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any man long celebrated to you by his genius and achievements； or
thing long celebrated to you by the praises of books and
picturesno； that gaze is only the gaze of intense curiosity；
interest； wonder； engaged in drinking delicious deep draughts
that taste good all the way down and appease and satisfy the
thirst of a lifetime。 Satisfy itthat is the word。 Hugo and
the mastodon will still have a degree of intense interest
thereafter when encountered； but never anything approaching the
ecstasy of that first view。 The interest of a prince is
different。 It may be envy； it may be worship； doubtless it is a
mixture of bothand it does not satisfy its thirst with one
view； or even noticeably diminish it。 Perhaps the essence of the
thing is the value which men attach to a valuable something which
has come by luck and not been earned。 A dollar picked up in the
road is more satisfaction to you than the ninety…and…nine which
you had to work for； and money won at faro or in stocks snuggles
into your heart in the same way。 A prince picks up grandeur；
power； and a permanent holiday and gratis support by a pure
accident； the accident of birth； and he stands always before the
grieved eye of poverty and obscurity a monumental representative
of luck。 And thensupremest value of all…his is the only high
fortune on the earth which is secure。 The commercial millionaire
may become a beggar； the illustrious statesman can make a vital
mistake and be dropped and forgotten； the illustrious general can
lose a decisive battle and with it the consideration of men； but
once a prince always a princethat is to say； an imitation god；
and neither hard fortune nor an infamous character nor an addled
brain nor the speech of an ass can undeify him。 By common
consent of all the nations and all the ages the most valuable
thing in this world is the homage of men； whether deserved or
undeserved。 It follows without doubt or question； then； that the
most desirable position possible is that of a prince。 And I
think it also follows that the so…called usurpations with which
history is littered are the most excusable misdemeanors which men
have committed。 To usurp a usurpationthat is all it amounts
to； isn't it？
A prince is not to us what he is to a European； of course。
We have not been taught to regard him as a god； and so one good
look at him is likely to so nearly appease our curiosity as to
make him an object of no greater interest the next time。 We want
a fresh one。 But it is not so with the European。 I am quite
sure of it。 The same old one will answer； he never stales。
Eighteen years ago I was in London and I called at an
Englishman's house on a bleak and foggy and dismal December
afternoon to visit his wife and married daughter by appointment。
I waited half an hour and then they arrived； frozen。 They
explained that they had been delayed by an unlooked…for
circumstance： while passing in the neighborhood of Marlborough
House they saw a crowd gathering and were told that the Prince of
Wales was about to drive out； so they stopped to get a sight of
him。 They had waited half an hour on the sidewalk； freezing with
the crowd； but were disappointed at lastthe Prince had changed
his mind。 I said； with a good deal of surprise； 〃Is it possible
that you two have lived in London all your lives and have never
seen the Prince of Wales？〃
Apparently it was their turn to be surprised； for they
exclaimed： 〃What an idea！ Why； we have seen him hundreds of
times。〃
They had seem him hundreds of times； yet they had waited
half an hour in the gloom and the bitter cold； in the midst of a
jam of patients from the same asylum； on the chance of seeing him
again。 It was a stupefying statement； but one is obliged to
believe the English； even when they say a thing like that。 I
fumbled around for a remark； and got out this one：
〃I can't understand it at all。 If I had never seen General
Grant I doubt if I would do that even to get a sight of him。〃
With a slight emphasis on the last word。
Their blank faces showed that they wondered where the
parallel came in。 Then they said； blankly： 〃Of course not。 He
is only a President。〃
It is doubtless a fact that a prince is a permanent
interest； an interest not subject to deterioration。 The general
who was never defeated； the general who never held a council of
war； the only general who ever commanded a connected battle…front
twelve hundred miles long； the smith who welded together the
broken parts of a great republic and re…established it where it
is quite likely to outlast all the monarchies present and to
come； was really a person of no serious consequence to these
people。 To them； with their training； my General was only a man；
after all； while their Prince was clearly much more than thata
being of a wholly unsimilar construction and constitution； and
being of no more blood and kinship with men than are the serene
eternal lights of the firmament with the poor dull tallow candles
of commerce that sputter and die and leave nothing behind but a
pinch of ashes and a stink。
I saw the last act of 〃Tannh：auser。〃 I sat in the gloom and
the deep stillness； waitingone minute； two minutes； I do not
know exactly how longthen the soft music of the hidden
orchestra began to breathe its rich； long sighs out from under
the distant stage； and by and by the drop…curtain parted in the
middle and was drawn softly aside； disclosing the twilighted wood
and a wayside shrine； with a white…robed girl praying and a man
standing near。 Presently that noble chorus of men's voices was
heard approaching； and from that moment until the closing of the
curtain it was music； just musicmusic to make one drunk with
pleasure； music to make one take scrip and staff and beg his way
round the globe to hear it。
To such as are intending to come here in the Wagner season
next year I wish to say； bring your dinner…pail with you。 If you
do； you will never cease to be thankful。 If you do not； you will
find it a hard fight to save yourself from famishing in Bayreuth。
Bayreuth is merely a large village； and has no very large hotels
or eating…houses。 The principal inns are the Golden Anchor and
the Sun。 At either of these places you can get an excellent
mealno； I mean you can go there and see other people get it。
There is no charge for this。 The town is littered with
restaurants； but they are small and bad； and they are overdriven
with custom。 You must secure a table hours beforehand； and often
when you arrive you will find somebody occupying it。 We have had
this experience。 We have had a daily scramble for life； and when
I say we； I include shoals of people。 I have the impression that
the only people who do not have to scramble are the veteransthe
disciples who have been here before and know the ropes。 I think
they arrive about a week before the first opera； and engage all
the tables for the season。 My tribe had tried all kinds of
placessome outside of the town； a mile or twoand have
captured only nibblings and odds and ends； never in any instance
a complete and satisfying meal。 Digestible？ No； the reverse。
These odds and ends are going to serve as souvenirs of Bayreuth；
and in that regard their value is not to be overestimated。
Photographs fade； bric…a…brac gets lost； busts of Wagner get
broken； but once you absorb a Bayreuth…restaurant meal it is your
possession and your property until the time comes to embalm the
rest of you。 Some of these pilgrims here become； in effect；
cabinets； cabinets of souvenirs of Bayreuth。 It is believed
among scientists that you could examine the crop of a dead
Bayreuth pilgrim anywhere in the earth and tell where he came
from。 But I like this ballast。 I think a 〃Hermitage〃 scrap…up
at eight in the evening； when all the famine…breeders have been
there and laid in their mementoes and gone； is the quietest thing
you can la