His legal studies were, however, inter rupted by the appointment of his father as Minister to the British Court and his own selection as secretary to the legation : yet not until by favor he had been admitted to the bar. Perhaps it would be slightly in accurate to say that in consequence of this translation to London his legal studies were interrupted. The young lawyer who mixes much and variously with men and manners is doubtless continuing his studies — acquir ing the tact and knowledge of human nature so necessary for success at nisi prius. He passed part of the years 1831 and 1832 in London, but through the casting vote of Vice-President Calhoun the Senate rejected the elder Van Buren as Minister, when son and father returned to Albany. This rejec tion, remarks Benton in his volume entitled "Thirty Years in the United States Senate," popularized Martin Van Buren at the north, and practically led to his succeeding the jealous and revengeful Calhoun as VicePresident and to his afterwards becoming President of the United States. The inci dent of rejection embittered John Van Buren, and made him an Anti-Calhounist in after life and a foe to the political South. It had an undoubted influence upon his joining in 1846 the Free Soil faction of the New York State Democracy — known in partisan slang as " Softs," and as opposed to the " Hards," who supported the claims of the South to non-interference with slavery in States or Territories. For John Van Buren, although like his father usually wearing an impassive demeanor and face, and usually credited with being cold in feeling, was really emo tional, and carried prejudices as well as sym pathies to occasional extremes. While resi dent in London, he had mixed with all its circles, and became especially popular from his winning ways in fashionable society. He was a frequent visitor to old Westminster Hall, there practically continuing law studies by observing the play of London's Bar or Bench. And as son of the American Min
ister he of course had free entrance to court rooms and the two Houses of Parliament. Thus he enjoyed what President Fliot of Harvard once called " education by observa tion." Throughout life, after his return from Lon don, John Van Buren bore the popular title of " Prince." At a court ball he had danced with the then Princess Victoria, who seemed to enjoy his attentions. An account of these appeared in a letter written by a trav eling American correspondent to his news paper, and duly published. The daily Courier and Enquirer of New York City — an organ of the Whig party and Anti-Van Buren in tone — editorially commented on the letter in a vein of badinage, indicating how the son of a great Democrat could as sume aristocratic pretensions. The news paper leader denominated him an American Prince flirting with the British Princess and future Queen. Other newspapers of the Whig stripe, and immediate political gossip, caught at the pleasantry; and from that time the phrase Prince John Van Buren be came as much linked with his personality as was the word " Beau " with the clever West End dandy whose too familiar " Wales, ring the bell " had lost him the friendship and prestige of royal association, and finally consigned him to exile at Boulogne-sur-mer on the French coast, and to appropriate ap plication in his last sad years of the famous line, " See Swift expire, a driveller and a show." Thenceforth until his death the newspa per and popular voice generally referred to John Van Buren, whenever occasion for the reference arose, as " Prince John." And during his father's eight years' residence in Washington as Vice-President, and next as President, the belles and matrons of its then brilliant society eagerly sought for the distinction of dancing with the American Prince who had clasped the waist of Britain's Queen in the giddy waltz. He is repre sented as having been at first restive under
