The Princess Aline
(Harper's, 1895)
Morton Carlton, a portrait-painter of international reputation, is unlucky in love. It's not that he never meets the right women. It's only that when the right "one" comes along, he changes his mind. Indeed, it seems he is destined to forever wander like a lost votary through Venus's domains. But one day a change appears on the horizon. He sees a portrait of the Princess Aline of Hohenwald in an illustrated newspaper, and falls madly in love with his artist's conception of her. Throwing all to the winds, he resolves to go to Europe and look her up. The quest begins.
Boarding the steamer at New York he meets up with some old friends-- Mrs. Downs and her niece Miss Morris. The three of them cruise across to Europe, landing in London. Carlton finds that the Princess Aline is there! But then the royal family suddenly changes its itinerary and sails away to Paris. Carlton follows, only to find shortly after that they departed for Constantinople. Thither he goes. Once there, he tries again to get an introduction, only to find that her royal status creates a barrier of stiff formality. Nevertheless, he makes friends with the Duke-- Aline's brother-- and a dinner is planned at which Carlton is to be the guest. And , yes, Aline will be there! Now begins the long wait in anticipation of the coming event. During this time, however, a growing interest in Miss Chester makes itself felt. What will the outcome be?
This little novel is a good example of the kind of stories popular during the late-Victorian era. It shows a fascination in the affairs of Imperial Europe. Pompous courts and retinues, elaborate dinners in evening dress, and men with more honorary titles than the Grand Khan himself-- all bring us back to the European stage prior to WWI. When Princess Aline was published there was a great market for this type of fiction. And writers such as R.H.D. were not slow to turn gold into green. As a journalist, Davis was a keen observer of international affairs. He writes his story with a first-hand knowledge of Europe which is accurate as a picture book-- and probably more interesting.
Of course, the romance element is somewhat heavy. But it is one of the few overtly romantic stories that can be read with appreciation. The prose, though florid at times, never gets caught up in the intricacies of style. As is usual with Davis's stories, the plot moves right along. There are interesting diversions in each of the major capitals at which the travelers stop, and these give unmistakable local color and interest to the whole. However, the preservation of Imperial Europe's unique flavor is what gives this novel its chief value. All in all, The Princess Aline makes for a tantalizing dish which may whet your palate for something more substantial-- like maybe one of A.W. Marchmont's novels.
This is the first installment in a series of reviews dealing with fiction of Imperial Europe. This series will progress over the next few months, as I have the time and inclination to read more of such works. If you're looking for a copy of Princess Aline, it may be well to know that one can usually be obtained for under $10 on Ebay. I don't own the original Harper's edition, but have a reprint from Scribner's which includes The Scarlet Car in the same volume. The illustrations are by Charles Dana Gibson, an artist of colossal importance, who made R.H.D. the model for his famous "Gibson man." Through Gibson, Richard Harding Davis became the image of the American male. In fact, traces of Gibson's influence can be seen in other works of the period. [For example, see Clarence Underwood's illustrations for Rex Beach's The Spoilers (1906)]. Today, the Davis-esque male has relegated to the domain of Independent Baptist preachers. But this only reminds of us the fickleness and instability of fashion. Like the crown itself, Davis and his Princess Aline have become period-pieces of surpassing interest.
--B.A.S.
**************
