Page:The Royal Family of France (Henry).djvu/27

 statements made by men deliberately or indeliberately forgetful that French Réactionnaires have done the best service to their country as soldiers, sailors, diplomatists, or statesmen, as ever service was done. This cavilling style of speech shows no knowledge of the History of the country, no humour, no high education. And the generous feelings of Englishmen, their good sense and affectionate reverence for Royalty, demand that, before giving his verdict against any man and any body of men, a judge should be known to all of us as a man of a pure patriotism and above all reproach in his own life, a pattern of every manly virtue, able to enforce the virtues, or, at the very least, the semblance of the virtues, a large portion of which he expects elevated men as the humble ones to possess. The true-blue French Tory and steadfast reactionary, the "antediluvian," the. sombre and austere (if you like) French Monarchist is a true patriot and perfectly honest man, and not born some centuries too late to be fitted for the age he is called upon to live in. Since cur students are to be taught now in their University lectures (this we are glad to hear) the History of France, they must learn that Kings and Queens, and not Imperialism or Republicanism made France, just like Kings and Queens, and not the Commonwealth, made England. And the Royal Family of France, the lawful King with his lawful Heirs and Family are living in spite of the comic milk-and-water Politics as preached now-a-days at Albert Gate respecting the History of France. Nay, who will deny that Imperialism and Republicanism both betrayed France and sank her deep into ruinous debts and pools of blood. French Kings and French Royal Princes of the past may as well be called "useless" for not having long ago found out railways, steam, electric telegraphs; and our Beloved Queen Victoria styled "passée" because of Her Majesty not having thought of electric light forty years ago! Are France or England for that less the good result of Monarchy? To-day France is the France of French Monarchy, the only difference being that under the First Napoleon the Allies entered Paris on the 6th of July, 1815, and that the fallen Emperor saddled France with the Treaty of Paris (1815); the Third Napoleon lost Alsace less Belfort; and that the Third Republic lost a large slice of Lorraine through not coming to terms with