Class . h /-^ ::) '^^ vp Book _ryl5xa CoipglitlJ? _. COKSSIGIfr DEFOSm 4/ ^tl^l QUEEN VICTORIA AT THE TIME OF HER GOLDEN JUBILEE LIFE AND TIMES OF QUEEN VICTORIA COISTTAINING A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS REIGN OF ANY SOVEREIGN IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD INCLUDING THE EARLY LIFE OF VICTORIA; HER ACCESSION TO THE THRONE AND CORONATION; MARRIAGE TO PRINCE ALBERT; GREAT EVENTS DURING HER BRILLIANT REIGN; PERSONAL TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT ENDEARED HER TO HER PEOPLE GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF HER CHARMING HOME LIFE; NOBLE QUALITIES AS WIFE AND MOTHER; ROYAL CASTLES; PUBLIC RECEPTIONS; WONDERFUL GROWTH OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, ETC. TO WHICH IS ADDED THE LIFE OF KING EDWARD VIL, AND SKETCHES OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY By ARTHUR LAWRENCE MERRILL, B. A. Graduate of University of Torouto, Author of " Ivife of Sir Wilfred Laurier," etc. In Collaboratioti with REV. HENRY DAVENPORT NORTHROP, D. D, WITH EULOGIES OF THE QUEEN BY LORD SALISBURY, MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE, LORD ROSEBERY, LORD KIMBERLEY AND MANY OTHER LEADING STATESMEN Embellished with more than 100 Superb Engravings of Historic Scenes, Portraits^ Etc ' ' " *' ' ' ■ NATIONAL PUBLISHING CO. 2;]9, 241, 24?> South American St. Philadelphia THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Two Copies Received MAR 15 1901 Copyright entry CLASS CL,XXc. N». COPY B. EMTEHED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CO^GRE88, IN THE YEAR 1901, BY D. Z. HOWELL IS THE OFFICE OF THE LI13HARIAN OF CONGRESS, AT WA8HINQTON, D. C. , U, S. A. PREFACE. For more tlian sixty years Queen Victoria was regarded by tlie whole woild as a model Sovereign and the noblest type of woman. Her vast influence was always exerted for the welfare of her people and the good of mankind. She was admired as a ruler and beloved as a woman. It is not enough to speak of her as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India. She was the queen of her home and domestic circle, and the jewels of her crown were not brighter than the virtues that adorned her character and endeared her to her people. During the two generations in which she occupied the throne Great Britain became a world power. The map of nations was changed and Anglo-Saxon civilization was carried to the earth's remotest bounds. In this work, which gives a full and graphic account of the life and times of Queen Victoria, we have fully de- scribed the vast changes which occurred during the reign of Brit- ains most beloved and illustrious sovereign. The great political movements are sketched ; the extension of her dominions is de- picted and the volume is in every respect worthy of its renowned subject and the important era in which she lived. It is a glowing history and has an absorbing interest for English-speaking people everywhere. This work fully describes the last days of her Majesty ; the profound impression made everywhere by the news of her alarm- ing illness ; the hurrying of royalty to her bedside ; the breathless suspense with which intelligence was awaited, and the great shock with which the world received the news of Victoria's death. Reminiscences of the Queen and all members of the royal household, together with incidents of thrilling interest, fill the pages of this volume. The reader is conducted into the royal palace and there beholds the closing scenes in the life of the t world's most distinguished ruler. The work recounts the changes that took place in the British empire while she was Sovereign. The names of the great English iii h PREFACE. statesmen and the part they acted find full place in these pages. Palmerston, Gladstone, John Bright, Cobden, Disraelli, Lord Derby, Lord Rosebery, Chamberlain, Lord Roberts, and many others are fully described. Queen Victoria had an intimate knowledge of all the affairs of her government, and there were great crises during her reign when her good sense shaped the policy of the nation, and subse- quent events proved her wisdom. Her influence was always on the side of peace, and the following tribute by the poet Watson is one of which she was universally acknowledged to be worthy : " Queen, that from Spring to Autumn of thy reign, Hast taught thy people how 'tis queenlier far, Than any golden pomp of peace, or war. Simply to be a woman without stain." Very beautiful are the accounts of domestic life shared by the Queen and the Prince Consort. He was a man of noble char- acter, genial disposition, well acquainted with the affairs of state and was greatly beloved. His biography forms a most interesting part of this work. The Queen's life in the Highlands — its simplicity, its homeli- ness and beauty — are fully described. Long after the death of Prince Albert she revered his memory and placed floral wreaths upon his tomb. A model as a Sovereign and none the less so as a woman, she held the strongest place in the heart of the world of any sovereign of modern times. The nearly sixty-four years that cover the reign of Victoria form the most important epoch of English history. As the Nine- teenth Century is the grandest of all the centuries, so the events and discoveries that made it glorious add to the glory of the Brit- ish empire. No life of the Queen would be complete without describ- ing the world's progress during her long and brilliant reign. This volume is replete with all the sublime events and political and social changes which give immortal renown to the Nineteenth Century. It contains a full biography of King Edward VII, the future monarch of the empire, on which the sun never sets ; also eulogies of the Queen by the world's greatest rulers and statesmen. CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. ALAEMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAT. PALACE 17 CHAPTER II. LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QLTEEN 35 CHAPTER III. THE VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH 52 CHAPTER IV. PERSONAL HISTORY OF QUEEN VICTORIA 80 CHAPTER V. ADDITIONAL DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE 99 CHAPTER VI. THE QUEEN'S MARRIAGE WITH PRINCE ALBERT 125 CHAPTER VII. EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S LONG AND PROSPEROUS REIGN 153 CHAPTER VIII. WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REIGN OF VICTORLA. 177 CHAPTER IX. TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN 188 CHAPTER X. INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE 205 CHAPTER "XI. VICTORIA'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND 221 CHAPTER XII. REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH 236 V ^^ CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER XIII. VICTORIA QUEEN AND EMPRESS 249 CHAPTER XIV. A SOVEREIGN WHO REIGNS BY LOVE 258 CHAPTER XV. STORIES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY 267 CHAPTER XVI. THE QUEEN AN EXAMPLE TO HER PEOPLE 275 CHAPTER XVII. HOW VICTORIA PREVENTED WAR BETWEEN AMERICA AND GREAT BRITAIN 288 CHAPTER XVIII. THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LTFE , 297 CHAPTER XIX. THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS 315 CHAPTER XX. THE MEMORIALS AT BALMORAL 331 CHAPTER XXI. THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL 342 CHAPTER XXII. THE QUEEN'S HUNTING LODGES . 352 CHAPTER XXIII. CHILD LIFE AT BALMORAL CASTLE 363 CHAPTER XXIV. COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY 369 CHAPTER XXV. FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA 38f \ CONTENTS. Vii CHAPTER XXVI. ENGLAND'S QUEEN LAID TO REST WITH IMPOSING CEREMONIES .... 395 CHAPTER XXVII. STA.TELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH 406 CHAPTER XVIII. MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES 421 CHAPTER XXIX. THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED 437 CHAPTER XXX. BIOGRAPHY OF KING EDWARD 450 CHAPTER XXXI. INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF.. THE KING 461 CHAPTER XXXII. POWERS OF GREAT BRITAIN'S SOVEREIGN 473 CHAPTER XXXIII. THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN 484 CHAPTER XXXIV. NEW HEIR APPARENT AND THE SUCCESSION TO THE THRONE 495 CHAPTER XXXV. CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES 606 CHAPTER XXXVI. THE NEW KING AND HIS ROYAL MOTHER .518 CHAPTER XXXVII THE KING IN MAGNIFICENT STATE OPENS PARLIAMENT 529 < > o en Ul I Q Z < I- cc o CO z o o UJ o z cc z UJ UJ 3 o UJ I I- ^ THE QUEEN ATTENDING TO THE MORNING'S NEWS PART I. Queen Victoria and Her Reign. CHAPTER I. Alarming News from the Royal Palace. ON January 19, 1901, the following bulletin was issued from Osborne, the royal residence of Queen Victoria on the Isle of Wight: "The Queen is suffering from great physical prostration, accompanied by symptoms which cause much anxiety." The bulletin was signed by the Queen's medical attendants, A. Douglass Powell and James Reid. The bulletin was posted at the Mansion House in London at three o'clock and attracted crowds of people, whose faces sufficiently attested their deep concern. The people thereafter stood about in knots, discussing the bulletin and waiting further news. During the course of the afternoon sinister rumors commenced to circulate of the death of Her Majesty, but at four o'clock Lord Edward Pelham-Clinton, the Master of the Queen's Household, telegraphed to Buckingham Palace that the Queen's condition was unchanged since the noon bulletin was issued. The Duke of Con- naught was summoned by telegraph from Berlin, where he was attending the Prussian bi-centenary celebration. The inner circle of the Cabinet met under the presidency of Lord Salisbury. While it was announced that the occasion was 2 17 18 ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. merely an ordinary meeting of the Defence Committee of the Ministry there was good reason to believe it was more directly con- nected with the serious news from Osborne. The gravest informa- tion came from a high medical authority in regard to the health of the Queen. The symptoms of a malady which would be curable in the case of a person enjoying youth and a good constitution appeared, and caused the most serious apprehensions in the minds of the medical advisers in attendance. The nearest members of the royal family, including the Prince of Wales and the Princess Louise, cancelled all their engagements and went to Osborne. Sir James Reid, physician extraordinary to Her Majesty, was in constant attendance on the Queen, and Sir Francis Henry Laking, surgeon, was also summoned to Osborne. OLDEST ENGLISH SOVEREIGN. On January i8th the Queen passed the date when she became the oldest sovereign that ever reigned in Kngland, having lived eighty-one years and 239 days, which was exactly the age of her grandfather George HI. The Queen's reign had been so long and her hold upon the aflfections of ever^^ one of her subjects was so strong that she became in the popular heart the personification of the enduring empire over which she held sway. Never before had the possibility of her death been discussed as a factor in any ques- tion, political, social or otherwise, in this country. What more touching evidence than that could be given by an unemotional, calculating people of the estimation in which they held their aged sovereign ? Suddenly the subject of her demise was forced upon them. The alarming rumors of the previous two or three weeks gave place to knowledge only too well authenticated, and it was impossible to longer deny that Her Majesty was seriously ill. The collapse of her energies began with the recent death of Dowager Lady Churchill, senior lady of the bedchamber. Her Majesty's oldest and most intimate friend. The collapse first took the form of nervous depression and melancholia. Symptoms of catarrh of the stomach appeared a few days before, and although there was a slight amel- ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL tALACE. 19 ioration of this malad}^, her general condition showed a steady decline, which greatly alarmed her medical attendants. It must be remembered that the Queen for many years had shown a chronic tendency toward difficulty in breathing, which had been combatted by her spending hours in the open air daily in all sorts of weather. Her drives were kept up almost to the last. Their abandonment was in itself a serious matter. There was reason to fear that the Victorian era had almost closed, and that the woman whose days had passed the limit of those of any previous British sovereign must soon lay down the sceptre of the Empire on which the sun never sets. RELEASED FROM PUBLIC DUTIES. The following was issued on the night of January i8th, by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Arthur John Bigge, Her Majesty's private secretary : " The Queen during the past year has had a great strain upon her powers, which has told upon Her Majesty's nervous system. It has, therefore, been thought advisable by Her Majesty's physicians that the Queen should be kept perfectly quiet in the house and should abstain for the present from the trans- action of business. " An eye-witness of the scene in London when the news of the Queen's approaching death was made public, thus describes the gloom that overshadowed the entire populace : " To-day has been a sad one for England. I have seen London in time of great catastrophe, as only a little while ago when Englishmen were being mown down in the Transvaal, but never have I seen emotion such as I witnessed this day. Love for the Queen has been reflected all day in the saddest lot of faces it would be possible to meet. It may be said that the English are a sad race. You should see them to-day, for there is none but believes that the end is nigh. Only a few minutes ago the rumor v/ent round that the Queen was dead and that her death was being concealed. I stepped into a fashionable house, where a bridge party was going on. Although always full of daylight, as usual, when the ^6 ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. all-absorbing game wa.s played, the curtains were drawn and artifi- cial light was turned on. All stopped to hear the news. " Very serious," "Poor Queen," were the comments, and conversation turned to the question what kind of a King the Prince of Wales would make and how he would get on with the Kaiser. Thus they talked in the yellow light. Those were the worldly people. With the working middle class the talk was different. It was this kind of thing : ''The Queen is ill," " She's going to die," " Don't say that, what would old England do without the Queen ?" That class appears simply unable to realize such a contingency as the death of the Queen. It will not hear of it. " The clubs were full and members swarmed around the tele- graph boards each time a new dispatch was put up. The first bulletin came about two o'clock in the afternoon and told the whole story in fourteen words. Surely those royal doctors are past masters in the art of precise writing, but all understood. The papers had tried yesterday to make light of the matter, and even this morning had said the trouble was not serious. Some went so far as to say that no instructions had been given the Southwestern Railroad to be prepared for any emergency, that the Prince was going down to Sandringham, and it was a false alarm. ROYAL FAMILY SUMMONED. " Then of a sudden all this was reversed. One after another telegrams began to appear on the boards. First the Prince was going down to Osborne. Another said the Princess had been hastily summoned from the country. But the one that struck club men most with the seriousness of the situation stated the German Kmperor was expected at Osborne. All the rest of the family, it was admitted, might go without the case being too serious, but the ' Kaiser, that was quite another thing. " As I write, early in the morning, men who usually get to bed early, nurse illnesses or mention their health are sitting up hour after hour waiting for news. The Sunday newspaper staffs will get no rest at all. They will maintain a constant vigil. The staffs of some of the afternoon papers are also alert with a view to CORONATION OF QUEEN VICTORIA ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. 21 getting out special editions. Their doors are being crowded by hawkers, who, with the keenness of their race, scent special news with which they might flood the town at any moment. " Fleet street was a sight to behold in the afternoon. There was a great display of bills in the hands of newspaper sellers, which were covered with huge letters. All bore the same ominous statements, ' Dangerous Illness of Queen,' ^ Condition More Serious.' The papers doubled their usual sales. One dispatch told of dangerous internal complications which had been added to her other troubles. " Lord Salisbury was caught at the Foreign Office. He denied that he had any advices which confirmed the report brought to him that Her Majesty had died. All the Ministers are in town, for, of course, if anything happened, a meeting would at once be held and a regency declared, since no monarch can ascend the English throne without the assent of Parliament. The Prince, I heard, looked fearfully anxious when he started on his journey. GREAT ANXIETY FOR NEWS. '* In the theatres, between the acts, there was a general rush out to buy papers and find out whether extra specials had appeared. At half-past eleven o'clock in the evening the streets were swept with an avalanche of boys who ran, screaming at the top of their lungs, news which might have been anything. This sent a thrill of anxiety through the town, but it was merely the reassuring statement, if any can so be called, that there was a slight improve- ment, but the condition of Her Majesty was most grave. The Foreign Office is deluged with telegrams." In accordance with the constitutional practice of Great Britain it is necessary that when the sovereign is incapacitated from the transaction of the business of the State, Parliament should meet at the earliest possible moment to appoint a regency. In accordance with the request of the Cabinet the Prince of Wales assumed such powers as were absolutely necessary to insure that there should be no break in the executive functions of the sovereign. An immense amount of State documents req^uire the authon- 22 ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. zation of the royal sign manual. When George III. became mentally afflicted the then Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV.. assumed the regency as heir to the throne, receiving confirm aijjiion of his acts so far exercised in this capacity by Parliament, especially convoked for the purpose. The precedent was one to be followed in the event of the Queen lingering for any length of time. It is remarkable that the Queen's vitality throughout her long reign was so extra- ordinar}?- that the occasion had never arisen until the present moment for the abdication of her executive functions. For three days the Queen had been kept strictly to herself. The last time she drove out, in Cowes, the rain beat down heavily upon her. Even the natives, who had grown to look upon Her Majesty as an ordinary person, noticed that she looked more delicate and shrunken than ever — a mere shadow of her former self — yet, v/ith feminine persistence, the Queen forbade those around her to say that she was ill. TROUBLES OF THE SOVEREIGN. The Victorian tradition and etiquette decreed that she was never ill, so with dogged determination she fought off the ravages that worry over the Boer war, deaths in her own family and increasing years had brought upon her. But against ruthless nature the imperial resolve proved futile, and with a pitiful realiza- tion of the inevitable she shut herself off from her retinue. For two nights she dined alone, and never stirred from the apartments she occupied at Osborne. Humbly — for this tiny woman ruled her court with no uncer- tain hand — her court officials implored her to seek medical advice. These messages she steadfastly ignored, and although her condition was admitted to be most serious, there were only in attendance Drs. Powell and Reid. Her Majesty lay helpless and almost speechless in her bed in Osborne House, surrounded by every comfort. Fruits, flowers, ice and all the accessories of modern medicine were at hand. Osborne House is buried amid a gloomy park of furs. It is brightly lit outside. The wind comes up from the Channel and surges through the trees like a dirge. ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. 23 A mile away stands the lodge. Beyond its portals none but the household can pass. On them, without the sovereign's knowledge, were posted bulletins announcing her condition. For all the excitement or interest evident locally, it might not have been known that a " Scottish Laird was dying in his mountain fastness. " Beyond the bulletins, nothing official was obtainable, but not a soul connected with Osborne House seemed to believe that Her Majesty could survive this attack. Never in the memory of her subjects had the Queen been ill before, and now at her advanced age she had been stricken, it seemed to those who lived around her that it was impossible for her to recover. The village wiseacres who had seen her from childhood, wagged their heads and said it was a sad day for England. The official bulletins may safely be described as optimistic. Their vagueness in describing the Queen's ailment were accepted as merely official evasions of the facts. The statement that it was paralysis from which the Queen was suffering was based upon the highest possible authority. The extreme weakness of Her Majesty and the loss of all her faculties appear to be the chief cause for anxiety. Stimulants were being freely administered. HER CONDITION NOT MADE KNOWN. In this connection it was learned that she was seriously ill when at Balmoral in the autumn. No word of this became public, but it appeared that she was then almost dying, though that rigorous etiquette which she imposed alike on her family and attendants prevented her condition being even spoken of as dangerous. The present stroke was a sequel to what occured at Balmoral. If she survived it she would prove herself to be not only the longest lived monarch in England's history, but also the possessor of the most marvelous constitution with which a woman was ever endowed. From a correspondent who had every facility for learning the situation from hour to hour we take the following graphic account under date of January 19th : " Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Empress of India lies 24 ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE- on lier deathbed to-night in Osborne House, on the Isle of Wight. The Prince of Wales, who will be King Edward VII.^ and other members of the royal family are at the aged sovereign's bedside. The Emperor of Germany has been summoned. The Queen is in a critical condition, and how soon she will pass away none will venture to predict. The physicians and royal family have aban- doned all hope. The Queen's recuperative powers have failed, though her marvellous constitution may enable her to linger a short time. " After the physicians' report, instant messages were sent to Lord Salisbury and Home Secretary Ritchie, urging their of&cial attendance at Osborne House, to be present at the end. At one time during to-day the physicians feared almost immediate death. Then came a slight rally, reviving hopes that the aged sovereign may last some time. By the bedside are the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke of York, and the Princesses Louise, Beatrice, and Christian. In the ante-rooms are many of lesser rank. Scarcely anyone sleeps to-night at Osborne House. Each moment ij* one of extreme anxiety, hoping for the best, fearing the w^orst. EMPEROR OF GERMANY HURRYING TO OSBORNE. " Meantime, the Emperor of Germany, having dropped every public duty and cancelled every official function, is making the wildest royal dash across Europe ever seen, in order to reach his grandmother's bedside before it is too late. ' Make your best time !' was the order to the railway managers in Berlin, as the train started for Flushing, Holland. There the fast British cruiser meets the Emperor to take him direct to Cowes. All afternoon and evening the old royal yacht, 'Alberta,' has been speeding back and forth across the Solent from Portsmouth and Cowes, carrying the members of the royal family to Osborne House. A fierce gale stirred up the narrow channel, reduced royalty to the verge of sea- sickness and drenched its members with spray. "All this crisis came like a flash at noon, and all England mourns. The Queen's physician in the morning had issued a reassuring bulletin, and royalty had started to carry out its usuaJ ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. 25 social plans. The old Duke of Cambridge Had a Sunday dinner appointment in Paris, but before leaving London he made particu- lar inquiries as to whether there was any danger of death in the royal household at Osborne. Later, alarming dispatches came up to London that the Queen was at the point of death, and royalty dropped everything and fled toward Osborne as swiftly as special trains could carry them from every part of Bngland. A dozen messages flew after Cambridge to overhaul him on his way to Paris. "All round Europe went alarming tidings to the Kaiser, the Czar, the King of the Belgians, the King of Greece, the King of Denmark, and to all the scores of the Queen's descendants, princes great and small. The saddest of all was the message to the Queen's eldest daughter. Dowager Empress of Germany. She is too ill to move, and is believed to be destined soon to die herself The Cabinet ministers in London dropped all thoughts of African warfare, the Nicaragua treaties, and China complications. THE PREMIER AWAITING THE END. " Lord Salisbury remained at his of&ces far into the night to act the moment the Prime Minister might be summoned to perform his sad but great duty in saluting and proclaiming the new sover- eign in the last hour. No delays are allowed by law and custom, Avhich compel the Premier and the Home Secretary to salute the new monarch as soon as the djnng sovereign breathes her last breath. Lord Melbourne, the Premier, years ago awakened Vic- toria in the middle of the night to salute her as Queen. Sunday the 20th, began with a touching scene at the Royal Palace. Amid the bright sunshine, in marked contrast to the gloomy skies of Saturday, there drove out from the palace grounds a carriage containing wreaths for the tomb of Prince Henry of Battenberg in the little church at Whippingham, about ten minutes' drive from the royal residence. Then followed carriages containing the Princess of Wales, the Princess of Battenberg, Princess Louise and others, all dressed in the deepest black. The face of the Princess of Wales showed signs of the anxiety she was undergoing. 26 ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. The annual memorial service for Prince Henry, always a saa occasion, was more than usually sorrowful, for the shadow of a still greater bereavement was uppermost in all minds. The Princess of Wales and the Princess of Battenberg sobbed bitterly, and there was scarcely one of those royal heads bent in prayer that did not shake with a grief which could not be suppressed. The departure of the Prince of Wales for London, shortly at 12 o'clock to meet Emperor William, was quietly accomplished.^ The Queen had been informed of the Kaiser's coming, and had signified her desire that the Prince should go to meet him. Rather against his will, the man who for the moment was prac- tically the King of England, obeyed his mother's wishes. It was rumored that the Queen wanted the Emperor to postpone his visit to Osborne House, as she did not wish to receive him in her present condition. Apparently, in her lucid moments, she believed she would be able to conquer the dread disease which had fastened itself upon her. POPULACE ANXIOUS ABOUT THE QUEEN. During the afternoon the long hilly road to the palace grounds was crowded with people, particularly young men and women arrayed in their Sunday garb, dotting the landscape with vivid patches of color. The local gentry, after church service, wrote their names in the visitors' book at the lodge, which contains no signatures that would mean anything to the world outside of the Isle of Wight. Inquiries of importance all came by telegram, and these were legion. Hundreds of people, all sorts and conditions of men, clergymen predominating, flooded Cowes with telegrams asking for the latest news. A swarm of country people, among whom correspondents from all quarters of the globe mingled, ceaselessly converged toward the lodge gates. Their inquiries generally took the form of a timid "How is she?" addressed to the policemen, who barred all comers, and an inquirer who had been answered would be immediately surrounded by others less bold, who sought the news. ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. 27 When night fell the countryside became deserted, save for the newspaper watchers, who waited wearily in the lodge. In the distance could be seen the faint glimmer of the lights of the palace. Strict injunctions had been given to the court attendants and the Osborne House employees to make no answer to any inquiries except by referring to the official bulletins. Nevertheless any yokel who had ever been on an errand to the castle was willing to detail minutely what was wrong with the Queen. In fact, the most circumstantial stories of various ailments were currently accepted, where the fact of the Queen's paralytic stroke was generally unknown. ' ' All English hearts are full of sorrow at the news of the Queen's serious illness. More than that cannot be said at this juncture." Lord Pauncefote, the British Ambassador at Washington, ex- pressed himself in this way on receiving the dispatch saying that the Queen was seriously ill and that the doctors affirmed that she was dying. "I am afraid," continued Lord Pauncefote, " that there is no hope. We have all here at the Embassy been profoundly touched by the news." GREAT ANXIETY AND SUSPENSE. Throughout the United Kingdom Sunday the 20th was a day of anxiety and suspense. No one in England, outside the circle of the court, knew the real condition of the Queen or the nature of her disease. The bulletins threw but little light on the universal question whether death was imminent. The London newspapers had not learned that Her Majesty had suffered a shock of paralysis. Extra editions of the Sunday papers contained no information beyond the official bulletins, but there were many of them, and they were eagerly bought. There were small gatherings in the vicinity of Buckingham Palace and Marlborough House, as well as other centres where the bulletins were posted. Crowds assembled to witness the arrival of Emperor William of Germany, grandson of Victoria. Apart from such incidents, 28 ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. however, the customary quiet of a London Sunday was not dis- turbed. The most alarming reports of the day came in the form of telegrams from the Princesses at Osborne House. The coming of Emperor William and the news that King Leopold was about starting for London inspired fears that death was at hand. On the other hand, the fact that the Prince of Wales was able to leave Osborne House had an encouraging effect. When the Prince arrived from Osborne at Victoria Station, London, at four o'clock, with Sir Francis Knollys attending, several hundred people were there to greet him. But there was no demonstration beyond a respectful raising of hats. The Earl of Clarendon and the Earl of Pembroke received the Prince. When they inquired regarding the Queen's condition, he replied : '' You see they have let me come away." CRUISER FOR THE GERMAN EMPEROR. The Government had arranged to send the fast cruiser Minerva to bring Emperor William, but he embarked on a mail packet for England before he learned of the plans, being accompanied by the Duke of Connaught. The steamer had a rough passage and on entering Sheerness Harbor she went by the warships without any ceremonies. Admiral Kennedy and Count von Mirbach, of the German Embassy, received the Emperor and escorted him to a special waiting room. Two hours before His Majesty's train was due in London people began to gather about Charing Cross Station. The crowd included not only the usual hangers-on, but many fashionable people and hundreds of Germans, anxious to see the Emperor on his first appearance in London for years. The throng became so large that the railroad authorities erected wooden barriers, and a hundred of the tallest police of the metropolitan force, with squads of mounted men, lined up the people on the streets, forming |a lane for two blocks, to Nelson's Monument, in Trafalgar Square. Through this lane moved a procession of royal carriages, each bearing two footmen in yellow liveries behind. The carriages entered the railway station and drew up near the track. The Prince of Wales arrived just before the train entered the THOMAS SULLY'S FAMOUS PORTRAIT OF THE QUEEN ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. 29 station, which was at 6.20 P. M, Duke of York, Prince Christian, Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein and Prince Arthur of Con- naught completed the group of royal personages. Emperor William stepped out of a saloon car, wearing a traveling suit and a soft hat. He saluted the Prince of Wales by kissing him on both cheeks, and the Prince returned a similar salutation. He then embraced the Duke of York, and shook hands with the others.- The people who looked on as the carriages drove off uncovered their heads, and Emperor William and the Prince of Wales acknowledged the courtesy by raising their hats. No cheers broke the mournful silence. PRAYERS IN ALL THE CHURCHES. The crowd in the vicinity of Buckingham Palace maintained the same demeanor when the Emperor and Prince of Wales entered the grounds. At 10 P. M. the Prince of Wales began a conversa- tion by telephone with Osborne House, which lasted nearly an hour. As a result of this the Emperor and the Prince decided to start for Osborne the next morning, the 21st. Orders were given that a royal yacht should be kept in waiting to convey them to the Isle of Wight. During the day the members of the Diplomatic Corps and other notable persons entered their names in the visitor's book at Buckingham Palace. In churches of all denominations prayers were offered at the morning services, and in most of them the latest bulletin regarding the Queen's condition was read. The chief rabbi requested special prayers. The following notice was read in the Roman Catholic Pro-Cathedral at Kensington : " The prayers of the congregation are asked for her Majesty, the Queen, the condition of whose health is a cause of anxiety and sorrow to us all. We pray that by God's help her Majesty's recovery may be speedy and complete." The Dean of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, read the prayer for a sick person when there is little hope of recover}^, beginning, " For as much as in all appearance the time of her dissolution draweth near." 30 ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. The bulletin issued at midnight was too late to become known " in London, except to a very few. This morning's newspapers threw off all pretense of any possibility of recovery, and they sadly admitted that the end might come at any moment. " While there is life there is hope," they said, and the Queen's constitution was marvelously strong ; but it was idle to deny that danger was extreme. Therefore, the papers proceeded to review her Majesty's long and illustrious reign as though she were no more, and to dilate upon the wonderful influence she wielded in European politics for so many years. " We all know," said one journal, " that there is danger of losing perhaps the greatest personal force of our times." Another recalled the fact that even Bismarck, who detested femi- nine interference in politics, formed an estimate of the Queen after a personal interview with her, which bordered on the idolatrous, and it added : " This is one of the most striking tributes ever paid to a great character." . EYES OF THE WORLD TURNED TO ENGLAND. A bright spot in the universal gloom was the unexpectedly prompt sympathy displayed by Bmperor William in giving up important engagements to come to the deathbed of his grandmother. This was calculated to endear his name to every Englishman. Speaking for the nation the London Times said : " There is but one sentiment to-day in the hearts of English-speaking people throughout the world. Their eyes are turned in keen anxiety to the sick bed where lies the venerable sovereign who commands not merely the royalty but the personal affection of countless millions. It needs no great medical knowledge to understand the meaning of the latest bulletin. We must admit, however, that all our hopes and fears are alike based upon very imperfect knowledge. We can only await the result and bear the painful suspense with such calmness and fortitude as we are able to summon to our aid. " History affords but few examples of rulers who have won the deep personal affection and regard enjoyed by our beloved Queen. Even among those not of our blood or speech, even among those ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. 31 who have little that is kind to say of the British people, there are unstinted sympathy and M^arm regard for the British Queen. Were we more like her, were our official and individual relations with foreigners carried on with more of her catholic urbanity and graciousness, who knows but that we, too, should win something of the kindly regard testified to-day in every foreign capital ?" Referring to the presence of the Kaiser, the Times said : " His presence is Germany's homage to those very human feelings and sympathies so uniformly displayed by the Queen. As such it will be understood here and be all the more honored and appreciated because it involves a certain lofty disregard of mere politics. As such we do not doubt it will be understood in all other countries, and it will be watched with respectful sympathy." PUBLIC TRIBUTES TO THE QUEEN. Similar testimony to Emperor William's touching action found place in almost all the editorials. One journal said : " If the Queen were aware of the German Emperor's arrival, the circum- stances could hardly fail to bring some satisfaction to her mind. It is a consolation, in this hour of national distress, to listen to the universal chorus of respectful esteem which Her Majesty's illness has evoked abroad. In the United States the progress of the patient has been watched as anxiously as in London, and the bitterest critics of England have only words of respect for Eng- land's Queen." Another journal said : " Out of the most reverent and profound respect for our sovereign we must stand silent before the soitow which holds us. The love and admiration of her subjects are, unhappily, of no avail. Nothing in these dark days, when sorrow is heavy on us, will have so sweet an effect on the minds of the fQueen's subjects throughout the world as the arrival of Emperor William." Still another said : " A precious and beloved existence hovers at last upon the brink of the great mystery. A life of lives is drooping toward the valley of shadow, and the empire waits in its silence and its sorrow. 32 ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. " But beyond the Empire are the unexampled sympathy, con- cern and wonderful homage of mankind. Emperor William, above all, has expressed all this wonderful feeling, not in word, but in act, with a truth and fervor of natural affection which England will never forget. It is one of the saddest circumstances of the hour that Empress Frederick is not able to be present. Therefore, Emperor William's presence is doubly dutiful, and at Osborne House it will be doubly dear." Proceeding to refer in detail to the sympathy displayed in all parts of the globe, it says : " For the American people the char- acter and domestic example of the Anglo-Saxon ideal. They have been regarded as hardly less the possession of the United States than of ourselves, and they have gone far to restore the moral unity of the race and to heal the worst effects of its political situation." PUBLIC FUNCTIONS ABANDONED. Some idea of the effect of the news of the Queen's illness ma}^ be gathered, when it is mentioned that one hotel management in Eondon countermanded no fewer than four hundred orders for din- ners and suppers for one night, and nearly six hundred for the next night. Several hunt county balls announced to take place were cancelled. Managers of theatres were terribl}^ anxious, for already the books were beginning to announce a large drop in the advance booking. It was the same everywhere. Everybody feared for the future, and hesitated, naturally enough, under the circumstances, to make any arrangements for more than a few hours ahead. The serious and fatal illness of Queen Victoria was univer- sally deplored. Thackeray's tribute to one of the Queen's prede- cessors on the throne, ^'I am sure the future painter of our man-'; ners will pay a willing allegiance to that good name and be loyal to the memory of that unsullied virtue," can be applied to Victoria with much greater fidelity to fact. She is sure to live in the chroni- cles of her country as the " Good " Queen. The illness of no other monarch could have given the world more concern, or excited such general sympathy and regret. THE QUEEN AT HOME: BREAKFAST IN THE OPEN AIR o H < S| CO Z HI ~ cc CL Ul I u. O w z o I- co oc u z q: O o UJ I H O z 5 z UJ LU C? u' X I- THE PRINCESS OF WALES RECEIVING THE QUEEN AT THE GANGWAY OF THE ROYAL YACHT " OSBORNE" AT COWES 03 H > H m :o m o m T3 H o Z :o ■< m H I m O c m > H ^^ Si I- "^ l- m -.;-.^.>BS^^?9?' ASHANTI EXPEDITION: THE QUEEN BIDDING FAREWELL TO THE SCOTS GUARDS AT WINDSOR EMPEROR WILLIAM OF GERMANY, GRANDSON OF QUEEN VICTORIA THE QUEEN AT BALMORAL STARTING FOR A MORNING DRIVE GENEALOGICAL TREE OF THE QUEEN AND HER DEGENDANTS VISIT OF LI-HUNG CHANG, CHINESE VICEROY, TO THE QUEEN AT OSBORNE ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. Rulers whose personal qualities inspire respect akin to affec- tion beyond tlie confines of tlieir own realms are rare. In this respect ^.^ictoria stood almost alone among the leading contem- porary sovereigns. Without any acknoAvledgment or recognition of the divine right of kings, without yielding any tenet of popular government, it is a cause for rejoicing that one of the greatest of empires has been ruled during two-thirds of a century by a woman who personifies the domestic virtues and who has been accepted by her people, as one of the Queen's admirers puts it, as " the pattern and paragon of womanhood.'' Victor Hugo, in recalling the many men and women of high and low estate that he had known, said in a beautiful generaliz- ation of his esti- ^^:S^^ __ _ mate of humanity that there is onl}^ one thing before which we should kneel, and that is "goodness." This is the hom- age that the world in spirit paid to the stricken Queen. The re- gal state and the sceptred race strike the imagi- nation ; but the old Westminster hall. womanly virtues of Victoria, her maternal love, her lifelong, touching devotion to the memory of the Prince Consort, the picture of domestic felicity in which she is represented as the central and venerable figure, appeal to the common heart. All people were moved by tender influences and inspirations and sympathized with the aged monarch, who was yielding at last to the weight of years, to the ceaseless responsibilities of sover- eignty, from which no rank nor station is exempt. 3 34 ALARMING NEWS FROM THE ROYAL PALACE. It was unfortunate that tlie waning years of the Queen's lite were clouded by war. A few years before her death she depre- cated war, and confidentl}^ expressed the hope that Bngland would have no more war during her reign. It is lamentable that the aged Queen's desire that there should be no war in the brief span of life remaining to her was not fulfilled, and that the end of her reign could not have been as tranquil as its beginning. The solicitude of the British masses for their stricken ruler was not founded upon an exaggerated estimate of the qualities of royal personages. The correspondent of a New York journal said of her : " There has been a homliness in her domestic life throughout which has attracted the middle classes. No sovereign living has insisted more strenuously upon royal prerogatives, or has more jealously. guarded her ro37al interests. Along, however, with this rigidity in ceremonial life there has been a steady devotion to duties, and a complete absence of ostentatious show and of theatri- cal effects in inner life of the Queen's court. On this foundation there has been reared during the last fifteen years a kind of legend- ary idyl, domestic and pastoral, around Her Majesty. " Miich has been said and written in America of the " traditional " dislike for England. Whatever may be the extent or depth of the American antipathy to Great Britain, it has not survived against Queen Victoria. The American comment upon her personalit}/ and her demise was as appreciative of her womanly characteristics and of her reign, so far as she has given it color, as that of the English journals. It will be fortunate for the realm if the ideals of royal dignity, duty and domesticity which Englishmen associate with Victoria are realized in the future representatives of her dynasty. CHAPTER II. Love and Veneration for the Dying Queen. DURING her last illness, when her brain was clear, the Queen immediately reverted to the horrors of the war in South Africa. Again and again she harped upon the war. This war, which she strove with all her power to avert, made the last hours of England's Queen, who reigned happily longer than most men live, very wTetched and miserable. In her lucid intervals it haunted her incessantly. The Queen's strong constitution manifested the first symp- toms of serious decay during the stay of the court at Windsor in November and December of 1899, when evil tidings of the South African war, which began the previous October, began to arrive in rapid succession. The Queen did not look for any serious disaster to her army. She expected nothing but a series of quick, easy victories. Instead, disaster followed disaster every few days. Gen- eral Buller, before leaving England for the South African cam- paign, assured the Queen that the war would be " difificult but not dangerous." In consequence the news of the many reverses came to her with added severity. She felt that she had been deceived. It was at this time that the Queen had her fits of crying in an aggravated form, which immediately preceded her critical illness. HER VISIT TO IRELAND. The excitement incidental to her visit to Ireland — which, despite everything stated to the contrary, was her own idea — seemed to revive her, but before the visit ended a reaction had set in. The public, however, was entertained by the accounts of her Majesty's doings and utterances given to the newspapers by her household. Unusual care was taken to have her alleged replies to addresses and other evidences of mental activity set before the public. In reality the Queen's remarkable powers were passing into a hopeless decline. When she went to Balmoral, her Highland home, her spirits revived under the influence of General Roberts' brilliant achieve- 35 36 LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. ments in the South African war, but the improvement was short. It had always been a source of wonder to her physicians that, with her great appetite and physique, she had escaped an apoplectic stroke, but about this time there was a falling awa}^ of her left side, accompanied by a loss of power in her left arm and leg. These symptoms caused apprehensions of approaching paralysis. So alarming was her condition, that the Royal Family abandoned all idea of making a trip to the Continent, which, it had been hoped, would revive the Queen mentally and physically. Unfavorable war news and reports of the acute suffering of her dying daughter, Empress Frederick, affected the Queen keenly. She suffered with increasing frequency from fits of depres- sion and crying. She referred constantly to the death of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Bdinburgh), and expressed a wish to seethe Duchess. Accordingly, the latter was summoned to Osborne, but at the first interview the Duchess left the Queen prostrated with grief. In the midst of these troubles came the sudden and unex- pected death of her oldest and dearest friend, the Dowager Lady Churchill, Senior Lady of the Bedchamber and member of the Royal Household for forty-six years. PRINCE SINGING TO HIS GRANDMOTHER. While the Queen was sleepless at night she also had strange fits of drowsiness in the daytime. When her mind was clear she tried valiantly to combat this failing. The Court officials also worked hard to keep her from sleeping at the wrong time. The last time she drove outside the grounds at Osborne the villagers of East Cowes were astounded to hear the clear treble of the son of the Princess of Battenberg trilling out popular songs from the Royal carriage. The boy was singing to keep his grandmother awake in obedience to her wishes. Now and again she dozed, wakenings to tell the boy to continue his chant, which to the initiated on- looker contained a world of pathos. The Queen drove about in her donkey chaise within the grounds of Osborne House for the last time on Tuesday, January 15th. The Duchess of Bdinburgh or Saxe-Coburg was her com- LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. 37 panion. Ou her return to tlie castle the Queen was asleep. In that condition she was carried to her bed, never to rise again. Dr. Pagenstecher, the German oculist, who was attending the Duke of Somerset for an injury to his eye, was summoned to Os- borne. The Queen suffered acutely from her eyes owing to her constant crying. Dr. Pagenstecher made a general examination on Monday, the 14th, and reported that the Queen had nothing organically wrong, but was suffering from nervous exhaustion. DISTRESSED ABOUT THE WAR. In her periods of mental activity she harped so incessantly upon the war that Colonial Secretary Chamberlain was commanded to go to Osborne to console her with reassuring news. Mr. Cham- berlain led the war party when the Queen favored peace in South Africa. It was not a wise thing, as, it turned out, for her house- hold to summon Chamberlain. His efforts to console the Queen were fruitless, and she abruptly closed the conference. Subse- quently Lord Roberts was directed to appear at Osborne. He did not attempt to deceive the Queen, but frankly explained the difiE- culties which had to be overcome before the war in South Africa be terminated. The interview lasted some time, and it was the last time that the Queen displayed the wide knowledge and shrewd common sense which played such an important part in her long reign. It was after the Roberts interview that the Queen, accom- panied by the Duchess of Edinburgh, went for the drive already mentioned. Two weeks before the public knew of it Sir Francis Laking had been assisting Sir James Reid at Osborne. On Thursday, the 17th, Sir Douglas Powell, the famous heart and lung specialist, was summoned to Osborne because of two attacks of heart failure from which the Queen suffered on Wednesday night, and which occasioned alarm. At- that time the Queen's condition had assumed the gravest complexion, but the Prince of Wales, in order to prevent public alarm or suspicion, attended a dinner given to Lord Roberts, and subsequently appeared at the theatre on Thursday night. On 38 LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. Thursday the Queen had a stroke of paralysis. Then she went into a comatose condition, rallying only once in awhile to ask : — " Is the war " Much difficulty was experienced in administering nourish- ment, for she appeared unable to masticate. To this weakness were probably due the long spells of unconsciousness through which she passed, although it is almost impossible to distinguish them from the insidious encroachments of paralysis. Meanwhile the nations of Europe were profoundly moved, and the intense feeling was reflected in the newspaper press. So far as Paris was concerned, the interest regarding Queen Victoria was rather sensational than sympathetic. The bitter anti-British feel- ing of the boulevards, the expression of which was generally vented in denunciation of the policy in South Africa, tinged most of the press comments. The Temps 2.VL.dL Journal des Debats were the most moderate of the prominent papers. GRANDEST PERIOD IN HISTORY. The Temps said : "Whatever the verdict of posterity may be upon the* war, the sanguinary occurrences of which have darkly crimsoned the glory of the Queen's declining years, and no matter what responsibility can be attached to Her Majesty for the British imperialistic policy, nobody will hesitate to affirm that the sixty-four years' reign of Victoria has been one ofthegraudestperiods in British history. Victoria has been the model of a constitutional sovereign. She incarnated the Empire, its unity, grandeur, and traditions. She did not deserve to bear the burden of the aggressive policy of violence and disaster of a Chamberlain. ^\i^ Journal des Debais declared that the war had been a great sadness for the Queen, who was kept in ignorance of the facts. She did not deserve that this be added to her other griefs. A large number of educated Parisians were stirred with genuine emotion. They entertained reverence for the Queen, appreciated her qualities and did not share the rancor of the hotheads. Prayers for Her Majesty's recovery were offered in all the English churches in Paris. LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. 39 The information regarding the grave condition of Queen Vic- toria caused a sensation in St. Petersburg. After it was received there was a constant stream of carriages arriving at the British Embassy, the occupants anxiously inquiring for the latest informa- tion concerning Her Majesty. With an unanimity that scarcely any other event could have awakened the congregations of worshippers throughout G real: Britain on Sunday turned their thoughts to Osborne and joined in prayers in behalf of the aged sovereign. In this Jews, Romaiiis'.s, Epis- copalians, and all the Nonconformist sects were at one, the sole difference in their supplication being in the outward ritual. At St. Paul's cathedral the preacher, the Rev. Prebendary Whitworth^ made no special reference to Her Majesty in his sermon, but re quested the congregation to make special prayers for lier recover^' THE SHADOW OF A GREAT CALAMITY. The service in Westminister Abbey was exceptionally impres- sive. The preacher, the Rev. R. Wilson, said the people had met under the shadow of a great fear, which must send them ay a nation to their knees in humble, heartfelt prayer to God. Nothing of more serious import could occur than the event that was to- day happening. It would cause them to look to God with the most conscious humility. There was a large attendance at the Chapel Royalj St. James's. Dr. Sheppard, the Sub-Dean, ofEciated. He asked during the Litany for the prayers of the congregation " for the Queen, who is seriously ill." Before the sermon Dr. Sheppard read the midday bulletin, adding : " Let us pray God that this life, so precious to the country, may yet be spared in spite of the news that reaches us now." He took his text from Corinthians : "Some are fallen asleep." At Canterbury Cathedral the Bishop of Dover said in his sermon that the people were anxious as they had never been before. They loved the Queen with a love that few sover- eigns have ever elicited. They had rejoiced at her true example and shared her many sorrows. At St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburg, the Rev. Cameron Lees, 40 LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. a personal friend of tlie Queen, referred to the event as startling, solemnizing every one. He added tliat the duty of the hour was to be calm, to put trust in God, and to commend to His gracious and tender keeping, whether for life or death, in the strength of the beautiful and simple faith which had wonderfully and so long supported her. On Monday morning, the 21st, London abandoned hope of the Queen's recovery. The grave midnight message from Osborne destroyed the last vestige of confidence that the skill of Her Majesty's physicians would prevail. All the morning papers viewed the situation despairingly, admitting that the end of the happiest and most glorious reign England has ever known was at hand. "HER CONDITION IS VERY GRAVE." Waking London was griefstricken beyond the power of words. It was expected that late despatches from Osborne would cause the Prince of Wales and the German Emperor to depart at once for the Isle of V/ight. The Kaiser occupied the rcyal apartments in Buckingham Palace. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York went to Marlborough House. The announcement about the Queen that greeted clubmen as they hastily rushed to the telegraph board seemed to extin- guish all hope in those who scanned it. It read : " 7.15 A. M. The Queen is alive, but her condition is very grave." Bulletins posted outside of Buckingham Palace and Marl- borough House said that her condition was unchanged. From time to time during the morning and afternoon telegrams came telling of the movements of royalties. There was a crowd outside of Buckingham Palace and Marlborough House. Many persons had waited all night. The notices given were on white sheets of paper and were posted on small boards six inches by twelve, as primitive as anything could be. Poor " Bobby," alias the policemen, had a very hard time of it. Persons in the crowd kept asking him a multitude of questions which would have turned the brain of a chartered accountant. As LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. 41 a rule, they insisted that lie had the news up his sleeve which he was concealing. Someone asked a policeman outside of Bucking- ham Palace whether the whole thing was not gotten up to stimu- late volunteering for South Africa. All the time a crowd remained outside of both Buckingham Palace and Marlborough House, CATHEDRAL OF ST. PAUL, LONDON. gazing hard at the buildings, as if expecting them to take wing and fly away. At one o'clock the official news, which had come at eleven o'clock, that the Queen passed a restless night, but there was no material change, was supplemented by an unofficial telegram to the 42 LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. effect that the Queen had beeu uncouscious for hours. This caused yet another cloud of gloom over all. Those who had looked for hopeful news found the reverse. From the middle of the day she seemed to fail, and even those who had been mpst hopeful lip to then were doleful. A message came from Cowes that the Queen's condition was of the gravest. Then came the news that a generally despondent view was taken at Osborne. Do you ask what the feeling was in London ? It was one of most extraordinary surprise— surprise, and nothing else but surprise. It seemed almost a sort of callousness. All were aston- ished at the extraordinary calm that London showed under such trying circumstances. There was really more talk in society about what the Prince of Wales would do when he came to the throne than about anything else. GREAT ANXIETY IN THE METROPOLIS. " London continued to watch and wait for tidings of the Queen's condition," wrote a correspondent who visited the chief places of interest. " Anxiety for details overshadows every other interest. Even the war is forgotten. I stepped to-day into the War Of&ce corridor, where nnder other circumstances there would have been a crowd. Lord Roberts, he from whom the whole coun- try so little while ago w^as seeking news, went down himself to Buckingham Palace to write his name in the book and ask for news. ' Bobs,' as brown as a berry after his recent campaign, carried that same anxions look on his face which one has been accustomed to see on the countenances of every one met during the last three days. Even at the time when * Bobs' returned from the Cape and made his call on the Queen, Her Majesty had been indisposed and could only receive him for a few minutes, and that after a certain delay, which at the time was not fully understood. That was why j the Commander-in-chief went down a second time. ''There was intense sadness in the rugged old field marshal's face. His eye had a fixed, hazy appearance. I scarcely think that he noticed the ill-mannered, but well-intentioned crowd that fol- lowed him up St. James' street as he walked back, so absorbed was LOVE AND V^ENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. 43 lie in thought. I scarcely think he noticed the carriages, as he crossed Piccadilly to get into Dover street, through which a typical paternal 'bobby' cleared a passage, holding up his arms as a sign that all traffic should stop. ' Bobs' was silent as well as sad. Not a word did hte utter to the military-looking gentleman who accom- panied him. There were volumes of feeling to be read in the old man's face. You could see Avritten on it distinctly the thought unexpressed : ' This is a sad ending to the war and to all our efforts.' Of the many sad faces I have seen to-day none was more pathetic than the rugged one of Lord Roberts. " How he felt was told later by one who had spoken to him. 'This sorrow,' said that gentleman, 'is akin to anguish of the deepest kind.' REPORTED TO BE FAST SINKING. '' Few who went to bed last night after reading the pessimistic midnight report had much idea that they would wake to find the Queen still alive, and surprise that Her Majesty had survived the night was very general. The Cowes Exchange wire early in the morning told that Her Majesty was fast sinking, coupled with the statement that this came direct from Osborne. This caused still further anxiety, which was relieved in a measure by an official telegram which followed at midday, saying that the royal patient had rallied, had taken food and had had a refreshing sleep. So far that bulletin was satisfactor}'', but whatever hopes the early portion of it raised were dashed by the alarming end, which told of a com- plication and local obstruction of the brain circulation. " On the top of that the Cowes Bxchange Company issued yet another notice saying that, in spite of the optimistic report above mentioned, the Queen was sinking fast and was in an unconscious condition. People generally took the better report to mean the flicker of the tenacious vitality of an extraordinary constitution' fighting hard in a struggle for life, but none was found sanguine enough to build up the slightest hope of recovery upon it. They preferred to believe another agency report which followed during the afternoon, also from Cowes, which represented that all hope had been given up. 44 LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. *'A11 this brouglit about a curious situation at the given moment when the first evening papers were issued. About one o'clock rival journals came out with display bills, each telling a totally different story of the state of the Queen's health in huge 'etters. On one was ' Queen Unconscious, Sinking Fast.' These were green display bills. Others, yellow and white, also in huge lettering, read, ' Queen Rallying ; Has Eaten and Slept. Official.' ( "What is more, the boys yelled out the two versions at the top of their voices. It was good for business, as each sold the papers in equal amount, the public being forced to buy both in order to try to make up its mind which was right. But the great feature of the day was that the centre of interest was around Marl- borough House. The Mall in front of the Prince of Wales' house was simply blocked from eleven o'clock on with callers anxious to sign their names in the book which lies inside the gates of the small, twelve foot square office. Hundreds had already signed by the middle of the day and thousands will have penned their names before the day has closed. It was a new book of red morocco. One of the royal servants stood over it, and when any signer showed a disposition to waste space remarked, ' Write close, please.' CROWDS SURROUNDING THE BULLETINS. " On the St. James's side of the Prince's house there was a goodly crowd, occupying the whole of the broad pavement, and often bulging out into the middle of the road, of people anxious to pursue the bulletin which was hung up on the wall on a red baize covered board. The bulletin was wriU^-m on a large sheet of note paper, headed in green lettering, ' Board of Green Cloth, Buckingham Palace ' (Lord Steward's Department of Her Majesty's Household), and was signed ' Edward Pelham-Clinton, Master of the Household,' who in usual parlance is Lord Edward Pelham- Clinton, second son of the fifth Duke of Newcastle. " Naturally, not the least anxious people about London were the members of the Queen's Household. They were all asking what was to become of them when the inevitable death occurred. They number their thousands, and many of them are people ad- LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. 45 vanced in age, whom the Queen kept on, not because they were of any particular use or, indeed, ornamental, but because she did not wish to turn them away. It is true that the salary in most cases is not very large, but most of them have managed to find free houseroom in that extraordinary old rabbit warren of a building, St. James's Palace. ''At the Garrick Club there was much discussion as to what should be done. It was taken for granted that the theatres would be closed for at least a week, and should the death be announced in the midst of a performance the houses would be forthwith closed. People were beginning to speculate as to the results. Tradespeople were in an awful state of mind. There was no season last year, owing to the war, and at the same time taxation was enormously increased. They have been told to wait, and that the year would make it up to them, but now in blank despair they realize that there will be no season this year. HURRYING INTO MOURNING. " Bond street, Regent street, and Dover street are a sight to behold. Fashionable women are running and rushing about to their dressmakers countermanding colored costumes which they had ordered for the coming spring season, and imploring thti mod- istes to turn out mourning gowns with the utmost rapidity Hat- ters are laying in a stock of deep hat bands, and stationers are getting mourning edged stationery, while crape is being ordered by the ton. " One busy point is up at the top of Regent street, where the largest mourning warehouses exist. There a shop full of new hands is being taken on to meet the demands. As many orders are being booked each day as previously in six months, and the rush is tremendous. Crape is necessary to cover over the gold of the Royal Household liveries, in itself a very serious considera- tion. In fact, London is just beginning to realize what the effects are of such a calamity as that of which everyone is prepared to hear at any moment. " Perhaps one of the most striking features was this evening 46 LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. shown iu the theatres, which were unusually empty. The reason was that it got about that in all probability the performances would be stopped. I happened myself to be at one of the theatres, and there was not a person who came in who was not speculating that before the performance had run its natural course it might be stopped. Such was just one example of the condition of mind existing late this evening. " In the fashionable supper resorts there was a general expression of pleasure that the Queen had been able to survive the day and the latest bulletin seemed to indicate that she would survive the night. In some very sanguine quarters hopes were raised, but the generality of opinion is, in spite of the better accounts, that the whole thing is a matter of hours." ASSEMBLED FOR THE LAST SCENE. The most noticeable feature of Monday was the satisfactory portion the Queen spent in consciousness, which she regained early in the afternoon and still retained at lo p. M. At "that hour she had not seen Emperor William, local rumors to the contrary not- withstanding. Royalty at Osborne thus had a chance to recuper- rate from the terrible ordeal undergone during the early hours of Monday. The members of the royal family were called to a room adjoining the Queen's bedchamber no less than four times Sunday morning, and were kept in momentary expectation of being summoned to witness the end, up to half-past five. Her Majesty's physicians then only had a vestige of hope that they would be able to keep the Queen's feeble life in existence until the Prince of Wales arrived. To secure this result they resorted to the frequent use of brandy and champagne. These stimulants, used to an extent which only the greatest emergency justified, worked their effect, and when the Prince of Vv'ales and Emperor William entered the castle grounds at 11.30 A. M. they found the Queen a trifle better than had been expected. The desperate remedies emplo3^ed Monday morning to enable Her Majesty to live until her eldest son's arrival were not used again to the same extent, for the LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. 