This page has been validated.
KING EDWARD VII.
And in India, which he said it had been the dream of his life to visit, he made friends of the haughtiest, the most aloof, amongst the native Princes. "It was then that he evinced his unrivalled tact by showing a perfect knowledge of their complicated ranks and genealogies, the antiquity of some of their families, and the gallant deeds of their ancestors."
The same unrivalled tact was brought to bear in dealing with that "most distressful country" where no English Royalty might reasonably expect to be received with open arms. For, as an Irish newspaper has observed, "since the days of Strongbow, King Edward was the first English monarch who could be said to be a friend of Ireland." And indeed that warm-hearted isle reciprocated the friendship. After his first visit there in 1858, all had "some word of endearment to couple with his name, some story to tell of his kindness and generosity." A leading Irishman is reported to have replied, on being questioned of possible risk to the King. "Risk! He could walk alone from one end of Ireland to the other, and never have anything worse than a rose thrown at him." And when, in 1885, a meeting of Irish
21
