The visit of King Edward to the Emperor of Austria,
or rather the Emperor's visit to him at Marienbad—for technically that was the arrangement—which occurred on Tuesday, has been absolutely devoid of political interest. Their toasts to each other at the banquet, though most friendly in tone, were brief, formal, and entirely colourless. The people, however, express great interest in "the Emperor of India," an interest which is occasionally embarrassing ; while an odd little incident has displayed in a strong light the futility of the precautions taken by the Austrian police to ensure the King's safety. A lady threw a letter into the King's carriage. She was immediately arrested ; but the letter struck the King's person, and so would a bomb have done. All Europe will hear with regret that the Emperor Francis Joseph, who is now seventy-four, thinks himself too old and too weak to make the long journey to London, which, otherwise, etiquette would have demanded of him. This is the first time, we believe, that his Majesty has acknowledged that the pressure of years and cares has begun to tell upon his health. He has now reigned for fifty-six years, and has been called on to stand up against heavier misfortunes than any Monarch of his time. He has stood up. Defeated in every battle he has fought, driven first out of Italy and then out of Germany, with his heir a suicide, and his Empress the victim of an assassin, he is still a great Monarch, the universal referee of his eighteen kingdoms and principalities, with more soldiers, more revenue, and more subjects than when he began to reign. His motto might well be, "Patience, and shuffle the cards."
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