47 doctors were fearful that the remedy might be almost worse than the disease. They trusted to prolong her life by a moderate application of stimulants, combined with as much nourishment as could be assimilated. Such experiments as were employed during Sunday evening and Monday morning were not considered justi- fiable. The Queen's rally astonished no one more than her physicians, and when at four o'clock Monday afternoon they heard her ask for chicken broth, their amazement almost equalled their delight. Privately, however, they built no false hopes upon those fading signs of what was one of the strongest constitutions with which a woman was ever endowed. Despite the favorable afternoon, the doctors dreaded greatly the period between six o'clock and midnight. When that was safely passed, they seemed hopeful of Her Majesty living at least through another day, although the memory of the previous night's relapse kept their anxiety at high tension. NO SALUTES OR CHEERS. There was an entire absence of local excitement at Cowes. The town settled down in patience and sadness to await the inevitable. Never did Emperor William arrive at any place in England with so little eclat. No salutes were fired, no cheers were given. The men of the guardship Australia silently manned her sides. The crowd was equally undemonstrative, the people contenting them- selves with baring their heads. It was a greeting given to the grandson of a dying woman rather than to the ruler of a great ally. After luncheon at the castle the Prince of Wales, Emperor William and the Dukeof Connaught strolled around the groundsand visited the local sailors' home. The Bishop of Winchester who had been at Osborne since Saturday, visited the rector of Whippingham Meanwhile most of the ladies at Osborne House snatched a few hours of sleep. Then a dull evening dragged into night ; and the uneasy sleepers, around whose royal home the wind howled pitilesssly, got what rest they could in the intervals of a vigil which the whole world was keeping in company with them. 48 LOVE AND VENERATION FOS. THE DYING QUEEN. " Queen Victoria has had exceptional opportunities, and has availed herself of these opportunities to challenge the respect of the whole world," the Right Rev. Henry Y. Satterlee, Bishop of the Diocese of Washington, said. '^Hach one of these opportuni- ties was a great temptation to her personally, because of her exalted position. She has not yielded to these temptations at all. She has raised the political standard of Bngland. She is also a true woman in her womanliness, and thus has elevated the social standard. She has helped every good influence, every Christian influence, and her power for good in missionary work is shown by the fact that during her reign the missionary bishops have increased from a score to nearly two hundred. HUNTING DOWN A SCANDAL. To illustrate the womanly side of the Queen, Bishop Satter- lee related a hitherto unpublished incident connected with the marriage of the Duke of York. A report had been widely published that he had another wife living, and that, because he had married contrary to the act of Parliament, the marriage was declared illegal. The Queen's motherly instincts were at once aroused. She was so distressed at the report that she personally directed that a denial should be published. The editor of the London Times advised her representative that no notice should be taken of the report and said that its falsity would ultimately be recognized. The Queen's view as to the truth of the matter proved to be correct. To set at rest these scandalous stories, an investigation of the conduct of the Duke of York was made by two eminent men, at the Queen's request. Their investigation proved that there was no truth in the reports ; yet so widely had they been spread that on the day of the Duke's marriage many letters were received protesting against the union. The Queen's motherly instinct in ithis affair had been unerring and had been vindicated by the sub- sequent developments. At the opening of Monday's session of the United States Senate the Chaplain in his invocation referred with deep pathos to the condition of Queen Victoria. LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. 49 " With a multitude which no man can number," he prayed, "we come with tremendous anxiety and the profoundest awe to the bedside of the great, good Queen, who lies on the border of two worlds. Living for more than three score years in the fierce light which beats upon a throne, by her conduct and character she has won not only the loyalty of her own people, but the veneration and homage of all true hearted men and women around the world. And now as it seems she is to depart from the earth, crowned with the blessings and love of countless myriads of the human family, let Thy heavenly grace cheer and sustain her in this supreme hour. " Likewise minister Thy tenderness and sympathy to all the members of her bereaved family and to the people of her realm, who feel as if their mother were departing from them. We confide her, her children and her people to Thy Almighty care and Provi- dence through Jesus Christ, our Saviour." OUTBURST OF POPULAR SYMPATHY. In unof&cial circles in Washington, the deepest and most sincere interest was expressed concerning the sad intelligence which came across the seas from Osborne House. In official circles, however, the interest was equally acute, but expressions from poli- ticians are so carefully worded that they are almost meaningless. This arises through fear that some public official may in the future render himself unpopular with some element in his constituency by a display of friendliness toward the British sovereign. Prominent Senators and other men occupying some of the highest positions under this government, who might be expected to rise above ordinary partisan feeling, when asked to give some expression of sympathy for the dying Queen politely declined, on the ground that it would not be good political policy for them to do so. As a general rule they explained that for political reasons they " could not afford to indulge in sentiment over a dear old lady who has lived to a ripe old age, who has had a glorious and honora- ble career on England's throne, and who has demonstrated to the civilized world that she is a noble mother, and probably the greatest Queen that ever reigned.'' 4 50 LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. It would not be fair to assume that the politicians were unmindful of tiie remarkable career of Queen Victoria, nor would it be just to tliem to intimate that they were devoid of all the tender feelings which would naturally inspire members of the great Bnglisb- speaking family when within the shadow of the death of such an illustrious and God-fearing woman, but in national politics there is much that is heartless and cold-blooded. Leading politicians at the national capital — distinguished Senators, able Representatives, learned jurists and high official functionaries — when confronted with a simple request for a tribute to the life and character of England's dying Queen hid themselves behind the plea of political inexpediency. EULOGIES FROM OUR SENATORS. Members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, however, were not so guarded. Senator Frye, President pro tem- pore of the Senate, and Senators Daniel, Morgan, Foraker and Clark gave utterance to generous sentiments regarding the life and reign of England's Queen as follows : Senator AVilliam P. Frye — Queen Victoria has the sympath};^ of all the people of the United States. She is recognized among our own people as having been a good, pure, noble woman, faithful to her people, devoted to the advancement of Christian civilization and to all good works. I do not fear any change in the existing friendly relations between the two governments, for the death of neither sovereign nor President can break the ties that bind the two peoples together. Senator John W. Daniel — No monarch has ever reigned with more of the respect and good will of mankind than Queen Victoria. As wife, mother, woman and Queen she will ever be a shining example. Her death will be mourned the wide world over. Senator John T. Morgan — Her Majesty Queen Victoria has had no superior in royal history for the purity, integrity and success of her reign. In all her imperial power and influence the highest quality and the noblest is her gracious and perfect woman- hood. LOVE AND VENERATION FOR THE DYING QUEEN. 51 Senator Joseph B. Foraker — Queen Victoria has enjoyed the respect of the whole world. Her death will be regretted by the people of every country. It will not, fortunately, make any change in the relations existing between Great Britain and the United States. Those relations are very friendly — never more so. I hope they will so continue. Senator C. D. Clark — It is not strange, in view of her natural qualifications, her early training and hearty devotion to the indi- vidual interests of her subjects, as well as of the State, that Queen Victoria should have been the most beloved and most successful of all modern rulers, under the old forms of government. I can con- ceive of no reason why the friendly relations that have existed between the United States and Great Britain during the latter years of her reign should be in any way interrupted. TRIBUTE FROM A MEMBER OF THE CABINET. From John D. Long, Secretary of the Navy — I share with the whole American people, I believe, the very greatest respect for Queen Victoria as a sovereign and as a woman. She has not only had an unprecedently long reign, but a life full of nobility, purity, charity. It covers a most interesting and progressive period of the world. Through it all she has been a fitting representative of the great nation of which she has been Queen and the history of which during that time has been the most illustrious in its annals— if not in the glories of war, yet in the greater glories of peace and scien- tific development and higher life. Throughout the Dominion of Canada, among French Cana- dians as well as among the Knglish-speaking citizens, there was but one feeling expressed — that of sadness at the serious condition , of Her Majesty and of anxiety as to the outcome. Prayers for her w were said in the churches on Sunday, and in the larger cities, like " Toronto Montreal and Quebec, crowds surrounded the newspaper bulletin boards all morning waiting for news. Already it had been decided to postpone a number of balls and social functions. CHAPTER III. The Victorian Era Ended by Her Majesty's Death. OUKBN VICTORIA died at Osborne at 6.30 p. m. on tlie even- ing of January 22, 1901, and Kdward VII. began his reign The greatest event in the memory of this generation, the most stupendous change in existing conditions that could possibly be imagined took place quietly, almost gently, upon the anniver- sary of the death of Queen Victoria's father, the Duke of Kent. The end of this career, nevei equaled by any v^oman in the world's history, came in a simply furnished room in Osborne House. This most respected of all women, living or dead, lay in a great four-posted bed, and made a shrunken atom, whose aged face and figure were a cruel mockery of the fair girl who in 1837 began to rule over England. Around her were gathered almost every descendant of her line. Well within view of her dying eyes there hung a portrait of the Prince Consort. It was he who designed the room and every part of the castle. In scarcely audible words the white- haired Bishop of Winchester prayed beside her, as he had often prayed with his sovereign, for he was her chaplain at Windsor. With bowed heads the imperious ruler of the German Empire and the man who is now King of England, the woman who has suc- ceeded to the title of Queen, the Princes and Princesses, and those of less than royal designation, listened to the Bishop's prayer. THE WHITE-HAIRED BISHOP. Six o'clock passed. The Bishop continued his intercession. One of the younger children asked a question in shrill, childish treble, and was immediately silenced. The women of this Royal Family sobbed faintly and the men shuffled uneasily. At exactly half-past six Sir James Reid held up his hand, and the people in the room knew that England had lost her Queen. The Bishop pronounced the Benediction. The Queen passed away quite peacefully. She suffered no VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 53 pain. Those who were now mourners went to their rooms. A few minutes later the inevitable element of materialism stepped into this pathetic chapter of international history, for the court ladies went busily to work ordering their mourning from London. The wheels of the world were jarred when the announcement came ; but in this palace at Osborne everything pursued the usual course. Down in the kitchen they were cooking a huge dinner for an assemblage, the like of which has seldom been known in Eng- land, and the dinner preparations proceeded just as if nothing had happened. The body of Queen Victoria was embalmed to be taken to Windsor Saturday. The cofHn arrived in the evening from London, shortly after her death. An incident characteristic of the Queen's solicitude for others occured two days before when, in one of the intervals of conscious- ness, she summoned strength to suggest to her dressers, who had been acting as nurses, to take the opportunity of getting some fresh air. Monday afternoon she asked that her little Pommer- anian spaniel be brought to her bedside. THE QUEEN RALLIES. It was feared that the Queen was dying about 9 o'clock in the morning, and carriages were sent to Osborne Cottage and the Rectory to bring all the Princes and the Princesses and the Bishop of Winchester to her bedside. It seemed then very near the end ; but, when things looked the worst, the Queen had one of the rallies due to her wonderful constitution, opened her eyes and recognized the Prince of Wales, the Princess and Emperor William. She asked to see one of her faithful servants, a member of the household. He hastened to the room. Before he got there the Queen had passed into a fitful sleep. Four o'clock marked the beginning of the end. Again the family were summoned, and this time the relapse was not followed by recovery. The Prince of Wales was very much affected when the doctors at last informed him that his mother had breathed her last. Emperor William, himself deeply affected, did his best to minister comfort to his sorrow stricken uncle, whose new dignity he was the first to 54 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. acknowledge. From all parts of the world came pouring into Cowes messages of condolence. They came from crowned heads, millionaires, tradesmen and paupers, and are variously addressed to the Prince of Wales and the King of England. The record of the last days of the reign of Victoria is not easy to tell. One correspondent was the only person admitted to Osborne House and his interview was with Sir Arthur John Rigge, Private Secretary to the late Queen, was the only official statement that had been given out. For several weeks the Queen had been failing. On Monday week she summoned Lord Roberts and asked him some very searching questions regarding the war in South Africa. On Tuesday she went for a drive, but was visibly affected. On Wednes- day she suffered a paralytic stroke accompanied by intense physical weakness. It was her first serious illness in all her eighty-one years and she would not admit it. FAMILY SUMMONED TO HER ROOM. Then her conditions grew so serious that against her wishes the family were summoned. When they arrived her reason had practically succumbed to paralysis and weakness. The events of the last few days v/ere described in the bulletius. At the lodge gates the watchers waited nervously. Suddenly along the drive from the house came a horseman, who cried, "The Queen is dead!" as he dashed through the crowds. Then down the hillside rushed a myriad of messengers, passing the fateful bulletin from one to another. Soon the surrounding country knew that a King ruled over Great Britain. The local inhabitants walked as if in a dream through the streets of Cowes, but they did not hesitate to stop to drink the health of the new monarch. Mr. Balfour's message announcing the Queen's death said her Majesty died peacefully. Her Majesty was so closely related to the European courts, big and little, that the gathering of royalties at the obsequies was unprecedented. Absolute silence reigned at night in the vicinity of Buck- ingham Palace and Marlborough House, London. A small bill, signed " Balfour," was posted outside announcing the demise of VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 55 the monarcli. Much interest was evinced in the way in which the enormous fortune of the Queen would be distributed, the general notion being that Osborne House would go to Princess Beatrice and that she and Princess Christian would come into a considerable portion of Victoria's wealth. There was a remarkable scene outside of the Mansion House early in the afternoon. On the receipt of the alarming reports THE THAMES EMBANKMENT, LONDON. something resembling a groasa was uttered by the hundreds of people assembled, and then some one started to sing the national anthem. All heads were baredj and in a moment the crowds were singing " God Save the Queen," ^M2MmrYov proving how earnestly they wished for her recovery. The passengers in passing car- riages, cabs, and omnibuses joining in the singing, the drivers reverently doffing their hats. 56 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. Lord Clarendon, tlie new Lord Chamberlain, witli Prince Chris- tian of Schleswig-Holstein and the Dnke of Argyll, arrived at Osborne in the afternoon. It is the Lord Chamberlain who, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, announces to a nev/ monarch his accession to the throne. The arrangements were already practically complete for meetings of the Privy Council and Parliament, the statutes providing that they shall assemble immediately on the death of a sovereign. The Privy Councillors could gather together vithin a few hours. The Ministers would attend, give up their seats of office, be resworn, receive the proclamation of the new King, pass votes of condolence and congratulation, and adjourn. OFFICIALS KEPT BUSY. At the offices of the Lord Chamberlain, at St. James's Palace ; of the City Remembrancer, at the Guild Hall and at the College of Heralds, the officials were busy preparing for the formalities which would attend the proclaiming of a new ruler of the United Kingdom and India. All the ancient gazettes, court circulars and other papers which describe the ceremonial of 1837 had been taken from the libraries, that the officials might familiarize themselves with the forms of the pageantry whereby a sovereign is proclaimed. The City Remembrancer said : *' It will depend on the pleasure of the new monarch to decide how far the ancient customs will be modified to suit modern methods ; but in a country where precedents are so firmly adhered to as England it may be anticipated that we shall follow closely on the acts which prevailed when the Queen ascended the throne. The Privy Council, which is a very large body, will meet at once at St. James's Palace, where the form of proclamation declaring that ' We,' etc., * with one voice and consent of tongue and heart declare and proclaim the high, mighty Prince Albert Edward,' etc., ' who, by the death of the monarch, has become our only lawful and rightful liege,' etc. "This proclamation will give the new title the King may assume, but this is not yet announced to us. The proclamation will then be sent to the Heralds' College, and the following day the. VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 57 Earl Marshal, the Garter King at Arms, the Heralds' Pursuivants and other officials, the college members, with the household troops, Mall proceed from the palace, in their splendid surcoats, to Trafal- gar Square. There the King at Arms will halt, command silence and read the proclamation. Proceeding down the Strand to Temple Bar, a halt will again be made to demand an entrance into the city to proclaim the King. There the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs in their state carriages will form a great procession, and when the Earl Marshal's party comes just within the city boundary the proclamation will be read again, and the procession will pass down Ludgate Hill and Cheapside to the Royal Exchange, where similar ceremonies will close the spectacle." THE NEW KING IN LONDON. The Privy Council met in Ivondon on the 23 d, and the proclamation of the King occurred thereafter at all places required by custom. The King came to London to preside over the Council. The probability that King Edward would take up a practically permanent residence in Buckingham Palace was much canvassed. This is a question that came very much home to Londoners. Queen Victoria's preference for Balmoral Castle and Osborne House was a complaint of long standing in the metropolis, and it was hoped that the new reign would see a change in this respect. The presence of the court in London would give a bright- ness and gayety which had long been absent. Not until Queen Victoria was laid to rest beside the Prince Consort at Frogmore would the theatres or music halls reopen. Moreover, business would come to a practical standstill. The music in all the hotels and public places ceased. Fashionable resorts were empty, and very few of the nightly habitues were in evidence. The St. James, Prince's and other prominent restaur- ants had already discarded alluring colors for sombre black. Shortly before midnight an official announcement was issued call- ing Parliament to assemble at four o'clock on Wednesday afternoon to enable members of the House of Lords and House of Commons to take the oath of allegiance to King Edward VII. 58 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. An observer of the scene in London when it became known that the Queen was dead thus describes it : ^' Dead " at half-past six o'clock this evening. Such was the word which echoed from thousands of voices. I happened to be in the Strand at the time and waited. The Queen had died at half- past six in Cowes, and one hour later the Evening News had a black bordered special out on the street. The other papers followed with rapidity, and soon the St. James Gazette had out a special memorial number, selling like hot cakes. EXTRAORDINARY SCENES IN THE STREETS. " The scene in the Strand by eight o'clock beggared descrip- tion. At that time the people were driving down in shoals to the theatres. Bigger and bigger grew the numbers, until the Strand was blocked with carriages. Most of the theatres at once closed their gates, placing heavy black bordered notices outside to the effect that, owing to the death of the Queen, their performances v/ere postponed until further notice. Those theatres leaving their doors open, which allowed would-be visitors to enter the hall, were sorry for it. After a very short time their box office clerks were pestered to death by all sorts of inquiries. ' How did the Queen die ? ' ' Shall we get our money back ? ' ' When is your theatre going to open again ? ' and a hundred other irrelevant questions from members of the assembling and waiting crowds, for they had nothing else to do. Can you realize what London is without theatres ? I never did myself until this evening, for not only was it those who came to see the performances who stood there in blank amazement, but also those who were to have given the performance. " In little or no time the Strand was crowded with members of the choruses, with paint still on their faces, actors with their make- up scarce off, musicians with their instruments, carpenters and scene shifters in their shirt sleeves, all not quite knowing what to do or where to go, and all contributing to compose a vast throng which soon overflowed the pavement and filled the street Never, never has such a sight been seen before. It was quite unique. VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 59 "Those living in the East End came in vast bands to see what was going on in the western part of the town, while those who lived in the west ' made tracks ' eastward to see what was taking place around the Strand. These two vast waves of humanity met in the narrow Strand and added themselves to the already large floating masses composed so largely of theatre goers and mummers. All this was amid such surroundings as cabs and omnibuses blocked up in one great inextricable mass, men and boys yelling as though Bedlam were let loose, ' Death of the Queen. Extra speshul, evening paiper ! ' DESPATCHES SENT NEAR AND FAR. "At the same time the people threw themselves into the tele- graph offices, and sent telegrama all over the country, and there was a general rush to telephones, all telling the same, oft-repeated tale, ' The Queen is dead,' and all this, remember, little more than an hour and a half after the Queen had breathed her last at Os- borne. The cheap shops on the Strand promptly began to shut up, but before they did I noticed that several men's clothiers had promptly dressed their Avindows with black ties and mourning gloves, upon which forthwith there was a run, causing them to remain open later than they would have done otherwise. The notices that were put up in front of the theatres telling of the postponement of the play were all very heavily bordered with black. These notices were ready last evening — aye, and the even- ing before for that matter. " Those who came to see the plays in the main decided to get out of their carriages and walk about to see the other kind of show —that of the streets, which, indeed, was more striking than any- thing they could come out to see. They will never forget the human drama which they saw being played upon the streets of the Strand this evening. " jVIeanwhile, as though to impress the solemnity of the occa- sion still more deeply, the deep notes of ' Big Tom ' from the top of St. Paul's, began to ring out from the east, and with those of ' Big Ben,' from the tower of the House of Commons, were borne 60 VICTORIAN ERx\ ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. over tlie night air like the booming of heavy-calibre cannons. Clang, clang, clang, came from all the intermediate churches, each tolling the knell of the dead, tolling slowly, solemnly, and within a minute between each clang. " Down Fleet street way the of&ces of the evening papers were besieged by leather-lunged newspaper venders, who fought each other in their anxiety to be first served, and to rush off to the West Knd. Bicycle boys, weighed down with newspapers, picked their way, goodness knows how, with infinite skill, through the dense crowds. The presses of the papers were insufficient to suppl}^ the first demands. " The impression left by all this was one great rush and a wild sort of fury and tangle of discordant sounds all dominated or punctuated by the great boom of the two mammoth bells' discord- ing jangle. The rest, meanwhile, of the city itself was a scene scarcely less wildly animated. Around St. Paul's the people rallied in their thousands. They had come to hear ' Big Tom ' ring out — that great bell which, you must understand, has only once before rung out the death toll of royalty — which death was that of the Duke of Clarence. And toll it did, with impressive resounding and with the full force of sixteen tons of hollow metal, and just one minute between each great cavernous sounding rumble which filled out into volumes of sound. MOURNING ON EVERY SIDE. "Already the shops have begun to put on mourning garb. I passed on a little further, leaving the great crowd around St. Paul's evidently under the impression that there was going to be a service there, which I understand was not the case, and passed on to the Mansion House. There was yet another great scene. Crowds and crowds, surging and swaying, special police everywhere trying to restrain the people who, all at the same time, wanted to read the bulletin telling of the death of the Queen, sent by the Prince of Wales fifteen minutes after her death. I then went off to Trafalgar Square. On my way there were evidences of universal grief Busts of the Queen were already being decorated with crape. VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 61 " In Trafalgar Square from all quarters could be heard the constant ringing of bells. Busses were crowded to overflowing with people who had made up their minds to see the town under its excitement from their tops. After all, what else was there to do ? Not a place of amusement was open. Soon after this it com- menced to rain, and then the people began to hurry down off the ' bus tops.' It is difficult to define the general sentiment, but it was as though a cord which had held something had all at once broken. Few people who have not been in London during the last few days can realize in the least the terrible tension which there , has been among the people. These last three days have seemed almost like months to most persons. So great and so acute has the anxiety been that time has been leaden footed. To a foreigner it might have seemed, perhaps, that there was a lack in the display of sentiment. But it was not so at all. It was merely that there was a depth of feeling which extinguished all thought of expres- sion. Bvery rally that the Queen made had quickened the pulsa- tions of the people. When she slept they had sighed with relief and hoped that it might do her good. When the bulletins showed her weak they too felt the weakness. It was as though they were suffering an illness just such as that of the Queen." SYMPATHY ON THIS SIDE THE ATLANTIC. It is not too much that this suspense and sorrow were shared by the people on this side the Atlantic. The day before the Queen died one of our well-known journals expressed the following senti- ments : " The English-speaking world hangs anxiously upon the bul- letins which at this writing suggest a fatal termination of Queen Victoria's illness. The American public shares with the public of the British Empire the profound sympathy, regret and apprehen- sion with which the news of her collapse is heard around the world. Revered as a Queen by her subjects, she is not less respected as a woman by the citizens of the Republic, to which in the hour of its dire need she was a faithful friend. No American can forget in this hour, when her life trembles in the fading strength of extreme age, 62 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. that it was her act and her influence which warded off war in 1862, nor that through all the sixty-four years of her reign she has been the friend of America. " Of late years, in every possible way open to her, she has made known to the world her regard as a ruler for the American Republic and her appreciation as a woman of the affection, en- thusiasm and the personal respect which she has received from the American people. Nowhere, should the end come to this useful life, will public grief be stronger or the sense of personal loss deeper than in this country, where she has stood for so many years in the minds and hearts of men as a woman true to all duties and a ruler loving peace and j ustice. OMINOUS BULLETINS FROM OSBORNE. " The medical bulletins issued from Osborne House leave the very narrowest hope that these favoring conditions will prevail. The language used by the Queen's medical advisers seems instead to be deliberately chosen to prepare the world for the fatal termina- tion. A royal patient's condition is never bulletined as ' serious ' or spoken of as such as to ' cause anxiety,' nor would the state- ment as to the ' critical ' condition be issued did not the royal physicians find themselves face to face with such symptoms as lead them to feel that they will be held gravely responsible if an un- toward end comes without some premonition to the public, which to-day literally includes the world. Still more significant are the movements of the Emperor of Germany, the Prince of Wales and the other members of the royal family. These would never gather at Osborne House if their own private and personal advices did not lead them to believe that the end was a question likely of decision in the briefest span. "Queen Victoria is now 81 years and 8 months old, or will complete the eighth month of her 82d year the coming week. The only one of her recent line who has equaled these years is George HI., who died lacking four months of his 82 d year. Her father, the Duke of Kent, who shared the habits of his period, died at 53. Her mother, the Duchess, died at 75. Her great-grandfather, Prince VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 63 Frederick, died at 44, and tis father, George II., lived to be 73. The several lines of Hanover, Saxe-Coburg, Mecklenberg- Strelitz, Saxe-Gotha and Brandenburg- Anspach, to which her male and female progenitors belong, represent no extraordinary longevity, but have many lives above the average. Thanks to a good life, unwearied industry, high purpose, the best and most regular habits and every virtue which can enoble the life of a woman or adorn the reign of a sovereign, the Queen has already exceeded the years to which the average of her line pointed. FEARS NOT REALIZED "She has, however, at each period and each odgency exceeded the years assigned her Sy the expectation of others. While young, long life was not predicted. When widowhood came her crushing grief, it was said, would shorten her years. A little over twenty years ago her health, physical and mental, was the subject of grav- est rumors. All were false. As increasing years came there came with them the inevitable loss of strength. She has walked with difficulty. Her once slender figure changed its outlines. Extreme age was stamped on her appearance. But she has continued with an indomitable will to discharge all her duties. She has never been more visible, move active or more plainly the head of a great Empire than in the past twelvemonth. Great personal grief has befallen her in the death of Lady Churchill. The events of the year have not only called her to great. fatigue and anxiety, but they frustrated the cherished purpose of near half a century to avoid any war with any European race or people. " Serious illness is not surprising after this experience and this strain, these labors, this personal loss and this bitter public disappointment. A less vigorous physique, a less masterful personality, would have failed long ago, but it looks now as if the inevitable close had come to the Queen." These forebodings were soon realized, the Queen passed from earthly scenes, and our journals, with singular unanimity, penned brilliant eulogies of her life and character. We insert one of these as showing the high esteem in which Victoria was held : 64 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. " With tlie death of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India, the longest and in many respects the most memorable British reign closes. The deceased monarch was born May 24, 1819. She ascended the throne at the death of her uncle, King William VII., June 20, 1837, ^^^ "^^^ crowned at West- minster Abbey, June 28, 1838. Had she lived until May 24th of the present year she would have been 82 years old. She reigned nearly 64 years. George III. reigned 59 years ; Elizabeth, 44 ; Edward III., 50; Henry III., 56. During Victoria's reign there were twenty-two Cabinets and nine Prime Ministers, beginning with the Melbourne Ministry and ending with that of Salisbury. "She out-lived all her Prime Ministers save two, Rosebery and Salisbury. Her accession took place during the Presidency of Martin Van Buren. She ruled contemporaneously with eighteen American Administrations, five German reigns, and eleven French Emperors and Presidents. SPLENDID ROLL OF ACHIEVEMENTS. " To recapitulate the progress of England during Victoria's long rule is to call the roll of British achievement in every branch of human endeavor for two-thirds of the past century, A brief glance at some of the more notable events is all that can be given here. The value of steam power was discovered, and the first rail- way was built before her accession. The first steamboat had crossed the ocean in 183 1. The voyages of the Great Western from Bristol to New York, and of the Sirius, from London to New York in Eighteen and a half daj^s in 1838 revealed the wonderful commercial possibilities of steam navigation. " Cooke built a telegraph line on the Great Western Railway as early as 1838. The leading political and other events of the reign were the establishment of penny postage in 1840 ; the passage of the Income Tax act in 1842 ; the Tractarian controversy in 1844 ) ^^^ Anti-corn law agitation and repeal of the corn laws in 1846 ; the Chartist demonstration in 1848 ; the exhibition of 1851 ; the establishment of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in 1850; the death of Wellington, 1852 ; the Jewish Disabilities bill, passed in VICTORIAN ERA ENDED P.Y HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 65 1858; the visit of the Prince of Wales to the United States in i860; the death of the Prince Consort, December 14, 1861 ; com- pletion of the Atlantic telegraph ; the Reform bill of 1867 ; the Irish and Scotch Reform acts, passed in 1868 ; the Irish Church bill, which received the Royal assent in 1869 ; the Irish Land bill, signed in 1870; the proclaiming of the Queen as Empress of India in May, 1876. " During the reign provision has been made, particularly by the Education act of 1891, for the gratuitous elementary education of all children between the ages of three and fifteen, and education has been made compulsory for all classes. Voters' qualifications have been greatl}^ liberalized. The telegraph lines of the United King- dom were trans- ferred to the Gov- ernment in 1870. "The Queen is to be credited with the improve- ment in the social condition of her subjects and in so far as her govern- ment may have promoted the arts of peace and encouraged the wise use of opportunities by the passage of salutary laws and by refraining from interference with the natural development of trade and commerce. In all these respects the reign of Victoria has been distinguished. "England has been virtually at peace during all her long reign, for the Crimean War, the Indian and African campaigns were not of sufficient magnitude and importance to make more of anything than ripples in the current of English life. Legislation has encouraged trade and commerce; the arts and sciences have OLD SOMERSET HOUSE, LONDON: 66 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESi'Y'S DEATH. been promoted by liberal benefactions, and, above all, justice has been administered by an even hand, and has been tempered with mercy. "No government in the world can show a better contempora- neous record than that of England during the reign of Queen Victoria, and, although the Queen did not altogether control it, she 'greatly influenced it by her example, and in no instance interfered with, but rather helped, the development of all the many govern- mental forces that regulates the world's advancement. The Bliza- bethan era will probably never be equaled in its literary products, but the Victorian era has eclipsed all others in its material products, in the spread of human knowledge and in all things that make for the uplifting of manhood. SECURE IN THE HEARTS OF HER PEOPLE. " One of the historians of the Victorian era has said, with great force, that there is security for British institutions in ' the powerlessness' of the British sovereigns. " Whenever the ' war of opinion,' of which the world had been now and then reminded since Canning's time, should overrun Europe, the danger would be for kings who govern as well as reign, or for those who really reign instead of occupying the throne through a political fiction. If such an outbreak should occur in the time of Victoria, she would, if personally blameless, be perfectly secure — secure alike in her political sinecurism and her personal blameless- ness. While revolutions have come like whirlwinds to sweep kings from their continental thrones, our sovereign has sat safe in her island, with not a hair of the royal ermine raised by the blast." In her first address Victoria gave the pledge that her life should be devoted to the happiness of her subjects. She redeemed the pledge of that distant day by sixty-four years of faithful rule, and has now surrendered her sceptre to a higher power. "The glories of our blood and state Are shadows, not substantial things ; There is no armor against fate ; Death lays hi^ i>v hand on Kings : VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 67 Scepter and crown Must tumble down, And in the du'^st be equal made With the poor crooked scythe and spade. Only the actions of the just Smell sweet and blossom in their dust." In one of his glowing tributes to the sovereign of the realm i'eunyson wrote : "A thousand claims to reverence closed In her as Mother, Wife and Queen. ' ' The warm personal affection for the Queen evinced by all classes in Great Britain excited the attention of every foreign observer, and she was loved no less throughout the colonies and in this republican land of our own. All over the world, in fact, where lofty character and a strict sense of duty in every relation of life is respected the news that Victoria was dead brought a pang and a sense of personal sorrow. It has been said that if she had not been Queen she would have been held in scarcely less esteem. At the end of the most wonderful reign in history she lays down the sceptre — " Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India." Pride, honor, country throbbed through all her strain. And shall we praise ? God's praise was hers before. And on our futile laurels she looks down Herself our bravest crown. Upon receipt of the news of the Queen's death, President McKinley sent the following cablegram : Washington, January 22, 1901. ' His Majesty the King, Osborne House, Isle of Wight: " I have received with profound sorrow the lamentable tidings of the death of her Majesty the Queen. Allow me, sir, to offer my sincere sympathy and that of the American people in your personal bereavement and in the loss Great Britain has suffered in the death of its venerable and illustrious sovereign, whose noble eg VICTORIAN ERA ENDI.D P.Y HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. life and beneficent influence have promoted the peace and won the affection of the world. William McKinlEy." This is Secretary Hay's message to Ambassador Choate : "You will express to Lord Lansdowne the profotind sorrow of the government and people of the United States at the death of the Queen and the deep sympathy we feel with the people of the British Empire in their great affliction. John Hay." THE QUEEN'S MESSAGE OF SYMPATHY. President McKinley's message to King Edward VII. was toned by the recollection of the cablegram of sympathy which Queen Victoria sent to Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Garfield on the occasion of the deaths of their husbands by assassination, and of the fact that the Queen ordered the Court into mourning when President Garfield died. The cable message from the Queen to Mrs. Garfield was as follows : " Balmoral Court. " Mrs. Garfield, Long Branch : — Words cannot express the deep sympathy I feel with you at this terrible moment. May God support and comfort you as He alone can. The QuEEn." This message was brought to President McKinley's atten- tion about the time the news of the death of Queen Victoria was received. Senator Chauncey M» Depew paid a high compliment to the Queen, the truth of which was universally recognized : "Queen Victoria had the rare distinction at the close of her long reign of possessing the ardent love and loyalty of the mau}^ races of her great empire, and the admiration and respect of the people of all other nations. "The beginning of the twentieth century witnesses the world mourning for a ruler with whose country many governments have relations which are far from friendly. This has occurred in no other era of history. She so illustrated in one of the loftiest positions of power the noblest qualities of woman, wife, and mother that she was revered in humble homes as well as in palaces all around the globe. VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 69 " Her reign of sixty-three years made her cotemporary with the rise of civil and religious liberty, the development of civiliza- tion, the intellectual progress, the exploration of the Vv'orld, the inventions and discoveries, which lift the nineteenth century above all others, and which will be ])art of the record of her reign. Un- failing tact, sound common sense, aud a warm heart were the quali- ties which made her a great sovereign. At the time of the assas- sination of President Lincoln and again of President Garfield she instantly sent affectionate and sympathetic cables to the bereaved widows, which deeply touched every heart in our country. " She has been the most beneficent power for the peace of the nations. Her influence has averted many collisions and settled quarrels which might have resulted in disastrous wars or in serious revolutions at home. Just what to do and when to do it was with her a quality amounting to genius. KNEW VS^HAT PARLIAMENT WAS DOING. ' "When Parliament was in session the Prime Minister sent her every night after adjournment a summary of the work of the evening. Those of Gladstone had the formality of a digest, but Disraeli gave to his reports that personal coloring of both acts and actors which delighted her. She was thus in daily touch with Par- liament and Cabinet, and her advice or suggestion has often saved a ministry or minimized the mistake of a blundering leader. " She was always desirous of maintaining the most cordial re- lations with the United States, and our country has never had among the sovereigns of Kurope such an unwavering friend." Never in the history of the Republic did the death of a foreign ruler cause such a measure of official and personal regret as per vaded all Washington after the news came that Queen Victoria was dead. The United States flag floated at half-mast from the White House. This was the firit time its folds had ever been placed at mourning out of respect to the memory of any foreign dignitary. It was not lowered for President Carnot, of France, when he was assassinated. It was not lowered for King Humbert, of Italy, nor for the Czar of Russia. By order of the President the flags of all 70 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. of the departments in Washington were also put half-raast, and in doing this a new precedent was established. It was a touching and impressive scene when these official colors came fluttering down about half-past three o'clock in quick succession. The act typified the nation uncovering and bowing its head. First down came the White House flag. Then one after an- other the standards on the State, War, and Navy Building. Then that on the Treasury Department. In less than ten minutes every army, navy, and departmental flag in Washington was testifying the reverence in which the memory of the Queen is held. The Secretary of the Interior had placed the flag on his department at half-mast without waiting instructions from the White House, and the President issued his order in advance of the receipt of any offi- cial information, simply waiting to be assured that the news was authentic. HER DEATH A PERSONAL LOSS. The President felt the death of the Queen very deeply, and so expressed himself to all callers. The personal message sent to King Edward VII. by the President was written by Mr. McKinley himself, and was also despatched in advance of the reception of any official news. Both houses of Congress took action, each passing its own resolution. In the Senate the resolution was presented by Senator Lodge, of Massachusetts. As originally drawn, the resolution pro- vided that the Senate should adjourn out of respect to the Queen. This was stricken out in secret session, and the resolution was adopted by an unanimous vote. Senator Lodge drew the resolution by virtue of his position as acting chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations. In the House of Representatives Mr. Hitt, of Illinois, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, presented a resolution of pro- found regret at the death of the Queen, and providing for adjourn- ment as a mark of respect for her memory. Not an intimation of dissent was made. For the time being the anti-British politicians, who had paroxysms of rage in December because the British en- VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 71 si^n was displayed in tlie House, sat mute. lu supporting the resolutiou, Mr. Hitt said: '' Mr Speaker, the resolution that is offered is one that follows the precedent of action by this house in the past. It is copied almost literally from the action of the House on the death of the President of the French Republic, and on another occasion on the death of the Czar of Russia. I do not deem it necessary to prolong •' discussion, and ask that the House take action now. For this i purpose I ask for the previous question." The previous question was ordered by a viva voce vote, in which all the members participated on the affirmative side. The resolution was then put on its passage and agreed to in the same manner. The House was declared adjourned. On all sides at the Capitol and throughout official Washing- ton were heard expressions of the deepest regret at the bereave- ment that had fallen on the British nation. Only kind words were uttered. Senator Lodge said that the death of the Queen was to the people of the United States a real sorrov/, and that Americans could never forget that England was prevented from active inter- ference in the Civil War largely, if not wholly, by the influence of the Queen and the Prince Consort. MOURNING AT OUR CAPITAL. In connection with the sympathy expressed by this country officially it was recalled that the British flag which floated from the Embassy had only been hoisted once before since the Queen's birthday, in May, and then in honor of the Washing- ton centennial, in December, 1900. Black crepe hanging in festoons between the pillars of tlie portal and the British flag at half-mast above it were the outward signs of mourning at the British Embassy. Within grief laid her pall. Draped with the badge of death were the portraits of the - Queen, one, which hangs at the head of the main staircase, show- ing her resplendent with youth ; the other, painted when she was older, wearing the royal diadem on her brow. Secluded from' all but their most intimate friends were Lord and Lady Pauncefote 72 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. and the Honorable Misses Pauncefote, heavy with sorrow, not alone because of the death of their venerated sovereign, but of the demise of a personal friend. Lord Pauncefote was not surprised to be informed of the death of the Queen. He received from Lord Lansdowne the bulletins of her physicians, and it was apparent to him that the chance of recovery was slight. After vSaturday he declined to accept invita- tions of a social nature, and Lady Pauncefote communicated with friends with whom she had engagements expressing regret that on account of the serious illness of the Queen she was compelled to cancel them. THOSE FATAL MESSAGES. The press despatches which arrived early in the afternoon and were sent to the Bmbassy, announcing the death of Her Majesty, were accepted as genuine, though they were not confirmed until four o'clock, when Lord Pauncefote received a cablegram from Lord Lansdowne. In the meantime the Bxecutive Mansion com- municated with the Embassy, announcing the despatch of a message to the King and that the American flags had been placed at half-mast over the White House and the public buildings. This courtesy was highly appreciated by Lord Pauncefote, who had already given directions that the British flag over the Embassy be placed at half-mast and that crepe be placed on the portals of the building. Immediately after receiving Lord Lans- downe's message Lord Pauncefote sent an official communication to Secretary Hay, at his home, apprising that official of the death of the Queen. Lord Pauncefote also communicated by telegram with the Russian and German Ambassadors and the Danish and Portuguese Ministers, the reigning houses of whose countries are connected by ties of blood with that of Great Britain. These and other diplomats later called at the Embassy and left their cards in token of sympathy. No news ever sped over the city of New York more quickly than did the announcement that the Queen of Great Britain had sunk into her last sleep. Almost simultaneously with the coming of VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 73 Liie message, which all were expecting, half-masted flags appeared above the cornices of the high buildings of New York and fluttered from the windows. The Union Jack waved over the oflices of the great commercial houses and the insurance companies where British capital was represented. The houses which deal with all the world hoisted the sign of mourning. Broadway and the busy streets which branch from it on either side were soon lined with the bunting, which showed to all who passed that the blow which had been awaited for many an hour had at last fallen. So promptly were the flags displayed that it seemed as though they were sent up the staffs by the impulse of a single will. To many the fluttering squares conveyed the first announce- ment that the dark hour had come to England and her colonies. SIGNS OF GRIEF ARE PROFUSE. The raising of the flag over the large dry goods stores and the skyscraping buildings was the more quickly noted. One well known house raised the British flag and six American flags beneath it on one pole, as if to emphasize how thoroughly the city mourned with those across the sea. On the buildings where the consulates of the various countries have their homes the flags of the respective nationalities were among tlie first to appear in their half-staff" mourning. Over the offices of the steamship lines the sign of grief speedily appeared. On the federal buildings the flags were soon lov/ered. There was a strange contrast in the display made at the General Post Of&ce and at the City Hall. The government officials displayed the lowered colors early in the afternoon. The flag over the dome of the City Hall remained at the very tip of the pole all day, and when the Mayor went home at half-past four o'clock in the after- noon, the emblem was taken down and folded up for the night. Old Trinity's bell tolled the news of the Queen's death for half an hour in advance of the occurrence. A man had been constantly stationed in the church for the last three days to be ready to toll the bells in the event of the death of the British sovereign. William C. Broughton, the sexton, received a cable message at one 74 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. minute after one o'clock in the afternoon tliat the Queen was dead, and the announcement of the tidings was made by the deep tones from the belfry. He was informed later that the Queen was not dead, but so confident was he that the information he had received was correct that he did not stop the bellringer. The news was soon confirmed. The notes of the bells announced the death of a ruler for the first time since President James A. Garfield passed away. So quickly did the news of the death spread over the city that before three o'clock in the afternoon it seemed as though every one in the city knew it. The Fifth avenue clubs displayed drooping flags, and from the windows of the homes in the thoroughfare were shown the signals of mourning. In the book stores the usual display was displaced by books treating of Victoria and her reign, and old prints and photographs were everywhere seen. All dealers in flags and drapings were looking over their wares in anticipation of the demands of the week. WAITING FOR OFFICIAL INFORMATION. Over the court houses no lowering of flags was observed, for the judiciary always waits for official information. In the Natural- ization Bureau in the County Court House, Henry Zimmer, a British subject, was taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. He had raised his hand and was saying that he gave up * ' all allegiance to all foreign powers and potentates and especially to ." He was about to say "Victoria," when a man hastily entered the room and announced the death of the Queen. The officials held a consultation and decided that, in view of the fact that the Prince of Wales was not yet King of England, they could not naturalize Mr. Zimmer. Orders were given that no more British subjects should be naturalized until the succession was officially announced. News of the death of Queen Victoria spread rapidly along the water front, and every British vessel and many of those of other nationalities as well were soon displaying the lowered flags. The tugs in the harbor seeing the lowering of flags on shore, hastened VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 75 to display the sign of mourning. Orders were given tliat all tlie steamers of the leading lines in port should display the flags. All the financial district of the metropolis put on the dress of mourning for the Queen. Wherever the American flag floated in the quarter devoted to finance it was displayed at half-mast. The Sub-Treasury flag was no exception. First of all the institutions in the Wall street district to recognize the loss sustained by the English people and to express American sympathy was the New York Cotton Exchange. This has notably close British interests, has not a few British subjects among its members, and cherishes a thoroughly friendly feeling for the people of England. GRACEFUL TRIBUTES FROM BUSINESS MEN. President S. T. Hubbard, of the Cotton Exchange, soon after the news of the Queen's death arrived by cable from Liverpool correspondents, sent back to Liverpool a cable of condolence, in which he quoted a bit of Byron's verse. The message read : — " We extend to the members of the Liverpool Cotton Associa- tion our heartfelt sympathy on the death of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. Soft as the memory of buried love : Pure as the prayer which childhood wafts above, was she." About two o'clock Mr. Hubbard stopped the daily conflict of cotton bulls and bears by calling the members to order, and said from the rostrum : " Gentlemen : On your behalf the officers of the Exchange, wishing to express to our friends in Liverpool the feeling of tender- ness and sympathy v/hich swells up in your hearts at the loss they have suffered in the death of that good and noble woman the Queen of England, have sent this cable." He then read the message. The members received it silently, and afterward many of them went to Mr Hubbard and expressed gratification at the action taken. On the occasion of President Garfield's death, London displayed 76 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. half-masted flags and expressed the widest condolence, and upon September 26, 1881, the day of his funeral, the London Stock Bx- change closed three hours earlier than usual out of respect to his memory. The New York Stock Exchange took occasion to return, more than nineteen years later, this token of sympathy in kind. The feeling was universal among the bankers of the city that a noble woman's life and a most illustrious reign had come to an end with the death of Queen Victoria. " She was a good woman," said President J. Edward Simmons, of the Fourth National Bank, ' ' and set a noble example to her people. Her death will be mourned by the people of this country not only because of the superiority of her character, but because of the sympathy and friendship that she has always shown for this nation." UNBLEMISHED CHARACTER. " Queen Victoria," said President Warden Van Norden of the National Bank of North America, "was as great a woman as Elizabeth or any other female ruler in history, and her unblem- ished character has made her illustrious. As a large number of Americans regarded her with affection, I think it appropriate that signs of mourning should everywhere be displayed here." ^' The affairs of the British Empire will go on without a ruffle," Cecil Baring said. " The Boer war will be continued. Prices will in no way be affected by the Queen's death." " The death of the Queen," said Henry Clews, who is of English birth, " is felt in America as almost a personal bereavement. The grief is not alone Britain's but the whole civilized world's." This despatch was sent to the Prince of Wales by the com- manders of the Salvation Army on Monday, the 21st : " On behalf of the American Salvationists we assure Your Royal Highness and members of the Royal family of our profoundest sympathy and prayers. " Frederick and " Emma Booth-Tucker." The following reply was received early next morning before the announcement of the Queen's death was made : VICTORTAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 77 " Prince of Wales thanks the American Salvationists for tele- gram of sympathy." Sir Wilfred Laurier, the first French Canadian Premier of the Dominion of Canada, upon whom Her Majesty showered signal honors during her jubilee year, was deeply affected by the an- nouncement of Queen Victoria's death. His tribute to the Queen was uttered under the stress of strong emotion. He said : " We British subjects of all races and origins in all parts of the world were inspired by sentiments of exalted and chivalrous devotion to the person of Her Most Gracious Majesty. This devo- tion was not the result of any maudlin sentimentality, but it sprang from the fact that the Queen, the sovereign of the many lands which constitute the British Bmpire, was one of the noblest women that ever lived — certainly the best sovereign that Bngland ever had and the best that probably ever lived in any land. DISTRESSED BY BOER WAR. " We know that the present war in South Africa was particu- larly painful to Her Majesty. She had hoped that the closing years of her long and prosperous reign vv^ould not be saddened by such a spectacle, but it was not in the decrees of Providence that this hope and wish should be gratified. " We had hoped that when the end of this long and glorious reign came it would close upon a united empire, wherein peace and good will should prevail among all men. Let us still hope that this happy consummation may not be long delayed." In Ottawa, the capital of the Dominion, symbols of mourning for Queen Victoria appeared. The Parliament Building and the government offices were decorated in black. In all places of busi- ness portraits of Her late Majesty, shrouded in crepe were shown. As soon as the formal notice of the Queen's demise was received at Government House the following proclamation was issued : "Whereas, it has pleased Almighty God to call to His mercy our late sovereign lady. Queen Victoria, of blessed and glorious memory, by w^hose decease the imperial crown of the United King- dom of Great Britain and Ireland and all her other late possessions 78 VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. aud dominions is solely and rightfully come to the high and mighty Prince Albert Bdward Prince of Wales. " I, the said Gilbert John Elliot, Barl of Minto, etc., Governor General of Canada, assisted by His Majesty's Privy Council for Canada, hereby publish and proclaim that the high and mighty Prince Albert Edward is now by the death of the late sovereign of happy memory become our only lawful and rightful liege lord. Albert Edward, by the grace of God King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Emperor of India, defender of the faith, to whom let all, therefore, acknowledge faith and constant obedience, with all hearty and zealous affection, beseeching God, by whom kings do reign, to bless the royal Edward VII. with long and happy years to reign over us. God save the King." THE DOMINION IN MOURNING. Another proclamation followed ordering a period of mourning for the Queen. All social entertainments at Rideau Hall, the resi- dence of the Governor General, were cancelled. Mayor Morris said : " I think the judgment of history will concede her the foremost place among the monarchs and colossal figures of the nineteenth century." Queen Victoria's death nowhere created more genuine sorrow than in Canada, where much of the fervent loyalty of a large element of the population is due to a personal attachment to Her Majesty and to the liberal measure of the constitutional self-gov- ernment accorded to the Canadian people during the first years of Her Majesty's reign. Expressions of sorrow were universal and emblems of mourning appeared everywhere. Public aud private pending functions of a social character were everywhere cancelled, and the city of Quebec cancelled the week of winter sports arranged for the next month. ' J. A. Jette, Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Quebec, wrote as follows : " The people of the Province of Quebec, espe- cially the French Canadians, will sincerely regret the death of Queen Victoria, whose reign has made them the most devoted and loyal of her subjects." VICTORIAN ERA ENDED BY HER MAJESTY'S DEATH. 79 Mayor Parent, of Quebec, wlio is also Prime Minister of the province, said that Queen Victoria's life had been a model of public and private virtue. He forwarded the following message to the Governor General of Canada : " As true and loyal subjects of the British crown, we, the citi- zens of Quebec, are deeply afflicted by the news of the death of our most gracious and beloved Queen Victoria, of whose beneficent reign our hearts will preserve a lasting remembrance, together with the memory of her eminent qualities and of her truly Chris- tian virtues. We beg to tender to their most excellent majesties, our King and the Queen, their royal highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and to the members of the royal family the expression of our hearfelt condolence and of our deep sympathy." In far British Columbia similar signs of grief were displayed by all classes of the inhabitants. Never before in the history of British Columbia was the province thrown i.ito such great gloom as it was when the minute bells began to toll on the receipt of the news of Her Majesty's death. Victoria, the capital, had many flags at half-mast. The Mayor of Vancouver, B. C, senv d, message to King Bdward VII. and the roj^al family, expressing the deep sorrow of the citi- zens over the Queen's death. The moment the news of the Queen's death arrived a proclamation was issued b}'' the Mayor declaring that for twenty-four hours from noon on the 23d would be a period of mourning for Her Majest3^ Business was suspended immediately, and public and private buildings were draped in black. For one month the government officials and citizens generally were to wear crepe on their coat sleeves or hats. All newspapers issued special editions, heavily bordered in black. CHAPTER IV. Personal History of Queen Victoria. ALEXANDRINA VICTORIA, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India, was the daughter and onl}^ child of Edward, Duke of Kent. She was born at Kensing- ton Palace, London, May 24, 1819, her mother being Victoria Mary Louisa, daughter of Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. The Duke of Kent died when Victoria was only eight months old, hav- ing caught a cold while romping with her, which resulted in pneu- monia. She was carefully trained by her mother, however, and on her accession to the throne, which followed on the death of her uncle. King William IV., June 30, 1837, she was accomplished nol only in the Continental languages, drawing, music and some of the sciences, but was thoroughly instructed in the principles of the British Constitution. CROWNED AT THE OLD ABBEY. Although the new Queen took office at once, retaining all the late King's Ministers, but exercising the duties of royalty, she was not formally crowned until a year later, when, on June 28, 1838, she was crowned at Westminster Abbey, with much pomp and ceremony and amid great public rejoicing. She was then twenty years old, and Carlyle wrote of her, in a private letter : ' ' Going through Green Park yesterday I saw her little Majesty taking her departure for Windsor. I had seen her another day at Hyde Park Corner coming in from the daily ride. She is decidedly a pretty looking princess, health, clearness, graceful timidity look- ing out from her 3^oung face, fraile cockle on the black, bottomless deluges. One could not help some interest in her, situated as' mortal seldom was." They were, indeed, times of troubled politics, for it was a period marked by the mutterings of that popular discontent which found vent in the turbulent proceedings of the Chartists a year or two later. Sir Edwin Arnold has told again the story of how the young 80 PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. 