All I had conceived of oriental magnificence, all descriptions of the splendor of kingly halls and palaces, fall far short of what I here see.

Not for the brightness of a mortal wreath, Not for a place 'midst kingly minstrels dead, But that, perchance, a faint gale of Thy breath, A still small whisper, in my song hath led One struggling spirit upwards to Thy throne,

Whatever were their weaknesses and their personal short-comings, they were not the mere titularies of a power in decay, and the kingly post was strong and full of blossoms, as events were not slow to demonstrate.

" So Gurnemanz performed the kingly rite, Anointing Parsifal with holy oil, And laid the hands of blessing on his head, And said: "So came the ancient word to us; So with my blessing do I greet thee now, And hail thee as the God-elected King!

The prelates of the Church never lifted up their voice against the legality of this feudo-kingly rule.

The goodness to his people displayed by King Robert was the only kingly trait which, during that period, deserved to leave a trace in history.