ROYAL HOBBIES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3583, 20 September 1920, Page 2

ROYAL HOBBIES.

Even royalties must have their hobbies. When Charles V. abdicated his throne and retired. ,'o the monastery of St. Juste lie amused himself by trying to learn watchmaking. After some time he remaikcd one day: "What an egr-ogious fool must I have boo,, to hiiv; squandered so much blood and treasure in an absurd at,'empl to make a few watches keep time together." This tale seems singularly to the point in view of the ex-Kaiser's reported attempt to master the art of ;he tailor, for it is unlikely he will establish a new fame in that sphere. Other princes have made or played with similar amusements. King Edward used to say that if he were detbroiieTf he could still make a living as a cobbler. His brother, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg, aimed « little higher, for he could have obtained a position in a theatre orchestra amongst at least second violins. Louis XVI,. like Charles V.. spent much time over the mysteries of wa chnmking. Queen Victoria could have' designed Christmas cards, sentiment and all. Frederick. Prince of Wales, would have" been in great request for cracker mottoes. George IV. should have bee"n one of the greatest o man-milliners. Charles 11. might have made a competence in a chemical laboratory, and Peter the Great in a carpenter's shop. Nelson would have been an accomplished leader writer of the ".big drum"' tvpe. Frederick the Great an admirable stock-keeper to a penurious firm. Prince Henry of Prussia might nave flourished, as a commercial' traveller, and George 111. as a farmer. James I. was another journalist.—and so on.