81 girl received the news that her uncle was dead, and she was his successor. Being himself then very young, he says: " I did not K:now, and probably could not have understood, how the young Queen came out into the balcony from the window of the Presence Cham- ber at St. James's Palace, between Lords Melbourne and Lansdowne, and was hailed with thunderous cheers by vast crowds of her people, and how she was observed to shed tender and wistful tears at the moment of that imposing spectacle. When she retired to her mother's apartment, being proclaimed Sovereign, she held that conversation and made that request of which the world afterwards heard with so much sympathy : " ' I can scarcely believe, mamma, that I am really Queen of England. Can it indeed be so ? ' " THE CHILD WAS REALLY QUEEN. "'You are really Queen, my child,' replied the Duchess of Kent. 'Listen how your subjects still cheer your name in the streets and cry to God to bless you.' " ' In time ' said her Majesty, ' I shall, perhaps, become accus- tomed to this too great and splendid state. But, since I am Sov- ereign, let me, as your Queen, have to-day my first wish. Let me be quite alone, dear mother, for a long time.' "And that day Victoria passed the first hours of her reign on her knees, praying to heaven for herself and her people, with sup- plications innocent and noble, which have surely been heard." Fanny Kemble, who was present on the first occasion when the queen went in state to dissolve Parliament, a month after her accession, wrote : " The Queen is not handsome, but very pretty, and the singularity of her great position lent a sentimental and poetical charm to her youthful face and figure. The serene, serious sweetness of her candid brow and clear, soft eyes gave dignity to the girlish countenance, while the want of height only added to the effect of extreme youth of the round, but slender, figure and grace- fully moulded hands and arms. " The Queen's voice w^as exquisite, nor have I ever heard any 82 PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. spoken words more musical in their gentle distinctness tlian ' My Lords and Gentlemen,' wliich broke the breathless silence of the illustrious assembly, whose gaze was riveted on the fair flower of royalty. The enunciation was as perfect as the intonation was melodious, and I think it is impossible to hear a more excellent utterance than that of the Queen's English by the English Queen." Soon after her accession the Queen was called upon to sign the first death warrant. It was for the punishment of a deserter con- demned by a court-martial, and was presented by the Duke of Wellington; but her Majesty, finding that there was some testi- mony favorable to the accused, wrote, " pardoned " on the paper and pushed it across the table, while her hand trembled with emotion. HER DAILY HABITS. A contemporary account of the Queen's daily life at this time may be read with interest. It says : " She gets up soon after eight o'clock, breakfasts in her own room, and is employed the whole morning in transacting business. She reads all the despatches, and has every matter of interest and importance in every depart- ment laid before her. At eleven or twelve, Melbourne (then Prime Minister) comes to her and stays an hour, more or less, according to the business he may have to transact. "At two she rides with a large suite, and she likes to have it numerous. Melbourne always rides at her left hand and the equerry-in- waiting on her right. She rides for two hours along the road, and the greater part of the time at a full gallop. After riding, she amuses herself for the rest of the afternoon with music and singing, playing and romping with children, if there are any in the castle, and she is so fond of them that she generally contrives to have some there. The hour of dinner is nominally half-past seven o'clock, soon after which time the guests assemble, but she seldom appears before eight." Victoria's marriage to her cousin. Prince Albert, of the house of Coburg, was purely a love match. The Prince used to say that when a child of three his nurse always told him that he should marry Victoria, and that when he first thought of marriage at all PERSONAt HISTORY OF THE QUEEN 83 he always thought of her. They were of the same age, the Princess being three nionths the elder. Their first acquaintanceship was in 1836, when both were seventeen years of age, at which time Prince Albert and his brother Brnest were invited to Kensington Palace, where they remained nearly four weeks, and a warm affec- tion grew up between Victoria and Albert. Her Majesty afterward wrote of him : " The Prince was at this time very handsome, but very stout, which he entirely grew out of afterwards. He was most amiable, natural, unaffected and merry, full of interest in everything." Three years later the two Princes again visited Bngland, Albert having spent the intervening time in studies at Bonn. During this time, both families being favorable to the match, the Queen heard nothing but good of her cousin, and, to use her own words, "she never had any idea, if she married at all, of any one else." A FASCINATING PRINCE. She did not, however, think of marrying at that time, as she believed they were both too young ; but Albert's visit changed her mind on that point. She found him, to use her own words again, "greatly improved, eminently handsome, in short, very fascinat- ing," and she afterward wrote : " Nor can the Queen now think without indignation against herself of her wish to keep the Prince waiting for probably three or four years, at the risk of ruining all his prospects for life, until she might feel inclined to marry." Prince Albert arrived October 10, 1839, and on the 15th the young Queen wrote to her old friend, Baron Stockmar: "Albert has completely won my heart, and all was settled between us this morning." The public declaration of the intended marriage was made with great ceremony on November 20th, a bill for the naturalization of the Prince was passed at once by both Houses of Parliament, an annuity of ^^30,000, ($150,000), was settled upon him, and the Queen gave him the title of Royal Highness. The marriage took place on February 10, 1840. The proclamation issued when Queen Victoria succeeded to the throne read as follows : 84 PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God to call to His mercy our late Sovereign and lord, King William IV., of blessed and glorious memory, by whose decease the Imperial Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is solely and right- fully come to the high and mighty Princess Alexandrina Victoria, it is therefore here published and proclaimed that the high and mighty Princess Alexandrina Victoria is now, by the death of the late sovereign of happy memory, become our only lawful and right- ful liege. Lady Victoria, by the grace of God Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, to' whom let all, therefore, acknowledge faith and constant obedience, with all hearty and humble affection, beseeching God, by whom kings and queens do reign, to bless the royal Princess Victoria with long and happy years to reign over us. God save the Queen." On the day the Queen succeeded to the throne the Privy Council met in the Council Chamber at Westminster, at ii A. m., and took the oaths of office in her presence. TITLE OF PRINCE OF WALES. The succession of the new" Prince of Wales to the title is quite different. When the Prince of Wales becomes King the title merges in that of Sovereign. The King then confers it by letters patent upon his son, if he sees fit. The Sovereign's eldest son becomes the Duke of Cornwall, automatically, as it were, and is entitled to the revenues of the duchy, which now amount to $50,000 per annum. On November 21, 1840, the Princess Royal was born, and almost exactly a year later, November 9, 1841, the Queen gave birth to her first son. Great rejoicing followed this event, and it was celebrated by an act of royal clemency. All convicts whoss records while in prison were good had their sentences commuted, and those deserving clemency on board the various hulks were given their liberty. The Queen wrote in her journal : " To think we have two children now, and one who enjoys the sight (the Christ- mas tree) already , it is like a dream." Another entry is : " Albert PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. 85 brought in dearest little Pussy (Princess Victoria) in such a smart white merino dress, trimmed with blue, which mamma had given her, and a pretty cap, and placed her on my bed, seating himself next to her, and she was very dear and good, and as my precious, invaluable Albert sat there, and our little love between us, I felt quite warm with happiness and love to God." One reads with sadness in these later years what she wrote to the King of the Belgians about her son, the Prince of Wales : " I wonder very much whom our little one will be like. You will understand how very fervent are my prayers, and I am sure every- body's must be, to see him resemble his father in every respect, both in mind and body." ^A^ARS AND DISCONTENT. But the Queen's country was not as happy as her home. In 1842 there was a terrible war in Afghanistan, in which the British troops suffered greatly, though they triumphed in the end. There was war with China, also, and at home there was much popular discontent on account of the Corn laws. There were fears of a Chartist rising, and to please the populace and offer a stimulus to trade, the Queen opened Buckingham Palace to a bal masque, always mentioned as "the Queen's Planta.genet ball." About a fortnight later she went to a grand ball at Her Majesty's Theatre, for the benefit of the Spitalfields weavers. In this year two attempts were made on her life, one by a man named James Francis, who fired a pistol at her as she was driving, and another by a deformed youth named John William Bean, who leveled a pistol at her but failed to discharge it. The former was sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted by the Queen, and he v/as transported to Tasmania, while Bean was given eighteen months in Newgate prison. During the first few years of her wedded life the Queen was much concerned with the care of her children. She wrote to Lord Melbourne in 1842 : " We are much occupied in considering the future management of our nursery establishment, and naturally find considerable difficulties in it. Stockmarsays — and very justly 86 PERSONAJ. HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. — that our occupations prevent us from managing these affairs a? much our ownselves as other parents can, and therefore we must have some one in whom we can place implicit confidence." Such a person was found in Lady Lytton, who for eight years filled the office of governess to the royal children, and was much lamented when she resigned her office. 5 " The Private Life of the Queen," a book written by one of her household, gives some interesting glimpses of the private life of Victoria and her children. It says the Queen ' always made time in her busy life to bathe with her own hands the last new baby,' and that the religious training of the royal children was entirely mapped out by the Queen, who drew up a memorandum which if given to the world in full, would prove of inestimable benefit to all parents, so kindly, so truly sympathetic, so earnest and womanly is it." Above all, the children were carefully kept away from the court, and it is recorded that "many of the Queen's ladies scarcely knew the royal children save by sight and by catchiug brief glimpses of them as they walked in the gardens with their parents, or some- times came to desert after dinner. The most carefully selected governesses and professors taught the children English, French, German and the arts." A FAITHFUL ADVISER. In all matters, both of the family and of State, the Prince Con- sort was Her Majesty's adviser, counselor and helpmate. Sir Theodore Martin says in his " Life of the Prince. : " '' Every enterprise of national importance claimed his attention, and in all things that concerned the welfare of the State, at home or abroad, his accurate and varied knowledge and great political sagacity made him looked to as an authority by all our leading statesmen." In another place, Sir Thomas says : " Like most men who have done great things in this world, the Prince got to his work early, and made good progress with it before other people were stirring. Summer or winter he arose, as a rule, at seven, dressed and went to his sitting-room, where in winter a fire was burning and a PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. 87 German reading lamp already lit. He read and answered letters, never allowing his vast correspondence to fall into arrears, or pre- pared for Her Majesty's consideration drafts of answers to lier Min- isters on any matters of importance. He kept up this habit to the close of his life, and his last memorandum of this description he brought to the Queen on December i, 1 86 1, at 8 A. M., saying, as he gave it : ' Ich bin so schwach, ich habe kaum die Feder halten konnen ' ( I am so weak I have scarcely been able to hold the pen)." In 1844 a residence was puchased at Osborne, on the Isle of Wight, and the Prince took great interest in planning the house and laying out the grounds, as well as in carrying out the farming operations which were conducted on the estate. In 1848 the Queen and her consort paid their first visit to Balmoral, the estate of the Earl of Aberdeen in the Highlands, which was subsequently pur- chased and became a favorite home of the Queen. The Prince drew a graphic pen picture of the place : " We have withdrawn for a short time into a complete moun- tain solitude, where one seldom sees a human face, where the snow already covers the mountain tops (in September), and the wild deer come stealthily creeping round the house ; scenes which, in her Majesty's own words, seem to breathe freedom and peace, and to make one forget the world and its sad turmoil." THE SPLENDID CRYSTAL PALACE. In 1849 the Prince projected the great Crystal Palace Exhibi- tion, enlisted the help of the most active members of the Society of Arts, and was instrumental in having the great enterprise put under way and pushed to completion. When the exhibition was opened on May i, 1851, the Queen wrote : "Albert is immortalized. To see this great conception of my beloved husband's mind, which is always laboring for the good of others, to see this great thought' and work crowned with triumphal success, in spite of difl&culties and opposition of every imaginable kind, and of every effort to which jealousy and calumny could resort to cause its failure, has been an immense happiness to us both." 88 PBRSONAIv HISTORY OF THE QUEEN One of the Queen's last public appearances was during lier visit to Ireland. Slie met witli a great reception and entliusiastic multitudes testified tlieir profound respect for tlieir Sovereign. The exhibitions of loyalty to the throne were extremely gratifying to the Queen. For ten years before his death Prince Albert's health was bad. He was overworked, worn out by what he called " the treadmill of never ending business," One day, late in November, i86t, he went to inspect the building for a new Staff College and Royal Military Academy, at Sandhurst, and performed that duty amid a tremendous downpour of rain. A fever seized him, which developed into typhoid, and on the night of Saturday, December 14th, he died. The Queen's grief was intense, and, perhaps, the saddest ex- pression of it were her words, so often quoted, " There is no one to call me Victoria now." She suffered so keenly that, as Barnett Smith says in the " L-ife of the Queen," there was great anxiety at Windsor for her own life and that of the Princess Alice, who was also deeply grief stricken. PERIOD OF BITTER GRIEF. He says : " For three days they suffered terribly, and her Maj- esty's weakness was so great that her pulse could scarcely be felt. The Princess afterwards said that she wondered how her mother and herself had lived through those first bitter days. The Queen spoke about God's knowing best, but showed herself broken hearted. At length the country was relieved on learning that ex- hausted nature had somewhat recovered itself, and the Queen had slept. "Her Majesty was again and again urged to leave Windsor before the funeral, but she wept bitterly, and said her subjects were never advised to leave their homes or the remains of those lost to them. It was only when the safet}'- of her children was pleaded as a means of giving them immunity from the fever that she was prevailed upon to leave Windsor and repair to Osborne. Before her departure the Queen visited Frogmore to choose a site PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. 89 for the mausoleum where her beloved husband and herself were yet to lie side by side." Nor did she soon recover from the blow. " For some years after the death of the Prince Consort," says Macauley, " the Queen appeared very little in public. Overwhelmed with grief, she lived almost wholly in retirement ; but we are assured that, even at that time, no official duty was neglected." And when a terrible colliery disaster occurred, in which 204 lives were lost, her Majesty sent a message saying that, " her tenderest sympathy is with the poor widows and mothers, and her own misery only makes her feel the more for them." HER MAJESTY'S SECLUSION. The Queen's seclusion, however, was so distasteful to her subjects that many protests were made, privately, in the news- papers, and even in Parliament. So pressing did these complaints become that at last an article appeared in the London Times in her defence. There were rumors that it was from the Queen's own pen, but these were not confirmed. After touching on the popular expressions of feeling it said : " The Queen heartily appreciates the desire of her subjects to see her, and whatever she can do to gratify them in this loyal, affec- tionate wish she will do. Whenever any real object is to be obtained by her appearing on public occasions, any national inter- est to be promoted, or anything to be encouraged which is for the good of her people. Her Majesty will not shrink, as she has not shrunk, from any personal sacrifice or exertion, however painfuL But there are other and higher duties than those of mere represen- tation, which are now thrown on the Queen alone and unassisted — duties which she cannot neglect without injury to the public service ; which weigh unceasingly upon her, overwhelming her with work and anxiety. To call upon her to undergo, in addition, the fatigue of those mere state ceremonies which can be equally well performed by other English members of her family, is to ask her to run the risk of entirely disabling herself for the discharge of those other duties which cannot be neglected without serious injury to the public interests." 90 PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. As late as 1866 that great Commoner, John Bright, felt called upon to defend at a public meeting the honor of the Queen against an attack made by a member of the Opposition, in which the speaker insinuated that the Queen was indifferent to public affairs. Mr. Bright said : " I am not accustomed to stand up in defence of those who are possessors of crowns, but I could not sit and hear that observation without a sensation of wonder and of pain. I think there has been, by many persons, a great injustice done the^ Queen in reference to her desolate and widowed position, and I venture to say this, that a woman, be she Queen of a great realm or the wife of one of your laboring men, who can keep alive in her heart a great sorrow for the lost object of her life and affection, is not at all likely to be wanting in a great and generous sym- pathy for you." "These remarks," says Rosa Nouchette Carey, in her memoir /y^s^^ HON. JOHN BRIGHT. of the Queen, " elicited immense applause, and the whole body of the people in the hall rose simultaneously and manifested their loyalty by singing a verse of ' God Save the Queen.' We do notj know if the Queen ever heard of the speech, but when Mr. Bright lost his wife a kind message came from Windsor Castle, expressing her sympathy in his bereavement." On July I, 1862, the Princess Alice, who had long been engaged to Prince Louis of Hesse, was married to him very PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. 91 quietly, the Queen sitting in the background, in deep mourning. The following month the Queen erected a cairn at Balmoral in memory of the Prince Consort. She wrote of it : "I and my poor six orphans all placed stones on it, and our initials as well as those of the three absent ones." In the autumn of that year Her Majesty was persuaded to resume her sketching, and in September she went to Germany and made a passing visit to King Leopold at Laeken, where she saw for the first time her future daughter-in- law, the Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who was married to the Prince of Wales in London on March lo, 1863, ^^^) though the Queen took part in the ceremony, she still wore her widow's weeds. THE QUEEN OPENING PARLIAMENT. On February 6, 1866, when the Queen opened the first session of her seventh Parliament she appeared in half mourning, a deep purple velvet robe, trimmed with white ermine. She came from her seclusion again when two of her daughters, the Princess Mary and the Princess Helena, were married, respectively, to the Duke of Teck and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, and again when, in October of the same year, she presided at the opening of the new water works at Aberdeen. In this year, also, a memoir entitled " The Early Years of the Prince Consort," compiled under Her Majesty's direction was published. From that time on the Queen appeared in public whenever any event of sufficient importance to warrant her doing so took place. In March, 1888, she met with a severe accident. She slipped on the stairs at Windsor and sprained her knee. For about a year the effects of the mishap caused her pain and much discomfort. Great preparations were made throughout the British Empire for the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Victoria's accession to the throne. It was called " the Queen's Jubilee," and the cere- monies were begun on June 21, 1887, the exact date of the anniver- sary. The most notable ceremonies were held in London. The chief function on the opening day was a great procession of royal and otherwise distinguished persons which accompanied the Queen in her state progress to Westminster Abbey. The pro- 92 PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. cession included tlie Kings of Denmark, Belgium, Saxony, and Greece, and a large number of crown Princes, Grand Dukes and other titled persons. It was guarded by 10,000 British troops, to- gether witli the entire police force of London and its suburbs. The streets tkrough. which the procession passed were crowded with people to such, an extent never before witnessed in England, ex- cept, perhaps, on the occasion of the funeral of the Duke of Well- ington. London was profusely decorated, and at night was generally illuminated. The ceremonies at Westminster Abbey were of the most impressive character, and were witnessed by the Queen throned in state and surrounded by members of the royal family. On the 2 2d the Queen received addresses and gifts at Buckingham Palace, the gifts being articles of great value from all parts of the world^ including the sum of X75)000, ($375,000), presented by "the women of England." On the same day Her Majesty, v/ith the Prince and Princess of Wales, was present at a grand fete in Hyde Park, where she was received and welcomed by 30,000 children, and presented a memorial cup to a little girl chosen to represent the children present. HER STATUE AT WINDSOR. Another ceremony of the day was unveiling by Her Majesty of a statue of herself at Windsor, in the presence of an enormous gathering of people. The day was also celebrated in Paris by a Jubilee garden party at the British Embassy, and in the principal cities of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India by appropriate ceremonies, in which thousands of enthusiastic people took part. Addresses, telegrams and letters of congratulation from all parts of the world, including some from British citizens in the United States poured in, and the occasion was made one of general rejoic- ing all around the globe. On June 23d the Queen's Jubilee was celbrated by religious ceremonies of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral ; on the 25th a State banquet was held at Windsor Castle, and on the 27th the Queen received there numerous delegations bearing congratulatory PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. 93 addresses. Ou the 28tli a Jubilee ball took place at the Mansion House, at which four Kings, several members of the British Royal Family and many foreign Princes were present. On the 29th the Queen gave a grand garden party at Buckingham Palace, and on July 2d she held a review of 28,000 volunteers at the same place. On July 4th she laid the first stone of the Imperial Institute at South Kensington, and on the 6th, by royal command, a state ball was given at Buckingham Palace, The Jubilee ceremonies proper w^ere closed on July 9th, with a grand review of 60,000 troops — regulars, volunteers, and militia — at Aldershot ; though it was not until November 4tli that she made public proclamation of her thanks for the loyal demonstration of her subjects. THE DIAMOND JUBILEE. It was thought that the semi-centennial of her accession would be the crowning demonstration of Victoria's reign, but when her sovereignty was continued ten years longer it was determined to celebrate the completion of that term with ceremonies even grander and more elaborate. The Diamond Jubilee was, perhaps, the most conspicuous demonstration in the whole of the nineteenth century. It began on June 22, 1897, ^^^ lasted a month. On the first day the Queen, escorted by a gorgeous procession, went from Buckingham Palace to St. Paul's Cathedral, where a service of thanksgiving was held, and then returned to the palace through a circuit of richly decorated streets. In the parade v/ere 14,000 British troops, besides large contin- gents from India and the colonies. The Queen sent to every part of her empire an identical telegram, saying: "From my heart I thank my beloved people. May God bless them." As the cele- bration was planned, above all, to demonstrate the extent and power of the British Empire and the unity and loyalty of all its constituent members, simultaneous demonstrations were held in all the British colonies and dependencies, from the Northwest Ter- ritory of Canada to Cape Colony, and from Malta to New Zealand. Though the war clouds were even then gathering over the Transvaal, President Kruger marked the occasion by releasing two 94 PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEER Utlander prisoners wlio had refused to sue for pardon. Tlie event was celebrated in various ways b}^ the British in the United States, and President McKinley sent a cable message felicitating the Queen on "the prolongation of a reign which has been illustrious and marked for advance in science, arts, and popular well being." Lord Salisbury, in moving a Parliamentary address congratu- lating the Queen on "the longest, the most prosperous and the most illustrious reign," spoke of it as a period marked by " a con- tinuous advance in the frontiers of this empire, so that many races that were formerly alien to it have been brought under its influ- ence, mau}^ who were formerly within its boundaries have been made to feel in some degree for the first time the full benefits of its civilization and its educating influence." VAST CHANGES GOING ON. He dv/elt also on the great political change : " The impulse of democracy, which began in another century and in other lands, has made itself felt in our times, and vast changes in the centre of power and the incidence of responsibility have been made almost imperceptibly, without any disturbance or hindrance i^"" the prog- ress of the prosperous development of the nation." The spectacular features of the celebration culminated in the great . naval review at Spithead on Saturday, June 28th. The vessels assembled, though they comprised only the Channel squad- ron and coast defense fleet, with a few additional ones, being only about half of the Queen's navy, formed a line twenty-five miles long, broken into five ranks of five miles each. There were 166 British warships at anchor there, manned by 45,000 men. A number of foreign warships, among which the American cruiser Brooklyn, specially designated for the honor, was one, formed a sixth line, and a seventh was composed of seven of the largest ocean liners ; another American vessel, the New York, being in this line. At 8 A. M. a signal was given, and instantly every ship was covered with flags and bunting. Later the Prince of Wales and a royal party on the Queen's yacht, Victoria and Albert, reviewed the PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. 95 fleet ; wMle tlie guns of botli British and foreign vessels fired a salute of twenty-one rounds, and every ship was " nranned ** by sailors and marines standing in solid masses on the ironrclads and filling all the yards of the sailing craft. At night, there was a grand illumination of the whole fleet, and a royal salute of sixty guns was fired from every ship that had a gun to fire. The effect was that of a tremendous naval battle. Another spectacular display was given on July i, when a review of the troops was held at Aldershot, in which 27,359 officers and men, 5029 horses and fiftj^-seven guns were paraded. ATTENDING TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS. During these later years of her life, the Queen continued to give that close attention to public affairs which had always marked her conduct, and wherever she might be, whether in London, which she visited but rarely ; at Windsor, at Cowes or Balmoral, or in Southern Burope, to which she frequently went for a season of relaxation and in search of health, she was kept in constant touch with her Cabinet, and the special couriers, known as "Queen's messengers," were constantly traveling between London and her residence with bags filled with important papers for her consideration. She continued to keep an oversight on public business even when age and infirmity had so enfeebled her that she was scarcely able to walk the shortest distance, and after she was obliged to delegate the task of holding "drawing rooms" and other court functions to the Princess of Wales and other members of her family. Her mind remained clear after her physical faculties had begun to decay, and her people were spared the affliction of seeing their sovereign falling into that state of imbecility which so frequently accompanies extreme age. By her marriage with Prince Albert, Victoria had four sons and five daughters. They were Victoria, the Princess Royal, born November 21, 1840, married Janiiary 25, 1858, to Frederick William, then Crown Prince of Prussia and afterward Emperor of Germany ; Albert Bdward, Prince of Wales, born November 9, 96 PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. 1841 ; Alice, born April 25, 1843, married in 1862, tq Prince Frederick of Hesse, died December 14, 1878 ; Alfred, Duke of Bdinburgb, born in 1844 ; Helena, born In 1846, married in 1866 to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein ; Louisa, born in 1848, married in 187 1 to the Marquise of Lome (the only child of the Queen who married a subject) ; Arthur, Duke of Connaught, born 1850 ; Leopold, Duke of Albany, born 1853, died 1884 ; Beatrice, born 1857, married 1885 Prince Henry of Battenberg. The grand- children of the Queen number very many, and she had also numerous collateral relatives. For twenty-one years Queen Victoria enjoyed the happiest of married life. The marriage with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg was one of real affection, which matured as time went on. In her letters to her uncle King Leopold and to Baron von Stockmar, the confidential counsellor of the royal family, and in the touching , insights into her life which have long been public property, there I is abundant evidence of her deep attachment to the Prince. HER UNSELFISH DISPOSITION.) As Lady Jeune has admirably expressed it : " It was not sur- prising that she should be so, for he was a most attractive person- ality. Handsome, cultivated and most unselfish and engaging, he was a man to win the heart of any girl. All through his life his whole heart and soul were given to the Queen, and he worked for, and thought of, naught else but her happiness and that of her people. The position was at first a hard and a trying one. "The House of Commons acted in the usually ungracious manner of that body by cutting down the Prince's allowance and by throwing difficulties in the way of the settlement of the ques- tion of precedence. Happily, however, these difficulties did not interfere with the absolute happiness of the newly-wedded pair, and in a very short time Prince Albert, by his discretion, tact and charm, had won all hearts and convinced every one that the Queen's choice had been a happy one for herself and the country." The Queen wrote in her diary in her early married days, when the Duke of Coburg, the Prince's father, had returned to Ger- THE QUEEN REVIhWING THE HONORABLE ARTILLtRY COMPANY AT WINDSOR PEiyiANPlNG ADIVIISSION FOR THE QUEEN AT DUBLIN CITY GATES SCHOOL CHILDREN PRESENTING FLOWERS TO THE QUEEIS| IN PHQENIX PARK THE QUE|N IN DUBLIN HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO THE LORD LIEUTENANT AND COUNTESS GADOGAN AT DUBLIN GASTLE THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY-PREMIER OF GREAT BRITAIN KING EDWARD PROPOSING A TOAST TO THE KHEDIVE AT THE GUILDHALL BANQUET VISIT OF THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES TO THE HOSPITAL SHIP AT SOUTHAMPTON TWELVE POUNDER FROM LADYSMITH PASSING THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES ON THE HORSE GUARDS' PARADE THE PRINCE OF WALES INSPECTING THE IMPERIAL YEOMANRY FOR SERVICE IN SOUTH AFRICA Ql^EEN VICTORIA LISTENING TO A DISPATCH FROM THE SEAJ OF WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA THE QUEEN PRESENTING FLOWERS TO THE WOUNDED DURING HiR VISIT TO THE HERPERT* HOSPITAL AT WOOLWIQH Q. a HI cc a: < CO Q S^ O ± FOR QUEEN AND EMPIRE PERSONAT. HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. 9> many : " He told me tliat if I continued to love him as I did now I could make up for all. Oh, how I did feel for my dear, precious husband at that moment! Father, brother, friends, country — all has he left, and all for me. God grant that I may be the happy person, the most happ}^ person, to make this dearest, blessed being- happy and contented ! What is in my power to make him happyj I will do." The resolution was amply fulfilled. One of the Prince Con- sort's private letters on the death of the father who called out that expression of his wife's love contained the confirmation : " Victoria feels and shares my grief, and is the treasure on which my whole existence rests. The relation in which we stand to each other leaves nothing to desire. It is a union of heart and soul." SUITED TO EACH OTHER. The royal pair were not only happy in their mutual love, but also in the similarity of their tastes. These were simple, but their artistic instincts and the Prince's partiality for men of science brought to the court men of eminence who had nothing but praise for the generous atmosphere pervading it. The Prince became his wife's private secretary and lightened as much as possible the executive toil of mastering state papers submitted to her. On his side he was continually and anxiously watching every part of the public business, in order to be able to advise and assist the Queen in any of the multifarious and difficult questions brought before her — political, social or personal. On her part she did all in her power to make the position of the Prince, which had nev^r been properly defined, less difficult. One of her records is : "I told Albert that formerly I was too happy to go to London and wretched to leave it, and now, since the blessed hour of my marriage, and still more since the summer, I dislike and am unhappy to leave the country, and could be content and happy never to go to town. The solid pleasures of a peaceful, quiet, yet merry life in the country with ray inestimable husband and friend — my all in all — are far more desirable than the amuse- ments of London." 7 . .- . 98 PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE QUEEN. This fireside happiness of home, a particular trait in which Queen Victoria thoroughly exemplified a national characteristic of her people, was realized in two ro3^al country seats — Osborne and Balmoral. Both owed their creation to the Prince's fi^resight. " It is so pleasant," wrote the Queen, " to have a place of one's own, quiet and retired, and free from all Woods and Forests and other charming departments." By chance they pitched upon the estate in the Isle of Wight overlooking the Solent, an admirable marine >:esort. The house was rebuilt and the grounds and model farm laid out according to the designs of the Prince and Queen. A few years later Balmoral was purchased and developed in a similar way, to become "that home in the Highlands" which the Queen loved best for its associations with the Prince and the happiest days of the growing royal family. A ROYAL ALLIANCE. With the marriage of the Princess Roj^'al to the future Emperor Frederick of Germany came the first break in the circle. From their earliest infancy relations of the closest intimacy and affection subsisted between the Queen and her nine children. The children were brought up as simply and in as domestic a way as possible. They were, apart from their lessons, v/hich were intrusted to carefully chosen instructors, as much as possible with their parents, so as to learn to place their greatest confidence in them in all things. No luxuries were allowed in the royal nursery, and their dresses were as plain as their food, and many anecdotes relate the firmness with which any outbreak was checked. The Queen's letter to the Prince of Wales on the attainment of his majority, announcing his emancipation from parental author- ity and control, explaining why the rule adopted by herself and the Prince Consort for his education had been a severe one, " was," says Greville, "a very long letter, and it seemed to have made a profound impression on the Prince, and to have touched his feelings to the quick. He brought it to Gerald Wellesley in a flood of tears, and the effect it produced is a proof of the wisdom which dic- tated its composition." CHAPTER V. Additional Details of the Queen's Life. T^HH year 1817 was a memorable one in the history of England. ^ Seldom had the prosperity of a country which had known no serious hitch or obstacle for a century been more seriously menaced ; never were the destinies of a constitutional monarchy that had stood the storms of eight hundred years enveloped in a more forbidding gloom. The death of the Princess Charlotte opened up the prospect of succession to the throne to the youngest son of George III., and had inspired him with a desire to marry. As yet the only sons who had taken wives were the Duke of York, who had chil- dren, and the Duke of Cumberland, whose first living child was not born till 18 19. FATHER OF VICTORIA. The fourth brother was Edward, Duke of Kent,' then fifty-one years of age. He was not on terms of ordinary friendship with any of his brothers. Suddenly he determined to marry. Victoria, daughter of Duke Franz of Saxe-Coburg, at that time thirty-two years of age, had taken the Duke's fancy. On July II, 1818, this lady became the Duchess of Kent, the future mother of the future Queen of England. When the Duke was informed by his consort that he had the prospect of an heir, it was his wish that the child should be born on English soiL The journey was attended with difficulty, for His Grace was much pressed for ready cash. In the spring of 1819, however, the journey was made. The Duke and the Duch- ess were installed at Kensington Palace, then, as now, a place of residence for the members and proteges of the royal famil}^, and on May 24, 18 19, " a pretty little princess, plump as a part- ridge," was born. 99 LofC, 100 DETAILS OF THK OUEEN'S LIFE. The Duke was deliglited with the child. He would daudle and caress her, and then hand her to the arms of admiring spec- tators with the caution, "Take care of her, for she will be Queen of England." His Grace did not live to enjoy his parental hap- piness long. It had been prophesied that two members of the famil}" would die in the course of 1820. The Duke believed the prophecy implicity, but he applied it to his brothers. In the win- ter of 1819 he had gone to the sheltered watering place of Sidmouth, in Devonshire, "to cheat," as he said, "the winter." One day he happened when taking a walk, to get wet and to catch cold. Acute inflammation of the lungs supervened. The Duke sent for another attendant and friend. General Weatherall, whose presence had so stimulating an effect on the prostrate nervous energies of the patient that he rallied suflicientl}^ to sign his will. THE CLOSING SCENE. "With dif&culty," writes Baron Stockmar, "he wrote 'Bdward' below the last clause, looked attentively at each sepa- rate letter, and asked if the signature was clear and legible. Then he sank back exhausted onto the pillows. The next morn- ing all was over." "The poor widow," adds the same chronicler, "found herself, owing to the Duke's considerable debts, in a ver}^ uncomfortable position at the time of his death. Her brother, Leopold, enabled her to return to Kensington, where she hence- forth devoted herself to the education of her child. Queen Victoria." Six days after the death of the Duke of Kent, the prophecy above mentioned was completely fulfilled by the death of his father, George III. At half-past eight on the morning of Jan- uary 29, that monarch, worn out by mental malady and physical decay, breathed his last. On Monday, the 31st, the new sov- erign, the Prince Regent, was proclaimed George IV., with the usual formalities, at the palace. Temple Bar, Charing Cross and other places. Though the removal of the aged King, who had been so long DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIEE. 101 debarred from taking an active part in political councils, whicli lie once not quite unsuccessfully asserted liis rigHt to control, was not practically felt in the conduct of the English govern- ment, it produced a profound emotion among the mass of the people. Following, as it did, upon the decease of the Princess Charlotte and the Duke of Kent, it awoke a sentiment of grave disquietude as to the eventual succession to the monarchy. The health of the new King was precarious, his age was advanced ; he had no legal heir. The Duke of York, the heir apparent, was married, had no family, and his Duchess was in a declining state. The Duke of Clarence, the next in order, was of ripe age. He had had two daughters born to him. Each of them had died in infancy, but further issue, though not probable, was still not an impossible contingency. THE FUTURE SOVEREIGN. The next in succession was the infant Princess at Kensing- ton Palace. Every year as it passed by made it more apparent that, if only the life of the royal babe were spared, upon her the monarchy ultimatelj^ must devolve. As a matter of fact, the prophetic boast of the Duke of Kent was fulfilled earlier than might have been anticipated. The Regent reigned for just ten years after his ascent to the throne as George IV. ; the Duke of Clarence just seven years as William IV. But it was not until she was twelve years old that the Prin- cess Victoria was permitted to know the high destiny reserved for her, and even then the knowledge came in an almost accidental manner. When she was about twelve years old the additional services of the Duke of Northumberland were called in for her education. In addition to French, German, and Italian, Latin, and a little Greek, she soon acquired an accurate acquaintance with the rudi- fments of more than one science, especially botany. Nor was she untrained in the graver and more momentous subjects of a royal education. Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, the brother-in-law of the late 102 DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. Duke of Kent, who exercised a general protection over tlie Duchess and her daughter, paid especial attention to the instruc- tion of the Princess in political and constitutional history. He had a a competent and diligent assistant in Baron Stockmar, while among Englishmen Lord Melbourne was not infrequently summoned to the educational council. Meanwhile the future husband of the Princess and her cousin was growing up in Germany. Prince Albert, the son of the Duke of Coburg, was born at Rosenau in the August of the same year as Princess Victoria, and it is a curious coincidence, considering the future connection of the children, that Mme. Siebold, the accoucheuse who attended the Duchess of Coburg at the birth of the young Prince, had only three months before attended the Duchess of Kent at the birth of the Princess. THE ROYAL MAYFLOAVER. "How pretty the little Mayflower," writes the grandmother both of Albert and Victoria, the Dowager Duchess of Coburg, to the Duchess of Kent, "will be when I see it in a year's time. Siebold cannot sufficiently describe what a dear little love it is." The Mayflower above spoken of was, of course, the Princess Victoria. From a very early period the Dowager Duchess per- mitted herself to entertain the hope that her two grandchildren would thereafter become man and wife. On February 25, 183 1, when not quite twelve years of age, she attended her first drawing-room. " Lady Jersey," writes the amusing Mr. Greville, "made a scene with Lord Durham. She got up in a corner of the room, and said : ' Lord Durham, I hear that you have said things about me which are not true, and I desire that you will call upon me to-morrow with a witness to hear my positive denial, and I hope that you will not repeat such things about me.' She was in a fury, and he in a still greater. He muttered that he should never set foot in her house again which she did not hear, and after delivering herself of her speech she flounced back again to her seat, mighty proud of her exploit It arose out of her saying that he should make Lady Durham DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. 103 demand an audience of tlie Queen to contradict tHe things which Lady Jersey said of her, and to other Whig allies." These were days in which party spirit ran high, and pene- trated the whole fabric of society in England. Within two or three years of this time Princess Victoria had taken her place in that society as the heiress to the English throne. In September, 1835, Her Royal Highness was the guest of the Duke of Rutland, at Belvoir. While there she was once more seen by the ubiquitous and all observant Mr. Greville. A few days after the visiting the home of the Manners she visited the Marquis of Exeter, at Burleigh. AN IMPOSING ESCORT. " They " — that is the Duchess of Kent and the future Queen — " arrived," writes the indefatigable diarist under date of Septem- ber 21st, "from Belvoir, at three o'clock, in a heavy rain, the civic authorities having turned out at Stamford to escort them, and a procession of different people all very loyal. When they had lunched, and the Ma3'-or and his brethren had got dry, the Duch- ess received the address, which was read by Lord Exeter, as Recorder. It talked of the Princess as ' destined to mount the throne of these realms.' Conroy handed the answer, just as the Prime Minister does to the King. They are splendidly lodged, and great preparations have been made for their reception." Mr. Greville was, however, present at a much more import- ant festivity, graced also by the young Princess, in the following year. On August 30, 1836, King William, who had acceded to the throne on the dee':h of his brother, in 1830, gave a dinner party at Windsor on his birthday. The Whig Ministry of Lord Melbourne was then in power, with each particular member of which his Majesty was at feud. Not one of the Ministers was invited to the Castle on this occasion, and none, except the household, in any way connected with the government. The King, we hear, in an excess of royal affection proposed the health of Princess Victoria after that of the Princess Augusta. 104 DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. "Aud now," said His Majest}'^, "Having given tlie Tiealtli of tTie oldest, I will give that of tlie youngest member of the royal family. I know the interest which the public feels about her, and although I have not seen so much of her as I could have wished, I take no less interest in her, and the more I do see of her, both in public and in private, the greater the pleasure it will give me." The whole thing, comments Greville, was so civil and gra- tious that it could hardly be taken ill, but the young Princess sat opposite and hung her head with not unnatural modesty at being thus talked of in so large a company. There was one person whom the King detested more even than his ministers — the mother of the Princess, the Duchess of Kent, who had not been sparing in her criticisms on the reception she had met from the royal family in England. The Duchess had applied for a suite of apartments for her own use in Kensing- ton Palace, and had been refused by the King. She appropriated the rooms, notwithstanding the denial. STORMY SCENE AT THE DINNER. The King informed her publicly that he neither understood nor would endure conduct so disrespectful to him. This, though said loudly and publicly, was only the muttering of a storm which broke next day. It was the royal birthday, and the King had invited a hundred people to dinner. The Duchess of Kent sat on one side of His Majest}^, one of his sisters on the other, and the Princess Victoria opposite. When replying to the speech in which his health had been proposed, the King burst forth in a bitter tirade against the Duchess. "I trust in God," he exclaimed, "that I may have the satis- faction of leaving the royal authority on my death to the personal exercise of that young lady — (pointing to the Princess) — the heiress presumptive to the crown, and not in the hands of a person now near me, who is surrounded by evil advisers, and who is herself incompetent to act with propriety in the station in which she would be placed. I have no hesitation in saying that I have DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. 105 been insulted, grossly and continually insulted, by tbat person, but I am determined to endure no longer sucli a comrse of behavior." The King particularly complained of the manner in which the Princess had been prevented from attending at court by her mother. " For the future," he said, " I shall insist and command that the Princess do upon all occasions appear at my court, as it her duty to do." Having begun with an anathema the King ended with a benediction, speaking of the Princess and her future reign in a tone of paternal interest and affection. The effect, however, which the royal utterances produced was alarming. The Queen looked in deep distress, the Princess burst into tears ; the Duchess of Kent said not a word, but soon after leaving the room announced her immediate departure, and ordered her car- riage. There had been as much of silly obstinacy and vanity on part of the Duchess as of surliness on the part of the King. She never missed an opportunity of provoking nor he of retaliating with insult. "Where's the Queen ?" he asked one day when dinner was announced. His Majesty was informed that she was w^aiting for the Duchess of Kent. "That woman," he shrieked, VERY WHIMSICAL AND IRRITABLE. His Majesty's health had been for some little time in a fail- ing condition. His ph^/sical weakness was aggravated by his constitutional irritability. He spoke of his ministers as if they were thieves, he treated his guests, personal friends and relatives alike, always with rudeness and sometimes with brutality. One day at dinner. King Leopold, who was on a visit to Windsor, called for water, when the King asked, " What's that you are drinking, sir?" "Water, sir." "What, water!" rejoined the 'other King, "why don't you drink wine? I never allow anybody t3 drink water at my table." There was but one event which His Majesty wished to live to witness, in his "God forsaken realm." He devoutly prayed that he might live till the Princess Victoria was of age. His prayer was j ust granted, but only j ust. lOG DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. For national purposes tlie Princess completed her majority on the eighteenth anniversary of her birth. On June 2, nine days after this event had taken place, the King was desperately ill. On the nth he was in his own opinion, though scarcely in that of his physicians, better. He sent a letter to the Princess Victoria, offering her ^10,000 ($50,000) a year, by Lord Conyngham, with a special command that it should be deliv- ered directly into her hands. The Duchess of Kent came forwards to receive it, but, hearing the royal command, drew back and the Princess took the despatch. The offer was accepted, but it was not fated to be fulfilled. "SUN OF WATERLOO." On June 18 he was sinking fast. The Archbishop of Canter- bury was called in to administer the sacrament. His Majesty was asked whether he was in need of anything. " This," was the reply, '' is the i8th of June. I should like to live to see the sun of Waterloo set." Later in the day the Duke of Wellington asked Greville whether Melbourne had had any communication with the Princess Victoria. Greville thought not. " He ought," said the Duke. " I was in constant communication with the present King for a month before George IV. died." Two days afterward it was all over. The King died at twenty minutes after two on the morning of June 20, and the young Queen met her Council at Kensington Palace at eleven A. M. the same day. "'Never was anything," wrote the Clerk of the Council, "like the impression she produced or the chorus of praise and admiration which was raised about her manner, and certainly not without justice. It was very extraordinary, and something far beyond what was looked for. The first thing to be done was to teach her her lesson, which, for this purpose, Melbourne had himself to learn. He asked her if she would enter the room accompanied by the grest Officers of State, but she said she would come in alone." After having received the two royal dukes, the two arch- DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. 107 bishops, the Chancellor and the Prime Minister — Lord Mel- bourne — the proclamation was read to the Council, the usual ordei passed, the doors were thrown open and the young Queen entered. In a passage in his novel of "Sibyl," which will probably live as long as English royalty itself, Benjamin Disraeli, with the assistance and data given him by Lord Lyndhurst, who was pres- ent on the occasion, has described the scene. "In a sweet and thrilling voice and with a composed mien, which indicated rathei the absorbing sense of august duty than an absence of emotion, the Queen announced her accession to the throne of her ancestors and her humble hope that Divine Providence would guard over the fulfillment of her lofty trust. TOOK THE SACRED OATH. " The prelates and chief men of her realm then advanced to the throne, and kneeling before her, pledged their troth and took the sacred oath of allegiance and supremacy — allegiance to one who rules over the land that the great Macedonian could not con- quer, and over a continent of which even Columbus never dreamed ; to the Queen of every sea and of nations of every zone." Less picturesquely elaborate, but not less interesting, is the account given of the proceedings by one who actually took a part in them, the Clerk of the Council. " After," he writes, " she had read her speech and taken and signed the oath for the security of the Church of Scotland, the Privy Councillors were sworn, the two royal Dukes first by themselves, and as these two old men, her uncles, knelt before her, swearing allegiance and kissing her hand, I saw her blush up to the eyes, as if she felt the contrast between their civil and natural relations, and this was the only sign of emotion which she evinced. " Her manner to them was very graceful and engaging. She kissed them both and rose from her chair and moved toward the Duke of Sussex, who was furthest from her, and too infirm to reach her. She seemed rather bewildered at the multitude of men who were sworn and who came, one after another, to kiss her 108 DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. hand, but she did not speak to anybody, nor did she make the slightest difference in her manner, or show any in her coun- tenance, to any individual of any rank, station or party. I par- ticularly watched her when Lord Melbourne and the Ministers and the Duke of Wellington and Peel approached her. " She went through the whole ceremony, occasionally looking at Melbourne for instruction when she had any doubt what to do, which hardly ever occurred, and with perfect calmness and self- possession, but at the same time with a graceful modesty and propriety particularly interesting and ingratiating." A DIFFERENCE ON GRAMMAR. Just after this an incident occurred curiously significant of the feeling that existed among the statesmen of the time. Every one admired the speech except Brougham, who said to Peel in a tone of irritated criticism : — " 'Amelioration' — that is not English ; you might, perhaps, say melioration, but improvement is the proper word." " Oh," said Peel, " I see no harm in the word ; it is generally used." "You object," said Brougham, "to the sentiment; I object to the grammar." "No," said Peel ; " I don't object to the sentiment." "Well, then, she pledges herself to the policy of our gov- ernment," said Brougham, "Peel told me this, which passed in the room and near to the Queen. He likewise said how amazed he was at her manner and behavior, and her apparent deep sense of her situation, her modesty, and at the same time her firmness. She appeared, in fact, to be awed, but not daunted, and afterward the Duke of Wellington told me the same thing, and added that If she had been his own daughter he could not have desired to see her perform her part better." The young Queen, was the verdict of all, behaved with a decorum and propriety beyond her years, and with all the sedate- ness and dignity the want of which had been so conspicuous in her uncle. DUKE OF WELLINGTON— THE HERO OF WATERLOO. 109 l;0 DKTAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. By the succession of a female sovereign to the throne of Great Britain was severed the connection between the two king- doms of England and Hanover, which had subsisted since the accession of George I., and the establishment of which had cost the English people blood and money quite disproportionate to its advantages. The first signature to the Act of Allegiance that was presented to the Queen was that of her eldest surviving uncle, Ernest, Duke of Cumberland, King of Hanover. The coronation of Victoria took place a year after the accession, on June 28, 1838. NEW ERA OF STATESMANSHIP. We may date from the accession of Queen Victoria not merely the revival of the sentiment of English loyalt}^, which the per- sonal influence and example of her two uncles had well nigh extinguished, but the inauguration of the era of popular states- manship. Active politics had been hitherto the monopoly of the great houses and the sovereign ; England had been, ruled from the throne or by its territorial aristocracy ; its Russells, its Caven- dishess, its Howards, its Manners, its Grenvilles ; George III., George IV. and William IV. were each of them time to time engaged in quarrels with their ministers and in battles with their commons. They had all exercised, or claimed, tke right to choose and dismiss their ministers at will. The aristocratic element in Englisk government still continued to be felt, but the time when the management of public affairs was vested exclusively in a few great houses, and when a king or a minister could disregard the popular will witb impunity had gone by forever. The Reform bill of 1832 had introduced a revolution in the igovernment of the country. For the first time England was self- governed, and the industry and intelligence of her population were represented in the councils of her rulers. Had Victoria been other tkan she was ; had she endeavored to revert to the aggressive traditions of her grandfather, George III., or had she even submitted herself to a constitutional instructor less prudent DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. Ill and patriotic thau Lord Melbourne, the popular movement of wHicli Karl Grey's Reform bill was at once tbe culminating triumph, and the supreme legislative encouragement might and probably would have been fatal to the existence of the Bnglish monarchy. The Queen was no sooner seated on the throne than, recog- nizing, if not b}^ her own observation, with the borrowed wisdom of others, the constitutional necessities of the period, she let it be knowii that she intended, only to reign as a constitutional sovereign. The period of popular legislation had already begun. The Corporation Reform bill and a bill for the emancipation of the slave ; a bill for shortening the hours of factory labor ; the new poor law ; the registration act, the reduction of the news- paper stamp, and a variet\' of proposals for church reform followed immediatel}^ the passing of Earl Grey's great measure. THE QUEEN'S POLITICAL FAITH. The change in person of the sovereign was a signal advantage for the whig administration of Lord Melbourne. The Young Queen had been carefully educated in whig principles, and that under the immediate supervision of the Whig Prime Minister. On the eve of the dissolution of Parliament, rendered ixccessary by Her Majesty's accession, the tories felt that their position was hopeless. The Duke of Wellington regarded the return of himself and his followers to power as impossible. " I " said he to a friend, "have no small talk, and Peel (referring to the notorious frigid- ity of that statesman's address) has no manners." The use made by the whig candidates in the general election of the Queen's name was characterized by their opponents as unconstitutional, and so, strictly regarded, it undoubtedly was. But it was exceed- ingl}'- effective, for the appeal to the country did not decrease the tory minorit}^ On November 30, 1837, the Queen opened her first Parlia- ment in person. The address was unanimously adopted in the upper house. In the House of Commons the first signs of dis- union in the Ministerial party presented themselves. Three 112 DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE, amendments to tlie address, embodying the principles of tlie rad- ical party, who, having asserted their existence at the time of the Reform bill, had accepted that measure only as an installment and were determined to agitate for new and more drastic legisla- tion, were either rejected by a majority of nearly five hundred or else not pressed to a division at all. During this the first Parliamentary session of the Queen, government was further Aveakened by the mishaps in Canada, under the government of Lord Durham, and the insinuations against it, to which its apparent alliance with O'Connell at least gave color. Early in the following year, when Sir Robert Peel was entertained at a public banquet by 313 conservative members of Parliament, it was evident that the tory reaction was genuine, and that before long Lord Melbourne would have to succumb. ROBERT PEEL'S NEW GOVERNMENT. In less than twelve months' time, the government introduced the Jamaica bill, by which it was proposed, in the face of existing troubles, to suspend the constitution in that island. Its second reading passed only by a majority of five, which was practically a defeat. Lord Melbourne resigned, advising the Queen to send for the Duke of Wellington. Sir Robert Peel undertook to form a government. It was now that the Queen first gave proof of the possession of an inde- pendent will, and exercised it in a manner which gave rise to considerable apprehension. Sir Robert Peel demanded, as a mark of her confidence, and as he was constitutionally entitled to do, that Her Majesty should dismiss certain ladies related to members of the late Ministry holding high appointments in her household. Thus arose what is historically known as the "great bed- chamber question." The Queen refused, and persevered in her refusal. Sir Robert Peel desisted from his attempt, and Lord Melbourne and his colleagues resumed their offices. Her Majesty had carried the day. Great was the indignation of the country and terrible the DETAILS OF THE OUEExN'S LIFE. J 13 invective of Lord Brougliam, who, though a whig himself, was at daggers drawn with the Ministers, and to whose attacks Lord Melbourne's government chiefly owed its fall, against this suc- cessful act of self-assertion of the Queen. "The Jamaica ques- tion," said the former Lord Chancellor, "is to be new fashioned, principles are to be given up, and all because of two ladies of the bedchamber." The actual fall of the Melbourne administration was delayed two years, when, having to face Parliament with a deficit of nearl}^ $10,000,000 in the Treasurj^, trade being in a deplorable state and the manufacturing districts overrun with pauperism and distress. Lord Melbourne ventured to subject the national coufidence in the financial capacity of his administration to a strain that it would not bear, by proposing a fixed eight shilling (sterling) duty on corn, which alarmed the agricultural interests, and b}^ lowering the duties on foreign sugar and timber, which terrified the commercial interests. THE NEWS IMPARTED TO OTHERS. This was in 1841, four years after the accession of her Majesty ; but meanwhile other events of nearly equal importance and of infinitely greater interest had happened in the life of the Queen. The hope of her grandmother had been fulfilled, and the two cousins — Albert, of Saxe-Coburg, and Victoria, of Eng- land — had become man and wife. On October 14, 1839 — that is, four days after her lover had reached Windsor — the Queen informed Lord Melbourne that she had made up her mind. On the 15th she thus wrote to Baron Stockman " I do feel so guilty I know not how to begin my letter, but I think the news it will contain will be sufficient t ■ insure your forgiveness. Albert has completely won my heart, and all was settled between us this morning. ''•'- '•' ■■•"■ I feel certain he will make me very happy. I wish I could say I felt as certain of my making him happy, but I shall do my best. ITncle Leopold must tell you all about the details, which I have not time to do." 114 bi::TAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. The of6.cial and public announcement of tlie betrothal was not made either in Germany or England till the close of the year. The intelligence was received with satisfaction, as Lord Mel- bourne had predicted, by the English people, for two reasons: first, because universal report spoke well of the Prince ; second {because it promised to sever finally the connection between Eng- ' land and Hanover. The forthcoming royal marriage was mentioned in the speech from the throne at the opening of the Parliament session of 1840. On January 9 Baron Stochmar had arrived in England as the representative of the Prince to settle the terms of the treaty of marriage and the necessary arrangements for the Prince's future household. Some little difficulty arose as to the appointment of a secretary for His Roj^al Highness. The discussions which grew oiit of his annuity and the definition of his status were more serious. The country had heard with relief, what was at first not specifically declared, that the future husband of their Queen was a sound Protestant. OPPOSITION TO THE GRANT. The Tories opposed the grant of ^50,000 ($250,000) which was suggested as the annual allowance to be made to the Prince. On the motion against it of Colonel Sibthorpe, supported by Sir Robert Peel, it was reduced to ^30,000 ($150,000). The debates on the social dignity which should be recognized as invested in the Prince were lengthy and tedious. Eventually Parliament con- fined itself to the simple naturalization of His Royal Highness. Leaving the question of precedence to be dealt with by royal prerogative, which it was in these terms, "that the Prince should thenceforth upon all occasions and in all meetings, except when otherwise provided by act of Parliament, have, hold and enjoy place, pre eminence and precedence next to Her Majesty," the distinctive title was accorded him. Nor was it till July 2, 1857, that the title and dignity of Prince Consort were granted to him by royal letters patent, long after that name had been conferred upon him by the spontaneous voice of the nation. DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. 