The death of the Duke of Aosta on Saturday, from
in- fluenza supervening on lung-disease of some standing, is rather an interesting than an important event, though he was said, as a confidential adviser of his brother, King Humbert, to exercise some influence on Italian politics. The career of the Prince had, however, been a remarkable one. Marshal Prim, after his failure in 1870 to unite the Spanish and Portuguese crowns, a failure due to the impression of King Louis that the peoples were irreconcilable, chose Prince Amadeo of Italy, then a young man of twenty-four, known as a gallant officer, to be King of Spain, and the selection was ratified by the Cortes. The Prince accepted the throne, and for nearly two years governed exceedingly well. The people, however, regarded him as a foreigner, and the aristo- cracy refused to pay respect to the Queen, who was technically not of Royal birth. The King grew impatient under perpetual insults to himself and his Queen, and at last, on a Spanish Duchess refusing to hold his child at the font, abdicated in February, 1873. His abdication was much praised and blamed at the time. It produced no ill effect, for the old Monarchy was restored ; but we confess we think that a monarch by birth or fair election should stay monarch until expelled or killed. He has made a contract for life, and should adhere to it. No party of Amadeists, how- ever, arose in Spain, and Prince Amadeo lived in Italy for the remainder of his life as an ordinary Prince of the Blood, leading society in Turin, but filling no office. He was sup- posed to possess much of the fighting capacity of his House, but in Spain he betrayed a want of the iron resolution which has usually distinguished Princes of that line.
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