When Sir Godfrey Kneller had painted for Alexander Pope the statues of
Apollo, Venus, and Hercules, the poet paid the painter with these lines:
What god, what genius did the pencil move,
When Kneller painted these!
’Twas friendship, warm as Phœbus, kind as love,
And strong as Hercules.
(120)
* * * * *
The reckless extravagance that has brought Princess Louise,
of Belgium, into such trouble with her royal relations is far
from being due entirely to selfishness, and Brussels now is
discussing, half in admiration, half in despair, the latest
story showing the utter inability of the princess to realize the
value of money or the things it buys. When in Paris, a few weeks
ago, she happened to be in her room in her hotel when a little
work-girl from one of the shops in the Rue de la Paix called
to deliver a gown. Princess Louise was struck with the girl’s
charm of face and manner, and, keeping her for a few minutes in
conversation, chanced to admire a small silver medal she was
wearing around her neck.
“It is a medal of the virgin of Prague,” said the girl. “Perhaps
your Highness will accept it.”
Princess Louise thanked her warmly; but, insisting on giving the
girl something to replace the trinket, handed her a rope of
pearls. The girl supposed they were only imitations, but the
whole story came out in a few days when, on taking them to a
jeweler to have the clasp tightened, she was cross-questioned as
to how the pearls had come into her possession. They proved to
be worth more than $11,000.--New York _Press_.
(121)
See COMPLIMENT; ENDEAVOR; HEROISM RECOGNIZED; KINSHIP.
=Appreciation, Belated=--See IRRETRIEVABLE, THE.