115 The Prince arrived in England for his marriage on February 6, 1840. The marriage took place on February loth, in the chapel of St. James' Palace. " The morning," writes Theodore Martin, in his "Life of the Prince Consort," "had been wet, foggy and dismal, but the day was not to want the happy omen of that sunshine which came afterward to be proverbially known as 'queen's weather.' Soon after the return of the bridal party from the chapel the clouds passed off, the sun shone out with unusual brillianc}'^, and the thousands who lined the roads from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle to see the sovereign and her husband as the}^ passed were more fortunate than those who had crowded the avenues of St. James' Palace in the morning, heedless of rain and cold, to witness the bridal procession on its way to and from the chapel." BECAME AN OBJECT OF SUSPICION. Notwithstanding the cordiality with which the Prince, and the satisfaction with which the announcement of the marriage, had been received, it soon became apparent that the husband of the Queen was the object of much national suspicion and unpop- ularity. It was regretted after the event that the Queen had not married an Kuglish prince. It was protested that the influence of a foreign Prince on the counsels of the crown must be danger- ous to the empire. The Prince found his position one of extreme difiiculty. He had at once to maintain his rank and to disarm distrust. " In my home life," he wrote. May, 1840, "I am very happy and con- tented, but the obstacle to filling my place is that I am only the husband and not the master in the house." In this critical conjuncture the Queen exhibited rare tact and great determination. She persistently declined to yield to those v/lio were bent on detaching the Prince as much as possible from herself. By her marriage vow she had sworn to honor and obey him, and that vow she showed herself resolute upon faithfully executing. Meanwhile the Prince, who profited much from the friendship 116 DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. and advice of liis attendant, Baron Stockmar, having "laid down for himself the rule that no act of his should by any possibility expose him to the imputation of interference with the machinery of the state or of encroachment on the functions and privileges of the sovereign," gradually found his path made clear. Both the Queen and her husband were greatly indebted to Lord Melbourne, who set the example of showing equal respect to the ro3^al consort, and whose example was full of influence. The Prince's skill in music and painting were the means of giv- ing him a certain amount of popularit}^ He was appointed one of the directors of the ancient concerts ; he showed his interest in public questions b}^ presiding at a public meeting to promote the abolition of the slave trade. "He was, "says the Queen, "very nervous, and had repeated his speech to me in the morning by heart." GROWING POPULARITY OF THE PRINCE. In June it become known that there was the prospect of an heir to the throne, and a bill was passed appointing Prince Albert regent in the event of the Queen's death, a measure of the very greatest personal importance to the Prince, as it confirmed the status which there had recently been so strong an inclination to deny him, and thus afforded the strongest proof how well he had come to stand with both parties in politics. After this no repeti- tion of the difficulty arose. It was in 1841, the year of the final defeat of the Melboiirne Ministry, that Prince Albert for the first time figured somewhat prominently. Soon after the royal marriage Lord Melbourne expressed to Albert his conviction that the time had come when the court should treat all parties, especially the tories, in the spirit of r general amnesty. The following year. Lord Melbourne, who had all along been most anxious that the Queen should tell the Prince and show him everything connected with public affairs, "inti- mated that the political crisis could no longer be delayed. It was," His Lordship said, "the Prince's duty to prepare the Queen for the possible eventuality." DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. 117 A letter written by Baron Stockmar to the Prince about this period is memorable not only for the prudence of its advice, but because it embodies the principles on which the Prince Consort conscientiously acted. "If," wrote the Baron, "things come to a change of Minis- try, then the great axiom, irrefragably one and the same for all Ministries, is this, viz., the Crown supports frankly, honorably and with all its might the Ministry of the time, whatever it be, so long as it commands a majority and governs with integrity for the welfare and advancement of the country. A King who, as a constitutional King, either cannot or will not carry this maxim into practice deliberately descends from the lofty pedestal on which the constitution has placed him to the lower one of a mere party chief. Be you, therefore, the constitu- tional genius of the Queen. Do not content yourself with merely whispering this maxim in her ear when circumstances serve, but strive to carry it out into practice at the right time and by the worthiest means." COMMANDED THE CONFIDENCE OF THE COUNTRY. The severance of the official relations which had existed between the Queen and Lord Melbourne by the defeat of the gov- ernment of the latter was naturally a blow. It was, however, greatly mitigated by the consciousness that in her husband she had a constitutional counsellor not only safe, but one who com- manded the confidence of the country as well. Victoria was a woman of many bereavements. To say noth- ing of personal friends like Lord Melbourne and the Prince Con- sort's private secretary, Mr. Anson, the list may be said to have begun with the death of the Queen's mother, the Duchess of Kent, and closed with the immeasurable sorrow of the death of the Prince Consort. Never has a people shared more fully in the grief of a sover- eign, never have the highest and the lowest been brought more closely in touch, and the nation's love and sympathy more deep- ened when they heard that their QueeUj at Balmoralj had been nS DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. mingling tears witli a poor widow on lier estate. "We both cried," said the woman afterward. " She was so thankful to cry with some one who knew exactly how she felt." "But you saw your husband's death coming," said the desolate Queen. "I — I didn't see mine. It was so sudden." It was sev- enteen years before another of the keenest bereavements of the Queen's life fell upon her. First came the sad tidings of the death of the tiny Princess May, in 1878, and then the mother, Princess Alice, who had nursed her husband and children with the most devoted affection as one after the other they were smit- ten down with diphtheria, herself fell under the power of the dread malady, and died on December 14, 1878, to the unspeakable grief of Her Majesty the Queen. But this loss of her own seemed hardly to distress her more than did the tidings which the following year came of the death of the young Prince Imperial, in South' Africa. "Poor, poor dear Empress !" wrote the Queen, "her only, only cnild — her all gone !" and she hurried all the way from Balmoral to London to show her sympathy with the heart-broken mother. DEATH IN THE ROYAL FAMILY. In 1884, the Duke of Albany, Prince Leopold died. He had always been the weakly one of the family, and in the spring of the year had gone to Cannes for shelter against the harsh winds of his own country. Here he had an accidental fall, and injured his knee, and while family solicitude was anxiously discussing the possible consequences of what was hoped would be nothing very serious there came the tidings that the young Prince had been seized with apoplexy and had died in the arms of his equerry. The year 1892 was marked by another sad event for the much sorrowing Queen and the large family about her. In this sorrow there was a touch of romance, which, no doubt, did much to quicken the nation's sympathy. The Duke of Clarence, the eldest son of the Prince of Wales, had been engaged to be married to the Princess May, and the wedding was arranged for February, 1892. The Duke^ however, attended the DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. IJs; funeral of Prince Victor of Holienlolie, caught a severe cold at the open grave, and died, leaving the young fiance to be consoled by his brother, the Duke of York, to whom she was afterward married. The next calamity for the royal household was one that touched the Queen's motherly nature with a very keen anguish, for it seemed to be for the daughter Beatrice very much the same crushing blow that the death of her own husband had been to her. The Princess Beatrice was popularly supposed to be the Queen's favorite daughter. She was, at all events, her constant companion, her closest associate, and she had married Prince Henry of Battenberg. A HAPPY MARRIAGE. The quaint little church of Whippingham, in the Isle of Wight, was the scene of a very simple marriage ceremony, and the marriage appeared to be a very happy one. There were four children born to the young couple. The soldier, however, must needs see some active service, and at the outbreak of troubles in Ashanti he volunteered to go with the expedition, and out there he contracted malarial fever and died, and to the grief of all the royal family, and especially of her Majesty the Queen, who appeared to have had great affection for him. His body was brought home to England and laid to rest in the quiet little country church in which he had been married. The thought of the widow and the little famil}^, and the Queen's affliction at the tidings, created a strong sympathy all over the kingdom, and it was every- where expressed. "I have, alas, once more," said the Queen in one of those let- ters for which she has been remarkable, "to thank my loyal sub- jects for their warm sympathy in a fresh grievous affliction which has befallen me and my beloved daughter, Princess Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg. This new sorrow is overwhelm- ing, and to me is a double one, for I lose a dearly loved and help- ful son, whose presence was like a bright sunbeam in my home, and my dear daughter loses a noble, devoted husband, to whom 120 DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. she was united by the closest affection. To witness the blighted happiness of the daughter who has never left me, and has com- forted and helped me, is hard to bear." Another sad blow was the death of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, in July, 1900. He was at the time the ruler of the dukedom of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Contrary to general belief, the Queen experienced many 'dangers, and it is questionable if there is any lady living at the present time who had as many and as varied escapes from death as Her Majesty. From her babyhood upward her life has been constantly imperilled. When only six months of age she escaped death almost by a miracle. Her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, had taken the royal child to Sidmouth, Devon- shire, for change of air. A boy shooting sparrows was not aware of the presence of royalty, and by taking careless aim put the Queen's life in peril. Fortunately she was not injured. SAVED BY AN IRISH SOLDIER. Four 3^ears afterward the Princess' life was saved by an Irish soldier. The pony carriage in which she was driving upset and would have fallen on her had it not been for the promptness with which a soldier, who was passing by, seized the little girl's white frock and tossed her up into his arms. Curiously enough the soldier was not aware until very many years had passed that the child whose life he had saved had groAvn up to be the Queen of England. No fewer than seven attempts were made upon Her Majesty's life, but with the exception of a slight wound on her cheek, she escaped scratchless from all these dastardly attacks. A short time after her marriage an insane pot-boy, named Oxford, fired twice at the Queen in Hyde Park. Two years afterwards, as the Queen and Prince Albert were ^driving home from church, the Prince Consort saw a man present a pistol and fire point blank at Her Majesty. The weapon, for- tunately, flashed in the pan, The p,^xt d^y the s^mQ. ©au,^ a fellow mined Fmncisj again DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. 121 fired at tlie Queen. This time he was captured, tried for high treason and sentenced to death, but by royal command his sen- tence was commutated to transportation for life. The very day the royal clemency was made known a deformed lad, named Bean, attempted to take Her Majesty's life. Seven years afterwards a man named Hamilton fired at the Queen, and the next year, a former captain of Hussars, named Pate, cut open Her Majesty's face with a blow from a stick. In 1872 a lad hamed O'Connor was prevented from firing at the Queen by the late John Brown, and ten years later, a man named Maclean fired at Her Majesty as she was entering her car- riage at Windsor Castle. PASSED THROUGH MANY DANGERS. Soon after the Coronation, when Her Majesty was driving with her mother near Highgate Hill, the horses took fright. They were stopped by a publican, who, when asked to name his reward, said : '' Permission to put the Queen's arms on my sign." Next day he received the present of a pocketbook from Her Majesty, of which he laconically observed that " it was heavy, very heavy." The Queen M^as also in peril of her life by a carriage accident in Scotland, and twice was in imminent danger at sea. When a girl of fourteen, during a yachting excursion, she was dragged from under a falling mainmast by a pilot named Saunders, and so saved from death. Forty-two years after this the royal yacht collided with a ves- sel named the Mistletoe, and two people were drowned within sight of the Queen. Her Majesty was in a railway collision in 1856. In the autumn of 1897 ^^^ carriage in which the Queen and her eldest daughter, the Empress Frederic of Germany, were rid- ing met with a mishap and the vehicle was wrecked, but owing to the care of the coachman the ladies escaped serious injury. The accident was an alarming one, but the Queen retained her pres- ence of miud, and was soon ready to perforni her duties as sovereign. 122 DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. Tiie Queen's will was made in 1876. It is a document of portentious length, being engrossed on vellum of quarto size, is bound up into a huge volume, which is secured by a lock, and at the end are several blank pages for codicils, of which up to the present the Queen has made three — one early in 1879, after the death of Princess Alice ; another in the summer of 1884, after thee death of the Duke of Albany, and another later, which deals exclusively with the jubilee gifts. Victoria resolved to be Sovereign from the start and Greville writes on June 25, 1837 : " Her Majesty has continued quietly at Kensington, where she transacts business with her ministers and everything goes on as if she had been on the throne six years instead of six days. It is an interesting speculation, to conjecture, how soon she will begin to think and act for herself upon higher matters as she has at once done on all minor points connected with her domestic arrangements." HAD A MIND OF HER OWN. This same spirit of independence wrought sore disappoint- ment to those who had hoped to strongly influence her reign, and to none was it more intensely disappointing than to the Duchess of Kent, her mother, who was given no part in court affairs. Victoria was dutiful, kind and affectionate to her mother, but offered her no part in State matters, and, Greville says, the Duchess complained bitterly of this. She was sensitive to any apparent slight or oversight. Indeed, this firm will, caused early in her reign, the downfall of a ministry, for when Peel came into power in 1839, she refused to change, in accordance with precedence, the ladies of the bed- chamber, and Peel resigned, leaving Melbourne to retain power until 1 84 1. Her firm determination to place the Prince Consort near the same royal plane with herself and before the royal family, in precedence, roused intense hostility, acrimonious dis- cussion and a final abandonment by Parliament of the Precedence bill, as it was called. Yet she determinedly succeeded in doing DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. 123 by royal patent what Parliament had refused to place among the statutes. In many other ways precedents were ignored and a new order of things conceived. The Queen's piety, stern detestation and punishment of all that savored of immorality, and encour- agement of all that is pure, generous and enlightened, soon; changed the atmosphere of the court that had for centuries reeked of licentiousness, selfishness, greed and brutality. The very first month of her reign laid the foundation for greater pros- perity, higher education and advanced civilization for the Eng- lish nation, and every year of the sixty, now drawing to a close, have justified the wisdom of Providence, which weeded out the succession of George III. THE QUEEN'S JUBILEES. Victoria had two j ubilee celebrations, but the grandest was that of June 22, 1897, celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of her accession. The pageant was the most magnificent ever seen in London-. The route of parade was five miles in length and the avenues were packed with people. Queen Victoria rose from her throne at Buckingham Palace at 11. 10 and slowly descended the stairs, assisted by a scarlet-clad and white turbaned Indian attend- ant. She was dressed in black, wore a black bonnet, trimmed with white, and carried a white sunshade. At the foot of the stairway Her Majesty paused for a minute and touched an electric button connected with all the telegraphic systems throughout the British Empire, and it flashed around the world the message : ''From my heart I thank my beloved people. May God bless them." Her Majesty then slowly seated herself in her carriage, the royal trumpeters sounded a fanfare, the Princess of Wales joined the Queen, and then the Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein joined the party. Both the Princesses seated themselves opposite Her Majesty, and at 11,12 the Queen's coach started. Two gillies, in Highland costume, wearing the tartan of MacDonaldi 124 DETAILS OF THE QUEEN'S LIFE. of the isles, tlie so-called Crown Prince of Scotland, occupied tlie rumble. On August I, 1849, Her Majesty visited her Irish dominions, landing at Cove, which has ever since borne the name of Queen.'^ town. The visit was repeated in 1853, to open the Dublin Exhi- bition. In April, 1900, she visited Ireland, the first time in thirty-nine 3/ears. She was cordially received by the Irish, and spent some time among them. LAMENTED THE \A^AR IN AFRICA. What saddened the last year of the Queen's life and probably hastened her death was the war between the Boers and Britons. President Kruger of the Transvaal Republic, declined Great Brit- ain's terms, and on October 12, 1899, war was declared. At the outset the British met with serious disasters, General Buller, the commander-in-chief, being defeated on the Tugela river and at Spion Kop with heavy losses. Then it was that Generals Rob- erts and Kitchener were ordered to South Aftica. Soon the con- dition of affairs changed. General Cronje and his army were made prisoners of war. Ladysmith, Kimberly and Mafeking were relieved, the British army advanced to the capital of the Orange Free State and that region was annexed to Great Britain. General Roberts marched to Johannesburg and occupied that city May 30, 1900, and Pretoria surrendered June 5, Kruger and his family having fled toward the Portugese dominions. Guerilla warfare has been kept up ever since by Generals DeWet, Delarey and others, and General Roberts having turned over the com- mand to General Kitchener, returned to London, where he had an enthusiastic reception and was made an earl by Queen Victoria. The British losses in South Africa aggregate 50,000 men and $400,000,000, but Parliament has voted to prosecute the war to the end. CHAPTER VI. The Queen's Marriage with Prince Albert. THIS most important and national event took place at neon February loth, 1840, at the Chapel Royal, St James's ; and since tbe marriage of Her Royal Highness, the late Princess Charlotte of Wales, there had been no occurrence connected with the royal family of England which excited so great an interest It was known throughout the metropolis that the celebration of the marriage would take place at noon, instead of an advanced hour of the evening as had been heretofore the custom with respect to royal marriages. The knowledge of this fact brought many, many thousands from all sides of London into the Park at an early hour. Never did St James's Park present such an extraordinary display —never was such an immense multitude assembled there since therejoicings at the visit of the allied sovereigns in 1814. Asearlyas nine o'clock considerable numbers had arrivedin order to secure a good place from which to see the royal cortege pass from Buckingham Palace to St James's. By that hour the vicinity of Buckingham Palace, and all the avenues leading to both palaces vrere thronged. STREETS THRONGED WITH CHEERING THOUSANDS. As the day wore on to noon, the assemblage between the back of Carlton Terrace and the foot of Constitution Hill had increased to a dense mass of very many thousands, through which it was diffi- cult to keep open the carriage-way for that portion of the company who had the privilege of the entree. The very lowering aspect of the weather had no terrors for the visitors, male and female, young and old, who continued to arrive in masses. Nor was this pressure diminished to any important extent by the smart showers which came down at intervals. As each suc- cessive group of visitors arrived, they of course thickened the broad line of crowd at each side of the carriage-way between the two palaces. Those whose stations were in the rear of this line 125 126 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. soon got an opportunity of over-looking those in front by hiring standing-room on some one of the many hundred chairs, tables, or benches, which were let out at various prices. Many who could not afford, or would not pay for such a luxury, succeeded in getting on the branches of the trees as well out of as in the line of the ex- pected procession. The numbers who sought these commanding positions were so great in some of the trees that the branches gave way, and the parties came, not immediately to the ground, but on the heads and shoulders of the dense masses beneath them. AMUSEMENTS OF THE MULTITUDE. In the course of the morning the crowds in that part of the park situated between the back of Carlton Terrace and Marlborough House were much amused by a marrow-bone and cleaver concert, got up in honor of the royal nuptials, and we must do justice to those engaged by saying that the effect of this rude music was by no means disagreeable. Soon after the firing of the guns, announc- ing the most important part of the ceremonial, the placing the ring on her Majesty's finger, the whole mass of visitors who had not obtained fixed stands rushed almost simultaneously toward Buckingham Palace, in order to have a view of her Majesty and the Prince on their return. The pressure here became so great that it required the united and incessant efforts of the police and the Horse Guards Blue to keep the carriage-way open. The necessary but disagreeable part of their duty was performed with much good temper, and in general was received with good humor even by those who appeared to suffer a little from it. The police regulations in this part of the park, and, indeed, in every part, were admirably well arranged by Commissioners Rowan and Mayne, and their directions were carried out by the force-officers and men under ^heir command with great judgment and good temper. They hac^ m some parts of the line an arduous and difficult task to perform ; but we think that a great deal of their labor might have been saved by the erection of a strong barricade on each side of the line from Buckingham Palace to St. James's. The officers of the household and the attendants on her MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. 127 Majesty began to arrive at Buckingliani Palace about half-past ten o'clock. The Karl of Uxbridge, the Karl of Belfast, the Earl of Surrey, the Earl of Albemarle, Colonel Cavendish, Lord Alfred Paget, Sir George Anson, the lord in waiting, ladies in waiting, maids of honor, bedchamber women, gentlemen ushers, etc., were all assembled at eleven o'clock. After some little time had elapsed, othe ladies of her Majesty's suite were summoned by the master of •the horse, and handed into four of the royal carriages bj^ Colonel Cavendish (clerk marshal) and Lord Alfred Paget, and dispatched to St. James's Palace. At half-past eleven the six gentlemen composing the foreign suites of his Royal Highness Prince Albert and the Dtike of Saxe- Coburg-Gotha mustered in the grand hall. They appeared in dark blue or green uniforms, and three of them took their departure in a royal carriage for St. James's, accompanied by two gentlemen ushers of the Queen's household, to be in readiness to receive Prince Albert. THE PRINCE LEAVES THE PALACE. At a quarter to twelve, the royal carriages having returned, notice was given to the bridegroom that all was in readiness for his departure. The Prince immediately quitted the private appart- ments of the palace, and passed through the state rooms, into which a very few spectators were admitted. His Royal Highness was dressed in the uniform of a British field-marshal, and wore no other decoration than the insignia of the Order of the Garter, namely, the collar, with the George appended, set in precious stones, the star of the order set in diamonds, and the Garter itself, embroidered in diamonds, round his knee. The Prince was sup- ported on one side by his father, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and his brother, the hereditary prince. His Roj^al Highness Prince Albert was preceded by the lord chamberlain, the vice-chamberlain, the treasurer and controller of the household, Lord Torrington (who wore the insignia of. a Grand Cross of the Order of Saxe- Coburg-Gotha, with which he had been lately invested), the clerk marshal, equerries, gentlemen ushers, etc., the remaining portion 128 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. of tlie foreign suite bringing up the rear. On descending the grand staircase, the favored few occupying the grand hall behind the Yeoman Guard received the prince with a loud clapping of hands, which his Royal Highness acknowledged in the most graci- ous manner. Indeed, to a group of ladies stationed close to the entrance, who were testifying their satisfaction, the Prince made his acknowledgments with an air of the most courteous gallantry. TRUMPETS SOUNDED AND COLORS LOWERED. The Prince entered the carriage amid the sound of trumpets, the lowering of colors, the presenting of arms, and all the honors paid to the Queen herself His Royal Highness, with his father and brother, occupied one carriage, and the attendants two other royal carriages. A squadron of Life Guards escorted the Prince to St. James's Palace. On the return of the lord chamberlain six of the royal carriages were assembled, and his lordship informed Her Majesty that all was ready. The Queen then left her apartment, leaning on the arm of the Earl of Uxbridge as lord chamberlain, supported by the Duchess of Kent, and followed by a page of honor. Her Majesty was preceded by the Karl of Belfast, the Earl of Surrey, Lord Torrington, the Earl of Albemarle, Colonel Caven- dish, Sir George Anson, Lord Alfred Paget, Mr. Byng, and several other of&cers of the household. The royal bride was greeted with loud acclamations on descending to the grand hall, but her eye was bent principally on the ground, and a hurried glance around, and a slight inclination of the head, was all the acknowledgment returned. Her Majesty wore no diamonds on her head, nothing but a simple wreath of orange blossoms. The magnificent veil did not cover her face, but hung down on each shoulder. A pair of very large diamond ear- rings, a diamond necklace, and the insignia of the Order of the Garter were the principal ornaments worn by the Queen. The Duchess of Kent and the Duchess of Sutherland rode in the same carriage with Her Majesty, and the royal cortege left the Palace at a slow pace, under a strong escort of the Household Cavalry. MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRIMC E AT, BERT. I2i^ At an early hour every public approach to the Palace was crowded by numbers of Her Majesty's loyal subjects, anxious to obtain, if possible, a view of the bridal procession and testify by their vociferous applause their perfect commendation of Her Majesty's choice of a Royal Consort. The court in front of the Palace was occupied bj^ the band of the Regiment of Blues, and one or two companies of the Grenadier Guards, and the whole of the line thence to the garden entrance of St. James's Palace was lined with Horse Guards and a strong corps of the police. The imme- diate road for the procession was kept clear with great difficulty, so numerous were the attempts from the pressure Avithout to break in on the line and secure a position where a sight of the royal pair might be better had. The police, however, notwithstanding these ebullitions of " popular feeling," conducted themselves with good terrs^er and maintained order without any violent exercise of their supreme authority. VOICES SHOUTING, " GOD SAVE THE QUEEN." Anxiously did the assembled multitude look for some signal of Her Majesty's departure from Buckingham Palace, and as car- riage after carriage rolled down the Mall, carrying some of the honored spectators to the chapel, the more impatient they became for the passing of the procession. Twelve o'clock at length arrived, and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, attended by a small escort of Horse Guards, and accompanied by his father, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and his brother, the hereditary prince, then left the Palace and proceeded to St. James's ; but, from the windows of the carriages being closed, the royal party were only partially recognized and passed along with but slight applause. At a quarter past twelve, however, the band in front of the Palace struck up the national air of " God Save the Queen," and by the tremendous shouts which resounded through the Park, it was pro- claimed that Her Majesty had entered her carriage and was then proceeding to St. James's to plight her troth to his Royal Highness Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. As Her Majesty passed down the line she was most enthusi- 130 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. astically cheered and appeared highly gratified by the loyalty which her subjects expressed, one or two ludicrous incidents among the crowd also exciting her smile ; but her countenance was extremely pale and appeared to betoken considerable anxiety. The cortege of Her Majesty was attended by a full guard of honor, but the carriages were drawn by only two horses each and without the rich comparison which they usually wear on state occasions. On the arrival of the Queen at St. James's Palace, Her Majesty was conducted to her closet, immediately behind the throne-room, where she remained attended by the maids of honor and train- bearers until the summons was received from the Lord Chamber- lain, conveying the intimation that everything was duly prepared for the Sovereign's moving toward the Chapel. Shortly after nine o'clock the seats in the colonnade began to be taken possession of, and ere many minutes had elapsed there were but few of the seats unoccupied, although there was an occasional arrival down to eleven o'clock. IMPRESSIVE AND BRILLIANT SCENE. At this hour the appearance which the scene presented was one of extreme animation, inasmuch as by far the greater portion of the assembled company was composed of elegantly, and, in some instances, brilliantly dressed ladies. It were a matter of impossi- bility to enter upon an attempt to give anything like a minute detail of the attire either of the one sex or of the other, for it comprised every known color and embraced every description of style of make. The most conspicuous dresses were of light blue relieved with white, light green, also intermingled with white, amber, crimson, purple, fawn, stone, and a considerable number of white robes only. Every lady exhibited a wedding favor, some of which were admirable specimens of a refined taste. They were of all sizes, many of white satin ribbon tied up into bows, and mixed with layers of rich silver lace, others merely of ribbon intermixed with sprigs of orange-flower-blossom, while were here and there to be seen bouquets of huge dimensions of ribbon and massive silver Marriage of the queen and prince albert. i3t bullion, having in tlieir centre what might almost be termed a branch of orange-blossoms. Large as they were, however, they were not more so than the apparent devotion of their owners, if the anxiety with which they watched every movement of the officials passing to and fro, from the instant they entered the colonnade until the last of the " men of state " had quitted the scene ^ may be taken as a criterion. It was remarked that "favors" did not form a very general appendage with the male branch of the spectators, notwithstanding there were many who had not failed to furnish themselves with this distinguished emblem of the occasion. Some gentlemen there were, also, who did not even pay this respect to their sovereign of providing court dresses. There appeared, nevertheless, to have been a unanimity of feeling with regard to the total banishment of black, except in a rare instance where a shawl or scarf of that hue was to be discovered. CRIMSON AND GOLD IN PROFUSION. The colonnade through which the procession passed to the Chapel was not only excellently arranged, but was admirably lighted from the lanterns above and the windows behind. The seats which were separated from the pillared colonnade by a dwarf railing, were covered with crimson cushions with gold-colored borders and fringe. All the remainder of this temporary structure had the semblance of having been constructed of solid masonry. The floor of the colonnade was covered with rich Brussels carpet, which extended into the vestibule, up the grand staircase to the armory, through the presence-chamber to Queen Anne's drawing- room, and thence to the ante-chamber and throne-room, where Her Majesty and Prince Albert's portions of the procession were marshaled. The seats erected for the accom- modation of the spectators were covered with crimson cushions and yellow fringe, thus sustaining uniformity throughout. They were railed off" from the line of procession. His Grace the Duke of Wellington passed through the colonnade, and was most warmly cheered, The duke slightly 132 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. acknowledged tlie demonstration, and wended his way onward to the place allotted for the occupation of the veteran warrior in the chapel. Of course, anticipation long postponed, and the virtue of patience, even within the walls of a royal palace, and upon such an occasion, became exhausted, and the slighest action or movement, however trifling, which tended to create a diversion, or to shed a new feature on a scene which had grown somewhat monotonous, was hailed as a species of godsend, and accordingly the mere circumstance of the Rev. Lord Augustus Fitzclarence bringing for- ward one of the choir-boys, a lad apparently of seven or eight years of age, but particularly small, and examining his uncouth dress gave rise to consideiable merriment. The occasional passing to and fro of the mace-bearers — who, from their remarkable dress, namely, black, with large gold chains tied up on the shoulders with large white favors, excited a good deal of attention — was seized as fitting opportunity to indulge in laughter. OFFICIALS OF EVERY TYPE. But, looking at the mass which paraded the colonnade, we may say that there were burly Yeomen of the Guard with their massive halberts, and the slini gentlemen-at-arms with their lighter partisans, perpetually moving up and down the corridor, proud of the notice they excited. There were also elderly pages of state, and almost infantile pages of honor, officers of the Lord Chamber- lain's office, and officers of the woods and forest, embroidered heralds and steel-clad cuirassiers, robed prelates, stoled priests, and sur- pliced singing-boys to break the uniformity and vary the monotony of the scene. The principal entrances to the Chapel Royal were from the Ambassador's Court and the color quadrangle opposite St James's Street. The interior is oblong, standing east and west, about sixty- two feet in length and twenty-five in breadth. At the upper or eastern end is the communion table, and at the lower end, abutting over the main entrance, is the royal gallery or closet. Two galleries 3Vipported, by cast iron pillars stretched east and west the entire 133 134 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. lengtli of the Chapel . On the floor, placed longitudinally, were two pews on each side of the Chapel, set apart for the chief nobility, and those who took part in the procession. The galleries, east and west, from both sides of the altar to the royal closet, were occupied — the upper end, on the right, by the cabinet ministers and their ladies, on the left by the ladies and officers of Her Majesty's household. Below the choir, on the right, and in the galleries opposite, usually appropriated as royal closets, the walls of t/lie building were thrown out, and six benches on each side fitted up for the accommodation of peers, peeresses, and other distinguished spec- tators. The ro3''al closet was assigned to the embassadors and their ladies, five rows of seats, elevated one above the other, having been erected for their accommodation. The whole of the seats in the chapel were stuffed, covered with crimson cloth, and elegantly orna- mented with gold fringe. On the communion-table was displayed a vast quantity of golden plate, including six salvors, one of gigantic dimensions, two ponderous and rich vases, four flagons, four com- munion-cups, and two lofty and magnificent candelabra. The cornice above the altar, of beautifully carved oak, was richly gilt, superb crimson velvet drapery depending from it in graceful folds upon the communion-table. HIGH ECCLESIASTICS PRESENT. Within the railing, which was also covered with crimson velvet, stools were placed on the right of the altar for the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and on the left for the Bishop of London, dean of the Chapel Royal. In front of the communion-table were placed four chairs of state, gilt, and covered with crimson silk velvet, each of different construction, and varying in elevation, according to the dignity of their intended occupants. The highest, largest in size, and most costly workmanship, was of course appro- priated to Her Majesty, and was placed somewhat to the right of the centre ; that on the opposite side, immediately on Her Majesty's right hand, being set apart for His Royal Highness Prince Albert. Before these chairs, which were placed about six feet outside the rail, footstools were set of corresponding structure and decoration. There MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. 135 were also faldstools for Her Majesty and Prince Albert, on which, to kneel at the altar. On Her Majesty's left a chair was placed for the Duchess of Kent ; and at the opposite side, on Prince Albert's right, one for the Queen Dowager. On Her Majesty's extreme left were seats for their Royal Highnesses the Dukes of Sussex and Cambridge ; and on Prince Albert's extreme right for His Serene Highness the reigning Duke of Saxe-Cobourg, the hereditary duke, and their Royal High- nesseti the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge, Princess Augusta and Princess Mary of Cambridge. The floor of the Chapel was covered with rich purple and gold carpeting, the prominent figure being the Norman rose. The tout ensemble^ both as concerns the extension, decoration and entire arrangements of the interior, completely harmonized with the original design and structure of the chapel ; simplicity and elegance, not show or gaudiness, being the uniform characteristic. The ceiling is com- posed of antique fretwork compartments varying in size and figure, on the paneling of which are emblazoned the quartering and heraldic distinctions of the different members of the royal family, from the time of its erection to that of His Late Majesty William IV. and Queen Adelaide. THE QUEEN IN ROBES OF SILK AND ERMINE. At about half past eleven o'clock the Archbishops of Canter- bury and York and the Bishop of London took their places within the altar. A few minutes before twelve the Queen Dowager entered the Chapel Royal through the dean's vestry door, and took her seat near the altar. Her Majesty was arrayed in a robe of rich silk purple velvet trimmed with ermine. The Archbishops of Canter^ bury and York and the Bishop of London immediately rose on the entrance of her Majesty. Her Majesty, after performing her private devotions, perceiving the most reverend prelates still stand- ing, sent Lord Howe, who was in waiting, to desire that they might take their seats. This act of considerate courtesy created a general sensation throughout the Chapej. 136 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. A flourisli of trumpets and drums at twenty-five minutes pasl twelve o'clock give intimation that the procession of the royal bridegroom had commenced its movement, and shortly after it entered the colonnade in the following order : THE PROCESSION OF THE BRIDECxROOM. Drums and Trumpets. Sergeant Trumpeter, J. Rivett, Esq. Master of the Ceremonies, Sir Robert Chester, Knight. The Bridegroom's Gentlemen of Honor, between two Heralds. Vice-Chamberlain of her Lord Chamberlain of her Majesty's Household, Majesty's Household, Earl of Belfast. Earl of Uxbridge. THE BRIDEGROOM. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS FIELD -MARSHAL, PRINCE ALBERT, K.G., wearing the Collar of the Order of the Garter, supported by their Serene Highnesses, the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and the Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, each attended by the officers of their suite, namely. Count Kolowrath, Baron Alvensleben, and Baron de Lowenfels. As the Prince moved along he was greeted with loud clapping of hands from the gentlemen, and enthusiastic waving of handker- chiefs from the assembled ladies. He wore the uniform of a field- marshal in the British army. Over his shoulders were hung the Collar of the Garter surmounted by two rosettes. His appearance was attractive and with his pale and pensive looks he won golden opinions from the fair coterie on every side. His father and his brother were also welcomed with the utmost cordiality. Both seemed pleased with their reception, and the hereditary prince, who had more of determination but less of good-natured complaisance in his countenance than his brother, testified his sense of it by repeatedly bowing his thanks to the fair ladies at his side. On reaching the Chapel Ro3?al the drums and trumpets filed off without the doors, and, the procession advancing, his Royal Highness was conducted to the seat provided for him on the left of the altar. His Royal Highness walked up the aisle, carrying a MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. 137 book in his right hand, and repeatedly bowed to the peers in th( bod}^ of the Chapel. His form, dress, and demeanor were much admired. It might be said of him, iu che language of Scott: •'' Shaped in proportion fair, Hazel was his eagle eye, And auburn of the darkest dye His short mustache and hair. ' ' Having reached the altar, his Ro3/al Highness affectionately kissed the hand of the Queen Dowager, and then bowed to the archbishops and dean. Immediately on his entrance a voluntary was performed by Sir George Smart on the organ. The master of the ceremonies and the of&cers of the bridegroom stood near the person of his Royal Highness. The Lord Chamberlain and Vice- Chamberlain, preceded by the drums and trumpets, then returned to wait upon her Majesty. Meanwhile, his Royal Highness entered into close conversa- tion with the Queen Dowager until the trumpets and drums announced the moving of the Queen's procession. THE QUEEN'S PROCESSION. After having conducted the Royal Prince to the altar, the Lord Steward and the Lord Chamberlain quitted the royal bridegroom for the purpose of conducting the Queen to the altar. In a few minutes, that whicli was denominated the Queen's procession was -announced by a flourish of trumpets and drums as having been ■put in motion. The procession passed through the colonnade up :o the Chapel doors. Scarcely any notice was taken of the individuals who led the way until the lord chancellor made his appearance. He was greeted with a few scanty cheers. Garter King-of-Arms, with all his heraldic pomp and pride, and the head of his college, the Karl Marshal the Duke of Norfolk, with all the blood of all the Howards, passed unnoticed in the throng. Her Royal Highness, the Prin- cess Sophia of Gloucester, who stopped to address Sir G. Murray as she passed, was cheered. The Princess Augusta of Cambridge excited general admiration by her affability and beauty. Her royal 138 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. aunt the Princess Augusta was cheered. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge led her young daughter the Princess Mary in her hand, and the mother of so beautiful a child was certain not to be seen without interest. Bvery sympathy was awakened on behalf of her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, mother of the Queen ; but she appeared somewhat disconsolate and distressed^ His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, who was to give away the royal bride, seemed in excellent spirits. Lord Melbourne carried the sword of state ; but little attention was paid to him. Her Majesty came next, looking anxious and excited. She was paler even than usual. Her dress was a rich white satin trimmed with orange-flower-blossoms. On her head she wore a wreath of the same blossoms, over which, but not so as to conceal her face, a beautiful veil of Honiton lace was thrown. ATTENDANTS OF THE ROYAL BRIDE. Her bridesmaids and trainbearers were similarly attired, save that they had no veils. The bridesmaids were in white, with roses. Her Majesty wore the collar of the Garter, but no other diamonds or jewels. Her attendants were arrayed with similar simplicity; and ladies more beautiful never graced palace, hall, or country- green. The praises which Dryden ascribed to the companions of his Queen in the " Flower and the Leaf " were equally applicable to these attendants of the young and amiable sovereign : ** A train less fair, as ancient fathers tell, Seduced the sons of Heaven to rebel ; I pass their form, and every charming grace — Less than an angel would their worth debase ; But their attire, like liveries of a kind, Simple but rich, is fresh within my mind ; In satin white as snow the troop was gown'd, The seams with sparkling emeralds set around." Every face was turned upon them and their royal mistress. Theirs was fixed upon hers, and as they moved and turned in conformity with her steps, it was evident that female vanity was for a time deadened in their bosoms, and that they were thinking, not of the MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. 139 impression which, they themselves created, but of that which was created by the royal bride. They were followed by the Duchess of Sutherland. Of the ladies of the bedchamber and the maids of honor we have only to say that they did honor to the court and to their places in the procession. It was closed, not as the official statement announced, by six Yeoman of the Guard, but by two officers in polished cuirasses and in dirty boots, who commanded the squadron of Life Guards on duty at the Palace. SEATED IN THE CHAIR OF STATE. As her Majesty approached the Chapel, the national anthem was performed by the instrumental band. He Majesty walked up the aisle, followed by her trainbearers and attendants without noticing or bowing to any of the peers. On reaching the altar her Majesty?- knelt on her footstool, and having performed her private devotions, sat down in her chair of state. The different officers of state having now taken their seats in the body of the Chapel, the scene was splended beyond description. Lords, ladies, captains, councilors, and priests, Their choice nobility and flower ; embassies From regions far remote In various habits Met from all parts to celebrate the day. After the lapse of a few seconds her Majesty rose and advanced with his Royal Highness Prince Albert to the communion-table, where the Archbishop of Canterbury immediately commenced reading the service. The Archbishop of Canterbury read the service with great appropriateness and much feeling, the Bishop of London repeat ing the responses. When his Grace came to the words, "Albert, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to ilive together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony ? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health ; and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall liv9 ? " 140 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBER/ His Royal Highness, in a firm tone, replied ''I will." And when he said, ''Victoria, wilt thou have Albert to be thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony ? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honor, a nd keep in sickness and in health ; and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live. Her Majesty, in a firm voice, and a tone audible in all parts 'of the Chapel, replied, " I will." The Archbishop of Canterbury then said, " Who giveth this woman to be married to this man ? " His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, who occupied a seat on the left of Her Majesty, now advanced, and, taking Her Majesty's hand, said, " I do." THEIR VOWS ARE PLEDGED.^ The Archbishop of Canterbury then laid hold of Her Majesty's hand, and pressing it in that of Prince Albert's, pronounced these words. His Royal Highness repeating them after his Grace. " I, Albert, take thee, Victoria, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance ; and thereto I plight thee my troth." Her Majesty repeated the words mutatis mutandis^ " I, Victoria, take thee, Albert, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and obey, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance? and thereto I give thee my troth." The Archbishop of Canterbury then took the ring, a plain gold ring, from His Royal Highness, and placing it to the fourth finger of Her Majesty, returned it to His Royal Highness. Prince Albert put it on, repeating after his Grace these words : '' With this ring, I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my wordly goods I thee endow ; in the name of the Father, and of the Sou, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. 141 The Archbishop then concluded the service as follows, Her Majesty and Prince Albert still remaining standing at the altar : "O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life, send Thy blessing upon these Thy servants, Victoria and Albert, whom we bless in Thy name ; that as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made (whereof this ring given and received is a token and pledge), and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. "Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder." The Park and Tower guns then fired a royal salute. The Archbishop of Canterbury then proceeded : " Forasmuch as Albert and Victoria have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto they have g'iven and pledged th^'jir troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a ring, and by joining of hands, I pronounce that they be man and wife together. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. THE GRACIOUS BENEDICTION. "God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you ; the Lord mercifully wath his favor look upon you ; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting Amen." The choir then performed the Deus Misereaiur (King's in B flat). It is but justice to the gentlemen of the Chapel Royal to state that this service was executed in a most effective and spirit-stirring manner. The Archbishop of Canterbury then proceeded : *'Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. 142 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaveri. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. " Minister. O Lord, save thy servant and thy handmaid : " Answer. Who put their trust in thee. " Minister. O Lord, send them help from thy holy place : " Answer. And evermore defend them. " Minister. Be unto them a tower of strength : " Answer. From the face of their enemy. ''''Minister. O Lord, hear our prayer, " Answer. And let our cry come unto thee. " Minister. O God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, bless these thy servants, and sow the seed of eternal life in their hearts ; that whatsoever in thy Holy Word they shall profitably learn they may in deed fulfill the same. Look, O Lord, mecifully upon them from heaven and bless them. And as thou didst send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sarah, to their great comfort, so vouchsafe to send thy blessing upon these thy servants ; that they,, obeying thy will, and always being in safet}^ under thy protection, may abide in thy love unto their lives' end ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." AT THE COMMUNION TABLE. The Archbishop of Canterbury proceeded to the end with the remainder of the service as prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer, Her Majesty and Prince Albert still standing before the communion table. The service having concluded, the several members of the royal family who had occupied places around the altar returned to take their positions in the procession. On passing Her Majesty they all paid their congratulations, and the Duke of Sussex, after shaking her by the hand in a manner which appeared to have little ceremony, but with cordiality in it, affectionately kissed her cheek. After all had passed with the exception of the royal bride and bridegroom, Her Majesty stepped hastily across to the other side Marriage of fhe queen and prince albert. i4g of the altar, where the Queen Dowager was standing, and kissed her. Prince Albert then took Her Majesty's hand, and the royal pair left the chapel, all the spectators standing. While the process sion was proceeding down the aisle Her Majesty spoke frequently to the Barl of Uxbridge, who was on her right hand, apparently giving directions as to the order of the procession. THE HAPPY PAIR. We have found it impossible, in our short description, to do justice either to the demeanor of the "happy, happy pair," which was firm, self-possessed, and dignified throughout, or to the various groups who gave interest and animation to the scene. The spec- tacle in the chapel, from first to last, was gorgeous in the extreme, Premier, prelate, potentate, and peer giving lustre and brilliancy to the whole. The deep interest taken by the spectators in the colonnade in the proceedings of the day was shown by the general silence which prevailed unto the period of the Queen's approach. As soon as she had passed into the chapel every tongue seemed set at liberty and a confused murmur arose, which compelled the attendants to close the doors of the ante-chapel, lest it should penetrate into the chapel where the solemn rites of religion were performing. A word, how- ever, from one of the officers of the Lord Chamberlain was sufficient to put an end to this impropriety. The doors were again opened, the music of the anthem was faintly heard, the signal guns ceased to fire, and at a few minutes past one the procession began to remarshal itself for its return. The bridegroom's procession, which was, however, robbed of his presence, returned first. Again were the Duke and Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg loudly cheered. The nuptial procession then returned in the same order as before. On the appearance of Her Majesty hand-in-hand with her royal husband the clapping of hands and waving of hand- kerchiefs were renewed time after time until they had passed out of sight. Whether by accident or design, His Royal Highness Prince 144 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. Albert inclosed Her Majesty's hand in his own in such a way as to display the wedding ring, which appeared more solid than is usual in ordinary weddings. On their return cheers were given to most, if not to all, of the ladies of royal birth who had received them on their approach. There was, however, one cheer fai more long and enthusiastic than any other of the day reserved for the Duke of Wellington as he left the chapel. He was not part of the royal procession; and it had passed to some distance before he made his appearance. As soon as he had ar- rived in the centre of the colonnade spont aneously, without any signal, and yet as if by common and uni- versal consent the company rose and gave him three hearty cheers. The heart of the vet- eran appeared gladdened by it. Lord Melbourne, who must have heard the uproar, took it as a hint that he had better return another way. Her Majesty then proceeded to the throne-room, where the form of attestation took place. Her Majesty and Prince Albert signed the marriage register, which was attested by certain members of the royal family and officers of state present. A splendid table was prepared for the purpose, and this part of the PRINCE ALBERT, CONSORT OF QUEEN VICTORIA. QUEEN VICTORIA-FROM HER UA3T PHOTOGRAPH THE QUEEN LEAVING THE VICEREGAL LODGE FOR AN AFTERNOON DRIVE THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES VISITING THE SALE OF THE INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION AT THE MANSION HOUSE, LONDON SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH :;hancellor of the exchequer, introducing the budget in the house of commons HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCHESS OF TECK PRINCESS VICTORIA OF WALES SECOND DAUGHTER OF KING EDWARD THE LATE PRINCE ALFRED ERNEST ALBERT, DUKE OF EDINBURG AND, SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA CO CO m O z Q. QJ I THE QUEEN RECEIVING A BOUQUET FROM THE OLDEST PENSIONER IN THE ROYAL KILMAINHAM HOSPITAL ALBERT MEMORIAL, LONDON Q. Z < Z o > < Q. Q Z < CO _l < O UJ o z oc Q. KING OF §iAM REPLYING TO A TOAST AT THE BANQUET OF THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. 145 ceremony, with the magnificent assemblage by which it was wit- nessed, presented one of the most striking spectacles of the day. During the interim of the bridal procession's leaving and re- turning to Buckingham Palace, there was nothing of any interest that occurred in the park, unless, indeed, we may mention a des- perate shower of rain, which besprinkled her Majesty's subjects, but did not appear to distinguish one spark of their loyalty. At about one o'clock the firing of the guns announced that the rinp- had been put on the finger, the important part of the ceremony concluded. After the ceremony, at twenty-five minutes past one, the first return reached Buckingham Palace, and consisted of the inferior officers of Prince Albert's suite, the Queen's gentlemen ushers, and a lady of her Majesty's household. At twenty minutes to two the Duchess of Kent returned ; her Royal Highness was accom- panied by her brother, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and Prince Ernest. The Royal Duchess was loudly cheered, which she ac- knowledged most graciously. Viscount Melbourne and Viscount Palmerson followed soon after in full official costume, then came the Marquis of Normandy, dressed in the uniform of a colonial gov- ernor, and at ten minutes to two o'clock the royal procession returned. "The Prince rode in the carriage with the Queen. WITH SMILING CONDESCENSION. His Royal Highness assisted her Majesty to alight, and led her into the Palace. The royal bride entered her ^wn hall with an open and joyous countenance, flushed, perhaps, in the slightest degree, and in the most smiling and condescending man- ner acknowledged the loud and cordial cheers which rang through the apartment. The royal bridegroom handed her Majesty through the state rooms. The Duke of Sussex soon followed. The duke was dressed in his uniform as captain general of the Honorable Artillery Company, and wore the collars and other insignia of the Orders of the Garter, Bath, and St. Andrew. The Duke of Cambridge arrived immediately after, accom- panied by the Duchess, Prince George, and the two Princesses. 10 146 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. His Royal Highness^ wore the insignia of the Orders of the Garter and Bath, and carried his baton as field-marshal. Prince George was dressed in the uniform of his regiment, and was deco- rated with the Order of the Garter. The Duke led in the little PrincesG Mary. The invited guests to the dejeuner followed each other in rapid succession. At Buckingham Palace there was a wedding repast, at which several of the illustrious participators in the previous ceremony, and the officers of the hoiisehold and ministers of state, were present. At the conclusion of the breakfast, arrangements were made for the immediate departure of Her Majesty for Windsor, and at a quarter to four the royal party left Buckingham Palace amid the cheers and festive acclamations of a vast multitude. The first carriage was occupied only by Her Majesty and Prince Albert : the second and three others by the lord and lady in waiting, the groom, equerry, two maids of honor, and other attendants of Her Majesty and His Royal Highness. Just before the royal cortege left Buck- ingham Palace, the sun shone forth with full brightness, the skies were cleared of their murky clouds, and all things seemed to promise future happiness for the illustrious pair. HO^V THEY ^A^ERE DRESSED. The Prince was dressed in a plain dark travelling dress, and Her Majesty in a white satin pelisse, trimmed with swansdown, with a white satin bonnet and feather. At an early hour considerably before sunrise the neighborhood of Constitution Hill began to exhibit signs of preparation for the approaching spectacle, which became more evident and more bust- ling as the day drew on. Parties of cavalry and infantry moving to their posts, orderlies dashing to and fro, groups of sight-seers, male and female, hurrying from every quarter toward Buckingham Palace ; and last though not least, numerous swarms of persons scattered over the Green Park, laden with planks, casks, chairs, tables, and other means of elevation for the purpose of giving a sight of the procession, denoting by their wild cries and determina- Marriage of The queen and prince albert. i4l tion, and cunning in baffling the efforts of the police to prevent their ingress into the park, the origin of the majority of them from the sister island ; all these gave a variety and life to the scene which almost compensated for the dullness and gloom of the morning. But, gloomy and unpromising as the morning was, the parties interested seemed determined to make the best of it, and good- humored jests circulating among the crowd, and now and then a short-lived squabble, whiled away the damp and heavy hours. At length, however, about eight o'clock amusement began to turn up in the arrivals of the guests invited to the royal nuptials, who, as they successfully filed under the triumphal arch, were challenged by the warder, and showed the pink or white cards which gave a title to admittance, lent an air of considerable liveliness to the scene, not unmixed with something of the feudal and the romantic. AROUND BUCKINGHAM PALACE. First came in various carriages and cabs, and vehicles of low degree, certain damsels who were pointed out as maids of honor, or persons otherwise appertaining to the royal household ; then a strong body of the Foot Guards marched toward the position allotted to them in the immediate neighbordhood of Buckingham Palace ; then came a body of the Horse Guards Blue, with fifes and cymbals playing merrily, and then the general company began to make their appearance. The ministers, with the exception of the Lord Chancellor, who wore his legal costume, were attired in the Windsor uniform of blue, guarded or turned up with an edging of oak-leaf in gold, but, strange to tell, they passed in every instance without the smallest notice, favorable or otherwise, on the part of the immense multi- tude who were congregated in this quarter. At a quarter to twelve the Duke of Cambridge and suite, in three of the royal carriages, drove through the gate, escorted by a guard of honor. The Duke of Sussex passed in a single carriage at a few minutes before twelve o'clock. The illustrious duke wore, as usual, his black silk skullcap, looked in very good health, and was very favorably received by the crov>^d. We should have said, 148 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. however, tliat about a quarter to eleven the rain cleared off, afford- ing an opportunity to take a survey of the assembled multitude, which, though decidedly greater in numbers than any collected during this reign on a public occasion, was also decidedl}^ inferior in the proportion of well-dressed persons, and persons carrjdng the air of respectability. At the same time there appeared to be a very much smaller display of military as well as of civil force than was formerly usual. The police, however, in spite of the mob's restless importunity, displayed their habitual temper and firmness, and the soldiery their own unrivaled patience and good-humor. STRIKING PICTURE ALONG THE PARK. And so the day wore on, until about half past two o'clock, when, the rain and mist having cleared off, the scene from the triumphal arch was certainly striking, for as far as the eye could reach toward Kensington, along Hyde Park, the Green Park, and Piccadilly, the whole area was more or less thickly crowded with human beings, all anxiously expecting (though most of them at a distance disabling them from enjoying) the approach of their youthful monarch. At length, about half-past two o'clock, the passage of a party of Light Dragoons, on their way to the Palace, gave people cause to think that Her Majesty's appearance would not be wanting long, for it was conjectured, and rightly, that these troops were intended to form the escort of the royal pair to Windsor Castle. A few minutes past four o'clock the much-expected cavalcade drew near, a carriage with ladies of the household leading the way, a party of the cavalry following ; the royal traveling chariot con- veying Her Majesty and Prince Albert dashed rapidly under the triumphal archway amid the warm and enthusiastic cheers of the spectators assembled around, who were manifestly much captivated by the comely appearance of the Prince, and by the affable and graceful manner in which he acknowledged their notice. Her Majesty appeared in excellent health and high spirits, and bowed in return to the cheers of her applauding subjects with much earnestness of manner. MARRIAGE OF THE QlTEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. 