, tho people can demand the restitution of their rights from the Prince.'

'We demand the liberty of the press!' cried Heinrich, and the peiple also cried—- ' We demand the liberty of the press !' ' But what earthly reason have you for d-'manding the liberty of the press V There is no press in Nassau- Dsingen, and even if there were any papers, very few of yon cou!d read them.' ' The people,' aaid Heinrich, * will die for its rights.' ' Yes, we will die!' chorused the nation. 'I should be very sorry to Eee you do so,' said the Prince. Meanwhile Baron von Bobrecht had mo- , bilised the scattered army and stationed it round the court yard; now he came to whi>per to the Prince, ' Your Highness, you can depend upon the army—the insurgents are in our power.' * But what am I to do 'with the insurgents ? There is only one prison at Pirmasentz and it has been occupied as a hot house for months. Dismiss the army!' _' Treachery !' cried Heinrich, as the soldiers marched away; ' the tyrant has entrapped us here to redden the atones of his palace with our gore.' ' You desire the Liberty of the Press," raid the Prince to his people, ' though it >as never entered my head to prevent you from writing anything you had to write. It is none of my business what you choose to think or do. Only I would advise you not to ppend too much time in writing—tb« farm and garden work seems to be a good deal behind.' The Bition then went home. In the evening the symphony was admirably executed by the army and the Prince danced innumerable dances with Wilhelmina, who wore his roses at her belt. (7b 6<? continued.)