27th Jan.
Tus recurrence of the birthday of the Emperor of Germany, who enters to-day on his thirty-third year, reminds us how truly great a man the young sovereign has proved himself to be, and how strikingly he has dissipated the sepieleieiis that were felt when his father was cut off untimely. The change from the wild Prince Hal to the devout and resolute Henry V was not more striking. Never did a young prince step ona more dificult throne, or under circumstances more certain to test the metal of which he was made. It would seem harder to have to take the helm of the ship of State when she has been knocked about by enemies and storms but there is more glory with less anxiety to the ruler who raises his country from the dust, than to him who has to maintain her at a height of already attained prosperity. "He that is down need fear no foe," he that is up has foes all round him ready to cast him down. The position of William LI when he so faithfully in the founding of the reign has been illuminated by the The two great saliects who had helped' the opening of the young sovereign's empire, Bismarck and Moltke, were still; marvellous discoveries—word-wide in at hand, but the one was obstinate and! their bounty—of Dr. Koch, and these dictatorial and all Europe fretted under ' conquests of science too have been west his pedagogic rule, and the other was a heartily and materially supported by very goldman, 'The young Prince was the emperor. 'Tacitus says of a Roman generally believed to be a fire-eater,' emperor that every one agreed he was anxious to show that he was a military all an emperor should be, until he genius, determined to cut himself loose ascended the throne; some future 'Tacias soon as possible from the control of tus will say of William LI of Germany, his mother, and to display by violent' that every one feared his advent to contempt for the pacific and power, until he assumed it, An exising tendencies of his father. perience of two-and-a-half years must There were even doubts as to the secu- make even those who augured worst rity of his throne; Germany is a poor! when the Emperor Frederick's sickness country, and the masses, exhausted by was known to be mortal, most earnest the continual cost of the armaments} ju drinking the health of Frederick's which her position obliged ber to main- soy and successor. tain, were believed to be saturated with} The 27th of January is not only the socialism and anarchism; it was feared birthday of the Emperor, it is the tenth that the young emperor would cheer- anniversary of his marriage, and happy fully engage in a foreign war to stifle marriages of Emperors are not so com-domestic discontent. 'I'he Order of the mon, that we should neglect to mention Day which he issued to his army and this. In the Princess Augusta Victoria navy immediately after his accession, of Schleswig - Holstein - Augustenburg, confirmed these apprehensions; he re-William LI gained in 1881 " consort ferred in it to his warlike ancestors, who is not only an Empress of whom and expressed his firm determination to her subjects are proud, but is all that emulate their example of honour and a wife should be to her husband. We duty. But the threatening construction join our German friends most heartily put on this order was not the right one; it was an admirable piece of j and long life to the King and Queen of to-day in drinking health, Provwerity, statesmanship by whomever devised; it Prussia avd Emperor and Empress of was really a notice to his enemies that
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.