149 The j3reparatioiis at Bton were on a grand scale. At the entrance of the precincts of the college, on the right-hand side of the road coming from London, and fronting the college itself, a large wooden structure, in form of a Grecian portico sixty feet in height, and of proportionate width, was erected. The whole of this erection was covered with variegated lamps ; on the pediment were the royal arms. An inscription or " legend," with the words " Gratulatio Victorise et Alberto," surmounted the pediment. The word " Ktona " was also conspicuous among the decorations. Seven large flags floated gallantly from the summit of the building, which exhibited considerable taste both in the design and embell- ishment. There were no less than 5000 lamps in this portico, the effect of which was at night very splendid. THE ILLUMINATED CLOCK TO\A^ER. The interior quadrangle of the college presented a brilliant appearance. The clock-tower, on the eastern side, was illuminated by a crown, surrounded with a wreath of laurel, having the letters " V. A.," the whole in variegated lamps. Beneath were three brilliant stars. The arch of the clock-tower was surrounded b}^ rows of lamps, and the eastern side of the quadrangle was elegantly festooned with lamps. The principle gateway into the quadrangle was also decorated with lamps, having the words " Floreat Btona " over the crown of arch. Several thousand lamps were employed on this part of the venerable edifice. There was also a triumphal arch of laurels and lamps across the road by the Christopher Inn. At the entrance into Bton the whole of the scholan; and masters of the school were collected, to the number of 550, wearing bridal favors, and from time to time was heard the noise of maroons, fired in token of loyalty and rejoicing. Besides the preparations at the college, the main street of Bton presented a lively appearance ; most of the houses were illuminated, and the principal tradesmen exhibited stars and other emblems of the joyous event. The whole place was in a state of bustle and excite- ment ; all was felicity. At the Christopher Inn a dinner was prepared for a large party of the inhabitants, and there werQ 150 MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. private parties at most of the houses of the dames and college authorities. In the morning the appearance of Windsor differed in no re- spect from its ordinary character, and scarcely a symptom was observable of an intention to make any public celebration of the royal wedding. All the shops were open as usual ; everyone seemed busy in his customary avocations ; no merry peel of bells welcomed in the day ; and the rain, falling in torrents, made the town look very dull and miserable. By degrees this melanchoi.y aspect of affairs wore away. The rain ceased ; in the afternoon the shops were closed, and the inhabitants having now nothing to detain them at home thronged the streets, decorated with wedding favors and dressed in the gayest possible style, and the prospect — so gloomy a short tiine before — became lively and charming. The sun shot forth its beams, and the bells, as if awakened from slumber, burst out in joyous chimes. THE POPULACE TURN OUT. As the day advanced, the weather grew more and more propi- tious, and numbers of strangers anxious to see Her Majesty with her illustrious Consort enter the noble palace of her ancestors at Wind- sor, poured into the place, conveyed in every conceivable description of vehicle. Most of these people after giving a hearty farewell cheer to the royal couple as they passed through the gates of the Castle, returned again to London, resolved to finish the amusement of the day by a sight of the splendid illuminations in town. About half- past two o'clock considerable excitement was occasioned among the various groups of persons waiting to see the royal cortege pass through High street by the appearance of the royal standard, which at that hour was raised at the Round Tower. Various were the conjectures as to the particular circumstance which the hoisting of this proud and noble banner might be intended to indicate ; but, having tired themselves with explanatory sugges- tions, the crowd came to the conclusion that it must be the signal of Her Majesty's departure from St. James's Palace after the con- clusion of the nuptial ceremony, At four o'clock a troop of Lif*^ MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. 151 Guards left Windsor for the purpose of meeting the royal cortege on the road and escorting it to the Castle. At this hour a dense concourse of persons had collected about the gates of the Castle, which appeared to be the point of greatest attraction, and an unbroken line of spectators extended from this spot to the extrem- ity of Eton, near to London. As always happens in cases like the present, the anxiously expected arrival was announced about one hundred and fifty times before it actually happened, and as each successive rumor turned out to be false it would not be easy to depict the momentary disappointment manifested by the impatient assemblage. The evening had closed in before the arrival of the royal party. The whole town was therefore illuminated before they entered, and the effect produced by the glitter of the lights on the congregated multitude was exceedingly splendid. Every house in Windsor was illuminated ; many of them were handsomely decorated with flags^ laurels, mottoes, and artificial bouquets. Ingenious devices and transparent representations of the Queen and Prince Albert were not few nor far between. The Town Hall, the White Hart Inn, the Castle Inn, and several houses in the neighborhood were con- spicuous for the brilliancy and beauty of their decorations. A LIVING MASS OF PEOPLE. At half-past six the crowd on the castle hill had become so dense that it was with difficulty the line of road for the royal car- riages was kept clear. The whole street was one living mass, while the walls of the houses glowed with crowns, stars, and all the brilliant devices which gas and oil could supply. At this moment a flight of rockets was visible in the air ; it was apparently over Eton, and it was immediately concluded that the Queen had entered Eton. The bells now rang merrily, and the shouts of the spectators were heard as the roj^al cortege approached the Castle. At twenty minutes before seven the royal carriage arrived in the High street, Windsor, preceded by the advanced guard of the traveling escort, consisting of a body of the Second Life Guards, commanded by Lieutenant Totenham, which relieved the Four- 152* MARRIAGE OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. teenth Dragoons at Colnbrook. The shouts were now most loud and cheering, and from* the windows and balconies of the houses handkerchiefs were waved by the ladies, while the gentlemen huzzahed and waved their hats. The carriage, from the crowd, proceeded slowly, Her Majesty and her royal Consort bowing to the people. Her Majesty looked remar-kably well, and Prince Albert seemed in the highest spirits at th^ cordiality with which he was greeted. It was exactly a quarter to seven when the royal carriage drew up at the grand entrance. The Queen was handed from the car- riage by the Prince ; she immediately took his arm and entered the Castle. In the evening the auspicious event was celebrated by a public dinner given in the Town Hall. About lOO of the inhabitants of Windsor attended, the Mayor taking the chair, and being supported on either side by the members for the borough, Messrs. Ramsbottom and Gordon. At the conclusion of the dinner "Health and Long Lives to Victoria and Albert" was proposed by the Mayor and responded to in the most enthusiastic manner, the whole company rising and cheering for several minutes. The evening's entertain- ment was greatly advanced by two or three appropriate songs written for the occasion. Two other public dinners were given at the Castle Tavern and at the Star and Garter ; and several inhabitants of the town besides had private parties in honor of the royal wedding. While the *' great" feasted the " small" were not forgotten on this joyous occasion. A substantial dinner of good old English fare was provided for the poorer inhabitants of the place and the neighboring country, the expense being defrayed by a voluntary subscription, to which fund one hundred dollars were contributed by Her Majesty. Nearly 600 poor families, amounting probably to 2000 individuals, were by this considerate charity regaled at their own homes with a good dinner and some excellent beer, wherewith to do complete justice to the toast of " Health and Hap- piness to Victoria and Albert." CHAPTER VII. Epochs in Victoria's Long and Prosperous Reign. THE reign of Qneen Victoria may perhaps, for the purpose of the future historian, be divided into four periods, though not of equal length and importance. First, from her accession to the overthrow of Lord Mel- bourne's administration, in 1841. Second, from that event to the Crimean War. Third, from the Crimean War to the Reform Bill of 1867. Fourth, from the passing of that great measure to the pres- ent time. It is impossible for us to exhibit in chronological order or to examine with anything like exhaustiveness the different events of even personal interest to the Queen during each of these four periods. If we were to make the attempt we should be virtually writing the history of England for more than half a century. Adverting, therefore, to the second of the divisions which we have above made, we may say that the conservatives, under Peel, in their accession to power, found that they had a troublous conditions of affairs with which to cope. At home there were scarcity of work, low wages, high priced food. These privations were admirably borne, but it was impos- sible to tell when the popular patience might give way. As it was, serious insurrections, requiring to be put down by military force, broke out the next year in Staffordshire and South Wales. Abroad, England was involved in a serious Chinese war. In Afghanistan the greatest disaster which ever befell the British arm 3^ was impending. The presence of the English fleet in the Tagiis alone prevented a Portuguese insurrection. Spain was distracted by a ruthless civil war. America was exasperated against England on account of the right claimed by British crui- s«rsj and a question as to the marine frontier of a most urgent J53 154 EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. character was being pressed on for settlement. It seemed as if national bankruptcy were imminent. The income tax rose to yd. on the pound sterling on all incomes above £150 ($750), and the Queen greatly increased her popularity by declining to exercise her royal right of indemnity from the burden. Together with the Prince, she did all that she could to give a stimulus to trade by court festivities. Dinners, concerts and balls followed fast upon each other. On May 26 the Queen and Prince Albert went in state to a ball given at Covent Garden Theatre for the relief of the Spitalfields weavers. A mag- nificent bal costume had been given at Buckingham Palace with a similar object a fortnight before. This same year, notwithstanding the hearty efforts of the Queen to identify herself with her subjects and to promote their welfare, two attempts were made upon her life. Two years pre- viously an insane pot boy, Bdward Oxford, had fired a pistol at Her Majesty as she was driving on Constitution Hill. BALL FLEW UNDER THE CARRIAGE. Now the attack was repeated by one Francis with a similar weapon on nearly the same spot. The pistol ball passed under the carriage. About two months after this a hunchback named Bean similarly essayed the assassin's role ; but was prevented from accomplishing this object by a boy, Dassett, who happened to be near. It was in this year, 1842, that the Queen and the Prince Consort visited Scotland for the first time, a country which imme- diatel}^ made the favorable impression that soon deepened into an intense affection. The trip was something more than a pleasure tour, for the personal presence of the Queen and her husband had the effect of allaying the Chartist disaffection to the crown, of which the west of Scotland was in a way the headquarters. Perhaps the culminating triumph of the first seven years of the Queen's reign was that which Her Majesty achieved on October 28, 1844, when she opened the new Royal Exchange, in London. EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 155 "Nothing," Her Majesty wrote to lier uncle Leopold tlie next day, " ever went off better, and the procession there, as well as the proceedings at the building, was splendid and i-oyal in the extreme. It was a fine and gratifying sight to see the myriads of people assembled, more than at the coronation even, and all in such good humor and so loyal. I seldom remember being so pleased with any public show, and my beloved Albert was most enthusiastically received by the people. The articles in the papers, too, are most kind and gratifying. They say no sovereign was ever more loved than I am (I am bold enough to say), and this because of our happy, domestic home and the good example it presents." "The feeling," comments Theodore Martin on this extract from the Queen's book, " to which voice was thus given by the press had taken widemost in the country. It was based upon two grounds — the exemplary home life of the Queen and the Prince and the purely constitutional attitude with relation to political parties which had been maintained by the sovereign." THE QUEEN ONE WITH HER PEOPLE. . A month later the Queen and Prince, being then en route to the superb plaisance of Lord Exeter, at Burleigh, already men- tioned in the course of this memoir, were enthusiastically wel- comed at Northampton, which had the reputation of being a cen- tre of radicalism. During the next ten years the life of the English Queen, if not uneventful, was at least not monotonous. The link of affec- tion which bound her to her people had been drawn closer by the birth of five children — that of the Princess Royal in 1840, of the Prince of Wales in 1841, of Princess Alice in 1843, of the Duke of Edinburgh in 1844 and of the Princess Helena in 1846, The four remaining children. Princess Louise, Prince Arthur, Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice, were born between 1848 and 1857. The existence of the royal family much resembled that of many of the more considerable of the Queen's subjects. There 156 EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. was the season iu London, graced by the court ceremonials, iia which Her Majesty aud the Prince Consort took a conspicuous part, and after the season was over, there were journeys to Scot- land, sometimes to Ireland, and occasionally to the Continent, followed by a brief period of residence at Osborne, in the Isle of Wight — purchased from Ladj^ Isabella Blatchford in 1844, its grounds being exquisitely laid out under the superintendence of aud from the designs of Prince Albert himself — or a long stay at Windsor. The defeat and resignation of the Peel government came in 1846, consequent on its change of opinion on the subject of pro- tection. Home affairs had till then monopolized the interest of English politics, and it would be impossible to enter into the question of the connection of Her Majesty with these without opening what will long continue to be a vexed chapter in modern British history. GROWING INFLUENCE OF PRINCE ALBERT. It has, however, become tolerably clear, from correspondence since published, that during all these years the Queen was much more subject than had at one time been supposed to the political influence of Prince Albert, and especially of Baron Stockmar and King Leopold, Thus the jealousy which still lingered in the national heart toward the Prince, aud the reserve with which he was treated by Lord Palmerston, both then and later on, is neither unexplained nor altogether unjustified. In 1845 and 1846 the condition of England and Ireland was highly critical. In the former country there was great social distress ; in the latter there were both distress and disaffection, and the Queen was obliged indefinitely to postpone her visit to her subjects on the other side of St. George's Channel. The Spanish marriages which were announced, and which took place shortly after the accession of Lord Russell to power, in 1846, with Lord Palmerston at the Foreign Office, violating as they did exist- ing European treaties, were the prelude to the first grave diplo- matic complication of which the Queen had had experience, EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. l57 But such events as the Polish insurrection and the Portu- guese difficulty, which immediately followed these marriages, served not only to try the powers of the Queen, but also demon- strated that she possessed capacities of a high order. In 1874 there were published by Mr. Theodore Martin for the first time, in his "Life of the Prince Consort," a series of interesting memo- randa on the rela- tions of England with Italy and Ger- many, which, read in connection with the international sympathies that Her Majesty at a later period de- veloped, are sig- nificant proofs of the extent to which the Queen was indoctrinated with the ideas of her husband. We may inci- dentally notice that in July, 1847, the Prince was elected and installed as Chancellor of Cambridge University, the installation ode being written by the then Poet Laureate, Wordsworth. The record of the observed of all observers in this ceremony is interesting. "I cannot say," Her Majesty writes in her diary the same day, " how it agitated and embarrassed me to have to receive the address and hear it read by my beloved Albert, who walked in at the head of the University, and who looked dear and beautiful in his robes, which were carried by Colonel Phipps and Colonel Sey- LORD PALMERSTON. 158 EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S RElGN. mour. Albert went througli it all admirably — almost absurd, however, as it was for us. He gave me the address and I rr:adthe answer ; a few kissed hands, and then Albert dined with tl;ie University. Two years later the Queen and Prince went to Ireland. ' ' Such a day of jubilee," wrote the London "Times," of the royal entry to the Irish metropolis, "has never been beheld in the ancient capi- tal of Ireland since first it arose from the banks of the Liffey. No ovation of olden Rome, enriched with the spoil of conquered nations and illustrated by the wealth of captured kings, was so glorious as the triumphant entry of Queen Victoria into Dublin." The visit was repeated in August, 1853, and again in 1861, when, with their two sons, the Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred, the royal pair made a tour of Killarney, an expedition to the Curragh camp. But Scotland was the country of the Queen's heart. For many years of her married life she spent some weeks and often months, even summer and autumn, at or near Balmoral Castle, and after her widowhood it was in Scotland that she chiefly lived. OPENING OF GREAT EXPOSITION. On May i, 1851, the long cherished ambition of the Prince Consort was fulfilled by the opening of the great exhibition in Hyde Park, London, an event which collected a greater number of people than had ever been previously known in London. The Queen left Buckingham Palace a little belore twelve o'clock. Nine carriages conveyed Her Majesty, Prince Albert, two of the Royal children, with a number of visitors and attendants, up Constitu- tion Hill and along Rotten Row to the northern entrance of the industrial palace. As the cortege drew up the reception of Her Majesty was enthusiastic, and she entered the building amid a burst of genuine good feeling. The same year the Queen enjoyed an ovation at Manchester and Liverpool, and the exhibition closed. The sum realized by this vast show from its opening to its shutting was .^505,107 5s yd. ($2,535,535), including season tickets, catalogues and refresh- EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 159 ments. Of the nione}'' received at the doors ^^275,000 ($1,375,000) was in silver and ^80,000 ($400,000) in gold. The next year the Oneen was to sustain what was in a public sense the greatest loss of her reign in the death of the Duke VIEW OF EDINBURGH. of Wellington. At the time this occurred Her Majesty was in the Scotch Highlands. "I had just,'' she wrote in her diary, "sat down to sketch when Mackenzie returned bringing letters. Among them there was one from Lord Derby, which I tore open, and alas ! it con- tained the confirmation of the fatal news that Britain's pride, her 160 EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. glory, Her hero, the greatest man she ever had produced, was no more. Sad day ! Great and irreparable national loss. One can- not think of this countrj^ without the Duke, an immortal hero. The Crown never found, I fear never will, so devoted, loyal and faithful a subject, so staunch a supporter. His experience and knowledge of the past were so great, too. He was a link which connected us with bygone times — with the last century. Not an eye will be dry in the whole country." Within two years of the death of the Duke of Wellington the prophetic forebodings of coming ill which Her Majesty had long felt were realized by the outbreak of the war with Russia. While that bloody contest was going on the Queen endeared herself to her subjects by losing no opportunity of exhibiting her sympa- thies with those at home whose relatives were ordered on foreign service. SYMPATHY FOR THE TROOPS. " Let Mrs. Herbert," she wrote in 1854 to Mr. Sidney Her- bert, Secretary for War, "know that I wish Miss Nightingale and other ladies to tell these poor, noble, wounded and sick men that no one takes a warmer interest and feels more for their sufferings and admires their courage and heroism more than their Queen. Day and night she thinks of her beloved troops. So does the Prince." On the night of September 10, 1855, came the news of the capture of Sebastopol, and it is thus notified in the royal journal of that date: — "Our delight was great, but we could hardly believe the good news, and from having so long so anxiously expected it one could not realize the actual fact. Albert said they could go at once and light the bonfire which had been prepared when the false report of the fall of the town arrived last year, , and had remained ever since waiting to be lit. "In a few minutes Albert and all the gentlemen,in every spe- cies of attire, sallied forth followed by all the servants, and grad- ually by all the population of the village, up to the top of the cairn. We waited and saw them light the bonfire, accompanied by general cheering." EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 161 On July 3 in the following year tlie Queen revis^wed in Windsor Park all the regiments returned from the Er.st, and a general order was issued at lier command to the army expressing Her Majesty's admiration of their good order, discipline, bravery and patience. " Tlie Queen," the address concluded, "deplores the loss of many of her best officers and bravest men, but history will consecrate the ground before Sebastopol as the grave of heroes." She had already performed a more graceful act in receiving the wounded guards at Buckingham Palace. Two years afterward the Indian mutiny broke out, and in its suppression the Queen once more showed her attachment to her troops and her appreciation of military courage b}^ instituting the distinction of the Victoria Cross for signal acts of valor in the presence of the enemy. NEW TITLE FOR THE SOVEREIGN. The suppression of the revolt W9S followed by the bestowal of a new titular honor on the Queen. On November i, 1858, the Governor General of India announced that henceforth all acts of the government of India would be done in the name of the Queen alone, and Her Majesty thus became Empress of Hindustan. The life of the Queen flowed on in an equable stream. She continued to take part in all the great national celebrations of the time, opening public edifices and inaugurating popular parks, and, with few exceptions, presiding in person at the commence- ment of the Parliamentary sessions. A memorable correspondence passed between Queen Victoria and President Buchanan, of the United States, in the month of June, i860. It had been stated that the Prince of Wales was about to visit Canada. President Buchanan wanted him to extend his trip to Washington. "You maybe well assured," he wrote to the Queen, " that every where in this country he will be greeted by the American people in such a manner as cannot fail to prove gratifying to Your Majesty." The invitation was accepted, with what brilliant results have been incorporated in our annals. But a bitter sorrow was in store for the Queen. In the siim- n ]Cr2 EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. mer of i86x slie and the Prince had visited the Scotch Highlands and Killarney. On December ii, same 3'ear, the nation was shocked b}^ the news of the Prince's death. It had indeed been known that he was nnwell, but it was thought that his indisposi- tion was trifling. Never was the sympathy of a people with its sovereign more complete ; never was that sympath}^ a greater support. " Of the devotion and strength of mind," wrote the London "Times" of that date, "shown by the Princess Alice all through these trying scenes it is impossible to speak too highly. Her Royal Highness has indeed felt that it was her place to be a com- fort and support to her mother in this affliction, and to her dutiful care we perhaps owe it that the Queen has borne her loss with exemplary resignation and a composure which under so sudden and terrible a bereavement could not have been anticipated." DUTY TO CHILDREN AND COUNTRY. After the death of the Prince the Queen, when the first passionate burst of grief was over, called her children around her and with a coolness which gave proof of great natural energy addressed them in solemn and affectionate terms. Her Majesty declared to her family that, though she felt crushed by the loss of one who had been her companion through life, she knew how much was expected of her, and she accordingly called on her children to give her their assistance, in order that she might do her duty to them and the country. Addresses of condolence were forwarded from all parts of the kingdom. But there followed with Her Majesty after the artificial energy with which she had inspired herself, a relapse and reaction — a sort of stupor. Still, on January i8, next year, when she heard of the disastrous explosion, she nerved herself to make the exertion of writing a letter, or rather, of commanding Colonel Philpps to write, expressive of her tenderest sympathy with the widows and mothers of the victims. "Her own misery," said the Queen, "only makes her feel the more for them. Her Majesty hopes that everything will be Epochs in Victoria's reign. 163 doue as far as possible to alleviate their distress, and Her Majesty will have a sad satisfaction in assisting in such a measure." For more than two years after her husband's death the Queen withdrew into absolute seclusion, much to the commercial detri- ment of her people and the inconvenience of the public business. Yet she was not an unobservant and unsympathetic spectator of events. When the female Blondin was killed in Aston Park while performing on the tight rope, and when the disastrous flood at Sheffield took place, she sent addresses expressive of her sorrow at the calamaities. In 1864 the Queen for the first time reappeared in public, the occasion being a flower show at the Horticultural Garden, Ken- sington. This, however, was but an isolated occurrence, for after the death of the Prince Consort the Queen virtually abdicated her public position as English sovereign. EXACTING PUBLIC DUTIES. She has, indeed, taken a part in a host of philanthropic move- ments ; she has held occasional levees and given at Buckingham Palace ever and again garden parties and concerts ; she has enter- tained, though vicariously, the Shah of Persia ; she has received the Emperor of Russia on the occasion of his visit to his daughter and son-in-law at Windsor ; she laid the foundation of the Albert Hall in Kensington, and she opened Blackfriars Bridge. She, of course, conferred with her Ministers and af&xed her name to documents of state, but such royal court as has been held has been held by the Prince of Wales, and by far the greater por- tion of the Queen's time has been spent in Scotland and at Wind- sor, much to the dissatisfaction of her subjects, which may be said to have culminated in 187 1 in the inauguration of an avowed democratic agitation. Providentially the illness of the Prince of Wales supervened, and the procession of the Queen and her son to Westminster Ab- bey on the recovery of the latter from from his serious illness, almost fatal, was the signal for an outburst of wonderful enthu- 164 EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S RElGN. siasni. But the condition of things was not satisfactory, and the retirement of Her Majest}^ produced a sentiment of latent indif- ference to the institution of royalty, the effect of whose operation the future can only show. The political results of the reign of Victoria in England may be described as tending in a direction eminently democratic. The assertion of the doctrine that the sovereign reigns, but does not govern, has become, for the first time in English history, under her, completely established. In her early days she was prevented from following the autocratic examples of her uncles and her grandfather by the pru- dent advice of those about her. In her womanhood she abstained from all interference with her Ministers, actuated by her personal experience and convictions of the necessities of the English mon- archy, and when womanhood was declining into age she conse- quently did not feel the temptation, as affairs certainly would not have admitted the possibility, of reverting tu the traditions of a regime that had become an anachronism. THE PEOPLE REALLY RULE. Thus it is that the whole government of Great Britain, whatever its title, is in reality a veiled republicanism Henceforward, who ever sits upon the throne of England must be content to know that divine right, perhaps even family right, has nothing to do with his title to allegiance, and that he derives the charter of his sovereignty from a people's Avill. But, though Queen Victoria has been satisfied to hold her sceptre upon these conditions, she declined in minor matters of of ceremonial or of state to surrender an atom of her personal dignity or her individual will. If the rebuke which she caused to be administered to Lord Palmerston on the occasion on which he had foregone the formality of showing her a diplomatic docu- ment before its final despatch were the only instance of her hostile collision with a Minister of State after the bedchamber dispute, there have been many cases in which she has asserted her deter- mination to insist upon all the usages of royal etiquette. EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 1G5 It is even upon authentic record that more than one bishop, although singled out for promotion, was not finally advanced, in deference to her desire, while in the lesser classes of ecclesiastical appointments — canonries, archdeaconries and so forth-— her wish was frequently expressed, and was acted upon by her Ministers. Undoubtedly, though the Queen has successfully preserved the appearance of impartiality in conferring with the successive chiefs of her governments, she has had her favorite statesmen, just as she has had her favorite divines. It was, perhaps, the result of that peculiar state of mind which, more or less, became chronic with her after her husband's death, partly also of that tenderness with which, by the force of association, all things connected with Scotland inspired her, that she contracted such an admiration for Scotch Presbyterian and Free Kirk theology. NO FRIEND TO RELIGIOUS SHOWS. The clerical teachers for whom she has exhibited the most preference in England have belonged to that class of whom Dr. Stanley, the Dean of Westminster, may be taken as a type. Her Majesty liked the Broad Church clerg3nuen and the Low Church, but detested the High ; she was as severe a critic of the oratory of the pulpit as she v/as of the manner in v/hicli a regiment — for the Queen had a keen eye to military effect — performed its march past, or an army went through the intricate tactics of a field day. It is not to supposed that amid the changes and fluctuations of public sentiment and the varying opinions concerning great and important questions the Queen had no mind of her own and w^as governed by the demand of the hour. She held her own opinions firmly. These, however, were sentiments of which the nation, if aware at all, was never made inconveniently aware. Whatever her political predelictions, the machiner}' of government has gone on all the same, and the only measure on whose passing the Oueen is believed to have exercised au}?- influence was the Public Worship Regulation bill of 1874. It was rather the personal 166 EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. eccentricities wliicli displayed themselves continuous! 3^ or at inter- vals in lier after tlie death of lier husband that gave, not altogether unjustly to her subjects, some ground of grievance. The public were not able to fully understand the great afflic- tion from which she was suffering, nor could they fully enter into sympathy with her in her sore misfortune. She was the one most concerned in the lamented death of Prince Albert, and it was but natural that those who from the circumstances could not compre- hend her overwhelming sorrow should expect and demand of her the discharge of public duties which she felt herself unable to perform. It was her disposition to keep company with her own grief ; she revered the memory of her husband, and it was only natural that in the days of her mourning she should avoid as far as possible all public pageants, fetes and appearances on state occasions. She therefore withdrew to a large extent from performing those public duties which otherwise would have received her first attention. She avoided the glare of publicity and the gaze of the multitude. ATTENDING TO ROYAL DUTIES. These, however, were acts which, though ill-advised in them- selves, English posterity and the universal opinion of a civilized world will deal with as something more than venial in comparison with the outrageous behavior and the gross neglect of royal duties and royal conduct which had marked the predecessors of the Queen on the British throne. As it is, the reign of Queen Victoria will long be remembered by her subjects for the era of material prosperity, of scientific and literary activity, of enterprise, invention, and commerce, with which it is coincident. Victoria's place in the line of rulers most influential in the political development of Engl and stands without question. Wil- liam the Conqueror, Henry II., Edward I., Kenr}^ VIII., Eliza- beth, Cromwell — these are her peers. The " Maiden Queen," who possessed much of her father's masterfulness and warded off EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 167 tlie '^Spanisli peril," was Victoria's nearest prototype, but the sovereign lady of tlie nineteenth century was equally beloved and venerated by her subjects, her range of sympathies was wider, her prescient instincts for her country's welfare no less than the same qualities of her predecessor in the sixteenth. Her grasp of the role she was destined to play on the British throne was quite as powerful as that of any previous sovereign. She made for her- self the character of a constitutional monarch. It is difficult to see how she can be surpassed in this one respect. The constitution to which Victoria succeeded was not a formal one. Numberless precedents, it is true, had been established. The English monarchy had broken from the leading strings of the great whig nobles who brought about and upheld the Hano- verian Guelphs from whom she was immediately descended. The long wars with France were just over before she was born. Reform of Parliament and the admission of the middle classes to the government of her country came just before her accession to the throne. FITTING HERSELF TO BE QUEEN. A new era had dawned. Carefully trained by her mother, with the fostering care of her politic uncle, the King of the Bel- gians, Victoria set herself, with a steadfastness of purpose few men have surpassed, to fit the monarchy to the new conditions. In her husband. Prince Albert, she found a willing helpmeet and strong support, but in the earliest years of her reign she had the inestimable advantage of the Nestorlike experience of Lord Mel- bourne, a statesman who, as her first Premier, took a paternal interest in his young mistress, and placed at her disposal all his unrivalled knowledge of men and afi'airs. The Queen's Prime Ministers were ten in number, as follows : Lord Melbourne 1837-1841 Sir Robert Peel 1841-1846 Lord John Russell (twice) 1846-1852, 1865 Earl of Derby (three times) 1852, 1858, 1866-1868 Earl of Aberdeen 1852-1855 fgg EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. Lord Palmerston (twice) 1855-1858, 1859-1865 Benjamin Disraeli, Lord Beaconsfield (twice) 1865-1866, 1874-1880 William Ewart Gladstone (four times) 1868-1874, 1880-1885, 1886, 1892-1894 Marquis of Salisbury (three times) 1885, 1886-1892, 1895-1901 Earl of Rosebery 1894-1895 Very wisely and skillfully did Her Majesty carry herself toward the Prime Ministers and other higli officials. There was never any suspicion of neglect on her part, never any occasion for • jealousy. Each was treated with all due respect and with the consideration which his exalted position was entitled to receive from the sovereign. Her journals, however, show that she fully recognized the commanding ability of the s'^tesmanwho subsequently carried the repeal of the Corn laws. Again, with Lord Palmerston, there were frequent collisions, as on his direction of foreign affairs she found it necessary to insist that he should submit his despatches to her consideration. MR. GLADSTONE'S POLICY. Mr. Gladstone's policy may have frequently diverged from the line which seemed consonant with the interests of the Crown. Queen Victoria, however, always accepted the verdict of the general elections, and her personal preferences were never allowed to intrude into the domain of her responsible duties. Mr. Disraeli made her Empress of India, and Lord Salisbury, Premier through eleven years of the last period of her reign, in the course of which two jubilee celebrations crowned the achieve- ments of the Victorian regime, stood toward her much in the position of Lord Burleigh to Elizabeth. Yet the public marks of her gratitude did not go beyond private visits to Huyhanden Manor and Hatfield House, and significant sentences in the otherwise strictly formal court circular. It was the custom of the leader of the House of Commons each night to dispatch an autograph account of the proceedings to the sovereign. These, if ever they see the light, must be of EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 169 great interest as showing the relations between the leaders of political parties and Queen Victoria. But, indeed, the Queen's private correspondence will disclose the inner history of the age, particularly at the courts of Europe, as can no other sources of information. She was posted on all royal affairs. ENGLISH TROOPS ON THE MARCH IN INDIA. Lady Jeune, writing of this aspect of the Queen's influence says : — " Royal alliances in these days do not convey or bring with them any real political significance or support, and they are valueless as allies in any question which does not immediately affect their own personal interests. "But it would be idle to say that the relationship and 170 EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. affection of a woman like tlie Queen did not have great influence and carry conviction to those who belonged to her, and who were able from personal observation and experience to profit by her knowledge of the world and great sagacity. She had outlived all her contemporaries, and spoke with the experience of a century. She was wise, kind and sensible, and exercised the , widest possible influence on all who came in contact with her. " The sentiment that attaches itself to every woman was strongly developed irr her, the pathetic figure of one who had outlived so many dynasties, lost so many loved ones, known intimately all the great and remarkable men of her day, whose memory carried her back into times that we have only read of, whose experience and knowledge were so immeasurably superior to those of any around her. TREATED WITH GREATEST RESPECT. " Her opinion could not fail to have weight in the councils of the world, and she was listened to and her advice adopted with the truest conviction and deepest respect. It is no secret that when Britain was roused to the greatest indignation by the tele- gram of sympathy sent by the German Emperor to Mr. Kruger, in December, 1896, it was the Queen's personal remonstrance that made him realize how great a mistake he had committed. In all matters that affected the interests of either Germany or Russia in connection with Britain the Queen's opinion was treated with the greatest respect and deference." In this unique position of family relationships and intimac}^ with state affairs. Queen Victoria's prudence, conscientiousness and family and national affections found full and harmonious play. The monarchy stood unshaken in the upheavals of 1848. Agitation arising from distress in the days of Chartism and the Irish famine subsided and left the throne untouched. Reform, Church disestablishment and the question of national union were questions which might have led to cleavage, but which were settled under her wise sway in orderly and progressive fashion in accordance with the popular will. As the fountain of EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 171 honor and mercy, Victoria's fame is unsullied. Tlie close interest slie manifested in her Indian realm won the esteem of the hun- dreds of millions who came under her rule in the East, and round her head centred that loyal sentiment and sense of common interest which in her last years bound together more closely the scattered members of the empire under the constitutional forms of federa- tion. Some conception of the growth of the British Empire under Queen Victoria may be formed from the following table. In addition, it must be remembered that in 1837 ^^^ Indian territory even indirectly under British sway, included neither of the great frontier provinces of Burmah and the Punjaub. Their acquisi- tion followed the transfer of rule from the British East India Company to the Crown brought about by the mutiny. ONWARD MARCH OF CIVILIZATION. Racially and religiously India is more heterogeneous than Europe, yet despite that and pestilence and famine, railways, res- ervoirs, a system of j ustice and other vast improvements show the firm, civilizing hand of its own ruler. Attention has been centred on the British colonies as never before by reason of their active loyalty during the Transvaal war. Representative government was granted to all the important col- onies in 1856. Distress in the British Isles during the early years of the reign led to a wave of emigration to the lands across the seas. In the case of Australia, a new impetus was given by the discovery of gold. Canadian federation began in 1867, and the dawn of this year saw the union of Australia take effect. Besides territory actually acquired. Great Britain has assumed practical control of Egypt, while restoring the Soudan to Khedival rule, and there is no apparent prospect of her with- drawal from the Nile Valley. 1839 — Aden annexed. 1842 — Hong Kong acquired. 1842 — Natal taken. 1843 — Sindee annexed, 1846 — Sikh territory ceded. 1849 — Punjaub annexed. 1852 — Pegu, Burmah, acquired. 1856 — Oude annexed. 172 EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 1858 — Crown assumed rule of India. 1874 — Fiji Islands annexed. 1875 — Sultan's share in Suez Canal bought. 1 878^ Island of Cyprus occupied. 1886 — Burmah annexed. 1 890 — Zanzibar protectorate assumed. 1896 — Ashantees compelled to accept British sovereignty. 1896 — Kitchener occupied Dongola. 1899 — Partition of Samoa. 1900 — Transvaal and Orange Free State annexed. CHRONOLOGY OF VICTORIA'S REIGN. 18 19 — Future Queen born, May 24. 1837 — Accession to throne, June 20. 1838 — Coronation, Westminster Ab- bey, June 28. Transatlantic steam navigation inaugurated. 1839 — Madman arrested trying to enter Buckingham Palace. Anti- Corn Law League formed. British forces occupy Cabul. British took possession of Aden. 1840 — Queen married to Prince Al- bert, February 10. Insane pot- boy tries to shoot King and Queen, June 10. Cheap postage introduced in England. Prin- cess Royal born, later Empress Frederick, November 21. Brit- ish and Austrian expedition to Syria. Mehemet Ali sues for peace. 1841 — Sir Robert Peel succeeds Lord Melbourne as Premier. Prince of Wales born, November 9. Suc- cessful insurrection in Cabul. British take Canton and Amoy. 1842 — John Francis tried to shoot Queen, May 30. John William Bean pointed pistol at Queen, July 3. British withdrew from Afghanistan. Hong Kong ceded to P^ngland. Chinese ports opened. British took Boer Re- public in Natal. 1843 — Princess Alice Maud Mary born, April 25. Scinde an- nexed to British India. Queen and Prince Albert visit King and Queen of France. Prince Alfred born, August 6. Louis Philippe visits Queen. 1845 — Seals of Colonial office given to Mr. Gladstone. England and France made war on dictator of Argentine Republic. Outbreak first Sikh war. 1846 — Princess Helena born. May 25. Anglo-American treaty settling Northwest boundary ot United States. Great famine in Ireland. Corn laws repealed. Sikhs defeated, ceded territory to East India Company. 1847 — Queen headed Irish famine subscription. 1848 — Princess Louise born, March 18. Queen and Prince Albert visit fugitive French royal fam- ily at Claremont. Great Chartist EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 1 iC, demonstration London. Insur- rection in Ireland attempted. Outbreak second Sikh war. Orange River sovereignty oc- cupied. Boers establish Trans- vaal Republic. 1849 — Hamilton fired at Queen. Queen first visited Ireland. Sikhs defeated. Punjaub annexed to British India. 1850 — Prince Arthur born, May i. Robert Pate attacked Queen with stick. Clayton-Bulwer treaty concluded. Taiping rebellion, China. 1851 — Queen opened great Exposi- tion. Burmah provoked British hostilities. Gold found in Aus- tralia. 1852 — First Derby Ministry suc- ceeded Russell administration. Aberdeen succeeded Derby. London protocol on succession in Denmark and Schleswig-Hol- stein. British victories in Bur- mah. Pegu acquired. 1853 — Prince Leopold born, April 7. Royal family visited Ireland. 1854 — Crimean War formally begun by declaration of England and France against Russia. 1854 — British - Japanese treaty. British permitted Orange River Republic. Commander McClure accomplished northwest passage. 1 8 5 5 — French Emperor and Empress visited Queen at Windsor and visit returned in Paris. Palmer- ston succeeded Aberdeen as Premier. Livingstone discovered Victoria Falls. 1856 — Treaty of Paris ended Crimean War. Oude annexed to British India. Outbreak second war, England against China. Per- sians occupied Herat, involved in war with government of India, successfully ended by British next year. 1857 — Outbreak of Indian mutiny, Canton occupied by British and French. Princess Beatrice born, April 14. 1858 — Second Derby Ministry suc- ceeded Palmerston. Hebrev/ disability in Britain removed. Indian mutiny virtualh' sup- pressed and government trans- ferred from East India Company to Crown. Treaty with China. Queen congratulated American President over new transatlantic cable, August 22. 1859— Queen's first grandchild, now Emperor William II., born, January 27. Palmerston suc- ceeded Derby as Premier, June. Difficulties with China. i860 — Invitation of President Bu- chanan for Prince of Wales to to visit America accepted by Queen. Anglo-French expedi- tion occupied Pekin. 1 86 1 — Duchess of Kent, Queen's mother, died. Queen's third visit visit to Ireland. Prince Con- 174 EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. sort died, December 14. Eng- land, France and Spain sent fleets to Mexico. 1862 — United States granted British demand for release of Mason and Slidell. 1 863 — Prince of Wales married, March 10. France declared war on on Mexico ; England and Spain withdrew forces. Brit- ain renounced renunciation of protectorate over Ionian Islands. 1 864 — Baker discovered Lake Albert Nyanza. 1865 — Measures taken to suppress Fenians in Ireland. Palmers- ton died. Russell premier for second time. 1866 — Queen thanked Mr. Geo. Peabody, American philanthro- pist, for gifts ;^ 1,750,000 to London poor. Fenians at- tempted invasion of Canada. Russell resigned. Third Der- by Ministry. Successful es- tablishment of telegraphy between Europe and Amer- ica. I Z6y — Fenian insurrection in Ireland. Dominion of Canada consti- tuted. Reform act passed. Out- break of Abyssinian war, ended next year. 1868 — Disraeli succeeded Derby as premier. Reform act for Scot- land and Ireland. Gladstone succeeded Disraeli. 1869. — Irish Church disestablished, to take effect 1871. Pacific Railway and Suez Canal com- pleted. 1870 — Empress Eugenie visited the Queen. Irish Land act. Ele- mentary Education act for England and Wales. Baker led expedition up the Nile. 1 87 1 — Former Emperor Louis Napo- leon visited Queen. Treaty of of Washington to settle the Alabama question. Stanley found Livingstone. Grave con- dition of Queen's health an- nounced, and Prince of Wales had typhoid fever. 1 872 — Queen present at thanksgiving for Prince of Wales' recovery. America obtains the Ala- bama award. Ballot bill passed. 1874 — Disraeli succeeded Gladstone as premier. Britain annexed Fiji Islands. Ashantee war ended. 1875 — Britain bought Sultan's share in Suez Canal. 1876 — Queen proclaimed Empress of India in London. Constantino- ple Conference opened ; closed next year. 1877 — Queen received General Grant. British took Transvaal Repub- lic. 1878 — Britain occupied Cyprus. Treaty of Berlin. War against Afghanistan. EPOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 175 i879-—War against Zulus. Queen's first great-grandchild born, Princess Charlotte of Saxe- Meiningen, May 12. Glad- stone succeeded Beaconsfield as Premier. Active Agrarian movement in Ireland. Roberts entered Kandahar. Transvaal uprising. 1 88 1 — Queen telegraphed sympathy on President Garfield's death and court went into mourning. British defeated by Boers at Majuba Hill, autonomy granted. Irish Land bill passed. Par- nell imprisoned. Land League manifesto. British evacuated Kandahar. Mahdi revolt in Soudan. 1882- — Roderic Maclean shot at Queen. Europeans massacred in Alexandria. War against Arabi Pacha, who was defeated. Parnell released. Lord Cav- endish murdered in Dublin. Irish National League formed. 1883 — Queen injured by slipping on stairs. 1884 — Gordon shut up in Khartoum. Franchise bill passed. 1885 — Irish dynamite outrages in London. Mahdi captured Khar- toum, Gordon killed. British force withdrawn from Soudan. Death of Mahdi. British pre- pare to meet Russian advance on Herat ; settlement effected. Riel rebellion in Canada. Salis- bury succeeded Gladstone as Premier. Conquest of Burmah. Canadian Pacific Railway com- pleted. 1886 — Queen opened Colonial and Indian Exhibition. Burmah an- nexed. Gladstone succeeded Salisbury, proposed home rule and was succeeded by Salis- bury. 1887 — Queen's Jubilee celebrated. Queen sent Duke of Norfolk to congratulate the Pope on his ecclesiastical jubilee. J 888 — Queen present at celebration of Prince of Wales' silver wed- ding. Fisheries treaty with United States rejected by Senate. Osman Digna defeated near Suakim. 1889 — British collision with Portugal in South-east Africa. Samoan conference with United States and Germany. 1890 — Portugal yielded to British demands. Treaty with Ger- many defining spheres in Africa and ceding Heligoland to Ger- many. Protectorate of Zanzibar assumed. 1 891 — Queen reviewed French fleet. Osman Digna completely defeated. 1 892 — Duke of Clarence died. Agree- ment with United States to arbitrate Behring Sea seal fish- eries dispute. Gladstone suc- ceeded Salisbury as premier 1?6 ENOCHS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN. 1893 — Queen opened Imperial Insti- tute. Home Rule bill intro- duced. Behring Sea arbitration award against America, British East Africa Company defeated King of Matabeleland. 1894 — Queen formally inaugurated Manchester ship canal. Prince Edward of York born, June 23. Rosebery succeeded Gladstone as premier. 1 895 — Salisburysucceeded Rosebery. President Cleveland sent mes- sage to Britain regarding Vene- zueland boundary dispute. 1896 — Queen received Li Hung Chang. Queen on September 23 had reigned longer than any former British sovereign. Britain granted American demand for Venezueland arbitration. James- town raid. Ashantees compelled to accept British sovereignty. Kitchener occupied Dongola. 1897 — Queen's *' Diamond Jubilee" celebrated. Senate rejected Anglo-American general arbitra- tion treaty. Autonomy of Crete declared by Powers. Grand Duchess Titiana of Russia, Queen's thirtieth great-grand- child, born. Revolt of Indian hill tribes on Afghan frontier. 1898 — Two-cent postage went into effect between Britain and colonies. 1899 — Dervish force surrendered. Venezuelan arbitration award a compromise. Transvaal de- clared war October 1 1 ; colonies rallied to support Britain. Agree- ment with America and Ger- many for partition of Samoa. 1900 — Queen welcomed in Ireland. International expeditions occu- pied Pekin. Punitive expedition against Ashantees. Australian colonies formed Commonwealth of Australia. Transvaal and Orange Free State annexed. CHAPTER VIII. Wonderful Achievements During the Reign of Victoria. THE Victorian era will be celebrated in song and story throngh coming ages as the greatest period of progress that Britian has ever known. It is tlie golden age of England. It has witnessed the greatest achievements in invention, the greatest advancement in science and the arts, and the most remarkable evolution in the relations of capital and labor that the world has ever seen. No equal period of the world's history, from the time that civilization M^as rocked in the cradle of the race on the shores of the Euphrates down to the death scene in the chamber at Osborne, has seen such unparalleled growth of a people, such unexampled expansion of territory as that witnessed during the Victorian era. At the beginning of Victoria's reign the total population of the Empire was about 127,000,000 ; to-day it is 384,000,000, one- fifth that of the whole world. In area it embraces 11,334,000 square miles, a territory three times the size of Europe, and one-fifth the land area of the globe. The population of the United Kingdom itself has grown from 16,000,000 to 40,000,000, notwithstanding that more emigrants have gone out from the British Isles than from all the rest of Europe put together. The trade, commerce and industry of the British Isles have kept pace with this advancement. Her ships sail every sea. Her flag is known in every port of the civilized world. Since the ascension of Victoria the foreign trade of Great Britain has increased 420 per cent. In 1837 the British possessions in India and the far East were but a trifle as compared with to-day. Within two decades after her succession to the crown the territories of Scinde, Tan- iore, Delhi, Burma, Nagpur, Sattara, Jhansi, the Sikhs and Oude 12 177 178 ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REIGN OF VICTORIA. were brought under British dominion. In 1857 all of British India was transferred from the British Bast India Company to the crown. Since that time Upper Burma, the Shan States, Beloo- chistan, Manipur and Chitral have been annexed. The sway of Victoria's scepter has been extended over the islands of the sea, and New Zealand, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and West Australia have been added to the galaxy of British colonies. The opium war in China and the Taiping rebellion gave England her foothold in Hong Kong, while Fiji, part of Borneo and New Guinea and many smaller island groups have since been colored with British red on the map of the world. In the Western Hemisphere British title in the northwest territory has been confirmed and the area of British Guiana by the treaty of arbitration with Venezuela has been greatly enlarged. The development of Canada has fallen but little short of the discovery and annexation of a new continent. LIGHT IN THE DARK CONTINENT. The Dark Continent, on the map of the world, is marked with the outposts of British arms. Sixty years ago Great Britain owned Cape Colony and two or three other mere footholds. The Boer war, whose sanguinary course still marks a trail of blood across the Dark Continent, and whose excitement and the reverses of British arms had much to do with hastening the end of the Queen Empress, has strengthened British sovereignity in that far off land. In sixty years she has acquired Natal, Basutoland, Bechu- analand, Zululand and the vast territory of the British South African Company, extending north to Lake Tanganyika. In East Africa she has practically taken Zanzibar and nearly half a million square miles of "hinterland," extending to the Congo State and northward to the Egyptian Soudan. In the west she has an imperial domain in the Niger country, and in the north a tem- porary control over Egypt, the end of which no man can yet discern. In that day 80,000,000 letters were regarded as an incredible ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REiGN OF VICTORIA. 179 number for the Post Office Department to handle in a year, Bnt Sir Roland Hill modernizing the process of postal service, has made it possible for 2,000,000,000 pieces of first class matter to pass through the office annually. The electric telegraph was in embryo when the crown was placed on Victoria's brow. It was not until thirty years later that Europe and America were united by a submarine cable, while the idea of a telephone and the discovery of the X-rays were undreamed of in the mind of scientist or inventor. In a thousand details the necessities of the present were lux- uries when Victoria ascended the throne. A thousand others, which now are held mere matters of course, were not then so much as imagined. Eighteen hundred and thirty-seven was the day of the candle, not the electric light, the day of flint and steel, not smokeless powder. WAR CLOUDS DIM THE SPLENDOR. England's wars hang over this bright era like a cloud. The Crimean war of 1853 and 1855, the Indian mutiny of 1857, which ran a frightful course of bloodshed and rapine for seventeen months, the far Eastern imbroglios, the Egyptian difficulties, the Soudanese campaign and the South African war have sounded an almost unending clash of arms in the ears of the world. But despite the shadows of this splendid reign, the world still stands too near even to its early chapters to judge it justly and accur- ately. The wonderful strides in the domain of industry, science, art, letters and discovery are yet too near to merit the fullest appreciation by this generation. When Victoria was crowned Queen the first locomotive had but just appeared, and twelve miles an hour was held to be a dangerous rate of speed. To-day England's 2 1,000 miles of track pay annual dividends of more than $415,000,000. In the year of her ascension, the first steamship was built. Then the journey to India round the Cape occupied from five to seven months, where to-day the journey is made in less than one-fifth that time. No greater advance has been made in any quarter than in 180 ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REIGN OF VICTORIA. the aiuelioriation of the condition of the day laborer. He worked long honrs for a pay so slight as to be scarcely nominal. He had no holidays save Sundays, and in some cases not even that. The world knows what the British workingman is to-day— a power in the state — compelling the respect which he deserves. Sir Walter Besant tells us of the state of the professions in the early forties; present day comment is unnecessary. The old order changed — and changing — has given to the world a group of English names that to-day are household words. While such men as Melbourne, Peel, Russell, Palmerston, Beaconsfield, Gladstone and Salisbury were directing her coun- cils ; while Sir Charles Napier, Havelock, Colin Campbell, Roberts, Gordon, and Garnet AVolseley were leading her armies ; while Sir Samuel Baker, Livingstone and Stanley were doing in A^frica what Sir John Franklin had done in the far North, and Barton and Layard in the far East, what was England not doing ^,vithin her own borders ! NEW ERA IN RELIGIOUS LIFE. Uiider the guidance of such minds as Robertson, Martineau, Pusey^ Wilberforce and Newman, Englishmen no longer were forced to suck the dry bones of theology. What Cobden, Sydney Smith, Stuart Mill and Herbert Spencer wrote was promptly put into practice by men like Brougham and sturdy old John Bright. Besemer made a new thing of the manufacture of steel ; Faraday, Sir John Herschel, Cavendish, Tyndall, Huxle}-, Davy and Dar- win — what did these men not do for science ? If for no other cause, the age of Victoria would be ever memorable in the history of the world's development for three primal facts discovered by these great thinkers : the molecular constitution of matter, evolution, and the conservation of energy. In the field of art the period opens with the names of Turner and Landseer and closes with those of Poynter and Alma- Tadema. Between these extremes come Holman Hunt and Millais, Watts and Burne-Jones, Constable and Cole, Madox- Brown, Maclise and Orchardson, while the artists working o '^ w o a w H W w w w o > H > {-•"i- J, a ^ £. J - -**" '_^ ^?!jJt» k Via .. a *? ■? 18i 182 ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REIGN OF VICTORIA. til rough the iiiediuin of bhick and white have iDcen led by Iveech and Cruikshank, Tenniel, Keene and Du Maurier. In literature the names that press forward for mention are even more numerous. Never has any other period held so many historians — Carlyle, Macaulay, Grote, McCarthy, Green, Froude, Freeman, Kinglake, Milman, Hallam, Lecky and Bryer. In the realm of poetry, Southey and Campbell, Moore, Hood and Words- worth had already done their best. Rossetti and Swinburne, Kip- ling and Stephen Phillips were to take up the melodies the}^ had dropped. De Quincey, Landor and Matthew Arnold wrote all things well, nor has there ever lived for the world's pleasure a group of novelists more brilliant than that which may be broadly termed Victorian ; Thackeray, Dickens and Bulwer, Trollope, Charles Reade, the Brontes and George Eliot, Collins, Kingsley and Blackmore, Stevenson, Thomas Hardy and Kipling. GREAT PROGRESS OF BRITAIN. To one of any acquaintance whatever with the world of events and books, even so brief a summary, so bare a catalogue, as this tells a vast deal of the progress of the Knglish people during the reign of Victoria. The complete story remains yet to be told, nor is there any danger that its narrator will wax too enthusiastic, or too highly laud its rapid onward march of progress. Among the many wonderful events which have occurred since Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837 ^^^ which have changed the face of civilization, the following stand out as particularly important : Discovery of photography in 1839. Enunciation of the Monroe Doctrine. Civil war in the United States, 1861-65. Emancipation of slaves under white men throughout the world. Liberation of 40,000,000 Russian serfs by Alexander II. Formation of the German Empire by Count von Bismarck. Crushing of Spain's colonial power by the United States. Establishment of present French Republic. ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REIGN OF VICTORIA. 183 Wooden sailing vessels superseded by iron steam vessels through the genius of Ericsson, inventor of the monitor. Japan comes to the front as a world power. Laying of the Atlantic Cable. Building of the Suez Canal. Mount Cenis and St. Gothard tunnels built. Discovery of gold in California, 1849. The modern railroad evolved. Discovery of anesthetics, in 1844. Science of bacteriology, or germ theory. Darwin's theory of evolution. Discovery of the planet Neptune. Roentgen's discovery of the X-ray. Discovery of the Northwest Passage. Australia opened up to civilization. EXPLORATION OF AFRICA. Africa opened up by the discoveries of Burton, Speke, Livingstone and Stanley. Pasteur's discovery of a treatment for hydrophobia, 1844. Peace Conference at The Hague, 1899. Geneva Convention, 1864, establishing the Red Cross Society. Death of "Chinese" Gordon. General Lord Kitchener conquered the rebel Arabs and established England's sovereignty in Egypt. Chinese-Japanese war. England's war with Afghanistan, 1840. Victoria proclaimed Empress of India, November i, 1858. Indian mutiny put down by General Roberts in 1859. 1880, first year of peace in Queen Victoria's reign. Zulu war, in 1879. Transvaal war, 1881. Graeco-Turkish war, 1897. War in South Africa, 1900-01. Russo-Turkish war, 1853-55. 18 t ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REIGN OF VICTORIA. PVanco-Prussian war, 1870. Telegraphy discovered by Samuel F. B. Morse. Invention of typewriters revolutionized business metbods. Robert Hoe invents tbe power printing press. Kdison invents tbe electric light and pbonogra^pb. Alexander Graham Bell invents tbe telepbonn. Invention of tbe sewing machine. Automobiles revolutionize tbe transportation world. Invention of wireless telegraphy. Submarine vessels made practical. Invention of smokeless powder. Discovery of petroleum. Evolution of tbe modern railroad with its attendant comforts. Use of armor plate for war vessels. Establishment of life saving service. Introduction of tbe postage stamp. Invention of tbe suspension and cantilever bridge. Science of evolutiou discovered by Darwin. NO OTHER REIGN SO LONG. Victoria's was tbe longest reign in English history, tbe longest actual reign in European history in fact. She was eigh- teen years of age when she ascended tbe throne of Great Britain, she was in full possession of her faculties up to tbe time of ber death, and was thus in truth the ruler of ber country for a longer period than ber grandfather, George III., whose sixty year reign was interrupted by insanity, or than Louis XIV., who was a boy of five wben tbe seventy-two years counted in his reign began. From tbe day wben, as a young girl, she took tbe coronation oatb in Westminster Abbey to that on which at Osborne, but two weeks ago, she conferred in person on Lord Roberts an earldom and the Garter, she has been, in fact, as well as by right tbe sov- ereign bead of tbe British Empire, within tbe limitations of the Britisb Constitution. In English history surely, in European bistory probably, tbe nineteenth century will be known as tbe Victorian age, like tbe age of Charlemagne. ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REIGN OF VICTORIA. 185 Tliroughout this reign, witli the brief interval of the Crimean War, the pax Britannica has continued ; in Europe, that is to say, for outside hardly a year has passed without its little war. But insurrections in Africa, suppressions of the New Zealand Maoris, punitive expeditions into Ashanti and Burmah and Afghanistan and Abyssinia and even the re -establishment of order in China and in Hgypt, could hardly be expected to disturb the peace of Europe. BLOODY SEPOY MUTINY. There have been anxious moments, too, as when the Sepoy mutiny imperilled the possession of India for a while, or, as at this time, when the whole military power of England has been drawn upon to punish the Dutch republics of South Africa ; a war, which, according to the prevailing report, was carried on against the aged Queen's wishes and saddened her last days. In return for these England has her profitable gains of territory to show ; South Africa to the north of the Zambesi, Nigeria, East Africa, Nyassaland, Egypt and the Soudan to Uganda in the Dark Con- tinent, the nearly unbroken line from the Cape to Cairo ; the extended boundaries of India, Beluchistan, Burmah and other East Indian territories in Asia ; New Guinea and countless islands of the Pacific, with Australia grown into a strong commonwealth. Gains not in land alone, but in the increase of the sturdy English stock. Far greater, however, were the material changes that came about since Queen Victoria saw in the glass 'the face that still is stamped up6n her coins. She lived to see the bulwarks of Eng- land changed from the great wooden three-deckers, with their spread of sail and their muzzle-loading guns that did their duty at Trafalgar, to steel-armored cases of machinery hurling projectiles to a distance of a dozen miles, and destroyers hastening at thirty knots an hour to discharge their torpedoes under water. She lived to see an England mainly agriculutural turned into a hive of mechanical industries and gridironed with rail- roads. She opened the first international exhibition, she sent the first cable message across the Atlantic— but the record of her < H c/) O en W Q < w Q w u ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE REIGN OF VICTORIA. 187 reign is really the record of two-tliirds of the ceutury, a record of progress in arts, in sciences, in material improvements, in commerce, in wealth. The population of Great Britain has increased from 18,000,000 to 33,000,000, while Ireland, the black blot on the reign, has fallen from over eight million inhabitants to four millions and a half The great Colonies, too, have been brought closer, and the ideal of a Greater Britain, including even India, has acquired a misty outline. A prosperous reign, surely, and a golden age for England, and to'it the gentle, kindly lady who is now dead in the ripeness of years contributed what la}^ in her power. Yet can it be said that England at the end of the reign holds the place in the councils of the world that she did at the beginning? Would a message of Lord Salisbury be heeded in Europe now as those of Lord Palmerston were once ? One among equals she is now, where once she could direct. SINCERE MOURNING OF THE NATION. All England mourns sincerely for Queen Victoria, for at the moment of her accession she was born again in the hearts of her British subjects and never lost her hold upon their affections, nay, she unceasingly made it stronger and deeper. No one Mdio has not inherited it can know the feeling cherished for the person of a sovereign ; and that Victoria enjoyed to a degree not equalled by any monarch of her time. As the power of the crown declined her personal qualities as a woman grew steadily more magnified and loved. For years the faithfulness of the wife and mother who sat on the throne inspired with constantly increasing emphasis the speech of every Englishman who responded to " The Queen." She came to be the ideal matron of a passionately home-loving people, and as such she broadened and inflamed the innate reverence for the nation's ruler. CHAPTER IX. Traits and Anecdotes of the Queen. T N LIVES like that of Queen Victoria tlie character may be * frequently studied as well, if not better, by anecdotes than by elaborate narrative. While the principal trait in the Queen's character was domesticity, yet her position in life was such as to render conspicuous what in ordinary lives would have been but commonplace. Until advancing age rendered prolonged periods of rest an imperative necessity the Queen was probably a harder worker than any one individual in the royal service. Lord Palmerston has put it on record that during 1848 no fewer than 28,000 dis- patches were submitted and acted upon by her. When Lord Melbourne apologized for the close application rendered necessary by so large a number of wearisome docu- ments, she replied : " My lord, it is but a change of occupation. I have not lived a life of leisure, and, as 3^ou know, it is not long since I left off my daily lessons." Of course, so much work required great punctuality, and the Queen always practiced this politeness of kings. On tM^o occa- sions one of the ladies of the court kept her waiting. When a delay occurred the third time, the lady in question found her royal mistress, watch in hand. Blushing at this silent reproof, the attendant said she feared she had detained her majesty. "Yes, for quite ten minutes," was the grave reply, which so abashed the offender that she trembled violently. "We shall all in time be more perfect at our duties," was the kind remark of the Queen when she saw the confusion of her attendant. On one occasion, when the Archdeacon of London was cate- chising the young princes, he said : " Your governess deserves great credit for instructing you so thoroughly," at which the 188 TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. 189 youngsters piped out: "Oh, but it's mamma teaches us our catechism." An interesting evidence of the strong affection that existed between Queen Victoria and her Prince Consort, is found in the Queen's boudoir at Windsor Castle, which remained up to her death in the same state as when Prince Albert died. " Every article in this room my lamented husband selected for me in the twenty-fourth year of my reign," was the inscription on the door. The Queen was frequently informed as to each of her young descendants' mental and physical progress, and she was also fre- quently consulted as to the little oues' well being. With but few exceptions, to each of the great-grandchildren was given, in addition to their other names, that of Victor or Victoria, and at least a portion of each child's christening costume was always given by the British great-grandmother. FAVORITE PRIME MINISTER. The Queen never forgot a birthday, and scarcely a day passed but she gave some proof of the affectionate remembrance in which she held the youngest of her descendants. It is said that of all the prime ministers who held ofSce during the Queen's reign none was more of a favorite at court than Beaconsfield (Disraeli), and that, on the other hand, none was really less liked by the Queen than Gladstone. This is easily accounted for. Beaconsfield recognized fully Napoleon III.'s saying that "ladies must be humored," and he pleased the Queen by obeying all her reasonable requests. Beaconsfield "managed" the queen in one way by agreeing to call her " Empress of India." Hence the Queen permitted him a freedom of address never endured from any other of her ministers, except Lord Palmerston. Gladstone could never forget himself or fail to hint, if he did not clearly show it, that he had a mind of his own. He always was masterful in his way, and never hesitated on occasion to suggest to the Queen that his way was the best — often the only way — to proceed. 190 TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. There probably never was sucli an outpouring of people as on the occasion of the Queen's diamond j ubilee, the sixtieth anniver- sary of her accession to the throne, celebrated in London from June 20-22, 1897. Of course, London's 6,000,000 of people furnished the bulk of the gathering, but it is estimated that at least 2,000,000 visitors came from other parts of Britain and from abroad. Fabulous prices were paid for houses and window privileges along the route of the great procession to and from St. Paul's. Not less than $10,000 was paid for one house in Piccadilly, and $250 for a window capable of accommodating five people. The commemoration commenced on Sunday, June 20, 1897, when religious services were held in every church the world over where the British flag flies. Monday, June 21st, was what was known as accession day, but at the Queen's suggestion the many celebrations were deferred until the following day when her sixty years' reign was actually completed. There were special per- formances at the theatres all during jubilee week, and in the evenings the city was magnificently illuminated. LOOKING OUT FOR THE CHILDREN. The chief attraction, of course, was the great procession from Buckingham Palace to St. Paul's Cathedral in the morning of Tuesday, and its return in the afternoon. It was character- istic of the Queen that she ordered special preparations to pro- vide children with a good view of the procession. One of the prettiest episodes of the day was the presentation by the children of England of a gift to the Queen. [The royal carriage was drawn by twelve cream-colored horses. By her side was the Princess of Wales, and for her escort she had the princes of all the reigning houses of Europe. Victoria could truly claim the title of " Mother of Kings." A reigning czar, emperor and grand duke are among the surviv- ing grandsons and grandsons-in-law, her daughter is an empress, while other descendants will in due time wear the crowns . of Greece and Roumania. TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. 191 Altogether, from the union of Victoria with Albert in 1840, have sprung nine children, forty grandchildren and thirty-one great-grandchildren. Death has removed ten of these — two sons and a daughter, a granddaughter and six grandsons — so that the Queen's surviving family has sevent}^ members. Marriage has also brought the Queen nine daughters and sons-in-law — three of the latter having passed away — while all the fourteen grandsons and granddaughters-in-law survive. She who can make history for the world no more forever, will be kept with us in a succession of little classics inspired by love and reverence. Even her name will have always the flavor of goodness. CONTEST OVER HER NAME. Apropos of the name, the Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III., was determined to call her Elizabeth, believing in the traditional power of the name, should she be called to the throne. But her godfather, the Emperor of Russia, insisted as strenuously that the child should be named Alexandrina, and to this her mother's name, Victoria, was added. For a few years she was known as the little princess 'Drina, but before she reached the high estate of the crown her diminutives were Vicky and Vic and she was crowned Victoria I. A narrow escape from, the accepted and almost sanctioned name of Georgiana, after her grandfather, then the reigning king George III., is recorded with delight by English historians of the time, who were well pleased when the little princess was chris- tened Victoria Alexandria, and called Victoria, " gratia dei " (by the grace of god). It has been remarked that the beauty of character, simplicity and goodness of the Queen began in that ^hour when she was formally consecrated with only two Christian names, a custom uncommon to royalty. Like the King of Israel, she inaugurated her reign by a prayer. When the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chamberlain carried the news of the King's death to Kensington Palace, they were told that the young Queen was asleep, and could not be disturbed. 192 TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. "We come on important business of state, and tlie Queen must be aroused even from sweet sleep for tbat," said the arcb- bisbop. Tbe news being conveyed to ber uncrowned majesty, sbe tben gave a lesson to all women forever not to keep men of busi- ness waiting. Sbe came into tbe distinguisbed presence of tbe arcbbisbop and tbe lord cbamberlain, in a loose flowing robe, ber bare feet tbrust into bedroom slippers, ber bair — denuded of tbe ever-worn nigbtcap — loosely coiled. Her large sympathetic ej^-es were full of tears, but tbe prelate wbo announced tbe news was astonished at ber womanly dignity. His Queen, she knelt at bis feet to say : " I ask your pravers in my behalf." TEARS AT HER CORONATION. At her coronation sbe wept when sbe heard tbe shouts of joy from ber people. Miss Barrett — afterv/ard Mrs. Browning — accentuated this tender scene in verse : God bless the weeping queen With blessings more divine, And fill with better love than earth's That tender heart of thine. That when the throne of earth shall be As low as graves brought down, A pierced hand may give to thee The crown which angels shout to see. Thou wilt not weep To wear that heavenly crown. Again the Queen was moved to tears in public when she was. called upon to sign the first death warrant — that of a man who' had been condemned to death on a judgment by court-martial. Tbe paper for the Queen's signature was presented to ber by tbe Duke of Wellington. " Is there nothing to be said in tbe favor of this man? " asked Victoria, trying vainly to restrain ber emotion. i:jwi«wii"!' Wff" ' , ' |" ," Wi"ir;,Mi" ' QUEEN ALEXANDRA OF GREAT BRITAIN NICHOLAS II, CZAR OF RUSSIA, AND CZARINA WHO WAS PRINCESS ALICE OF HESSE, GRANDDAUGHTER . OF QUEEN VICTORIA D UJ CO H oc HI m UJ a. O UJ I 1- I- < z UJ UJ a UJ I H u. O -J < > cc cc < KING EDWARD VII SCOTS GUARDS PASSING THE QUEEN ON THE CELEBRATION OF HER EIGHTIETH BIRTHDAY m Q _l O I UJ 0) D o cr T < ^ Ul T u. 1- O O H 7 < UJ H en O UJ UJ Q. T CO h- ^ — cc > 1- o Ul CO Ml UJ -3 cc < Z) 2 \- cc DC < UJ a T UJ Q Z cc UJ UJ u I D 1- O O UJ h I t- ir O HON. WILLIAM E. GLADSTONE PRINCE EDWARD THE FUTURE KING, PRINCE ALBERT, AND PRINCESS VICTORIA, CHILDREN OF THE DUKE OF YORK THE VISIT OF THE GERMAN EMPEROR: RECEPTION OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY BY THE PRINCE OF WALES AT WINDSOR DUCHESS OF SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA, WIDOW OF VICTORIA'S SECO'^'O SON r" '■kj Kirfflfir ''^.■. ..-A-j,.,J,li^:,.r,i!,'fJ".- t;'.;-:,.. t, :,,{,, f^ ,H»., t niinrt LORD ROSEBERY-MR. GLADSTONE'S SUCCESSOR AS PREMIER TRAITS AMD ANECDOTES OF THE OtIEEN. 193 " He is a deserter for the fourth time," answered the 'Iron Duke' sternl}^ "Oh, your grace, try to recall some virtue he may possess !" The duke hesitated, looked at the Queen, and seeing her tears said reluctantly : " He is not a brave soldier, your majesty, but is said to be a good man." " Oh, thank you, thank you," answered the Queen, smiling through her tears, "we cannot spare a good man from the world," and she wrote "pardoned" across the warrant, to the surprise and chagrin of Wellington. HARMLESS SUPERSTITIONS. Victoria had her pet superstitions in spite of royalty and education. Balmoral, the Queen's estate in the Highlands of Scotland, was first taken possession of by the English Court in September, 1855. As the royal family rode into the grounds they were welcomed by the national anthem, and on entering the castle a shoe was thrown after them for luck. Prince Albert turned and asked quickly : " Who did that ? " A soft voice whispered in his ear : " By order of the Queen for good luck." When her daughter Victoria was engaged to Prince Frederick William of Prussia the Queen wrote in her diary : " During our ride up Craig-na-ban this afternoon Prince Frederick picked up a piece of white heather, the emblem of good luck, which he gave to Vicky." The steadfastness of the Queen's character as a wife and woman has been exemplified in her known devotion to the memory of her husband. Prince Albert, the '' blameless prince " as he was called. He died of a fever nearly forty years before she died, but in his family his honored name has been ever present, his virtues a daily theme. The Victorian era is ended, and with the Gladstone century will mark the brightest epochs in the history of the world. That civilization and enlightenment that began with the Elizabethan era has had a grand fruition in this age, and of the two famous ;3 194 TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. female sovereigns of Great Britain Victoria will have tlie foremost place as the builder of tlie greatest of empires, as a ruler of marked wisdom, and as a woman of admirable gentleness and purity. Victoria was the thirty- seventh monarch of Great Britain from William the Conqueror. She was a niece of William IV., who was the brother of George IV., who was the son of George ILL, who was the grandson of George II., who was the son of George I., who was the cousin of Anne, who Avas the sister-in-law of William II., who was the son-in-law of James II., who was the son of Charles I., who was the son of James I., who was the cousin of Elizabeth, who was the sister of Mary. Mary was the sister of Edward VI., who was the son of Henry VIII., who was the son Henry VII., who was the cousin of Richard III., who was the uncle of Edward IV., who was the cousin of Henry VI., who Avas the son of Henry IV., who was the cousin of Richard II., who was the grandson of Edward III., who II., who was the son of Edward I., who was the son of Henry III., who was the son of John, who was the brother of Richard L, who was the son of Henry II., who was the cousin of Stephen, who Avas the cousin of Henry I., who was the brother of William Rufus, who was the son of William the Conqiteror 800 years ago. The exact origin of the family of the house of Guelph, to which Queen Victoria belonged, is somewhat obscure. Some persons have indeed asserted that Queen Victoria descends directly from the deified hero, Woden, whom the Scandinavians adored as a god. The true founder of the house of Hanover was Azon d'Este, Marquis of Tuscany, an Italian adventurer, who, KING WILLIAM IV. was the son of Edward TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. 195 at the commencement of the eleventh century, took service under the Emperor Conrad, in the hope of acquiring fortune in Germany by conquest or marriage. His matrimonial speculation proved the most profitable. He espoused Cunegunda of Guelph, a wealthy heiress, and discarded the name of D'Este for that of his wife. Henceforth he was called Guelph. Their son, Robert the Robust, contracted a still more fortunate alliance in marrying the Avidow of Tostic, Earl of Kent, brother to Edward the Confessor. The newly wedded pair found great favor with the Emperor, Henry the Fourth, who despoiled Otho of Saxony of his Bavarian'possessions in order to enrich them. The great-grandson of Robert rebelling against the Emperor Barbarossa, his estates were confiscated. A LUCKY MARRIAGE. A third time, however, the race of Azon retrieved the for- tunes of the family by a lucky marriage, the bride being a daughter of Henry the Second, King of England, who prevailed upon the German Caesar to bestow the countships of Brunswick, and Lunenburg upon his son-in-law. Otho the Fourteenth raised them to the rank of Duchies in the thirteenth century, and William or Guelph took the title of Duke. Of the ducal repre sentatives of the house, some were distinguished for their courage and military talents, others for their less noble qualities ; as Henry, surnamed the "Dog," for his snarling temper; Magnus the ''insolent, " Ernest the " cruel." Otho the Fourteenth was the first of a long line of petty princes who departed from the matrimonial policy of his family by a marriage of inclination with Matilda de Campan, a simple gentlewoman of Brunswick and his own subject. The great- grandfather of George the First, King of England, had seven sons all Dukes, and entitled to a share of his possessions. To avoid splitting the family coronet by a permanent division of their father's states the brothers on his death entered into a most extra- ordinary compact. Only lone of the number was to contract a legal marriage. Lots were cast ; chance favored George, the sixth 196 TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. vSon, wlio espoused Anne Eleanor, a Princess of Hesse Darmstadt. THeir eldest son, Ernest Augustus, wlio for many years bore no Hglier title tlian Prince Bishop of Osnaberg, married Sophia, daughter of the unfortunate Queen of Bohemia, and grand- daughter of James the First ; which alliance first opened to the house of Hanover a prospect of the crown of Great Britain. The bride was sister to iRupert, so well known in English history for his devotion to Charles the First, to say nothing of his discoveries in science and art and engraving in mezzotint. It is a curious circumstance that neither the birth, baptism nor confirmation of Queen Victoria is recorded in the ojSicial pub- lic documents. The State archives are silent upon the advent into the world of the child Alexandrina Victoria, who was to rule over dominions vaster, and to command the allegiance of a larger number of subjects and a greater diversity of races than ever acknowledged the rule of a single sovereign. ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ROYAL BIRTH. But though the public records are silent, there is no doubt that Queen Victoria's birthday falls upon the 24th day of May. The event happened at sunrise in Kensington Palace, and the news was announced to the public in the following notice : "This morning at a quarter past 4 o'clock the Duchess of Kent was happily delivered of a princess, H. R. H. the Duke of Sussex, his grace, the Archbishop of Canterbury, his grace, the Duke of Wellington (master general of the ordinance) ; the Mar- quis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Bathurst, the Bishop of London, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Rt. Hon. George Can- ning were in attendance. H. R. Highness is — God be praised — as well as can be expected and the young princess is in perfect health." Decidedly interesting is the story of the childhood of the little princess. There is no doubt that first among the influences that made Queen Victoria what she was, was the constant care of her mother, who was a woman of sound judgment and good TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. 197 sense. SHe was brought up with, absolute simplicity. We know about the bread and milk which constituted the breakfast par- taken of by the little Victoria at a small table placed beside her mother. She was taught to meet strangers with a friendly regard which won many a heart as the little lady gave childish greeting to those she met in her daily walks and drives. " I have never ceased to press on my daughter her duties, so as to gain by her conduct the respect and affection of the people," writes the Duchess of Kent. " This I have taught her should be her first earthly duty as a constitutional sovereign." Although the Princess Alexandrina Victoria was not the next in succession to the throne, her father seemed with prophetic instinct to designate her as the future Queen. " Take care of her," he would say, " for she will be Queen of England." SHE ^A^AS PUBLICLY PROCLAIMED. At ID o'clock on the morning after her accession, the Queen accompanied by her mother, and attended by a train of coaches carrying her lords and ladies, and escorted by cavalry, drove to St. James's Palace to be publicly proclaimed. While the procla- mation was being read the "little Queen" stood at the window of the Presence Chamber, in view of the people, a somewhat pathetic figure. She was dressed in deep mourning with white cuffs, a white tippet, and a border of white crape, under what the " Court Chronicle " calls a "small " black bonnet, small for the period of enormous head gear, we may add, which was placed far back on her head, showing her light hair, simply parted over her forehead. She was looking very pale, but retained her composure while the routine of the ceremony was proceeding. When, however, the cannon began to thunder, the trumpets sounded, the band struck up the national anthem, land the plaudits of the people crying : "God Save the Queen " rent the air, she wept. Thus was her reign inaugurated. Princess Beatrice, the Queen's ninth and youngest child, was born in 1857, and in 1861 the Queen lost both her mother and her husband. Prince Albert had succeeded in making himself 198 TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. generally beloved by tbe Englisb. He bad taken an active part in charitable, musical and otber work ; be bad energetically g^dvocated tbe first Crystal Palace Exbibition of 185 1, and be bad by bis influence, belped to correct social abuses, sucb as duelling. During tbe first year of bis residence in England be was subjected to a cold and suspicious treatment from some of tbe Englisb, wbo were afraid be migbt force foreign ideas upon tbe Queen, but wben it was found tbat Prince Albert was a man of great tact, and tbat be studiously refrained from mixing in political intrigues, be gradually won tbe respect, if not tbe affec- tion, of tbe Britisb public. After bis deatb tbe Queen lived a most secluded life for many years. BRINGING EDWARD TO THE FRONT, As soon as ber eldest son married, sbe entrusted to bim tbe direction of court social duties, preferring to live in comparative seclusion, eitber at Buckingbam Palace, wben in London, or at Windsor Castle or at Osborne, in tbe Isle of Wigbt ; or at Bal- moral Castle, about forty-five miles soutbwest of Aberdeen, in Scotland. One by one ber cbildren married, but for a long time sbe frowned upon tbe suitors of ber youngest daugbter, Beatrice, wisbing ber to remain single, and keeping ber as a constant com- panion. Among tbe Queen's personal friends after tbe Prince Consort's deatb was Sir Artbur Helps and bis family. Sir Tbeo- dore Martin — knigbted for bis services as biograpber of tbe Prince Consort — and Jobn Brown, a simple Scotcb body servant, wbose deatb in 1883 caused bis royal mistress mucb grief Beside tbe life of Prince Albert, just mentioned — published - in 1874 — in wbicb, of course, many personal details of tbe Queen's own life abound, sbe published in 1868 a work called ^' Leaves from tbe Journal of Our Life in tbe Highlands," and in 1883 another volume of selections from her diary. She also supervised General Grey's book on "The Early Days of His Royal High- ness, the Prince Consort." All these productions show the Queen to have been a woman of plain common sense, conven- TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. 199 tionally Hnglisli, well-meaning, but stubborn. It is not possible to point to a single important measure wbicb she originated, but it is not tbe less true tbat sbe often differed from Her ministers and obstinately beld to ber views as long as tbe public will was not manifestly against ber. Sbe encouraged and exacted a moral standard among tbe courciers in striking contrast to tbe profligacy wbicb marked tbe reigix L)f ber uncle, George IV., and of tbe set of fast men and women wbom tbe Prince of Wales gatbered about bim wben be first directed court society. Tbe Queen, apart from ber large annual allowance, was enormously ricb, partly in ber own rigbt, partl}^ from tbe large sums sbe saved out of ber allowance, and partly from tbe occasional bequests of ber subjects. Sbe was inclined to economy, and at times was called decidedly "near " by disrespectful Britons. STORIES OF HER EARLY LIFE. Tbere are two well autbenticated anecdotes of tbe Queen's cbildbood and yontb wbicb are very cbaracteristic of ber to tbis day. Tbe one story is given by Bisbop Wilberforce on tbe autbority of ber former tutor, Davys, Bisbop of Peterborougb. It describes vividly one of tbe most conspicuous and bonorable features in tbe nature of tbe woman and tbe Queen, ber straigbt- forward, unswerving bonesty. Tbe cbild bad, cbild-like, been trifling over ber lessons, wbicb sbe was saying to ber tutor in tbe presence of ber gov- erness, wben tbe Ducbess of Kent entered tbe room, and asked bow tbe pupil was bebaving. " Sbe was a little troublesome once," answered tbe governess. "No, Lebzen, not once, but twice; don't j^ou remember" tbe small offender made tbe conscientious amendment. Tbe otber story is told by Baroness Lebzen wben sbe describes tbe means wbicb were taken to enligbten tbe carefully guarded ignorance of tbe girl in ber twelftb year as to tbe degree of nearness in wbicb sbe stood to tbe tbrone. Tbe scene was tbe sunny upper room used for tbe Princess' 200 TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OP^ THE QUEEN. scliool room, liaviug tlie pleasant prospect over the open "gar- dens," witli their straight walks and round pond. The crisis was when Princess Victoria discovered the genealogical paper which had been purposely slipped into her book of history and expressed her suprise at finding the table there and was told that it had been judged time she should study it. Then with wide open blue eyes she took in its meaning, and said eagerly what she thought. The next words were the simple, heartfelt pledge, " I will be good," followed by the innocent application of the knowledge which had come to her to the neces- sity for learning Latin, which had hitherto puzzled her, and again the earnest promise, "I will be good." The long and gracious record of her life tells how the child was enabled to keep her word. AA^HAT SIR ^VALTER SCOTT SAID. When Victoria was nine years old, Sir Walter Scott, accord- ing to a record in his diary, dined with the Duchess of Kent, and by Prince Leopold was presented to "little Princess Victoria and heir apparent to the house, as things now stand." "This little lady," he adds, " is educated with much care and watched so closely that no busy maid has a moment to whisper: 'You are heir of England.' I suspect if we could dissect the little heart we should find that some pigeon or other bird of the air had carried the matter. She is fair, like the Royal Family." The fact is that neither at that time nor for years after did Victoria know anything of her pre-eminence, but was brought, up I with strict economy and regularity, being taught to restrain her .. expenditures within the limits of her income, even when that was ' but a child's pocket money According to Miss Martineau, the Princess "was reared in as much honesty and care about money matters as any citizen's child. It became known at Tunbridge Wells that the Princess had been unable to buy a box at the bazaar because she had spent her money. At the bazaar she had bought presents for all her relatives, when she remembered one cousin more, and saw a box, TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. 201 priced lialf a crown, wliicli would suit him. Tlie sliop people, of course, placed the box with the other purchases, but the little lady's governess admonished them by saying: 'No, you see the Princess has not got the money ; therefore, of course, she can't buy the box.' The next offer was to lay the box aside until it jCould be purchased. The governess said : ' Oh, well, if you will be so good as to do that.' " On quarter day, before 7 o'clock in the morning, the Princess appeared on her donkey to claim her purchase. Concerning this story, Mrs. Oliphant writes: "This reads like a story out of 'Sanford and Merton,' but the Princess Victoria came by her father's side of a lavish and largely spending race, and no doubt, on this account, the discipline under which she was trained became more severe." THAT REGENCY BILL. As a further explanation of Sir Walter Scott's mistake, a story told by the Baroness Selwyn, her governess, in 1854, in a letter to the Queen concerning the first intimation conveyed to Victoria as to the possibility of her future elevation, is of interest. The Baroness says as follows : "I ask your Majesty's leave to cite some remarkable words of your Majesty when only twelve years old, while the Regency bill was in progress. I then said to the Duchess of Kent that now, for the first time, your Majesty ought to know yoi:i r place in the succession. " Her Royal Highness argued with me, and I put the gene- alogical table into the historical book. When Mr. Davis (the Queen's instructor after the Bishop of Peterborough) was gone, the Princess Victoria opened the book again as usual, and, seeing the additional paper, said, 'I never saw that before.' 'It was not thought necessary you should, Princess,' I answered. ' I see I am nearer to the throne than I thought.' 'So it is madam,' I said. " After some moments the Princess resumed : ' Now, many a child would boast, but they don't know the difficulty. There is much splendor, but there is much responsibilit3^' The Princess having lifted up the forefinger of her right hand while she spoke, 202 IRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. gave me her left hand, saying : ' I will be good. I understand now why you urged me so much to learn even Latin. My cousins Augusta and Mary never did, but you told me Latin is the foundation of the English grammar, and of all the elegant expressions, and I learned it as you wished it, but I understand all better now;' and the little Princess gave me her hand, repeating, 'I will be good.' " It is seldom that a little scene like this stands out so distinct in the early story even of a life destined to greatness. The hush of awe upon the child ; the childish application of this great secret to the abstruse study of Latin, which was not required from the others ; the immediate resolution, so simple, yet concerning all that the wisest sage could have counselled or the greatest hero vowed — "I will be good" — make a perfect little picture. DEEPLY AFFECTED BY THE NEWS. It is the clearest appearance of the child Queen in her own person that we get through the soft obscurity of those childish years. The same hand which placed itself so solemnly in the anxious guardian's hand, to give w^eight to the simple vow, inscribed long after, in full maturity, a few words of recollection upon the margin of this narrative. " I cried much on hearing it,'- writes the Queen. No further words are needed to enhance the effect of this touching scene. The strong religious view, which she made no attempt to conceal, and yet which never resulted in acts of bigotry toward those who might hold different views, increased the respect with which she was regarded. Bishops, chaplains, cathedrals, services, prayer and, above all the Bible, were closely interwoven with her daily life. She did not scruple to declare that she regarded the Scrip- tures as the foundation of her nation's greatness and the bulwark of its security. After listening with interest to the eloquent ser- mons of the great divines who had access to her presence and whom she delighted to honor, she would seek to carry the com- forts of the good Book to the sick or aged cottager on her estate TRAITS AND ANECDOTES OF THE QUEEN. 203 with the simplicity of a Bible woman and without the least shadow of ostentation. Other sovereigns have undoubtedly been more talented, more aggressive and more ambitious. But Queen Victoria has been a woman with a heavt. The sorrows of her people have never knocked vainly at her door. The tear of sympathy has been mingled with a nation's tears, as well as with the personal bereavements and sufferings of individuals. The poor believed that in Victoria they had a personal friend, a sympathizer, a sister, a mother. And they were not mistaken. The royal court was made a persistent centre for all sorts of charities. Toward the Salvation Army many acts of kindness were shown. Letters and telegrams of sympathy were sent on the occasion of national celebrations, invitations extended to attend public funqtions^ and on one occasion the palace grounds at Osborne were thrown open for a special gathering of Salvationists. The Queen and some of her ladies-in-waiting were frequent readers of the "War Cry." A NATIONAL MISFORTUNE. The death of Queen Victoria could not fail to be regarded by every section of the British Empire as a national misfortune. Indeed, in some senses it was regarded as an international one. In an age of democracy the Queen did not hesitate to meet the people more than half way. She was perhaps the most demo- cratic ruler of her day, respected the Constitution, accepted advisers of an opposite political faith when sent to her by the people, and submitted in silence to the anathemas of those who hated monarchies, without seeking to gag the press, or raise an outcry of "Treason!" She sought to encourage the comity of nations. Her whole influence was thrown into the scale against war, however right- eous might appear the cause. A sincere Christian, a wise ruler, an affectionate wife, a kind mother, a lover of the poor, Victoria was, in the best sense of the word, and will pass down to posterity as "a people's Queen." 204 INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. Her court was pure ; her life serene, God gave her peace ; her land reposed ; A thousand claims to reverence closed In her as Mother, Wife and Queen. And statesmen at her council met Who knew the seasons when to take Occasion by the hand, and make The bounds of freedom wider yet. By shaping some august decree. Which kept her throne unshaken still, Broad-based upon her people's will, And compassed by the inviolate sea, — Tennyson. CHAPTER X. Incidents in Victoria's Life. '"PHB personal incidents of Queen Victoria's reign and tlie char- ■^ acter of her private life present an edifying contrast to the most conspicuous traits in the characters of the sovereigns who reigned before her. The image of Victoria will long be held up for imitation as that of a model wife and mother. She added a new link to the bond of affection subsisting between herself and her people in presenting them with the record of her private life in those happy years when the shadow of her great loss had not darkened it No sovereign before her had been willing to put the leaves of her own private daily notebook into the hands of her people and thus treat them almost as household friends. This is what her Majesty did, however, in her simple and homely pages, and they are, indeed, just what they are called — "Leaves from the Diary" of a happy married English wife who wrote it in hours when she could forget for a little while that, besides being this, she was also the sovereign mistress of the mighty British Empire. In this book are seen her love of beau- tiful scenery, her readiness to be pleased, her attachment to old servants, and her strong love of her family and household. It has been remarked by those who were privileged to con- verse with her on theology or historical subjects that she was thoroughly Protestant in her religion, and that she kept up quite a sentimental feeling of sympathy with the Stuarts. Going one day into the library at Windsor Castle she discovered the libra- rian reading some strong Jacobite memoirs. " Oh, you need not put them away," she said, "you know I am a Jacobite myself." This does not quite tally with the story which Macaulay used to tell of the Queen's opinion of James II. During Macaulay' s visit to Windsor the Queen «iaid : "I have been reading your 205 206 INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. History, Mr. Macaulay, and I am afraid I can't say mucTi for my ancestor, James II." " Yonr Majesty's predecessor, not ancestor," corrected Macaulay. One day, during her first visit to the Royal Lodge (Winsdor Park), King William entered the drawing room, holding his niece by the hand. The band was playing in an adjoining conservatory. "Now, Victoria," said His Majesty, "the band is in the next room, and shall play any tune you please. What shall it be ? " "Oh, uncle King," quickly replied the Princess, "I should like 'God Save the King. '" Another time his Majesty asked her what she had enjoyed most during her stay in Windsor. " The drive I took with you, Uncle King," was the answer, the King Aiaving himself driven her in his pony phaeton, in company with the Duchess of Gloucester. GRAND ENTRY INTO LONDON. It was not until November, 1837, that the Queen made her state entry into London. It was not until June of the following year that she was crowned and the orb and scepter given into her hands. The historians of that day described the spectacle of her formal entry as one of grandeur. A spirit of medieval gorgeous- ness and revelry was abroad. The streets were hung with ban- ners ; balconies were draped with silken festoons, and every busi- ness house along the route, every private dwelling, was brilliant with color. The Queen rode in the famous state coach, drawn by eight cream-colored horses. She wore a robe of pink satin shot with ^silver, and upon her forehead was a superb tiara glittering with mamonds. The youth, the beauty, the graciousness of the youngj Queen on that day, bound her to the masses of her people by ties that were never broken save by death. Two comments, from critics occupying widely different standpoints, upon her appear- ance that day are worth repeating. " She is eminently beautiful," wrote Wilker, the artist INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. 207 " Her features are nicely formed, lier skin is smootli and clear, her hair, whicli is worn close to lier face and simply, is glossy and bewitcKing." Joseph Sturge, the Quaker philanthropist of Birmingham, said of the young mona«rch on this day : "A nice, pleasant, modest young woman ; graceful, though a little sh}^, yet every inch a queen." After the King's death, Victoria met her council at Kensing- ton Palace. " Never was anything," wrote the clerk of the 'council, 'Mike the impression she produced or the chorus of praise and admiration which was raised about her manner, and certainl}- not without justice. It was very extraordinary, and something far beyond what was looked for. "The first thing to be done was to teach her her lesson, which for this purpose Melbourne had himself to learn. He asked her if she would enter the room accompanied b}' the great officers of state, but she said she would come iv alone." THE YOUNG QUEEN ENTERS. After having received the two royal dukes, the two arch- bishops, the Chancellor and the Prime Minister— Lord Mel' bourne — the proclamation was read to the council, the usual order passed, the doors were thrown open and the young Queen entered. On the day of her coronation the Queen had some trouble in keeping the crown upon her head. Every salutation she made threatened to displace the imperial diadem, and her efforts to retain it in the rightful pose were impeded by the Sceptre and Orb which she carried in her right and left hands respectively. The then Duchess of Sutherland endeavored to assist the • young Sovereign, and both ladies laughed very much at the awkwardness of the situation. Upon reaching Hyde Park Corner, on the return journey, the girl Queen, overpowered by the excite- ment and fatigue of the day, let the Sceptre fall from her hand and burst into a flood of tears. It was soon obvious that the youthful Queen had a will of 208 INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. her own, and meant to exercise it as far as slie could. Man 3^ anotlier young girl would have been willing to do exactly as she was told by her Council without argument, but Victoria ques- tioned. Once, when her Prime Minister urged expediency in signing a document, she stopped him and exclaimed, " I have been taught, my lord, to judge what is right and wrong ; but expediency is a word which I neither wish to hear nor under- stand." No wonder, after this, that Lord Melbourne laughingly remarked that he would rather have ten Kings to manage than one Queen. With regard to her independence, she gave ample proof of it in her famous refusal to change the ladies of her bedchamber when the Peel Ministry was to have succeeded that of Mel- bourne. According to precedent, the change in the Ministry should have extended to the Queen's personal attendants. But Victoria ruled otherwise. She had become attached to some of her ladies, and she declined to part with them. DEFIANCE OF COURT ETIQUETTE. The consequences of this defiance of precedent, so unlike the Queen's usual conservative course, were far-reaching to a degree which is incomprehensible to those unacquainted with the com- plicated relations existing between court etiquette and state policy. Peel withdrew. Melbourne continued in power two years longer, and, as the former Lord Chancellor said: "The Jamaica question is to be new fashioned, and principles are to be given up for two ladies of the bedchamber." Victoria was crowned Queen on June 20, 1838, at West- minster Abbey. The pageant was of a magnificence hitherto unheard of Representatives of more foreign potentates were present than at any previous coronation of an English monarch. The nobility vied with each other in raiment and equipages. It is recorded that therobes and uniforms were so universally radi- ant that the Austrian Ambtissador did not attract any special remark, though he wore jewels worth half a million florins. The Queen rode to and from the abbey in the famous glass INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. 209 coacli built eighty years before. It bas been used at the coroua- tiou of ber grandfatber, and of William IV. Tbe old state crown was not used. It bad weigbed over seven pounds, and was deemed too beavy for tbe young bead of Victoria. It was there- fore broken up and out of it a new crown was constructed. It weigbed less tban balf as mucb as tbe old one. Tbe value of tbe precious stones in tbe crown alone was estimated $563,000, or /ii2,76o. An incident wbicb occurred during tbe ceremony revealed to tbe people tbe character of their new Queen. Old Lord Ralle stumbled on tbe steps of the throne when be knelt to offer homage and Her Majesty instantly sprung up in ready self-forgetfulness to assist him to bis feet. Tbe story was carried back to mau}^ of tbe foreign countries represented at tbe coronation, with the amusing explanation that the Lords Ralle held their title by virtue of going through this same undignified and painful exper- ience at every coronation, A MAN FOLLOWS THE QUEEN. An amusing, but none tbe less embarassing, incident of tbe Queen's short maiden reign was ber persecution by a man named Hummings, who was regarded as insane, who aspired to ber hand. He followed ber about like a shadow. He drove a coach that was a facsimilie of that owned by tbe Ducbest of Kent, and dressed his servants in the royal livery. On tbe Queen's birth- day be illuminated his house and distributed to tbe passers-by so many hogsheads of free beer that the celebration ended in a miniature riot. Tbe police put an abrupt end to Mr. Humming' s career. Tbe early y ars of the future Queen were passed in an atmosphere of what might be termed royal poverty. Her parents concentrated everything upon the education of tbe child, with the result that at the time of ber accession to the throne tbe young Princess was perhaps tbe most accomplished woman of ber age in Europe. Although tbe prospect of a throne was ever before ber fro«i her birth, there were se\'eral lives between ber and tbe 14 210 INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. crown. It was not until 1830, when the childless William IV. succeeded to the scepter that her position as heir presumptive became assured. The education of the future Queen was directed by her mother, the Duchess of Kent, and her uncle, Leopold of Belgium. During this period she resided with her parents at Kensington Palace, and at the country place, Claremont. In her choice of studies Princess Victoria showed a marked preference for history, geography, drawing and music. Her love for the latter prevailed to the last days of her life. The most precious souvenirs that her personal friends have preserved of their beloved mistress and Queen are the pen and ink sketches and water-color drawings of her Majesty's early years. VERY FOND OF MUSIC. Her love of music was marked by keen discrimination, both as to composers and performers. Every great lyric artist, every musician of any prominence has appeared at some time at Wind- sor or Osborne by royal command, while the generosity of the Queen has been attested in the most substantial tokens of her pleasure. She was very fond of music, both vocal and instrumental, and she had a personal acquaintance with all the most distin- guished performers. She could not go to the opera, so she had the opera come to her at Windsor. She would sometimes com- mand the leading performers to appear before her in concerts for the entertainment of guests, and often she summoned singers for her own enjoyment. She would listen with pleasure to her favorite music, and after the performance she would cause the operatic stars to be brought to her, so that she might thank them in person. She ' always gave them presents of value, sometimes with her own hands and sometimes through others. These were bracelets or brooches set with precious stones and bearing the letters "V. R. I." or her photograph in a silver frame, with her autograph written across it. INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. 211 These gifts are now among the proudest possessions of the singers who own them, and who are unanimous in praise of the Queen's thoughtfulness and courtesy. Jean and Edouard de Reszke were among the Queen's favor- ites on the operatic stage, and they often appeared before her. In response to a request, the brothers joined last night in pre- paring the following account of the Queen's attitude toward her entertainers : . "We have the pleasantest and brightest souvenir of Her Majesty Queen Victoria's kindness to us. Every season when in London we were asked several times to perform in opera or concerts before Her Gracious Majesty and the royal family at Windsor, and at every performance we were the objects of the most flattering praise and admiration, as well as the recipients of the most exquisite presents, chosen from Her Gracious Majesty's own silver plate, as salvers, cups, candelabra. FAVORITE COMPOSITIONS OF THE QUEEN. "We generally sang French and Italian compositions before Her Majesty, as Gounod, Verdi, etc., were great favorites of the Queen ; but once we were invited to a special private concert given in honor of her daughter, the Empress Frederick, and on that occasion we sang in German and a choice of Wagucr music, which met with the greatest success. "Nothing could be kinder than the forethought of the Queen for our welfare. For instance, when we sang the last time 'Lohengrin' in Windsor we received on the next morning a tele- graphic message from Her Majesty wanting to know if we were not too tired and had not taken cold on the trip. "We have beautiful souvenirs from her Majesty and the royal family which we cherish greatly, but the greatest honor was conferred on us by the Queen decorating us both with the Vic- torian Order." Maurice Grau often met the Queen in connection with per- formances given before her by his company. " Queen Victoria was a very amiable woman," said he. "You 212 INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. know her eyesiglit was impaired, and in consequence of tliat slie took nincli pleasure in music. She enjoyed the opera very much. During the Jubilee year we always gave the performance at Windsor. She often had the singers come up alone. Plancon has sung to her two hours at a time. She always chose her own music and selected the opera which she wished to hear. When I met her she always spoke to me in German. She took much inter- est in the singers and wanted to know all about them." Suzanne Adams Stern and her husband, Leo Stern, fre- quently appeared before the Queen. Miss Adams sang last sea- son before her with Calve at Buckingham Palace, and then as Marguerite in " Faust," which was the last time the Queen heard opera. BEAUTIFUL PRESENT TO THE SINGER. " She sent for Miss Adams after the performance," said Mr. Stern, " and gave her with her own hands a brooch with her mon- ogram set in diamonds. She was very fond of music, and at one time -played the piano beautifully herself She also took a personal interest in the artists. She told Miss Adams the last time she saw her that her voice was better than ever, and asked whether her husband was going with her on her trip to this country and what were her plans for the holidays. She remem- bered that the season before I had stayed behind to fulfill an engagement in England. "She alwa3^s asked for Miss Adams, who sang before her in private several times. On such occasions the artist would make out a list of songs and the Queen would choose those she liked. She always applauded at the end of the performance, and sent fof the musicians, that she might say a few kinds words to each one." Ever after her accession to the throne, Victoria has played a conspicuous and consistent part in the administration of the affairs of Great Britain. Under her wise and beneficent rule, there were gathered more human beings, of wider diversity of race and tongue, in a greater area of territory in every clime than have ever been known under one sovereign before in the history of the world. A FAMILY GROUP AT BALMORAL: FOUR GENERATIONS UJ o < _l < a. < I o z o QQ I- < > < Q. Z UJ Q cr. < v'M^» h: - INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. 213 The scepter that has passed from her hand stretched over 11,000,000 square miles of territory with a population estimated at 385,000,000 souls. The burden of government, the strain of war, the sorrows of domestic bereavement brought the end which years had almost defied. President Buchanan in June, i860, when it became known '^that the Prince of Wales was planning a visit to Canada, wrote to Queen Victoria inviting him to come to the United States. Her unaffected and cordial reply indicated her ;yood will to the United States. "I have learned from the public journals," wrote the Presi- dent, "that the Prince of Wales is about to visit Your Majesty's North American dominions. Should it be the intention of His Royal Highness to extend his visit to the United States I need not say how happy I should be to give him 9 cordial welcome to Washington. WELCOME TO THE HEIR APPARENT. "You may be well assured that everywhere in this country he will be greeted by the American people in such a manner as can- not fail to prove gratifying to Your Majesty. In this they will manifest their deep sense of your domestic virtues as well as their convictions of your merit as a wise patriot and constitutional sovereign." To this Queen Victoria returned the following reply as soon as she received the letter : — "Buckingham Palace, June 22, i860. "My Good Friend: — I have been much gratified at the feelings which prompted you to write to me inviting the Prince of Wales to come to Washington. He intends to return from Canada through the United States, and it will give him great pleasure to have an opportunity of testifying to you in person that these feelings are fully reciprocated by him. He will thus be able at the same time to mark the respect which he entertains for the Chief Magistrate of a great and friendly state and kindred nation. 214 INCIDEI-^T^ IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. "The Prince of Wales wUl drop all royal state in leaving my dominions and travel nnder tlie name of Lord Renfrew, as lie lias done when travelling on the Continent of Bnrope. " The Prince Consort wishes to be kindly remembered to you. I remain ever vonr good friend, "VICTORIA R.'' The Prince cf Wales, in accordance with President Buchanan's invitation, remained five days in Washington on his trip through this country. In 1871 the Prince of Wales fell ill with typhoid fever. For many days his life was despaired of, and upon his recoverey a wave of enthusiasm culminated in a public thanksgiving in St. Paul's Cathedral, where the Queen appeared leaning on the arm of her son, the great throng congratulating her. Queen Victoria's personal share in the government of her country was remarkable. Of the millions of people who are to-day so lightly speaking of the Queen as acting on the advice of hei' ministers but a comparative few are aware how largely those ministers were aided in their deliberations by the royal advice. ALWAYS ATTENDED TO DETAILS. She signed no state paper without first reading it, and, until the weight of years crushed her, permitted no subordinate to relieve her of her supervision of details. In the troubled year of 1848, that of the Chartist agitation, each one of the 28,000 des- patches which came to the foreign office alone passed through her hands. The weight of her influence was ever thrown on the side of peace, justice and liberality. On New Year's Day, 1877, Victoria was formally proclaimed Bmpress of India, before a brilliant assemblage of the Princes of India at Delhi. By this act, the keystone was fitted to the arch of British Oriental rule that began with Clive and has been maintained by every great British commander since. The marvelous reign of Queen Victoria was strewn with more events of personal interest than have occurred in the life of any other monarch. In 1887 the fiftieth anniversary of her INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. 215 accession to the throne was commemorated with impressive cere- monies and an air of rejoicing nnequaled to that day. It was only surpassed by the splendors of the Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Part of Lord Tennyson's ode in honor of her Golden Jubilee was as follows : She, beloved for a kindliness Rare in fable or history, Queen and Empress of India, Crowned so long with a diadem Never worn by a worthier, Now, with prosperous auguries. Comes at last to the bounteous Crowning year of her jubilee. Queen as true to womanhood as Queenhood, Glorying in the glories of her people, Sorrowing with the sorrows of the lowest ! ODE OF THE POET LAUREATE, The occasion of her Diamond Jubilee drew commemorative lines from ^ Ifred Austin, poet laureate : The dew was on the summer lawn, The roses bloomed the woods were green, When forth there came as fresh as dawn, A maiden with majestic mein. They girt a crown about her brow They placed a sceptre in her hand, And loud rang out a nation's vow, " God guard the lady of the land 1 ** And now the cuckoo calls once more. And once again June's roses blow. And round her throne her people pour, Recalling sixty years ago And all the goodly days between, Glory and sorrow, love and pain. The wifely mother, widowed Queen, The loftiest, as the longest, reign. ^16 INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. She shared her subjects bane and bhss, Weldomed the wish, the base withstood, And taught by her clear Hfe, it is The greatest greatness to be good. Yet while for peace she wrought and prayed, She bore the trident, wore the helm, And, mistress of the main, she made An empire of her island realm. So, gathering now, from near, from far, From rule whereon ne'er sets the day, From Southern Cross and northern star. Her people lift their hearts, and pray. Longer and longer may she reign And, through a summer night serene Whence day doth never wholly wane. God spare and bless our Empress Queen ! VICTORIA'S MAGNIFICENT LIBRARY. The Queen liad a library of 120,000 volumes, and Mrs. Oli- phant \vas the most intimate personal friend of the Queen among novelists. Her Majest}^ always read Mrs. Oliphant's books with enjoyment. Among English writers the Queen's favorite poets were Shakespeare, Walter Scott, Tennyson and Adelaide Proctor. To hymns by Bonar and Faber she was especially attached. Her favorite novelists were all women — ^Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Mrs. Oliphant, Mrs. Craik, George Eliot and Edna Lyall. With German literature the 1 Queen was also familiar, her favorite writers being Schiller, Goethe and Heine. In the liter- ture of France it is natural to find that writers of memoirs, in which that country is so peculiarly rich, have a conspicuous place, iind to the charm of surly Saint-Simon the Queen was keenly alive. Among French poets and dramatists the Queen's favorites were Racine, Corneille and Lamartine. Her majesty herself was an author. When Charles Dickens was summoned to Windsor the Queen gave him a copy of her "Journals," inscribed, "To the greatest of British authors, from INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. :i7 the humblest." The Queen was the only author in England whose copyright never comes to an end. An ordinary person publishing a book has the exclusive right to publish and sell it PAGODA OF CHILLENBAUM— INDIA. as long as he lives and for seven years after his death, or for forty-two years from the date of its first publication, but the Queen's copyright of anything Her Majesty published never ended, 218 INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. It is no mere empty compliment to say tliat fhe Queen was one of the cleverest women of lier time. She was more tlian seventy wlien site began tlie study of Hindoostanee, wMcli slie mastered so well as to be able to keep a diary in that language. Her majesty was always able to write with both hands, and it is not surprising that she took great pride in this unusual accomplishment. On one occasion King Leopold of Belgium, to I whom she was very much attached, complimented her on her remarkable dexterity. The young Princess looked up a moment and retorted, " Ambidexterity, you mean, uncle." The Queen received for her services from the British people something like $120,000,000. Her of&cial income was $1,875,000 a year, $2,500,000 less than the Bmperor of Austria, $1,000,000 less than King Victor's, $500,000 less than the Shah of Persia's and only half as much as the Kaiser's. But 170 tons of English sovereigns is a handsome life salary, for that is what the public income of the Queen would weigh. RECEIVED LARGE LEGACIES. Her Majesty received at least two windfalls — one large, the other comparatively small. Mr. Neild, who died in 1852, bequeathed to the Queen a fortune of $1,000,000. Her Majesty inquired if there were any relatives, saying that in that case she would not accept the money ; but it developed that Mr. Neild died without issue or relatives and the Queen accepted the legacy. At another time Mr. Newhouse Heywood, having died intestate, his property, valued at $50,000, fell to the Queen, his estate being within the Duchy of Lancaster. It is not, perhaps, generally known that the Queen, besides being the legal head of the church, was its oldest of&cial. For more than sixty years she held the rank of Prebendary of St. David's Cathedral. All of the Queen's children, except the Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyle, have had families of children, and Queen Victoria leaves surviving her about fifty grandchildren and great- grandchildren. Not ony may she be said to have been a great INCIDENTS IN VICTORIA'S LIFE. 219 Queen and Empress, but a great mother of Kings, Queens and Emperors. Besides a son who will be seated upon the British throne, she has a grandson who is King of Prussia and German Empe- ror ; another grandson who is Grand Duke of Hesse, and still another who is Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In addition to) these actual rulers among her descendants, a granddaughter, daughter of her daughter Alice, is the consort of the present Czar of Russia, and in due time in all probability the Russian Empire will also be ruled by a descendant of Queen Victoria in the third generation. DEATH OF HER BELOVED MOTHER. An event in the personal history of the Queen which touched her deeply was the death of her mother, the Duchess of Kent, on March i6, 1861, only a few months before the death of her hus- band. This double bereavement caused the Queen to withdraw for many years from the publicity which she had not sought to avoid during the early part of her reign. As time passed, how- ever, and her grief became less poignant, she again appeared in public on state occasions. She reappeared now and then at the opening of Parliament, and in 1887 celebrated her Jubilee with imposing ceremonials a still more impressive ceremonial occurring ten years later, when she celebrated the completion of the sixtieth year of her reign by a Diamond Jubilee. Twice also she visited Ireland, the first occasion being in 1849 and the last in 1900. As already stated several times during her childhood the Queen escaped death almost as by a miracle, and no less than five attempts were made upon her life by would-be assassins, none of of whom, however, succeeded in inflicting any serious bodily injury upon her. The most serious of these attempts was that made on May 27, 1850, by Robert Pate, an ex-officer of Hussars, who for no assignable reason other than insanity struck her a violent blow in the face with his cane, which actually caused the blood to flow, as 220 INCIDENTS IN VICTORIANS LIFE. tlie Queen was leaving tlie Duke of Cambridge's residence ontlie date named. Tlie Queen's assailant was sentenced to seven years' transportation, but liis insanity was so clearly establisbed tbat tbe tliree wbippings to wbich lie was also liable under tlie special Act of Parliament providing for liis trial were omitted. None of tbe otlier assailants of tlie Queen ever succeeded in harming ber person, altbougli tliree of tbem fired ball cartridges at ber at sbort range. Tbe last incident of tbis character occurred on Marcb 2, 1882, wben a pistol sbot was aimed at ber carriage by a man named Roderick McLean, as sbe was passing in it from tbe railway station to tbe castle at Windsor. In none of tbe attempted assaults upon tbe Queen was tbere found tbe slightest political motive or influence. PRINCESS VICTORIA OF WALES, DAUGHTER OF KING EDWARD VII, IN HER BOUDOIR cc 0. I CO QQ > CC D 03 CO _l < CO Q CC O n: — '^v.ps- ■ii-si'sw- . ... .. *^. . THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT WINDSOR: SERENADE IN THE COURTYARD OF THE CASTLE QUEEN VICTORIA TAKING THE RELIGIOUS OATH, WESTMINSTER ABBEY, JUNE 28th, 183*' CHAPTER XI. The Queen's First Visit to Ireland. FROM Victoria's Journal, a work written by her own hand and famed among the books of her era, we present her account of her first visit to the Kmerald Isle. This account is here reproduced just as it appears in the Queen's famous Journal. On Board the Victoria and Albert^ in the Cove of Cork^ Thursday^ August 2d. ; Arrived here after a quick but not very pleasant passage. The day was fine and bright, and the sea, to all appearance, very smooth ; but there was a dreadful swell, which made one incapable of reading or doing anything. We passed the Land's End at nine o'clock in the morning. When we went on deck after eight in the evening, we were close to the Cove of Cork, and could see many bonfires on the hill, and the rockets and lights that were sent off from the different steamers. BEAUTY OF THE IMMENSE HARBOR. The harbor is immense, though the land is not very high, and, entering by twilight, it had a very fine effect. Lady Jocelyn, Miss Dawson, Lord Fortescue (Lord Steward), Sir George Grey (Secretary of State for the Home Department), Miss Hildyard, Sir James Clark, and Mr. Birch are on board with us. The equerries, Colonel Phipps and Colonel Gordon, are on board the ''Black Eagle." Friday .^ August ^d. The day was gray and excessively "muggy," which is the character of the Irish climate. The ships saluted at eight o'clock, and the " Ganges " (the flag-ship and a three-decker) and the "Hogue" (a three-decker cut down, with very heavy guns, and with a screw put into her), which are both very near us, made a great noise. The harbor is very extensive, and there are several islands in it, one of which is very large. Spike Island is immedi- ately opposite us, and has a convict prison ; near it another island 221 222 THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. with the depot, etc. In a line with that is the town of Cove, picturesquely built up a hill. The two war-steamers have only just came in. The Admiral (Dickson) and the Captains of the vessels came on board. Later, Lord Bandon (Lord Lieutenant of the county), Lord Thomond, General Turner, Commander of the Forces and Cork, presented their respects, and Albert went on shore, and I occupied myself in writing and sketching. Albert returned before our luncheon, and had been walking about and visiting some of the cabins. SALUTED BY THE SHIPS. We left the yacht at two with the ladies and gentlemen, and went on board the " Fairy," which was surrounded with rowing and sailing boats. We first went round the harbor, all the ships saluting, as well as numbers of steamers and yachts. We then went in to Cove, and lay alongside the landing-place, which was very prettily decorated, and covered with people ; and yachts, ships, and boats crowding all round. The two members, Messrs. Roche and Power, as well as other gentlemen, including the Roman Catholic and Protestant clergymen, and then the members of the Yacht Club presented addresses. After which, to give the people the satisfaction of calling the place Queenstown, in honor of its being the first spot on which I set foot upon Irish ground, I stepped on shore amid the roar of cannon (for the artillery w^ere placed so close as quite to shake the temporary room which we entered) and the enthusiastic shouts of the people. We immediately re-embarked, and proceeded up the River Lee toward Cork. It is extremely pretty and richly wooded, and reminded me of the Tamar. The first feature of interest we passed was a little bathing-place called Monkstown, and later Blackrock Castle, at which point we stopped to receive a salmon, and very pretty address from the poor fisherman of Blackrock. As we approached the city we saw people streaming in, on foot, on horseback, and many in jaunting-cars. When we reached Cork the " Fairy " again lay alongside, and we received all the addresses : first, from the Mayor and Corporation (I knighted the THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. 223 Mayor immediately afterward) ; then from the Protestant Bishop and clergy ; from the Roman Catholic Bishop and clergy ; from the Lord Lieutenant of the county, the Sheriffs and others. The two Judges, who were holding their courts, also came on board in their robes. After all this was over we landed, and walked some few paces on to where Lord Blandon's carriage was ready to receive us. The ladies went with us, and Lord Blandon and the General rode on each side of the carriage. The Mayor preceded us, and many (Lord Listowel among the number) followed on horseback or in carrriages. The 12th Lancers escorted us, and the Pensioners and Infantry lined the streets. FLOWERS AND TRIUMPHAL ARCHES. I can not describe our route, but it will suffice to say that it took two hours ; that we drove through the principal streets ; twice through some of them ; that they were densely crowded, decorated with flowers and triumphal arches ; that the heat and dust were great ; that we passed by the new College which is building — one of the four which are ordered by Act of Parliament; that our reception was most enthusiastic ; and that everything went off to perfection, and was very well arranged. Cork is not at all like an English town, and looks rather foreign. The crowd is a noisy, excitable, but very good-humored one, running and push- ing about, and laughing, talking, and shrieking. The beauty of the women is remarkable, and struck us very much ; such beauti- ful dark eyes and hair, and such fine teeth ; almost every third woman was pretty, and some remarkably so. They wear no bonnets and generally long blue cloaks ; the men are very poorly, often raggedly dressed ; and many wear blue coats and short breeches, with blue stockings. We re-embarked at the same place, and returned just as we came. Kingston Hm'bor^ Dublin Bay^ Sunday^ August ^th. Safely arrived here : I now continue my account. For the first two hours and a half the sea, though rough, was not disagree- 224 THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. able. We entered Waterford Harbor yesterday at twenty minutes to four o'clock. The harbor is rocky on the right as one enters, and very flat to the left ; as one proceeds the land rises on either side. We passed a little fort called Duncannon Fort, whence James II. embarked after the battle of the Boyne, and from which they had not saluted for fifty j^ears. LITTLE FISHING VILLAGE. Farther up, between two little villages, and on either side, each with its little chapel, picturesquely situated on the top of the rock or hill, we anchored. The little fishing-place to our left is called Passage, and is famous for Salmon : we had an excellent specimen for our dinner. Albert decided on going to Waterford, ten miles up the river, in the " Fairy," with the boys, but as I felt giddy and tired, I preferred remaining quietly on board sketching. Albert returned after seven o'clock ; he had not landed. Viceregal Lodge^ Phcenix Park^ Monday August 6th. Here we are in this very pretty spot, with a lovely view of the Wicklow Hills from the window. But now to return to yesterday's proceedings. We got under weigh at half-past eight o'clock ; for three hours it was drcadfull}^ rough, and I and the poor children were very sea-sick. When we had passed the Tuscar Rock in Wexford the sea became smoother, and shortly after quite smooth, and the evening beautiful. After we passed Arklow Head the Wicklow Hills came in sight; the}^ are beautiful. The Sugarloaf and Carrick Mountain have finely-pointed out- lines, with low hills in front and much wood. At half-past six we came in sight of Dublin Bay, and were met by the "Sphinx " and " Stromboli " (which had been sent on to wait and to come in with us), the "Trident," and, quite close to the harbor, by the "Dragon," another war-steamer. With this large squadron we steamed slowly and majestically into the harbor of Kingston, which was covered with thousands and thousands of spectators, cheering most enthu- siastically. It is a splendid harbor, and was full of ships of every kind. THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. 225 The wharf, where the landing place was prepared, was densely crowded, and altogether it was a noble and stirring scene. It was just seven when we entered, and the setting sun lit up the country, the fine buildings, and the whole scene with a glowing light, which was truly beautiful. We were soon surrounded by boats, and the enthusiasm and excitement of the people were extreme. While we were at breakfast the yacht was brought close up to the wharf, which was lined with troops. Lord and Lady Clarendon and George, the Duke of Cambridge, came on board ; also Lords Lansdowne and Canricarde, the Primate, the Archbishop of Dublin, and many others. The address was presented by the Sheriff and gentlemen of the county. As the clock struck ten we disem- barked, stepping on shore from the yacht, Albert leading me and the children, and all the others following us. GREETED BY A GREAT THRONG. An immense multitude had assembled, who cheered most enthu- siastically, the ships saluting and the bands playing, and it was really very striking. The space we had to walk along to the rail- road was covered in, and lined with ladies and gentlemen strewing flowers. We entered the railway carriages with the children, the Clarendons, and the three ladies, and in a quarter of an hour reached the Dublin Station. Here we found our carriages with the postillions in their Ascot liveries. The two eldest children went with us, and the two younger ones with the three ladies. Sir Edward Blakeney, Commander-in- Chief in Ireland, rode on one side of the carriage, and George on the other, followed by a brilliant staff, and escorted by the 17th Lancers and the Carabiniers. It was a wonderful and striking scene, such masses of human beings, so enthusiastic, so excited, yet such perfect order main- tained ; then the number of troops, the different bands stationed at certain distances, the waving of hats and handkerchiefs, the bursts of welcome which rent the air — all made it a never-to-be-forgotten scene, when one reflected how lately the country had been in open revolt and under martial law. 15 ..^ ^ . 226 THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. Dublin is a very fine city, and Sackville street and Merrion Square are remarkably large and handsome ; and the Bank, Trinity College, etc., are noble buildings. There are no gates to the town, but temporary ones were erected under an arch ; and here we stopped, and the Mayor presented me the keys with some appro- priate words. At the last triumphal arch a poor little dove was let down into my lap, with an olive branch round its neck, alive and very tame. The heat and dust were tremendous. RECEIVED AT PHCENIX PARK. We reached Phoenix Park, which is very extensive, at twelve. Lord and Lady Clarendon and all the household received us at the door. It is a nice, comfortable house, reminding us of Claremont, with a pretty terrace garden in front (laid out by Lady Normanby), and has a very extensive view of the Park and the fine range of the Wicklow Mountains. We are most comfortably lodged and have very nice rooms. ^ ■, a . „., ■^ luesaay^ August yth. We drove into Dublin — with our two ladies — in Lord Claren- don's carriage, the gentlemen following and without any escort. The people were very enthusiastic and cheered a great deal. We went first to the bank, where the directors received us, and then to the printing room, and from thence viewed the old Houses of Lords and Commons, for what is now the bank was the old Parlia- ment House. From here we drove to the Model School, where we were received by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Roman Catholic Archbishop Murray (a fine, venerable-looking old man of eighty), and the other gentlemen connected with the school. We saw the infant, the girls' and the boys' schools ; in the latter one class of boys was examined in mental arithmetic and in many very difi&cult things, and they all answered wonderfully. Children of all creeds are admitted, and their different doctrines are taught separately, if the parents wish it ; but the only teaching enforced is that of the Gospel truths and love and charity. This is truly Christian and ought to be the case everywhere. About looo children are educated here annually, of which 300 are trained as schoolmasters and mistresses. THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. 227 From liere we visited Trinity College, the Irisli university, whicli is not conducted upon so liberal a S3''stem, but into wliicli Roman Catholics are admitted. Dr. Todd, the secretary, and a very learned man, well versed in the Irish language, showed us some most interesting ancient manuscripts and relics, including St. Columba's Book (in which we wrote our names), and the original harp of King O'Brian, supposed to be the one from which the Irish arms are taken. The library is a very large, handsome room, like that in Trinity College, Cambridge. We then proceeded toward home, the crowd in the streets immense and so loyal. It rained a little at intervals. Home by a little past one. Albert went into Dublin again after luncheon, and I wrote and read and heard our children say some lessons. At five we proceeded to Kilmainham Hospital, very near here. Lord Clarendon going in the carriage with the ladies and m^/self, Albert and the other gentlemen riding. Sir Edward Blakeney and his staff and George received us. We saw the old pensioners, the chapel and the hall, a fine large room (where all the pensioners dine, as at Chelsea), and then Sir Edward's private apartments. A DRIVE AROUND DUBLIN. We afterward took a drive through all the principal parts of Dublin — College Green, where the celebrated statue of William the Third is to be seen ; Stephens's Green, by the Four Courts, a very handsome building ; and, though we were not expected, the crowds were in many places very great. We returned a little before seven. A large dinner. After dinner above two or three hundred people arrived, including most of the Irish nobility and many of the gentry ; and afterward there was a ball. Wednesday^ August 8th. At twenty minutes to one o'clock we left for Dublin, I and all the ladies in evening dresses, all the gentlemen in uniform. We drove straight to the Castle. Everything here as at St. James's Levee. The staircase and throne room quite like a palace. I 228 THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. received (on the throne) the addresses of the Lord Mayor and Cor- poration, the University, the Archbishop and Bishops, both Roman Catholic and Anglican, the Presbyterians, the non-subscribing Presbyterians, and the Quakers. They also presented Albert with addresses. Then followed a very long levee, which lasted without intermission till twenty minutes to six o'clock ! Two thousand people were presented ! Thursday August gih. There was a great and brilliant review in the Phoenix Park — six thousand and one hundred and sixty men, including the Con- stabulary. In the evening we two dined alone, and at half-past eight o'clock drove into Dublin for the Drawing-room, It is always held here of an evening. I should think between two and three thousand people passed before us, and one thousand six hundred ladies were presented. After it was over we walked through St Patrick's Hall and the other rooms, and the crowd was very great. We came back to the Phoenix Park at half-past twelve, the streets still densely crowded. The city was illuminated. Friday^ August loth. At a quarter to twelve o'clock we set out, with all our suite, for Carton, the Duke of Leinster's Lord and Lady Clarendon in the carriage with us. We went through Woodlands, a place belonging to Mr. White, in which there are beautiful lime trees ; and we passed by the " Preparatory College " for Maynooth ; and not far from Carton we saw a number of the Maynooth students. The park of Carton is fine. We arrived there at a little past one, and were received by the Duke and Duchess of Leinster, the Kildares, Mr. and Lady C, Repton, and their two sons. We walked out into the garden, v/here all the company were assembled, and the two bands playing ; it is very pretty — a sort of formal French garden, with rows of Irish yews. We walked around the garden twice, the Duke leading me, and Albert the Duchess, The Duke is one of the kindest and best of men. After luncheon we walked out and saw some of the country people dance jigs, which was very amusing. It is quite different THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. 229 from the Scotcli reel, not so animated, and the steps different, but very droll. The people were very poorly dressed in thick coats, and the women in shawls. There was one man who was a regular specimen of an Irishman, with his hat on one ear. Others in blue coats, with short breeches and blue stockings. There were three old and tattered pipers playing. The Irish pipe is very different to the Scotch ; it is very weak, and they don't blow into it, but merely have small bellows which they move with the arm. We walked around the pleasure-grounds, and after this got into a carriage with the Duke and Duchess, our ladies and gentlemen following in a large jaunting-car, and the people riding, running, and driving with us, but extremely well-behaved ; and the Duke is so kind to them, that a word from him will make them do anything. ROAD CUT IN SOLID ROCK. It was hot, and yet the people kept running the whole way, and in the thick woolen coats, which it seems they always wear here. We drove along the park to a spot which commands an ex- tensive view of the Wicklow Hills. We then went down an entirely new road, cut out of the solid rock, through a beautiful valley, full of the finest trees, growing among rocks close to a piece of water. We got out, and walked across a little wooden bridge to a very pretty little cottage, entirely ornamented with shells, etc., by the Duchess. We drove back in a jaunting-car, which is a double one, M'ith four wheels, and held a number of us — I sitting on one side, be- tween Albert and the Duke ; the Duchess, Lady Jocelyn, Lord Clarendon, and Lady Waterford on the opposite side ; George at the back, and the equerries on either side of the coachman. As soon as we returned to the house we took leave of our hosts and went back to the Phoenix Park a different way from the one we came, along the banks of the Liffey, through Mr. Colson's park, in which there were the most splendid beeches I have ever seen — feathering down quite to the ground ; and farther along the road and river were some lovely sycamore-trees. We drove through the 230 THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. village of Lucan, where there were fine decorations, and arches of bays and lanrel. We passed below the strawberry beds, which are really cnrions to see — quite high banks of them — and numbers of people come from Dublin to eat these strawberries; and there are rooms at the bottom of these banks on purpose. We were home a little after five. On Board the Victoria and Albert in Lock Ryan^ Saturday^ August nth. We arrived after a dreadfully rough though very short pass- age, and have taken refuge here. To return to Friday. We left the Phoenix Park, where we spent so pleasant a time, at six o'clock. Lord Clarendon and the two elder children going in the carriage with us, and drove with an escort to the Dublin Railway Station. The town was immensely crowded, and the people most en- thusiastic. George met us there, and we took him, the Clarendons, and Lord Lansdowne and our ladies into the carriage with us. We arrived speedily at Kingstown, where there were just as many people and as much enthusiasm as on the occasion of our disem- barkation. We stood on the paddle-box as we slowly steamed out of Kingstown, amid the cheers of thousands and thousands, and salutes from all the ships; I waved my handkerchief as a parting acknowledgment of their loyalty. We soon passed Howth and Ireland's Eye. The ship was very steady, though the sea was not smooth, and the night thick and rainy, and we feared a storm was coming on. Sunday .^ August 12, We reached Belfast Harbor at four o'clock. The wind had got up amazingly, and the morning was a very bad and stormy one. We had not had a very quiet night for sleeping, though very smooth. The weather got worse and worse, and blew a real gale ; and it was quite doubtful whether we could start as we had in- tended, on our return from Belfast, for Scotland. We saw the Mayor and General (Bainbrigg), who had come on board after breakfast. At a quarter past one we started with the ladies and gentlemen for the '^ Fairy." Though we had only two THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. 231 minutes' row in the barge, there was such a swell that the getting in and out, and the rolling and tossing in the boat, were very dis- agreeable. We had to keep in the pavilion, as the squalls were so violent as to cover the " Fairy " with spray. We passed between Holywood and Carrickfergus, celebrated for the first landing of LONDONDERRY, IRELAND. William III. We reached Belfast in half an hour, and fortunately the sun came out. ^ ^ We lay close alongside the wharf, where a very fine landing-* place was arranged, and where thousands were assembled. Lord Londonderry came on board, and numerous deputations with addresses, including the Mayor (whom I knighted), the Protestant Bishop of Down and clergy, the Catholic Bishop Denvir (an excell- 232 THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. ent and modest man, tlie Sheriff anl Members for the county, with Lord Donegal (to whom the greater part of Belfast belongs). Dr. Henry, from the new College, and the Presbyterians (of whom there are a great many here). Lady Londonderry and her daughter also came on board. There was some delay in getting the gang-board down, as they had made much too large a one. Some planks on board were arranged, and we landed easily in this way. The landing-place was covered in, and very tastefully decorated. We got into Lord Londonderry's carriage with the two ladies, and Londonderry himself got on the rumble behind with the two sergeant footmen, Renwick and Bir- bage, both very tall, large men, and the three must have been far from comfortable. ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION. The town was beautifully decorated with fljwers, hangings, and very fine triumphal arches, the galleries full of people, and the reception very hearty. The people are a mixture of nations, and the female beauty had almost disappeared. I have dU along forgotten to say that the favorite motto written up on most of the arches, etc., and in every place, was, '^ Cead mile failte^'' which means " A hundred thousand welcomes " in Irish, which is very like Gaelic ; it is in fact, the language, and has existed in books from the earliest period, whereas Gaelic has only been written since half a century, though it was always spoken. They often called out " Cead mile failte ! " and it appears in every sort of shape. Lord Donegal rode on one side of the carriage and the General on the other. We stopped at the Linen Hall to see the exhibition of the flax and linen manufacture. Lord Devonshire and several other gentlemen received us there, and conducted us through the ; different rooms, where we saw the whole process in its different stages. First the plant, then the flax after being steeped, then the spun flax ; lastly, the linen, cambric, and cloth of every sort and kind. It is really very interesting to see, and it is wonderful to what a state of perfection it has been brought. THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. 233 We got into our carriages again. This time Lord London- deny did not attempt to resume his uncomfortable position. We went along through the Botanic Garden, and stopped and got out to look at the new College which is to be opened in October, It is a handsome building. We passed through several of the streets, and returned to the place of embarkation. Belfast is a fine town, with some good buildings — for instance, the Bank and Exchange — and is considered the Liverpool and Manchester of Ireland. FINE BODY OF POLICE. I have forgotten to mention the Constabulary, who are a remarkably fine body of men, 13,000 in number (altogether in Ireland), all Irish, and chiefly Roman Catholics; and not one of whom, during the trying times last year, fraternized with the rebel. We left amid immense cheering, and reached the "Victoria and Albert " at half-past six. It was blowing as hard as ever, and the getting in and out was as disagreeable as before. We decided on spending the night where we were, unless the wind should drop by three or four o'clock in the morning. Many bonfires were lighted on the surrounding hills and coasts. Sunday August 12th. The weather no better, and as there seemed no hope of its im- provement, we decided on starting at two o'clock, and proceeding either to Loch Ryan or Lamlash. Lord Adolphus read the service at half-past ten, at which the two eldest children were also present. I intend to create Bertie " Karl of Dublin," as a compliment to the town and country ; he has no Irish title, though he is born with several Scotch ones (belonging to the heirs to the Scotch (throne, and which we have inherited from Tames VI. of Scotland and I. of England) ; and this was one of my father's titles. The preparations on deck for the voyage were not encourag- ing ; the boats hoisted up, the accommodation ladders drawn quite close up, every piece of carpet removed, and everything covered ; and, indeed, my worst fears were realized. We started at two, and 234 THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. I went below and lay down sliortly after, and directly we got out of the harbor the yacht began rolling for the first three-quarters of an hour in a way which was dreadful, and there were two rolls when the waves broke over the ship, which I shall never forget. I got gradually better, and at five we entered Loch R3^an, truly thankful to be at the end of our voyage. Albert came down to me, and then I went up on deck, and he told me how awful it had been The first great wave which came over the ship threw everybody down in every direction. Poor little Afiie (Prince Alfred) was thrown down and sent rolling over the deck, and was drenched, for the deck was swimming with water. DRIVEN BY WAVES TO ANCHORAGE. Albert told me it was quite frightful to see the enormous waves rising like a wall above the sides of the ship. We did not anchor so high up in Loch Ryan, as we had done two years ago, but it was a very safe, quiet anchorage, and we were very glad to be there. Albert went on shore. Monday^ August jjth. We started at four o'clock in the morning, and the yacht rolled a little, but the motion was an easy one. Vv^'e were in the Clyde by breakfast-tinie, but the day was very bad, constant squalls hiding the scenery. We left Greenock to our left, and proceeded a little way up Loch Goil, which opens into Loch Long, and is very fine ; it seems extraordinary to have such deep water in a narrow loch, and so immediately below the mountains, which are very rocky. We turned back and went up Loch Long, which I remembered so well, and which is so beautiful. We let go the anchor at Arro- char, the head of the lake, intending to land and proceed to Loch Lomond, where a steamer was waiting for us ; but it poured withi rain most hopelessly. We waited an hour in vain, and decided on stopping until after luncheon, and making the attempt at three o'clock. We lunched and stepped into the boat, as it had cleared a little; but just then it began pouring again more violently than THE QUEEN'S FIRST VISIT TO IRELAND. 23-5 before, and we put back much disappoiuted ; but Albert persevered, and he went off with Mr. Anson, Sir James Clark, and Captain Robinson almost immediately afterward. Just then it cleared, and I felt so vexed that we had not gone ; but there have been some terrible showers since. We left Arrochar a little before four, Loch Long looking beautiful as we returned. Perth ^ Tuesday^ August 14th. We anchored yesterday in Roseneath Bay, close to Roseneath — a very pretty spot, and looking towards the mountains which you see in Loch Goil. One of them is called " The Duke of Argyll's Bowling-green." Albert only returned soon after eight o'clock, having been able to see a good deal of Loch Lomond, and even Rob Roy's Cave, in spite of heavy showers. Captain Beeche}^ (who was with us during the whole voyage in '47, and again the whole of this one to pilot us), Captain Crispin, and Captain Robinson (who met us this morning and piloted Albert in Loch Lomond, and did the same for us in '47), dined with us also, and we had much interesting conversation about the forma- tion of glaciers, etc., in all of which Captain Beechey (who is a very intelligent man, and who has been all over the world) took part. He was with Sir Edward Parry at the North Pole, and told us that they had not seen daylight for four months. They heaped up snow over the ship and covered it in with boards to keep the cold off. CHAPTER XII. Remarkable Fortitude of the Widowed Monarch. QUEEN Victoria, kneeling at the death-bed of her " dear lord at:vd master," as she ever called the Prince Consort, will re- main one of the most pathetic scenes in the history of the world. Queen she remained to the end, in spite of her woman's anguish. When the last sigh was heaved, and the spirit of her beloved had fled, she gently loosed the hand which she had held as he passed through the valley of the shadow of death, saw the lids closed over the eyes which to the last had turned their love-light upon her, rose from the bedside, thanked the physicians for their skill and attention, spoke some soothing words to her orphaned children, sobbing around the bed, and walking from the room calm and erect, sought the solitude of her chamber, and went through her Gethsemane alone. GREAT BELL TOLLS THE SAD TIDINGS. Away in the city the great bell of St. Paul's tolled the sad tidings through the midnight air, and next morning — Sunday — it seemed that a pall had fallen over the land, and there was scarce a dry eye in the churches when the Prince Consort's name was sig- nificantly omitted from the Litany, and the ministers impressively paused in the prayer for " the fatherless children and widows, and all that are desolate and oppressed." To many, indeed, this was the first intimation of the great loss which the monarch and the country had snstained. As the awe- struck worshippers dispersed they gathered in little knots, and spoke in whispers of the grief-stricken wife at Royal Windsor, recalled her joy-days, when, gay as a lark, she had entered the Abbey on her coronation day, or walked from the altar a proud and happy bride, and again had hung with a mother's love over the cradle of her little ones ; and now, in the heyday of life and hap- 230 REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MOTHER. 237 piness she was a widowed Queen, more desolate by reason of her exalted position than any woman in the land, similarly bereft. That angel of comfort, Princess Alice, whose lovely character al' the world revered, was the support of her mother in this time of sorrow. She was aided in her ministrations by Lady Augusta Bruce (afterwards the wife of Dean Stanley), who had been the beloved friend and attendant of the Duchess of Kent in her last years ; and by that other dear friend of the Queen, the Duchess of Sutherland, herself but lately a widow, who was speedily sum- moned by her royal mistress to stay with her at this time of be reavement. Anxious days and nights were passed by these devoted ladies in the Queen's room, for the reaction from the enforced res- traint had been so great that Her Majesty was completely pros- trated, and her pulse became so weak at one time that death appeared imminent. "DAUGHTER OF A LINE OF KINGS." It is scarcely realized to-day how near the country was to a double tragedy, and when the tidings were flashed through the land that at last the Queen had obtained some hours' sleep it seemed like the joy-bells succeeding the funeral peal. The feelings of the people were beautifully expressed by Mrs. Crosland in her poem : " Sleep, for the night is round thee spread. Thou daughter of a line of kings ; Sleep, widowed Queen, while angels' wings Make canopy above thy head ! Sleep, while a million prayers rise up To Him who knew all earthly sorrow, That day by day each soft to-morrow May melt the bitter from thy cup." When the first agony of her grief was over, the Queen sum- moned her children around her, and told them that, though she felt crushed by her loss, she knew what her position demanded, and asked them to help her in fulfilling her duty to the country and to 238 REMARKABLE EORTlTUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH. them. lyittle Prince Leopold, the delicate one of the Queen's bairns, who was at this time at Cannes for his health, when told that his father was dead, cried piteously, " Do take me to my mam- ma ;" and that old-fashioned little tot, Baby Beatrice, would climb on her mother's knee to look at " mamma's sad cap." Fearing the worst consequences should Her Majesty have another relapse, the physicians were urgent that she should leave Windsor before the funeral took place ; but the Queen cried bitterly at the suggestion, saying that her subjects never left their homes or the remains of their dear ones at such times, and why should she. It was only when Princess Alice represented to her that the younger children might suffer if they remained in the fever-tainted Castle that she consented to go with them to Osborne. Before leaving she drove to Frogmore, where only ten months before she had laid to rest her devoted mother, and walking round the gardens on the arm of Princess Alice, chose a bright sunny spot to bury her dead. The same feeling which led the Queen to create homes of her own, apart from the royal palaces, prompted her to have a family burying-place. With a truly democratic spirit. Her Majesty pre- served her own individuality, and declined to be considered a mere royalty, whose affairs are to be regulated by the State, and whose body must lie in a cold and dreary royal vault, along with kings and queens for whom she cares nothing at all. MAUSOLEUM FOR THE PRINCE. The funeral of the Prince Consort took place, with honors befitting so great and good a Prince, on the 23d of December, 1861, the cofiS.n being temporarily placed at the entrance to St. George's Chapel, Windsor, until the beautiful mausoleum had been built at I Frogmore ; upon the lid were laid wreaths of green moss and vio- lets, made by the Queen and Princess Alice. The unmistakable reality of the sorrow at the funeral was very striking, and was manifested, not only by the heart-broken sobs of the young Princes, but by the tears of veteran statesmen and ambassadors mingling with those who weie of royal kin. Though there can be no doubt REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH. 239 that the Prince had won for himself a place in the hearts of those present, one feels that the tears flowed as much in sympathy for her who sorrowed as for him who was gone. In reading the letters and memoirs of courtiers of this period, it is evident that they felt that the Queen had well-nigh received her death-blow ; all speak of her calm, pathetic sorrow being heart- breaking to witness. Amongst others, Lord Shaftesbury writes at this time : " The desolation of the Qaeen's heart and life, the death- blow to her happiness on earth ! God in his mercy sustain and comfort ! The disruption of domestic existence, unprecedented in royal history, the painful withdrawal of a prop, the removal of a counsellor, a friend in all public and private affairs, the sorrows she has, the troubles that await her — all rend my heart as though the suffering were my own." Her Majesty spent the first three months of her widowhood in absolute retirement at Osborne, where she was greatly comforted by her beloved half-sister, the Princess Hohenlohe, who had hast- ened from Germany to her side. The Princess told Dean Stanley that the Queen found " her only comfort in the belief that her hus- band's spirit was close beside her — for he had promised her that it should be so ;" and she further related that the Queen would go each morning to visit the cows on the Prince's model farm, because he used to do it, and she fancied the gentle creatures would miss him. MORTALITY AMONG ROYALTY. King Leopold of Belgium, ever Her Majesty's support and counsellor, as he had been that of her widowed mother, was also at Osborne at this time ; but even with near and trusted relations certain reserve and etiquette had to be observed by the Queen, and one can understand the bitterness of her cry, " There is no one left to call me ' Victoria ' now." Mother and husband had both been taken within a year, and the old royal family, those elderly aunts and uncles who had been about her in her youth, were pass- ing one by one into the silent land. The Prince of Wales was not of an age to take any responsi- ble position, and shortly after his father's death set out, in accord- 240 REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH ance with the Prince Consort's plans, whicH the Queen would not put on one side, for a prolonged tour in the Bast, accompanied b}^ Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (Dean of Westminster). The Queen's eldest daughter was bound by the ties of her German home, and it was therefore upon Princess Alice that everything devolved during those first terrible weeks. The nation has never forgot the tact and judgment in dealing with Ministers and officials, in the Queen's place, shown by this young girl of eighteen, and her remarkable conduct called forth a special article in the Tijnes. The advocates of modern funeral reform might complain that Her Majesty was too punctilious in her outward signs of mourn- ing ; but, as she once playfully said to Lord Melbourne in her young days, " What is the use of being a Queen if you cannot do as you like?" It is said that she refused to sign a Commission because the paper was not bordered with black ; and we know that for at least eight years after the Prince Consort's death the royal servants wore a band of crape upon the left arm, while in her own attire Her Majesty has never, throughout the succeeding years of her widowhood, worn any but mourning colors. APARTMENTS REMAIN AS THEY WERE. So complete was her isolation during her retirement at Os- borne that she dined alone save for one of the royal children, who took it in turns to be with her, the other members of the family and the visitors, even her Uncle Leopold, dining separately. At her command the late Princes' apartments at Windsor, Osborne and Balmoral were closed, and remain to-day exactly as they were at his death. His favorite horse, Guy Mannering, was turned out to a life of ease in Bushey Park, the saddle never again being placed upon his back ; while the memory of his favorite dog. Bos, which predeceased him, was preserved on the Prince's tomb, where the faithful grayhound is sculptured at his master's feet. This dog accompanied the Prince when he came to be mar- ried; and his brother, Duke Brnest, tells the story that as he and Prince Albert passed through a little German town on their way to REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH. 241 England in 1839, ^^^ country people came out to see them, and Prince Albert for a " lark " put his little black greyhound up at the carriage window for the people to stare at, while he and his brother, convulsed with laughter, crouched down in the bottom of the carriage out of sight. Not only were the Prince's rooms preserved in the state in which he left them — a custom which the Queen follows with all her nearest departed relatives — but her own boudoir at Windsor Castle is kept in the same state to-day as it was when the Prince Consort died. On the door is inscribed, " Kvery article in this room my lamented husband selected for me in the twenty -fourth year of my reign." In this room the Queen's bridal wreath and the first bouquet which the Prince presented to her lie withered in a glass case. THE QUEEN AND THE POOR ITALIAN. She wasted no time in idle tears, and a simple little incident occurred at the time which showed that some of Her Majesty's old interest in life was returning. When out driving in the neighbor- hood of Windsor one afternoon, she was attracted by a poor Italian vendor of images, and ordering the carriage to be stopped, aston- ished the man by buying up a large portion of his stock-in-trade ; but still greater must have been his surprise when it transpired that neither the Queen nor her suit had sufficient cash to pay for the purchases. However, matters were eventually arranged to the perfect satisfaction of the man with the images, who doubtless ever afterwards dubbed himself " By Appointment." Nowhere had the Queen such a sense of quiet and homeliness as at Balmoral, where, amongst her faithful Highlanders she lived on terms of mutual aid and sympathy which recall the Scotch laird among his clansmen, and it would seem that, like Sir Walter Scott, she could not live a year without a sight of the heather. Up to the time of her bereavement she had only stayed there in the autumn, when the Prince was deer-stalking; but the year after his death she began the custom, afterward continued, of spending her own birthday in May, and that of the Prince in August, in the 16 242 REMARKABLE FORriTUDE OF THE/VVIDOvVED MONARCH. Highland home endeared to her by so many memories of the dead. The first visit paid by the Queen when she went there in the spring of 1862 was to an old cottager, who like herself had lately lost her husband, and the two widows, so differently placed in life, mingled their tears together. The old woman apologized for in- idulging her grief; but the Queen told her that she " was so thank- ful to cry with some one who knew exactly how she felt." Her Majesty was always a Scotchwoman when she was at her High- land home, and during this time of sorrow, in characteristic Scotch fashion, the first thing she did was to send for the minister. RELIGIOUS GUIDE AND COMFORTER. It was to the Rev. Dr. Norman Macleod that she appealed for religious guidance, and deeply grateful was she for his faithful counsel. When he pointed out to her the duty of resignation to the divine Will, she received his admonition very sweetly, and sent him a touching letter of thanks. Dr. Macleod afterward wrote : " I am never tempted to conceal any conviction from the Queen, for I feel she sympathizes with what is true, and likes the speaker to utter the truth exactly as he believes it." Her Majesty was first attracted by Dr. Macleod's preaching in 1854, when he was officiating at Crathie Church, and the refer- ences in his prayer to herself and her children gave her, as she says, a "lump in her throat." Later in the day Her Majesty and Prince Albert were taking their usual evening stroll, when they encountered the minister sitting on a block of granite in quiet meditation. The Queen at once advanced towards him and thanked him for his sermon, and the conversation which followed ^was the beginning of a friendship which ended only with Dr. Macleod's death. He was constantly at Balmoral during the Queen's early widowhood ; in fact, it would seem that Her Majesty could hardly get on without him. She asked not only his spiritual guidance, but made him her confidant in matters relating to the training of her children, as she perpetually felt the responsibility of being a REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH. 243 widow witli a large family. " No one," she said, " ever reassured and comforted me about my children like Dr. Macleod." At times he turned entertainer for Her Majesty, and would read Burns and Scott to her as she sat spinning. In this homely occupation the Queen was proficient, having taken her first lesson from an old woman at Balmoral, who for many years had in her possession Tiax spun by Her Majesty, until it was begged away thread by thread by enterprising tourists. The Queen had an interesting collection of spinning-wheels, and sent specimens of her work to exhibitions. It is interesting to find from Dr. Macleod that her favorite poem from Burns was, " A man's a man for a' that." This, however, is but further evi- dence of Her Majesty's democratic sentiments, which were very evident, notwithstanding her imperial spirit, which brooks no encroachment upon her authority as a constitutional sovereign. STORY OF AN OLD SCOTCH WOMAN. In the course of his talks with the Queen, Dr. Macleod told her of an old Scotchwoman who had lost her husband and several children, and had had many sorrows, but when asked how she could bear them said : " When he was taen, it made sic a hole in my heart that a' other sorrows Rang lightly through." " So will it ever be with me," was the Queen's remark when she heard the story. One imagines that there was something of the feeling that one loss more could make her loneliness little greater, in the Queen's consent to part with her beloved daughter Princess Alice, who had been betrothed to Prince Louis of Hesse before her father's death, and whose marriage and removal to Germany took place in the July following. Painful indeed was the contrast between the marriages of the Queen's two eldest daughters : the one a joyous repetition of the gay ceremonies which attended her own bridal, and the second performed privately at Osborne in a scene of partial mourning, when everybody cried, even to the Archbishop. The sweet young Princess, whom her father called " the beauty of the family," looked pathetically lovely in her dress of crystalline silk, trimmed 244 REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH. with Honiton flounces made from a design chosen by the Prince Consort. She was given away by her paternal uncle, Duke Ernest of Coberg, the Queen sitting in deep mourning in the background of the bridal party. There was no wedding breakfast, but after the ceremony the young couple lunched privately with the Queen and " Baby," as Princess Beatrice was yet called. This was indeed the " sad marriage " in the royal family. During the first years of her widowhood the Queen could not bear to listen to music, still less to take part in its performance, which had hitherto been such a delight to her ; neither did she feel able to amuse herself with her favorite pastime of sketching. Mr. Leitch, the artist, who was drawing-master to the Queen and the royal family for twenty -two years, describes in a letter to his mother the sadly altered life at Balmoral at this period. THE WHOLE PLACE CHANGED. He writes : " The Queen is still the kind, good, gracious lady that she always was ; but I need hardl}^ to tell you that there is a change. Indeed, the whole place is changed. Everything very quiet and still. How different from my first visit here — the joyous bustle in the morning when the Prince went out ; the Highland ponies and the dogs ; the gillies and the pipers coming home ; the Queen and her ladies going out to meet them ; the merry time after- wards ; the torchlight sword dances on the green, and the servants' ball closing." In the following autumn Her Majesty was persuaded to re- sume sketching, and Mr. Leitch gave a graphic account of an out- door drawing-party. The Queen set out on her Highland pony led by John Brown, Lady Jane Churchill, one of the ladies-in- waiting to whom the Queen was specially attached during this period of loneliness, walking alongside the pony, the Princess Louise and Mr. Leitch trudging along the road after them. When the place for sketching was reached, the Queen seated herself in the middle of the country road, with a rough stone from the Dee as a rest for her paint-box. Lady Churchill holding an umbrella to shade the Queen's eyes. REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH. 24 -j Princess Louise sat on a stone a little farther away, while Mr. Leitch attended the party as instructor, and John Brown looked after the pony. The country folk stared in astonishment as they passed by, and Her Majesty heartily enjoyed the fun, and seemed to revive a little of her lost animation. She sketched for two hours, and then remarked how quickly time passed when she was .drawing, and expressed her determination to do more of it. So in her second loneliness the Queen found consolation in the use of pencil and brush, as she had done in her rather dull and monot- onous childhood. At the marriage of the Prince of Wales wdth the Princess Alex- andra of Denmark in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, on the loth of March, 1863, the Queen sat apart in her grief, unable to mingle in the gay festivity. It was after the birth of a son to the young couple in January, 1864, that she gave the first sign of returning interest in public life, and commanded that in honor of the event her birthday in the succeeding May should be celebrated in London with the trooping of the colors and general festivities, which had been suspended since the death of the Prince Consort. NOT READY FOR SOCIETY. The people were, however, disappointed in the hope that Her Majesty was going to resume her old place in society, and indeed the charming manner in which her son's wife was taking her place seemed to render it unnecessary, especially when the Queen was already overburdened with governmental work, the care of her younger children, and the management of her vast estates. • From glimpses one gets into Her Majesty's home life of this period, it would seem that '' Baby " Beatrice was a very amusing little person. She was fond of experimenting in the cooking line, and having manufactured some confectionery, which appears to have been so fearfully and wonderfully made that her friends de- clined to taste it, she said philosophically, " Never mind ; I will give it to the donkey, as Dean Stanley is not here," the little Prin- cess being aware that the Dean had neither taste nor smell, and was therefore an undiscriminating person regarding pasties. The 246 REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH. Princess Louise had the reputation of being the best cook among the royal children, and we find her coming to the rescue on one of the Queen's Highland expeditions, when the luggage had broken down on the way, and making her mother some delicious coffee. The story comes from Balmoral that Princesses Helena and Louise called one day, as was customary for them, to ask one of the cottage children to come and play with them ; the mother replied that her daughter must finish baking some oatcakes first. " Oh, we'll help," volunteered the Princess Louise, and not being able to lay her hands on the cutter, she seized the teapot lid in her anxiety to get the business over, and succeeded in getting the un- fortunate cakes into such a sticky, misshapen mess that the guid wife promptly despatched her daughter with her over-officious visi- tors and finished the baking herself. OLD IRISH APPLE WOMAN. An amusing incident is told of the Queen's third son, Prince Arthur, when he was at the Ranger's Lodge, Blackheath, pursuing his military studies. His sister's former governess, Miss Hillyard, was staying for her health in the neighborhood, and each morning he was in the habit of walking to her house to inquire how she was, and in doing so passed by the apple-stall of an old Irishwoman, named Kitty, who from his cadet's dress took him for a private in the artillery. One day she asked a policeman if he could tell her who " that 'tillery chap " was that passed every day, adding, " He looks such a graceful, nice young man, that I'm sorry in my heart to see him as he is, for I'm shure he comes of dacent people, he looks so gen- teel, and I be always thinking, shure, if his people is anyway well off, isn't it a wonder they don't buy him out." One can imagine old Kitty's eloquence when she was informed that he was the Queen's son. In February, 1866, Her Majesty emerged from her long seclu- sion to open Parliament in person, and the occasion was one of great splendor and interest, remarkable for the numerous assemb- lage of ladies present in the House of Lords ; in fact, the array of REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH. 24: peeresses filling the back rows of seats behind the peers, as well as the side galleries and the great gallerj^, have led a stranger to suppose that women had at length been admitted to Parliament. At noon the streets recalled the palmy days of the Queen's wedded life ; crowds of spectators lined the route to Westminster, and a long- o line of carriages filled with ladies in full- dress stretched from Pall Mall to the Peers' entrance. Before the appearance of Her Majesty, the Princess of Wales, looking lovely in a white tulle dress trimmed with black lace, was conducted to a seat on the woolsack, facing the throne, whereon was spread the State robes which the Queen had no heart to wear. It was a moment of thrilling and pathetic i THB mac:b. interest when Her Majesty entered, dressed in a robe of deep violet velvet, trimmed with ermine, and wearing a white lace cap, a la Marie Stuart, with a gauze veil flov/ing behind ; her dress, in- deed, gave her a remarkable likeness to the un- fortunate Queen of Scots. She was accompanied by the Princesses Helena and Louise, dressed in half-mourning cos- tumes, and escorted to her seat by the Prince of Wales. She sat with downcast eyes, looking very grave and sad, while the speech from the throne, which in happier days had been delivered by her with such rare elocutionary power, was read by the Lord Chamberlain. One feels that the occasion was a little trying for Princess Helena, as the formal announcement was made of her approaching marriage with PririCe Chris- tian of Schleswig-Holstein. In the March following the Oneeu revienved 248 REMARKABLE FORTITUDE OF THE WIDOWED MONARCH. tlie troops at Aldershot, and both this and the opening of Parliament by her gave the greatest pleasure, not only to the nation, but to the Queen's own family, and Princess Alice wrote to tell her mother how happy she was that she had made " the great effort." " How trying," she says, " the visit to Aldershot must have been ; but it is so wise and kind of you to go. I cannot think of it without tears in my eyes. Formerly that was one of the greatest pleasures of my girlhood, and you and darling papa looked so handsome together." During the same year the Queen attended two weddings, that of the Princess Mary of Cambridge and the Duke of Teck, which took place at Kew on the 12th of June, 1866, and that of the Princess Helena and Prince Christian, which was celebrated at Windsor on the following 5th of July, the Queen giving away the bride. At the close of this year the growing discontent of the peo- ple that Her Majesty showed no disposition to resume her old place in Court functions was made the occasion of public demon- stration at a meeting at St. James's Hall, in support of the enfran- chisement of the working classes, when Mr. Ayrton, M.P., con- demned the Queen's retirement in strong terms. A WARM DEFENCE OF HER MAJESTY. This brought John Bright to his feet, who warmly vindicated Her Majesty from Mr. Ayrton's charge that she had neglected her duty to society. As the great orator ceased, a remarkable ova- tion took place, the entire audience rising and singing " God Save the Queen " with every demonstration of love and loyalty. When two years later John Bright was submitted to Her Majesty for a seat in Mr. Gladstone's Cabinet, she expressed her pleasure, saying that she was under the greatest obligation to him for the many kind words he had spoken of her, and despatched a messen- ger to tell Mr. Bright that if it was more agreeable to his feelings as a Quaker to omit the ceremony of kneeling and kissing her hands, he was at liberty to do so, of which permission Mr. Bright availed himself. CHAPTER XIII. Victoria, Queen and Empress. CAR away in sunny India was enacted, on the ist of January, ^ 1877, a scene the most brilliant and unique of any connected with the glorious reign of Victoria. At the Imperial Camp, outside the walls of Delhi, where the mutiny had raged the fiercest, Her Majesty was proclaimed Empress of India. On a throne of Oriental splendor, above which was the portrait of the Empress, sat Lord Lytton, her Viceroy ; the Governors, Lieutenants, State officials and the Maharajahs, Rajahs, Nabobs and Princes, with their glit- tering retinues grouped around him. Behind rose the vast amphitheatre, filled with foreign ambas- sadors and notables, around was the concourse of spectators and a brilliant array of fifteen thousand troops, while to complete the gorgeous scene the whole assemblage was surrounded by an un- broken chain of elephants decked with gay trappings. GIFT FROM THE EMPRESS. After the Proclamation had been made with all the pomp of heraldry, the Viceroy presented to each of the feudatory Princes the Empress's gift, a magnificent standard, made after a design chosen by Her Majesty. The standards were ornamented with the sacred water lily of India, spreading palms of the East, and the rose of England, it being the desire of the Empress to indicate that as the rose and the lily intertwined beneath the spreading palm, so was the welfare of India to become one with that of her older domin- ions; and the motto, "Heaven's light our guide," illustrated the spirit in which she desired to govern the enormous empire of which she ever fondly speaks as " a bright jewel in her crown." Most noticeable in the brilliant gathering was the Begum of Bhopal, a lady Knight of the Most Noble Order of Queen Victoria. There was nothing to be seen of the lady sa\e a bundle of floating 249 250 VICTORIA, QUEEN AND EMPRESS. azure silk, which indicated that she was inside, and upon the place where the left shoulder was supposed to be was emblazoned the shield of the Star of India. Much cheap wit was expended after Her Majesty's accession on the rise of the " royal sex," and it was said that the }■ oung Queen intended to establish an Order of Female Knighthood. The prophecy of the scoffer seemed to have been more than fulfilled in the figure of this Hindoo lady wearing the Order of the Star of India. Though she was not valiant enough to show her face, yet her presence was a good omen for that eman- cipation of the women of her country from the seclusion of the Zenana which is fittingly distinguishing the reign of the British Empress. On the day of the Proclamation at Delhi, the Queen conferred the Grand Cross of India upon the Duke of Con naught, and when in 1879 she became a great-grandmother, by the birth of a daughter to the Princess of Saxe-Meiningen (Princess Charlotte of Prussia), she celebrated her ancient dignity by investing twelve noble ladies of her Court with the Imperial Order of the Crown of India. INTEREST IN HINDOO WOMEN. The keenest interest was always shown by the Queen in the condition of Hindoo women. It was with heartfelt thankfulness that she saw the barbarous suttee abolished, and it was her influ- ence which inspired the rapid spread of Zenana work. In July, 1 88 1, she received at Windsor Miss Bielby, a medical missionary from India; and after listening to her account of the sufferings of Hindoo women, in time of illness, for need of doctors, the Queen turned to her ladies and said, " We had no idea that things were as bad as this." Miss Beilby then took from a locket which she wore around her neck a folded piece of paper containing a message to Her Majesty from the Maharanee of Poonah. '' The women of India suffer when they are sick," was the burden of the dark-eyed Queen's appeal. The Empress returned her a message of sympathy and help, and to the women of our land the Queen said, " We desire it to be generally known that we sympathise with every effort made to relieve the suffering state of VICTORIA, QUEEN AND EMPRESS. 251 tlie women of India ;" and when Lord Dnfferin went out as Gov- ernor-General, slie commissioned Lady Dnfferin to establish a permanent fund for providing qualified women doctors for work in India. Her Majesty continued to take the greatest interest in this work, and was in constant communication with the Viceroy's wife regarding its further organization and extension. No opportunity was lost by Her Majesty to show her interest in her Indian Bmpire, and doubtless had the Prince Consort been spared she would have made a progress through the country. This was done in her stead by the Prince of V/ales in 1875-6, and it was while he was making the tour that Lord Beaconsfield introduced the Royal Titles Bill into Parliament, conferring upon the Queen the title of Empress of India, a distinction regarded by John Bull as superfluous to a Crown the most distinguished in the world ; but Her Majesty personally desired it, not, as gossip af&rmed, because of the advent at Court of her second son's imperial bride, but as a means of binding her Indian subjects to her in a closer manner. EXHIBITS FROM INDIA. It is said that she showed more interest in the Indian Court of the Colonial Exhibition, 1886, than in any other, and at each of her visits chatted freely with the native workmen. When the Indian delegates to the Exhibition first saw their Empress, a homely-looking lady in a black silk gown, they expressed disap- pointment, having expected to see her decked out in the pomp and circumstance of a mighty potentate. "But, after all," said they, "what a great power the Queen must wield when she can command such an array of illustrious personages to attend upon her, while she appears as the most simple of all the Court." Of late years Her Majesty had Indian servants in native dress as personal attendants ; she Vv^as also an assiduous student of Hindustani, being able to speak and write in that language; and her favorite State jewel was the priceless Koh-i-noor, about which hangs a tale. When it came into the possession of the East India Company, in 1850, it was handed at a Board meeting to John Lawrence 252 VICTORIA, QUEEN AND EMPRESS. (afterwards Lord Lawrence, the Viceroy) for safe keeping. Tlie precious diamond was laid amongst folds of linen in a small box, and Lord Lawrence slipped it into his waistcoat pocket, and forgot all about it until some days later it was suggested that he should forward it to the Queen. One can imagine his consternation when he rushed to his house to see if it was to be found. A REMARKABLE BIT OF GLASS. " Have you seen a small box in one of my waistcoat pockets?" he asked breathlessly of his servant. " Yes, sahib," was the reply. "I found it, and put it in one of your boxes.'' "Bring it here and open it, and see what it contains," said his master. "There is nothing in it, sahib, but a bit of glass," the man replied in wonder- ment. The "bit of glass" was in due course despatched to the Queen, whose crown it was to adorn ; but she preferred to wear it on occasions as a magnificent brooch in the center of her bodice. The cutting of the diamond was personally superintended by the Prince Consort. It is always kept at Windsor, a facsimile being in the royal crown at the Tower. An interesting event in the Queen's family circle took place in February, 1871, when at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, she gave away her clever, handsome daughter Princess Louise to the heir of the Ar gyles. The Queen constantly testified her regard for the old Scottish nobility by visiting their castles. She stayed for the first time as the guest of the Duke of Argyle at Inverary in 1847, and this interesting note about her future son-in-law occurs in her "Journal " : '' The pipers walked before the carriage, and the High- landers on either side as we approached the house. Outside stood the Marquis of Lome, just two years old, a dear, white, fat little fellow with reddish hair, but very delicate features, like both his father and mother; he is such a merry, independent little child." In the years which followed, Her Majesty had other oppor- tunities for observing Lord Lome ; but before she consented to the betrothal of her daughter she consulted " the minister," and was assured by Dr. Macleod that he had a high opinion of the young Marquis. A gentleman who saw the festivities at the home-coming VICTORIA, QUEEN AND EMPRRSS. 25:1 of the newly-wedded pair to Inverary lias told the present writer that the bride's dancing at the Tenants' Ball made qnite a sen- sation — she "footed it" in the reels and strathspeys in a way which did credit to the wife of a Highland chief. Three years later came the marriage of Prince Alfred to the Grand Duchess Marie of Russia, at St. Petersburg, which w^as the first and only wedding in her family at which the Queen was not present ; but she commissioned her dear friends Dean Stanley and his wife. Lady Augusta, to convey her maternal greetings and little private gifts to the bride, and was most anxious that her Russian daughter-in-law should wear myrtle in her bridal attire. Myrtle is the German marriage emblem, and Her Majesty was most particular that all the royal brides shall wear it along with their orange blossoms. MANY ROYAL DEATHS. During this period the hand of death was laid on many of the Queen's loved ones. Her uncle Ivcopold, good old Baron Stock- mar, and her beloved half-sister the Princess Hohenlohe, had all passed awa}^, and the life of her eldest son had hung by a thread in December, 1871, but the greatest loss of all came with the death of Princess Alice. The pathetic story of the Princess's devoted nursing of her husband and little ones when they were attacked with diphtheria at Darmstadt is well remembered, and when she succumbed to the disease herself it was felt that she would never rally. Princess Christian says that her sister Alice had never really recovered from the fearful shock she received in 1873, when her little boy Fritz fell from a top window, and was dashed to the ground before the eyes of his agonized mother. Visits to the Queen at Osborne or Balmoral would revive her spirits and bring back the roses to her cheeks, but only for a time. The end came on the anniversary of her father's death, the fatal 14th of December, 1878. Almost the last thing she did was to read a letter from her mother, which Sir William Jenner, who had been dispatched by the Queen, had brought. It seemed as though her spirit had been lingering for this message from home, and lay- 254 VICTORIA, QUEEN AND EMPRESS. ing it beside her she said, " Now I will fall asleep ;" but it was the sleep of death upon which she entered. Her last request to her husband was that the dear old English flag might be placed upon her coffin, and she hoped that the people of her adopted country M^ould not mind. The life of Princess Alice had been singularly beautiful, and like that of her elder sister, the Empress Frederick, full of high endeavor on behalf of her sex. It was a consolation to the Queen to gather the motherless children from Darmstadt around her at Osborne, where they completed their convalescence, and in the early spring she took one of those Con- tinental trips from which she always received much benefit. This year she traveled incognita as the Countess of Balmoral, and spent a month at the Villa Clara, charmingly situated at Baveno, near Lake Maggiore, where she made informal excursions in the district accompanied by Princess Beatrice. The Egyptian campaign of 1882 was a period of great anxiety to the Queen, and recalled the da^/s of the Crimean war. She received the news of the victory of Tel-el-Kebir when at Balmoral, and or- dered a bonfire to be lighted on Craig Gowan, as had been done at the fall of Sebastopol twenty-one years before. PROUD OF HER SON. In the earlier war she regretted she had not a son old enough for service ; but now with the tidings of Tel-el-Kebir came Sir Garnet Wolseley's telegram that her soldier-son, the Duke of Con- naught, had "behaved admirably, leading his brigade to the attack.'' His young wife. Princess Louise of Prussia, to whom he had been married in March, 1879, was staying at Balmoral at the time; and the Queen, with characteristic impulse, hastened with the telegram to her daughter-in-law's room, and, embracing her, wept together with her for joy that their beloved one was safe and so much praised. On the same auspicious day Her Majesty welcomed home her youngest son, the Duke of Albany, with his bride, Princess Helen of Waldeck ; and the rej oicings at Balmoral in honor of the double events were exceptionally hearty. In time of war the Queen's first thought was for the sick and VICTORIA, QUEEN AND EMPRESS. 255 vvontided, and now slie took an early opportnnity to visit Netley Hospital, an institution wliicli owes its existence to her initiative, and which she has always M^atched over with maternal care. It was the first public place which she visited after her husband's death, and she was greatly touched by a dying soldier lifting his eyes to her and saying, " I thank God that He has allowed me to live long enough to see your Majesty with my own eyes." During another visit she talked with a man who had been shot through the lungs at Lucknow. It was the Queen's custom after going the round of the wards to visit the married quarters for the accommodation of the wives and children of the patients in tli:: hospital, and the women re- ceived an agreeable surprise when tlie Queen looked in npon them in the midst of their household occupations. After the Egyptian campaign she delighted the inmates by the gift of five knitted quilts, one being entirely her own work, and it bore the royal crown and the initials " V. R." in the corner ; another was knitted by Princess Beatrice, and marked with her initials ; while the re- maining three were worked by ladies of the Court, a border being added to each by the Queen's own hands. ESTABLISHES ORDER OF RED CROSS. We fancy there must have been some difficulty at Netley in deciding who was to have the honor of sleeping under the Queen's quilt. At this time Her Majesty testified her regard for the noble band of nurses by establishing the Order of the Red Cross for Ladies. The installation took place at Windsor, when the Princess of Wales and Princess Beatrice were the first names enrolled, and ten lady nurses received the honor for their services in the Znlu and Egyptian campaigns. We cannot pass away from this period of the Queen's life without a reference to her literary activities and the delight she took in the societ}^ of men of letters, as evinced by the fact that her most frequent visitors were Dean Stanley, Sir Arthur Helps, and Sir Theodore Martin. Sir Arthur Helps edited her "Journal in the Highlands : " Sir Theodore Martin was for seven years en- 256 VICTORIA, OURRN AND EMPRKSS. gaged upon the " Life of tlie Prince Consort," under the Queen's direction ; and Dean Stanley was frequently the medium for enabling her to informally meet literary celebrities. Carlyle, in a letter to his sister, the late Mrs. Aitken, of Dum- fries, thus describes his meeting the Queen at Dean Stanleys, in 1869 : " The Stanleys and we were all in a flow of talk, and some flunke3^s had done setting coffee-pots and tea-cups of a sublime pattern, when Her Majesty, punctual to the minute, glided in, escorted by her dame-in-waiting (a Duchess of Athol) and by the Princess Louise, decidedly a very pretty young lady, and clever too, as I found out in talking to her afterwards. The Queen came softly forward, a kindl}'' smile on her face, gently shook hands with all the three women, gently acknowledged with a nod the silent bows of us male monsters ; and directly in her presence every one was at ease again. "She is a comely little lady, with a pair of kind, clear, and intelligent grey eyes ; still looks almost j'^oung (in spite of one broad wrinkle which shows on each cheek occasionally) ; is still plump ; has a fine, low voice, soft ; indeed, her whole manner is melodiously perfect. It is impossible to imagine 2. politer little woman ; nothing the least imperious ; all gentle, all sincere, look- ing unembarrassing — rather attractive, even ; makes you feel, too (if you have any sense in you), that she is Queen." GREAT ENGLISH AUTHORS. On this occasion Robert Browning, Sir Charles Lyell, and Grote the historian were present ; and with each the Queen had her little say, and made inquiries as to the work upon which they were engaged. A year later Dickens was commanded to Windsor, and he was most struck by the simple naivete of the Queen's man- . ner and her acquaintance with literature. The works of George' Bliot were a constant source of pleasure to her ; and it need hardly be said that she admired the author of " Idylls of a King," the dedication of which remains the most beautiful tribute to her hus- band's memory. She paid a visit to Tennyson at Freshwater, as she did to Lord VICTORIA, QUEEN AND EMPRESS. 257 Beaconsfield at Hiigbenden, aUliough she appreciated the latter more as a statesman than as a literary man. She sent her three sons to attend his funeral, and a wreath of primroses was laid upon the cofiin with the inscription, " His favorite flowers, from Osborne ; a tribute of affection from Queen Victoria." In short, Her Majesty prided herself upon having personally known most of the famous authors of her reign, from Wordsworth to Tennyson, and she was not without appreciation for the rising school. QUAINT INCIDENTS IN HER JOURNAL. Simple confidence in her readers is shown in her Highland Journals, in which the little incidents of her family life in Scotland are so frankly told. Apart from the interest attaching to the royal author, the books are of value for the graphic sketches which they contain of Highland life and scenery. Whether it be a christen- ing, a wedding, a burial or a sheep-clipping, the celebration of the Sacrament at Crathie Church, a torchlight dance, or the festival of Hallov/e'en, it is described as it passed before the writer's eyes, and leaves upon the reader an impression lasting and vivid. Specially interesting is the author's description of Scott's country and Abbotsford, where she had tea in the room in which the novelist died, and lingered about the study where he wrote. When requested that she should inscribe her name in his journal, she replied that " it would be a presumption for her to do so," but finally yielded to the wish of those present. Equally entertaining is her account of Prince Charlie's country, through which, curiously enough, she was conducted by Cameron of Lochiel, whose great- grand-uncle was the real moving cause of the rebellion of 1745 to dethrone Her Majesties great-great-grandfather. 17 CHAPTER XIV. A Sovereign Who Reigned by Love. YES," she writes, " I feel a sort of reverence in going over these scenes in this most beautiful country of Scotland, which I am proud to call my own, where there was such devoted loyalty to the family of my ancestors — for Stuart blood is in my veins, and I am now their representative, and the people are as devoted and loyal to me as they were to that unhappy race." The demand for the Queen's " Highland Journal " was enor- mous. It is said that the circulating libraries ordered it by the ton, and the press swarmed with reviews, which the royal author read with great interest, although we fancy the spice of the ex- perience was lost by the previous overlooking of the reviews by the ladies-in-waiting. The proceeds of the sale were devoted to estab- lishing bursaries, male and female, in the parish school of Crathie and the Queen's Schools at Girnock. FAITHFUL JOHN BROWN. The dedication of the second volume, " More Leaves," by the Queen to her " Loyal Highlanders, and especially to her devoted personal attendant and faithful friend, John Brown," was the cause of much comment. This instance of a mighty queen and empress dedicating her book to a servant is unique in literature ; but Her Majesty regarded a faithful servant as an honored friend, and one of the most beautiful traits in her character was that she never for- got those who served her. Honest John w^as as plain-spoken as he was faithful, and the story is told in Deeside that one day, when the Queen was out, she desired to sketch, and asked for a table to be borrowed from a neighboring cottage. There was great difficulty in finding one of the right height ; table after table was returned, and the eager people were in despair at not being able to suit the royal require- 258 A SOVEREIGN WHO REIGNED BY LOVE. ments. At length John Brown seized hold of the most likely one of the discarded tables, and setting it down before iiis royal mis- tress, said with irresistible logic, " The}^ canna mak' one on pnrpose PALACE OF H01,YR00D, EDINBURGH. for you," at which the Queen laughed and settled down to her sketching. Brown had his eye, too, on his mistress's appearance, and did she come out in a warm comfortable garment a little antiquated in cut, he would remark, " What's that you've got on the day ?" Despite his brusqueness, the faithful fellow would have stood be- tween the Queen and a bullet any day, and indeed anxiety for her 2G0 A SOVEREIGN WHO REIGNED BV LOVE. caused his death. During the 3/ears 1 88 1-2 attempts had been made upon the Queen's life on two occasions, and she was feeling nervous with regard to the Fenian outrages, when a great scare was created in Windsor by Lady P'lorence Dixie declaring that she had been attacked by Fenians in the grounds of her house, not far from the Castle. So anxious was Her Majesty that she sent John Brown to ex- plore the shrubberies of Lady Florence Dixie's house, and in doing so he took a chill, which resulted in his death, on the 27th of March, 1883, after three days' illness. His royal mistress gave orders that his body should be conveyed to his native Highlands for burial. The grave can be seen by the visitor to Crathie church- yard, along with that of Frank Clark, who succeeded Brown as Her Majesty's personal attendant, and died. Inside the church a monument was erected to his memory by " his grateful and affec- tionate sovereign and friend, Victoria R.I.," with the inscription, " Kings love him that speaketh right." UNFAILING KINDNESS. Apropos of the Queen's kindness to her servants, a story was told by a gentleman acquainted with the girl to whom it relates. She was one of the housemaids at Balmoral, and the Queen, chanc- ing to meet her on the staircase one day, saw that she had been crying, and asked the reason of her grief. Seeing that the girl was reluctant to speak. Her Majesty commanded her to come to her private sitting-room, and there tell her what was the matter. The girl reluctantly explained that she had received notice to leave because she objected to attending the Bstablished Kirk along with the rest of the Balmoral servants. Upon hearing this the Queen sent for the head of her household and desired that th6 housemaid in question should have her notice withdrawn, and' that in future no one in her service should be persecuted on account of their religious views. The death of John Brown came at a time when the Queen was suffering severely from a fall on one of the staircases at Windsor Castle, which sprained her knees and crippled her for several A SOVEREIGN WHO REIGNED BY LOVE. 261 weeks ; and in the following year, before slie had recovered her health and spirits, she was smitten by a still heavier blow in the death of her 3^oungest son, Prince Leopold, suddenly at Cannes, whither he had gone for a change. Delicate health had inclined him to cultured, scholarly studies, and he was more like the Prince Consort than any of the Queen's sons, and to him she was begin- ning to look as the one fitted to perform the delicate duty of private secretary in the place of him whom she had lost. The sad news was broken to her at Osborne by the late Sir Henry Ponsonb}^, and, though quite prostrated by it, she was, as ever, thoughtful of others, and desired Princess Beatrice to leave her side and hasten to comfort the young widow at Claremont, whose delicate condition rendered the shock of the tidings more serious. The Empress Eugenie, who was staying near Osborne, came to the Queen to oifer consolation, and after spending some hours with her was able to report that Her Majesty was greatly relieved by being able to talk over her loss with one who knew what bereavement was. Some j^ears before the positions had been reversed, and it was the Queen who had comforted the Empress, first, after the death of the exiled Emperor, and again when her only son met such a terrible death in the Zulu war of 1879. WANTED A MILITARY FUNERAL. Prince Leopold, like his father, had premonitions of death. " He would talk to nie about death," writes one v/ho was with him a few days before he died, " and said he would like a military funeral." I asked, "Why, sir, do you talk in this melancholy manner?" As he was about to answer he was called away, and said, " I'll tell you later." I never saw him again, but he finished his answer to me, to another lady, and said : " For two nights now Princess Alice has appeared to me in my dreams, and says she is quite happy, and that she wants me to come and join her." The body of the Prince was brought from Cannes and interred at St. George's, Windsor. In 1S85, the year following Prince Leopold's death, came the last marriage in the Queen's family, that of " Baby " Beatrice, who 262 ■ A SOVEREIGN WHO REIGNED BY LOVE. had now for fourteen years been lier mother's devoted attendant, to the late Prince Henry of Battenberg. Princess Beatrice, having been so much with grown-up people when a child, was a little quaint in her ways, and several stories are told of her funny little speeches. When a little lady of six she found it very difficult to get proper respect shown her by her nephew and niece of Germany, and taking Dr. Macleod into her confidence, she said : " What do you think. Dr. Macleod ? I am an aunt, and yet my nephew William (the present Emperor) won't do what I bid him. Both he and Elizabeth refused to shut the door ! Is that not naughty ?'' CHILDREN STREWED FLOWERS. The wedding of the Queen's youngest daughter took place from Osborne at the little ivy-clad village church of Whippinham. Only semi-State was observed. The bride wore her mother's Hon- iton lace and veil, and was attended by her ten young nieces in white tulle frocks. Little children strewed flowers and decked the wayside with homely tributes of affection, and the whole scene was an ideally perfect village wedding. It was arranged that the bride should continue to live with her mother as Princess in waiting. The marriage proved one of great happiness, and in her new son-in-law Her Majesty found one who joined with his wife in unselfish ministrations to her comfort. His untimely death was a real personal loss, as well as grief to the sympathetic Queen. Although it had long been apparent that Her Majesty would never resume her old place in society, she had officiated at a number of public ceremonials, and had held occasional drawing-rooms, as well as now and again re-opening Parliament, and in May of 1886 she opened the Colonial and Indian Exhibition at South Kensing- ton. This notable ceremony, which vividly recalled to her the Exhibition of 185 1, seemed like a gathering together of the repre- sentatives from all parts of her mighty empire as a prelude to the celebration of her jubilee in the following year. In the May preceding Jubilee Day, the Queen visited the East End to open the People's Palace. The route, seven miles A SOVEREIGN WHO REIGNED BY LOVE. 263 long, was decorated in gay and characteristic style by tlie Kast Enders, and it Avas noticed that the Queen eyed the quaint, humor- ous devices with great pleasure, and at the opening ceremony at the Palace bowed and smiled at the references made to herself, in the speeches, in a delightfully informal manner. On the way back she visited the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House, and partook of tea and strawberries ; this was the first time she had been at the Mansion House since she was the young Princess Victoria, and visited it with her mother. A boy in the crowd, when he found that the Queen had sud- denly disappeared, asked eagerly, " Where is she gone ?" "Gone?" replied the old basket woman. " Why, into the Lord Mayor's, to have a bite and a sup, poor thing, and I'll be bound as she needs it." The Queen always showed a sympathetic interest in the East End, and one of her chaplains relates that after he had preached for the first time at Windsor he was summoned to her private apartment, and Her Majesty asked him a number of questions about East London and the state of labor at the docks, and then told him how she dealt with her cottagers at Balmoral, and about the schools she had established, SYMPATHY FOR THE NEEDY. " I could hardly realize," added this gentlemen, " that I was talking with the Queen ; she dismissed me filled with a vivid per- ception of her fine, royal courtesy, as well as her personal knowl- edge of and concern for the needy in her realm." In times of special distress in East London, the Queen privately forwarded money for distribution. Another clergyman relates that when he was a boy in the Isle of Wight he saw the Queen coming out of a cottage where she had been to visit a sick person, and heard one workman say to another, " I like the Queen, Bill. I like having somebody to look up to ;" and his companion replied, " Yes, and she is so good too." There were three royal jubilees in the history of this country, but not one in anyway comparable to the jubilee of the 2ist of June, 1887, when the whole land, together with the distant colonies and 264 A SOVEREIGN WHO REIGNED BY LOVE. every quarter of the globe where the British flag waves, rang with the voice of jubilation that the great woman who had ennobled the crown was spared in health and strength to celebrate the fiftieth year of her reign. It was a thrilling moment when, in the blaze of the glorious June sunshine, the Queen drove out through the gates of Buckingham Palace on her way to Westminster Abbey, just as she had done fifty years before on her coronation day. PLAUDITS OF THE PEOPLE. But the bright young girl was now a grey-haired woman who had seen much sorrow and battled with many difiiculties. Still, there was a gleam of triumph in her face, for were there not sons and daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren rising up to call her blessed, while the shouts of the multitudes which rent the air testified that throughout these fifty years she had retained the love and loyalty of her people ! The scene in the Abbey was brilliant, as had been that earlier scene ; but there was a hush of reverence over the assembly, for the monarch had come to publicly give thanks to Almighty God that she had been spared to see that day. At the end of the service the numerous members of her family were to personally offer their congratulations. The Lord Cham^ berlain had arranged it in correct style, but the Queen waived ceremony, and drawing each one in turn for a motherly embrace, turned the grand pageant into a happy family reunion. Fitting close, next day, to the festivities which had reigned everywhere throughout the country, was the monster school treat in Hyde Park, where thirty thousand school children of London were en- tertained. In the cool of the summer evening the Queen drove down the ranks and viewed the little ones : then the Prince of Wales brought to her carriage Florence Dunn, whe had not missed an attendance at school for six years, and the Queen smiled down at the little champion, and, handing her the jubilee mug, said, " I am pleased to give you this memorial of my jubilee, dear child " ; and this characteristic act closed the great celebration. It was an interesting coincidence that the minister of a coun- try parish who had preached a sermon on the Queen's coronation "^ A SOVEREIGN WHO REIGNED BY LOVE. 26b also preached one on her jubilee ; and still more wonderful was the case of an old lady in the town of Chipping Sodbury who had been present at George III.'s jubilee, and came out hale and hearty to help in the local celebration of Queen Victoria's, wearing the same bonnet, a Leghorn of coal-scuttle shape, which she had worn at the former jubilee. After a few days' rest at Windsor, Her Majesty came to town again, and on the 30th of June opened the Holloway College for Women, thus testifying her interest in the advance of that higher education amongst women which, along with their improved legal and social status, has fittingly marked her reign. In the spring succeeding her jubilee, the Queen spent some weeks in Florence always a favorite resort with her, as it had been with the Prince Consort. She was to be seen each morning in the park adjacent to the villa, taking an airing in her donkey chair, and later in the day driving through the country districts, visiting the churches, and interesting herself in the life of the people. APPEARED IN THE STREETS OF FLORENCE. For one brief day she stopped her incognita and drove in public with her suite, and it seemed as though all Florence swarmed into the streets to greet her. The Queen did this to show her gratitude to the people for respecting her desire for privacy. She was fond of chatting with the country folk and one morning seeing two little girls gathering violets in the field near her villa, entered into con- versation with them, and presented each of them with a jubilee sovereign, at which they rushed home to tell their mothers that the " Regina d'Inghilterra had given them a gilt medal with her like- ness on it." On her way back from Florence the Queen visited her dying son-in-law, the Emperor Frederick, at Charlottenburg, a visit inex- pressibly sad; but Her Majesty w^as not only able to comfort her daughter and cheer the dying Emperor — she acted as a peacemaker in the friction at Court caused by the Empress Frederick favoring the marriage of her daughter, Princess Victoria, with Prince Alex- ander of Battenberg. 266 A SOVEREIGN WHO REIGNED BY LOVE. The Queen persuaded her daughter to drop the match, and by her tact brought about such a good understanding all round that Prince Bismark, with whom she had a long interview, declared that " Her Majesty was gifted with a statesman-like wisdom of the highest order " ; and indeed most political leaders who came into personal contact with the Queen testified to her remarkable insight and sagacity. In her later years her life flowed on in the same steady, even course, with little jaunts to the Continent, visits to the Highlands, Christmas spent in good old English style at Osborne, and the discharge of occasional public Court functions in London ; but wherever she was her hand was at the helm, and telegraph and telephone messengers and despatch-boxes kept her hourly informed of everything which transpired even in the remotest part of her vast dominions. Her naturally robust constitution was preserved by the simplicity of her mode of life, spent largely in the open air, and her mind was kept bright and fresh by the interest she took in the younger members of her extensive family circle. One hears much of Grand Old Men in these days ; but who amongst them can say that he has been at his present post for sixty long years without one single day "off"? In all love and loyalty we would say that the Grand Old Woman, who sat on Britain's throne, beat the record." We know that there does not exist in the annals of any land a period so fraught with moral and material greatness as the reign of Victoria, Queen and Empress. ./ CHAPTER XV. Stories of the Royal Family. WHEN tlie women of Great Britain were subscribing their Jubilee gift to the Queen, a colony of Japanese women at Kniglitsbridge added their contribution with this character- istic wish : " Truly she must be a great ' Lady King ; ' may she live on an unshaken throne yet another fifty years, and after that the perpetual bliss ! " All sections of the community at home and throughout her vast colonial dominions, as well as among the swarthy millions of India, though they never saw her face, yet regarded her as their Empress-Mother. She was honored in the Courts of Europe as no English monarch ever was before. It seemed, indeed, that the Continent was rapidly coming under the sphere of British influence through the alliances made by the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria. HER VOICE WAS FOR PEACE. When Russian ministers proposed any course of procedure likely to upset the peace of Europe and bring England into the fray, the young Czar and Czarina promptly replied, " It must not be ; we cannot have our Grandmother, the Queen, worried." In America, the influence of our "Lady King" was not unfelt. American citizens still remember the hearty greetings which Queen Victoria sent to President Buchanan along the lines of the newly laid Atlantic cable ; such felicitations, however, were enough to make her grandfather, His Majesty King George III., turn in his grave. Neither can America forget the words of womanly sympathy and feeling which the Queen addressed to the wife of its murdered President, James Garfield. Upon that American citizen, the great philanthropist, George Peabody, she would gladly have conferred the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, but he declined all such honors. When asked what he would accept, he replied, " A letter from the Queen of England, which I may carry across the Atlantic and deposit as a 267 268 STORIES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. memorial of one of her most faittiful sons." It should be a bond of union between the two countries that in the Peabody Institute the miniature of Queen Victoria, which she sent to Mr. Peabody along with her letter, is deposited in a vault of famous relics side by side with a cane which belonged to Benjamin Franklin. It was owing to the tact of the Queen and Prince Consort in the wording of that famous despatch on the " Trent " affair, at the outbreak of the Civil War in America, that peace was preserved betv/een England and the United States. Her Majesty was more ready to try the power of moral suasion than of force. We had an example of this in the autograph letters which the Queen addressed to the Sultan of Turkey regarding the atrocities in Armenia, and to her Grandson of Germany upon his attitude to Bngland over the rebellion and raid in the Transvaal. SHE WAS A GOOD WOMAN. Her Majesty sat upon the throne of her country for a longer period than any of her predecessors. The glories of the sixty-three years of her reign, and the unexampled prosperity which the country has enjoyed under her benificent rule, are for the historian to tell ; but when one pauses to study the personal character of the Queen, and the attributes which have made her beloved at home and revered abroad, they are to be summed up in one simple phrase — she was a good woman. Not faultless, certainly ; the charming wilfulness of the child has a survival in maturer age. Strong and passionate in her attachments, the Queen could be, in her young days, quick and hasty even with those whom she loved best ; but shallowness was no part of her nature, neither did she harbor resentment. Absolute truthfulness and sincerity were the qualities which dominated her character, and also gratitude towards those who served her faith- fully, great Ministers of State or humble servants. It was a part of the nobleness of her disposition that she did not assume that she had a right to special attention because of her high position. One frequently meets in her diaries with expressions of pleas- ure at kindness shown to her when visiting at the houses of her STORIES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. 269 subjects, as though it were something unmerited. Among the many touching incidents of her gratitude to those who had been her faithful friends was the visit paid by her to Sir John Biddulph when he lay dying at Abergeldie Mains. " You have been very kind to me, your Majesty," said the dying man, " No," replied the Queen, as she pressed his hand, " it is you who have been very kind to 7ney An utter detestation of shams was another of Her Majesty's characteristics, shown by the fact that those who obtained her greatest confidence were honest, even to bluntness. She liked to ' get at the root and reality of things, and the timeserver stood no chance before her keen scrutiny. Her fondness for her faithful Highlanders became almost a proverb, and she was never so happy as when talking with the old folks at Balmoral without form or ceremony, and much of her love for her Scottish home may be attributed to the fact that there she could throw off the restraints of royalty more thoroughly than in au}^ other place. She was an exemplary landowner, and had erected schools, model cottages, established a free library, and provided a trained sick nurse for the tenants at Balmoral. EVER A FRIEND IN NEED. To her cottagers at Osborne she was also ever the friend in time of need ; and when she erected alms-houses on her estate for the use of poor old women, she retained one tiny room for her- self, thus, as it were, becoming an alms-woman herself and keeping her poorer neighbors company. In matters of religion the Queen showed herself singularly free from prejudice. At Balmoral she always worshipped according to the simple style of the Scottish Church and partook of its rites in communion, while she chose for her chief spiritual guides Dr. Norman Macleod and Principal Tulloch. In England the service in her private chapels was the simp- lest form of the Episcopal Church, and her close friendship with Dean Stanley would point to the fact that she inclined to the broader school of thought, and cared more for deeds than creeds. 270 STORIES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. Slie ever set a good example in Sabbatli observance ; and many years ago, when it came to her knowledge that tradespeople were employed to bring provisions to Buckingham Palace on Sunday morning, she at once ordered that no eatables were to be brought into the Palace on Sunday. The Queen was very fond of quoting the saying of Schopen- hauer, " If it were not for the honest faces of dogs, we should forget the very existence of sincerity ;" and from her childhood she always had dogs about her. Her earliest favorite, "Dash," a black and tan spaniel, was her constant companion when, as the Princess Victoria, she took her morning walk in Kensington Gardens, and his joyous bark was the first welcome she received ou her return to Buckingham Palace from her coronation. HOW "LOOTY" WAS RESCUED. "Looty," a lovely silken, long-haired dog brought by a British officer from China, was a later favorite. When the Summer Palace at Pekin Avas burning this little dog was discovered curled up amongst soft shawls and rugs in one of the wardrobes, and the officer who rescued him and brought him to England as a present to the Queen gave him the significant name of "Looty." A picture of him by Mr. F. W. Reyl was exhibited in the Royal Academy many years ago. Her Majesty had a special fondness for collies, and among these faithful animals " Noble" and " Sharp" were for many years chief favorites, and always traveled with her to and from Balmoral. "* Noble,'" she writes in her dairy, " is the most biddable dog I ever saw. He will hold a piece of cake in his mouth without eating it until he ma}^ If he thinks we are not pleased with him, he puts out his paws and begs in such an affectionate way." A beautiful collie named "Darnley II." was for many years Her Majesty's chief pet. He had a special " cottage" of his own, apart from the kennels of the other dogs. In their beautiful homes in the grounds of Windsor Castle were to be seen skyes, collies, pugs and dachs in great variety ; but the Queen's particular pride were her Italian Spitzes, a breed of STORIES OF THE ROYAL I'AMILY. 271 beautiful buff-colored dogs which she was the first to introduce into England. " Marco," with his lovely white coat and almost human intelligence, was another chief favorite with his royal mistress. It would be a mistake to suppose that these pets were unduly pam- pered, for the Queen believed that plain living induced high think- ing in dogs as \vell as in human beings. Her Majesty was one of the most accomplished horsewomen of her time, and her ponies had an almost equal share of attention witu her dogs. There was "Jessie," which was her favorite riding mare for twenty-five years, and carried her through many a High- land expedition ; then there were her two Shetland ponies, and "Flora" and "Alma," presented by King Victor Emmanuel, and a gray Arab, a present from the Thakore of Morvi. The royal mews at Windsor cover an extent of four acres, and have accommodation for one hundred horses. The harness horses are nearly all of them gray, and those for the broughams are dark chestnut. But speciall}^ proud was the Queen of her twelve cream-colored horses in the mews at Bucking- ham Palace, looking very beautiful indeed with their long, silky tails nearly touching the ground. Their ancestors took the girl Queen to her coronation, and the stock was always kept up for Her Majesty's use on state occasions. THAT LITTLE SARDINIAN PONY. An amusing little favorite of the Queen was " Picco," which she used to drive in a pony carriage some years ago. He was a Sardinian pony, presented by the King of that country, and was only fourty-four inches high. That charming naturalist Frank Buckland has given an amusing account of his attempts to sketch this fussy, nervous little fellow, who was highly indignant at hav^ ing his measurements taken. The Queen was greatly diverted by the account of her pet's behavior, for she was fond of studying tht> characters of the animals about her, and liked them to have their pictures taken. Bushey Park was used as a kind of home of rest for the pet horses who were no longer fit for active service. There "Pico" 27^ STORIES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. Was sent to end his da^^s and as an object lesson in humility, lie had " Alderney," a costermonger's rescued victim, given him for a companion. One day, when the Queen was driving in the Isle of Wight, she saw a costermonger savagely beating a beautiful white pony, and, stopping her carriage, she offered to buy the ill-used animal, in order to save him from his life of misery. She gave him the name of " Alderney," and promoted him to a life of ease in Bushey Park, where he doubtless entertained his aristocratic friend " Picco " with the doings of costerland. Later, the Queen's chief favorite was " Jacquot," the strong handsome donkey with the white nose and knotted tail, which drew lier chair in the gardens of Frogmore or through the shady glades at Osborne, and accompanied Her Majesty to the Highlands and to Florence and the Riviera. The Queen's love for the brute creation did not limit itself to those animals that had the good fortune to be her pets. She was a warm supporter of those societies which labor to ameliorate the sufferings of animals, and viewed the modern thirst for scientific discovery by means of vivisection with apprehension. PROTEST AGAINST CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. In a letter sent at her command by Sir Thomas Biddulph, in 1872, to Lord Harrowby, then President of the Society for the Pre- vention of Cruelty to animals, this passage occurs : " The Queen hears and reads with horror of the suffering which the brute crea- tion often undergo from the thoughtlessness of the ignorant, and, shefears, also, sometimes from experiments in the pursuit of science. For the removal of the former the Queen trusts much to the progress of education, and, in regard to the pursuit of science, she hopes that the entire advantage of those anaesthetic discoveries from which man has derived so much benefit himself in the allevia- tion of suffering may be freely extended to the lower animals." Her Majesty was a great sympathizer with that branch of the society's work which aimed at educating the children in the board schools to a sense of kindness to dumb animals by means of prizes given for essays upon the subject. STORIES OF THE HQVAL FAMiLY. 273 The Queen's anxiety to protect lambs from what she con- ceived to be premature killing resulted in rather an amusing fiasco some years ago. She had been reading gloomy articles in the newspapers about the decrease of English sheep, and she immedi- ately attributed it to the excessive slaughter of very young lambs, and gave orders that no lamb was to be used in the royal house- hold. The price of the meat at once fell to fourpence a pound, and it became necessary to explain to the Queen that the consumption of lamb was not the cause of the trouble, it was a question of breeding, and she then withdrew her mandate. This little incident is but one of many which serve to show her anxiety to promote the public good by her example. FROWNS ON BARBAROUS EXHIBITIONS. Many years ago, before county councils existed for the super- vision of public amusements, the Queen made her influence felt in Birmingham. At a fete in Aston Park a woman who had been forced to walk on a rotten tight-rope was dashed to pieces in a shocking manner. Snch was the callousness of the committee that they permitted the festivities to proceed in spite of the dreadful occurrence. A few days later the Mayor of Birmingham was the astonished recipient of a letter from the Queen's Secretary, to this effect: " Her Majesty cannot refrain from making known her personal feelings of horror that one of her subjects — a female — should have been sacrificed to the gratification of the demoralizing taste, unfortunately prevalent, for exhibitions attended with the greatest danger to the performers. If any proof were wanting that such exhibitions are demoralizing, it would be found in the decision arrived at to continue the festivities, the hilarity, and the sports of the occasion after an event so melancholy. The Queen trusts that the Mayor, in common with the townspeople of Birmingham, will use his influence to prevent in future the degradation by such exhibitions of the park which she and the beloved Prince Consort opened for the rational recreation of the people." In the early days of railway traveling the Queen, who, with 18 274 STORIES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. characteristic fearlessness, liad been one of the first to trnst to the " steam demon," was very active in bringing pressure to bear upon the railway companies to induce them to take greater precaution for the protection of passengers. It was she who, in conjunction with the Prince Consort, put an end in England to the barbarous custom of duelling. When standing on Wimbleton Common look- ing at the spot where the last duel was fought, an old man came up who had been a witness to the scene, and he described it in quaint and graphic language. " I shall never forget," he said, " my feelings as a lad when I saw the man who had been shot lying with his dead, upturned face upon the turf, and Lord Cardi- gan, who had shot him, hurrying away with his friends. Ah, well! the Queen put an end to that sort of thing ; she's done a few good things in the course of her time." LIKE COURT, LIKE PEOPLE. Now that legislation has become so much more humanitarian in its scope than it was once, one is apt to lose sight of the im- mense influence of royal example. In the good old days the chief restraint on social customs was fashion. As was the court, so were the people. Probably no English monarch did more for the purifi- cation of society and for the elevation of a simple domestic life than Victoria. If great ladies to-day prefer to spend their leisure hours in the support of pet philanthropies instead of the excite- ment of lotteries, was it not the Queen who set the vogue by asso- ciating her great name with schemes of beneficence ? She was a visitor in the wards of great hospitals long before ladies of birth and social position took up such work to any extent. That philanthropy is to-day fashionable is due to a wave of influ- ence coming from the throne and permeating all classes of societ}^ All the Queen's daughters, and, indeed, daughters-in-law also, are women who delight in good works ; and although they owe much of their impetus in that direction to the Prince Consort, it was the Queen who gave her children such an admirable father. CHAPTER XVI. The Queen an Example to Her People. A NOTHBR of Her Majest3^'s characteristics which infliienced ^^ the national life of her own sex Avas her love of fresh air and ontdoor exercise. There is a connection betw^een the venerated sovereign taking her breakfast in a tent on the lawn and spending many hours of each da}^ driving, whatever the weather might be, and the fine, health}^, well-developed girl of the period swinging her tennis racket, playing hockey, and boating and cycling. When the Qneeu was young such things were not, and the mammas of that time were probably shocked when they first heard of Her Majesty going deer-stalking with her hiisband for nine hours at a stretch, undertaking perilous mountain expedi- tions, and walking about in the wilds of Balmoral with a hood drawn over her bonnet to protect her face from the rain. She was fond, too, of taking an early walk before breakfast ; and on one occasion, when paying a visit to Blair Athole, she set out alone early one morning before any one was about, and wand- ered so far — beguiled by the fresh autumn air — that she lost her way, and was obliged to appeal to some reapers whom she saw working in a field to show her the way back. She always encouraged her daughters to take plenty of outdoor exercise, and they were expert skaters at a time when the pastime was an uncommon one for ladies. Princess Alice was a particularly graceful skater, and after marriage found that she was nearly the only lady in Darmstadt who could skate. The Queen gave her countenance to ladies riding the tricycle at a very early stage of the introduction of that machine. It was while taking her favorite drive along the Newport Road in the Isle of Wight that she for the first time saw a lady riding a tri- cycle, and she was so much pleased that she ordered two machines to be sent to Osborne for some of her ladies to learn to ride upon. 275 276 THE QUEEN AN EX.'^MPLE TO HER PEOPLE. When tlie more expeditious bicj^cle came into use, Her Majesty looked askance for a time at ladies using it ; but soon ska took tke greatest deliglit in watching tlie merr^^ C3'cling parties of princesses wkick started dail}' from Balmoral in tke autumn, and ske enjoyed mau}^ of lier kearty laugks at tliose wko were in tke learner's stage, and kad not mastered tke m3^ster3^ of maintaining ^",ke balance. Tkat latest innovation in tke way of vekicles — tke motor- car — was regarded by tke Queen witk especial interest, for wken ske was a girl tkere was an effort made to introduce coackes run by steam on tke roads, but tke public did not take to tke idea of tkese korseless carriages, and so tkey dropped out of existence, and "Jarvey" won tke day. RIDING IN A STEAM COACH. On at least one occasion Her Majesty rode in one; it was wken ske was about twelve years of age. Witk ker motker, tke Duckess of Kent, ske kad been to visit His Majesty King George IV at tke Royal Lodge, and tkey made tke return journey from Windsor to London in a steam coack. In ker attitude to modern inventions tke Queen always skowed kerself ready to accept new ideas, but it was said tkat ske did not tal^e to tke electric ligkt, and would not kave it intro- duced into tbe royal palaces. At Balmoral ske kad tke rooms ligkted by candles, and burned wood fires, as ske found tkis old- faskioned style cozier, and it reminded ker of ker young days. Tke Queen first adopted gas in 1843, wken it was used to ligkt tke new ball-room at Buckingkam Palace, on tke occasion of tke first visit of Napoleon and tke Bmpress Eugenie to England. Tke ceiling of tke room was decorated in various colors, to enable Her Majesty to form an idea of tke effect of tke new illu- minant. Ske and tke Prince Consort were so pleased witk it tkat tkey skortly afterwards introduced it into Windsor Castle. Prob- ably tke Queen tkougkt to kave witnessed one entire revolution in tke way of domestic ligkting was enougk in a lifetime, and ske will leave tke adoption of tke electric ligkt to younger people. THE QUEEN AN EXAMPLE TO HER PEOPLE. 277 The early Britisli custom of erecting cairns, or heaps of stones, to commemorate events, was one greatly in favor with the Queen. The first royal cairn was erected when she took pos- session of Balmoral, and the estate is now quite rich in these unique memorials, there being one to commemorate the Prince Consort's death and the marriages of each of her children One might say that Her Majesty had a passion for having memorials of her domestic joys and sorrows, and she was most punctilious in the observance of anniversaries. She kept her own birthday, and had a birthday cake like other people, and was keenly appreciative of the presents which were sent to her by ever}^ member of her family, even to the youngest branches. The Prince Cousorf'? birthday was also observed, and his health drunk in silence. ARRANGEMENTS FOR ROYAL FUNERALS. After her great bereavement her mind naturally dwelt much, on death observances, and she herself drew up a complete code of directions for the arrangement of royal funerals and layings out. Different shrouds w^ere directed to be used for the male and female members of the family, also for the married and unmarried ; and female members of theroyal family abroad were to be represented by one of their own sex. When the Duchess of Cambridge died in 1889, the Queen insisted that the funeral should be in semi-state, although the aged Duchess had herself desired to be buried quite privately. She was one of the few left who had known the Queen in the heyday of her youth and had really loved and cared for her, and Her Maj- esty was determined that her much revered aunt should be buried with the observance due to her high birth as well as to her excel- lent character. The apartments used by deceased royalties in the Queen's palaces and houses are kept locked up. Those of Princess Char- lotte at Claremont have been preserved as she left them for more than seventy 3^ears. Prince Albert's private rooms at Windsor, Osborne, and Balmoral, and the Duchess of Kent's at Frogmore, 278 THE QUEEN AN EXAMPLE 10 HER PEOPLE. also remain undisturbed, and the Queen testified her special esteem for John Brown by directing that the rooms which he used at Windsor Castle are to be kept sacred to his memory. Her Majesty had a great objection to embalming, and pro- hibited it with regard to royal persons, unless the circumstances were very exceptional. After the sad death of the Prince Imperial at the hands of the Zulus, and the impossibility there was of pre- serving his body for the Empress to take a last look at it, the Queen so far relaxed her regulations as to permit the various accessories for embalming being taken out when one of the royal family undertook foreign service. The wisdom of this arrange- ment was sadly seen in the case of Prince Henry of Battenberg. RECOMMENDED DEEP MOURNING. Her Majesty was a little behind the spirit of the times in regard to regulations for mourning. She advocated absolute retirement for a time in the case of bereaved people, and the most lugubrious signs of outward mourning. It would seem, also, that she did not favor the re-marriage of widows, judging from the significant fact that not one of the royal widows, young or middle aged, has been provided with a second husband. In the case of widowers Her Majesty's strictures were not so severe. She instituted several changes with regard to royal weddings. She herself set the example of being married in the morning, royal marriages having formerly been celebrated in an evening. It was not customary in former reigns for royalties to retire for a honeymoon; His Majesty King George III. remained at St. James's and held levees immediately after his marriage. The Queen and Prince Albert had a brief honeymoon of two days at Windsor ; then the Duchess of Kent and all the Court came flocking down to escort the royal pair back to a round of functions and festivities in London. Even that very young bride the Princess Royal had, like her mother, only two days of absolute retirement. Since that the royal honeymoons have been gradually increasing in length, and one of the latest brides, Princess Maud, has had a whole week of THE QUEEN AN EXAMPLE TO HER PEOPLE. 279 seclusion, and tlien it was only broken in upon by a visit from her mother and sister. The custom of brides mingling myrtle with their orange blossoms is, as we all know, a fashion introduced by the Queen. In matters of Court etiquette Her Majesty was punctilious to a degree, and her memory for pedigrees, as for faces, was unri- valled. A story is told by a Court lady that a question arose at the royal table between herself and Lord Beaconsfield as to the genealogy of some obscure Italian duke who had suddenly come into notice. No one could tell who he was. " There is one per- son who could give the information," said Lord Beaconsfield, "and that is the Queen." He took the first opportunity of asking the question. "The Duca di ?" replied Her Majesty. "Oh, yes, I remember perfectly," and she forthwith gave a full history of his family. HER REMARKABLE MEMORY. Prime Ministers of modern times sometimes found the Queen's remarkable memory a little embarrassing, as in discussion on political questions she would confront them with the views of Peel or Palmerston, or with the advice given her by Lord Melbourne in the first year of her reign ; and it is reported that Lord Salis- bury was once driven to delicately hint that there was a difference between the state of affairs in '37 and '87. Her Majesty was always very strict with regard to regula- tions for Court dress. All ladies, of whatever age, were required to appear in bodices with low necks and short sleeves. Plumes must always be worn standing erect from the back of the head ; no modification was permitted. When a lady who formerly reigned as a society beauty and was a theatrical star, was to be presented, she arranged her Court head-dress in quite an artistic manner, pinning down the feathers upon her lovely hair in a most becom- ing manner. All went well until she passed before the Court functionary preparatory to making the entree; then she W3,s ordered to remove the pins, as no lady was permitted to enter the Presence except with her plumes erect. 280 THE QUEEN AN EXAMPLE TO HER PEOPLE. It had always been the practice to forbid the attendance at drawing-rooms of ladies divorced, even though it was for no fault of their of own ; but the Queen, with her admirable sense of justice, came to the conclusion that this was scarcely fair, and decided that a lady of blameless life ought not to be excluded from Court by reason of her husband's misdeeds. The matter was brought before the Cabinet some years ago, but allowed to drop without its being decided. The question was revived in 1889, and it was arranged that ladies debarred by divorce may make special appli- cation for admission to Court to the Queen herself who decides on the merit of each case, after having had the report of the trial laid before her. There is a record of one lady who had obtained divorces from two husbands in succession gaining the Queen's permission to be presented on her third marriage. TOOK DELIGHT IN FLOWERS. To one so fond of outdoor life and the beauties of nature as Her Majesiy, flowers were naturally a special delight, and she preferred to see them growing rather than when used for indoor decoration. In the grounds at Osborne there is a flower-bed specially planted for the Queen's pleasure with pinks and carna- tions, as she was very fond of these old fashioned flowers, and frequently took tea on a spot near to the bed. During her drives from Osborne to Newport she noticed the lovely gardens and houses belonging to Mr. Nunn, the famous manufacturer of the lace called by his name, and one day expressed a wish to see over them. Ever afterwards a basket of Mr. Nunn's choicest blooms was sent daily to the Queen when she v/as at Osborne, and the gift gave her the greatest pleasure. At the time of the Jubilee a loyal gentleman suggested the wearing of the Queen's favorite flower as a badge, and wrote to Sir Henry Ponsonby to inquire what it was. Her Majesty replied that in summer she preferred the rose to any other flower. Probably it was the sweet and delicate odor of the national flower as well as its beauty which pleased the Queen, as plie gr^-atly disliked, strong perfucn^es. THE QUEEN AN EXAMPLE TO HER PEOPLE. 28] Speaking of scents, one is reminded that Her Majesty had sucii a dislike to the smell of cigars and tobacco that smoking was for many years prohibited in Windsor Castle, a restriction in which the Prince Consort fully concurred. Cards requesting that gentlemen would not smoke were neatly framed and hung in the rooms of the lords-in-waiting and equerries of the royal suite, and the servants and work people were forbidden to smoke inside the Castle. No such rigid restriction exists to-day, which is attributed to the influence of John Brown, who liked his pipe, and, being as canny as he was faithful, persuaded the Queen that a little tobacco smoke was " no a bad thing to have about a hoose." MUSIC FOR EVERY HOME. Previous to the death of the Prince Consort the Queen was devoted to music, and spent a great deal of time both in singing and playing. They were both most anxious to see music more universal in the homes of the people, and strongly advocated its being taught in the public schools — a fact which may be interesu- ing to those engaged in controversy to-day regarding the use of pianos in the schools. After the death of the Prince she scarcely played at all, but remained one of the kindest patrons of singer? and musicians, who counted a command to perform before the Queen a personal pleasure, as she was so appreciative, and would talk with them of the great " stars" whom she had listened to in the da3'S gone by. Sketching was the Queen's favorite recreation as a child, and SO it remained. She was particularly proud of her art collection at Windsor, and, when there, did not let many weeks go by with- out taking a look round the Royal library, which contained one of the finest collections of engravings and specimens of old masters, both English and foreign. But her unrivalled collection of min- iatures was her particular pride, and she boasted sometimes that she had but one rival in the country, and that was his Scottish majesty, the late Duke of Buccleuch. Queen Victoria was that rarest of all things, for a ruler, a faithful wife, a loving m.Qther and a great-hearted Chris tiati. 282 THE QUEEN y\N EXAMPLE TO HER PEOPLE. woman. Her married life was one long romance, witliont a cloud to mar its happiness. Shortly after the birth of the Prince of Wales, she wrote in one of her letters of the time regarding her domestic life : " It is all perfect ; I feel so happy that I cannot believe that it will last long." It was the desire of the Dnchess of Kent, the Princess' mother, that the alliance was to be the farthest possible from a "marriage de convenance." Both prior to and after her acces- sion Victoria had seen rather more of her intended husband than was usual in such cases. They loved each other. They were alike in their tastes and inclinations. Both loved music, rever- enced art, and spent a great deal of time together at events of the moment, from a sermon at St. Paul's to a ball at Kensington. A QUICK COURTSHIP. "Each discovered that life would be blissful with, intolerable without, the other." The Prince had been at Windsor barely four days when the young Queen confided her heart's secret to Lord Melbourne. On the morrow (October 15, 1839) she found courage to tell her love to him, whom it concerned more than any other living man. She offered herself to him, because eti- quette forbade the Prince to declare his passion for the greatest Queen of English history until she should give him permission so to do. On February 10, 1840, the marriage was solemnized in the Royal Chapel, at St. James'. The chroniclers quite run short of adjectives with which to j^^^ise their Queen, yet found the space to call Prince Albert "most charming," to speak of his "glossy, pale, auburn hair," and to add, with a naivete very English : " He carried a bible bound in green velvet, and showed that he had only just recovered from the seasickness occasioned by his journey from Germ an3\" Twenty years of happiness followed, which were not to come to an end till 1861, years which were to culminate in the great success of 1851, when the first International Exhibition was opened at the tken new Crystal Palace. THE QUEEN AN EXAMPLE TO HER PEOPLE. 2153 It was iu this uudertakiiig, which owed its triumph so largely to his initiative and energy, that Prince Albert most nearly won the affection of the English people. It cannot be said, however, that he was ever wholly popular with the masses. Public men respected him for the devotion with which he assisted his wife in her arduous work of government where he could, and the tact with which he stood aside where he could not. But the rank and file' never quite forgot nor wholly forgave the accident of his foreign birth. On this whole period of twenty-one years of married life but one judgment can be truly passed — it was ideally happy and con- genial. Nor is any small part of Victoria's popularity due to its exemplary and charming domesticity, which contrasted so agreeably with the private life of the two monarchs who had preceded her. HISTORY WILL CALL HER A TRUE WOMAN. The final estimate which the historian of the future must place upon her character is that in a nature of masculine strength and feminine patience shone a true womanliness, an invariably sound regard for the dictates of common sense and an unremitting attention to all the duties of life, whether small or great. Around Windsor Castle more than any other of her homes Her Majesty's life, from the time of her accession, was centred. This was her home par excellence. Buckingham, though no whit less gorgeous within, is a pigmy in size compared with the colossal pile of Windsor, which dominates the surrounding landscape — the rich groves, the houses of the town, the meadows and the tranquil Thames — much as would a solitary mountain peak. Founded by William the Conqueror, the huge structure has grown under the hands of many kings, George IV. spent $5,000,000 on it. Buckingham and Windsor belong to the sovereigns of Eng- land, and therefore to the nation ; but Balmoral Castle and Osborne House are the Queen's private property. These were Her Majesty's country homes. Osborne House^ in one of the loveliest 284 THE QUEEN AN EXAMPLE TO HER PEOPLE. corners of tlie Isle of Wight, was built in 1845 by tbe Queen and Prince Albert, and designed to be a liome rather than a palace. Ricli woods and meadows, winding vales, and the sea break- ing upon a line of gentle beach, these are the characteristics of the landscape of which this quiet and stately structure of white stone forms the centre. Here Prince Albert indulged to the full his passion for landscape gardening, and his tastes as an English country gentleman for farming. Whatever the likings of the royal family, Her Majesty's own preference was for Balmoral Castle, in the highlands of Scot- land. To the beautiful hills about Loch-nagar and the Deeside the Queen and Prince Albert paid a visit in 1849. ^^ Balmoral, ever since her husband's death, she spent the summer or autumn of each year. ABOARD THE ROYAL YACHT. A great deal of the time of the Queen was passed upon the ro\^al yacht " Victoria and Albert." On this ship the Queen's apartments consisted of a breakfast room, a drawing room and a bedroom, the deckhouse being fitted up as a dining room capable of holding nearly twenty guests. All the furniture and walls of the cabins are covered with a pretty rosebud pattern chintz, which is also used as the Queen's bed hangings. This pattern of chintz is said to have been chosen by the late Prince Consort. The Lords and Ladies in Waiting have their dining room on the fore part of the main deck, the Ladies in Waiting having their cabins on the starboard side, and the Lords in Waiting and the captain of the yacht on the port side. While at Cimiez, near France, a resort which she visited in the winter to escape the English weather, the Queen preserved her incognito under the title of the Countess of Balmoral. She hired for $11,000 a month a wing of the Excelsior Hotel Regina there. There she drove in her favorite donkey carriage. To the natives she was always delightfully non ceremonial. The Queen will live in history as the most enlightened and TKK QUKKN AN EXAMi^LE TO HER PEOPLE. 285 consistent of constitutional monarchs, as well as being revered as a great and noble woman. Those who have been privileged to enjo}' her friendship a'd speak of the beautiful blending of naivete and kindness with great personal dignity which rendered Ikl' so charming in private life. As a ruler she was wise, judicious and sagacious, and above everything distinguished by a high sense of duty. Reverence deep and lasting lives for her in the hearts of the people, and one can but echo those beautiful lines of Mrs. Crosland : " Victoria ! writ Lirge in lines of light, The name through coming ages will remain In foremost rank with those great few that blight Ne'er tarnished, shining on without a stain." CHAPTER XVII. How Victoria Prevented War Between America and Great Britain. IN ALMOST all of the editorial comments liere tliat were occa- sioned by tlie death of Queen Victoria, reference was made to the peace-inspiring and friendly touch which she gave to the des- patch agreed upon by the British Ministers containing a demand upon the United States for the surrender of the Confederate commissioners, Mason and Slidell, during our Civil War. The service which the Queen rendered to the United States at a moment of extreme peril, is now a matter of history. It is probably the recollection of that friendly act, as well as the spon- taneous recognition of the true womanly character of the Queen, that call forth such universal tributes of respect and sympathy from the whole country after the death of the Qneen. There were extremely romantic and, in the true meaning of the word, sensational incidents connected with the Queen's change of the temper of the de .patch framed by Lord John Russell. Iv/erybody familiar with liistory knows that the Hnglish Govern- ment, at the head of which was Lord Palmerston, and with Lord John Russell as Foreign Secretary, prepared a despatch which was to be submitted to our Secretary of State, Mr. Seward, by the British Minister at Washington, Lord L3^ons. This despatch was undoubtedly deliberately so phrased as to compel the United States Government to refuse to heed it with the probable inevitable result that we should have been compelled to contemplate war with Great Britain at the very time we were engaged in our struggle with the Confederate States. So, too, it is well known that a copy of this despatch having been laid before the Queen, and at a time, too, when she was in utmost distress because of the dangerous illness of the Prince Consort with typhoid fever, she and the Prince, her husband, went over the despatch, 286 HOW VICTORIA PREVENTED WAR. 287 tlie Queen disapproving of the liarsh language used and tlie Prince Consort fully agreeing with her in that opinion. He took a pencil, made certain interlineations that changed the whole temper of the despatch so that it became a friendl}", though regretful message, and nevertheless one which the United. States could accept and act upon without any sense of humiliii-- tion. This was the last time that the Prince Consort ever held a pencil between his fingers, and it was the last act of counsel and aid which he gave to his wife, the Queen, in the interest of her administration. A few da3's after he and she, man and woman, monarch and consort, always favoring peace, always of friendl}- dispostion to the United States, had thus changed the temper of a war-inviting despatch, the Prince Consort was dead. THE NOTE PROMPTLY ACCEPTED. Mr. Seward, with what seemed to be unexpected and remark- able haste, accepted the amended note, consented to give up Mason and Slidell, although he was shrewed enough to base in part that act upon the precedent and the doctrine which our Gov- ernment had established and observed, and which he said he was gratified to see had now been adopted by the Government of Great Britain. The incident was closed, there never was real danger again, during the Civil War, that we should become embroiled with Great Britain, although there unquestionabl}^ was at one time intrigue between Napoleon III. and the British Cabinet with the purpose of declaring the Southern ports open to the commerce of Great Britain and France. It is now both timely and possible to narrate a little unwritten histor}^ which illuminates the action of Secretary Seward in so speedily accepting the mildly and kindly tempered note as it had been amended by the Queen. This information comes at first hand, although the anecdote was told long ago b}^ Thurlow Weed, whose part in the incident was in the highest degree dramatic. Mr. Weed was then in London as one of a special personal embassy, of which Bishop 288 HOW VICTORIA PPsEVENTED WAR. Mcllvaine, of Ohio, aud Ardibisliop John Hughes, of New York, were the other members. They were the personal representa- tives of President Lincoln, a special embassy appointed by him with some high powers, whose chief purpose was to counteract the influences and intrigues that had for their object the recog- nition of the Southern Confederacy by France and Great Britain. Mr. Weed was dwelling temporarily with his daughter in lodgings in London, and was kept informed through confidential sources of the temper of the British Cabinet toward the Unitedl States. He had also learned who his friends, as well as friends of the United States, were at court. Gladstone was not one of them, but John Bright in the House of Commons was. UNFRIENDLY TO OUR COUNTRY. With one exception, the British Cabinet was unfriendly to the United States, unquestionably reflecting the view of the English aristocracy and of the cotton manufacturers. But there were some women of influence who were warm friends of the United States, and among them was the sister-in-law of Lord Palmerston. Mr. Weed knew that the note which the British Cabinet was preparing for Mr. Seward would be unfriendly, and he, in fact, had in a general way some information as to its contents. He was very gloomy. There was no Atlantic cable, excepting the dead one, that had recorded only one or two messages in 1859. He had written to Mr. Seward, advising him to be prepared for an unfriendly communication. He was sitting in his [parlor one day at noon chatting with his daughter, when a card was brought to him. He read upon it the name of the sister-in-law of Lord Palmerston, whom he knew to be with other women in the court circle of most friendly dis- position toward the United States. Mr. Weed went immediately to receive his friend. She was evidently greatly excited, and as nearly as can be recalled from Mr. Weed's version of the interview, she spoke to him immediately in these words : HOW VICTORIA PREVENTED WAR. 289 ^' Mr. Weed, a mail leaves within an lionr for the United States ; do not lose a moment in writing to Mr. vSeward, yonr Secretary of State, saying to him that 3^on know that the note that will be forwarded to him, throngh Lord Lyons, will be of a friendly character, that the Qneen is friendly, though the Cabinet is not, and urge upon him to accept, in generous spirit, the sug- gestions that are contained in the note, for it gives ample opportunity for a friendly understanding and closing of the Trent affair." Mr. Weed did not wait for further explanation. He trusted this woman implicitl3^ He immediately wrote a letter in accord with the hint given, took a cab and posted it in time to catch the outgoing mail, although he said afterward, with a smile, that it was a very close shave. He knew that Mr. Seward would get this letter, at least a half week before the official note could reach him. That was exactly what happened. When Lord Lyons delivered the official note to the Secretar}^ of State, Mr. Seward was already prepared for it, and had, in a tentative way, made up his mind as to the answer he would make. WELL ARMED FOR THE CRISIS. It was because he was thus forewarned and counseled by Mr. Weed, by reason of the friendly aid given by a lady of the court, that Mr. Seward was able to make a reply and to take such action as was entirely satisfactory to Great Britain. Mr. Weed then went on to say that not the least interesting feature of this incident was the manner in which this lady came in possession of what was a state secret. She told him herself a day or two afterwards. Mr. Weed, with his daughter. Miss Harriet Weed, had been invited to luncheon at Lord Russell's. After the luncheon Lord Russell proposed a walk in the gardens, and he took Miss Weed upon his arm, leaving Mr. Weed to escort Lady Russell. The other guests followed. Mr. Weed noticed that Lady Russell was of slow step and seemed to be disposed to lag. He presumed that 3he had some purpose in doing this, so that he accomodated his 19 290 HOW VICTORIA PREVENTED WAR. Step to hers and after a while lie witli Lady Russell were so fat behind Lord John Russell and Miss Weed that they were able to talk without being overheard. With a quick, half-nervous, half-humorous glance at her husband, as though measuring the distance between her and him and satisfying herself that he could not overhear, Lady Rus- sell said in a low tone to Mr. Weed : "I wanted to tell you some- thing for your own information. The Queen is your friend, don't you worry. I am sure of it, and she has done a most friendly act. I want you to let Mr. Lincoln know that he and the United States have a friend in the Queen, and that it will be no fault of hers if any trouble breaks out between the United States and Great Britain." Just then Lord Russell turned his head, with a half glance behind him, and saw that Lady Russell and Mr. Weed were not only lagging, but had stopped. Lord Russell said: "What are you saying to Mr. Weed, my dear ; you seem to be telling him something that is of interest ? " RARE PRESENCE OF MIND. Instantly, with a presence of mind and with a power of act- ing which Mr. Weed said he had never seen excelled, Lady Rus- sell replied in these words: " I was just telling Mr. Weed that we were standing upon the precise spot where Henry VIII. stood awaiting the report of the execution of his wife, Anne Boleyn." " Ah, yes, you are actually, Mr. Weed, standing upon that sadl}^ historic spot," said Lord Russell. " These were the favorite gardens of Henry VIII., and I know that the tradition which asssigns that place as the spot where the King stood while they were executing his Queen is well authenticated," Mr. Weed had no opportunity to do more than express thanks which seemed to convey his gratitude that Lady Russell should have pointed out to him a historic spot, but which she knew well enough were meant far a recognition of her kindness in giving to him this important news. HOW VICTORIA PREVENTED WAR, 291 But at the same lunclieon, later in tlie day, Mr. Weed liad an opportunit}' to meet Lord Palmerston's sister-in-law and to have brief conversation with her. She began it abruptly. " Did you Avrite Mr, Seward?" she asked, and Mr. Weed replied, "Instantly, and the letter is now upon its way." "I am very glad of that," she replied, " and I hope that Mr. Seward will be prepared to act upon your suggestion," and then she added in a lighter vein with some hint of mischief or humor in her manner : "I suppose, Mr. Weed, that yon would like to know how I was able to find out within an hour after the Queen had seen and altered the despatch exactly what she had done. I will tell you, but you must promise to keep this a secret, although 3'ou can tell Mr. Seward and President Lincoln if you want to when you get back to the United States. I was lunching with my sister, who you know is Lord Palmerston's wife, and with several friends, all ladies, on the da}^ that Lord Palmerston took the despatch to the Queen. APPREHENDING SERIOUS TROUBLE. "We were feeling rather gloomy because we knew in a general way that the despatch was not a kindly one, and most of us would have deplored any outbreak of trouble between the United States and England. By and by, just after wq had finished luncheon, Lord Palmerston came into the room, and he threw his despatch book upon the table and we saw in an instant that he was in a bad temper. He exchanged hardly a word with any of us, but passed on through the room. "Bvery one of us commented upon his appearance, and as he had left us in the morning in good spirits we were satisfied that something had happened during his visit to the Queen which had soured his temper. I happened to look at the despatch book, and I said that I was certain the Queen had been doing something with despatches which did not please him. So I suggested in a spirit half of curiosity and half of mischief that we open the despatch book. Lady Palmerston instantly acted on my sugges- tion and there, first of all the despatches, was the note prepared 202 HOW VICTORIA PREVENTED WAR. for Secretary Seward, and on looking it over we saw tlie inter- lineation and the changes, and we recognized the Prince Consort's handwriting. "We knew that this had been done upon the advice, or at least with the approval of the Queen, and it only took a glance to show us that the Queen was determined to be friendlj^ with the United States, and that she had opposed her ministry in this matter. I saw that there was time to catch the mail for the United States, and I determined to call upon you. I summoned my carriage and drove to your lodgings, apprehensive all the while that you might be out, and I can't tell you how glad I was to discover that you were in, for I felt that if President Lincoln and Mr. Seward were forewarned and advised by you they would be ready to accept the despatch in the spirit in which the Queen had changed it." "And 1 have no doubt that they will do that very thing," Mr. Weed replied. And when he next met Lord Palmertson's sister-in-law he thanked her in the name of the United States for the kindness with which she had supplemented the kindly act of the Queen. A BISHOP PRAISES VICTORIA. Bishop Henry C. Potter, of New York, in commenting on the death of Queen Victoria, spoke of the observations he had made during his travels on the influence the Queen's personality exercised upon the subjects in her great colonial empire. " No political bond in the empire," said Bishop Potter, "has been stronger than the bond of personal devotion to this beau- tiful character and personality. On my trip around the world I was struck by the extent of this extreme personal devotion. I realized that the influence of the Queen had an attractive and cohesive force upon colonial life that was remarkable. Persons who had never seen the Queen and had never even been in Eng- land were devotedly attached to her. " In making an attempt to estimate the character of Britain's late Queen I can only repeat the words I used in Calvary Church. The two rulers who are most prominent in the history of th^ two HOW VICTORIA PREVENTED WAR. 293 Knglisli speaking people, Victoria and Washington, were not distinguished so much by brilliancy of intellect as by high character and devotion to duty. " At the time of the Queen's Jubilee, in 1887, the Bishop of Long Island and I were in Algiers, and the British residents there were preparing to place in the English chapel a tablet of marble commemorative of the jubilee. Sir Lambert Play fair, the British Consul General, came to us and asked us whether the Americans would co-operate with the British in dedicating a tab- let to an American consul who had aided the British in putting down the Algerian pirates. STORY OF A TABLET. "Our Consul materially assisted the British in the early part of the century, and we obtained subscriptions from the American residents for the tablet to commemorate his services. It was intended, however, to make the tablet of the Queen a special feature in the chapel, while that to the American Consul was to occupy a rather inconspicuous place. Sir Lionel Playfair showed me the inscription to be placed on the latter tablet, which ran somewhat to the effect that it was erected by American citizens in connection with the tablet commemorating the Queen's Jubilee. " I asked permission to add a few lines to the inscription, and, taking my pencil, I wrote :— ' Whether as Queen, wife or mother, Victoria has endeared herself to all sorts and conditions of men throughout all lands.' "When Sir Lionel read the words he was visably affected. After a moment's silence he said that the American tablet should not be placed at the other end of the chapel, but in the most con- spicuous place. The Qufeen was always the friend of our country." Henry Labouchere in his well known Journal "Truth," paid a remarkable tribute to Queen Victoria, a tribute all the more remarkable because of his democratic ideas and frank criticisms of royalty : "Among all her millions of subjects," he said, "there are 29-4 HOW VICTORIA PREVENTED WAR. but few wlio will not mourn for her loss as for one of their own household. Nor will the mourners be found among her own sub- jects alone. It is not too much too say that never in the history of the world has a single death caused such universal grief "Alike in happiness and sorrow, she lived a life beyond reproach, without thought of self and unreservedly devoted to the duties of the hour. Although occupying perhaps the proud- est position ever filled by a woman and never wan! iig in a cer- tain Queenly dignity, her tastes, habits, demeanor ai^d even her dress were marked by the rarest simplicity. *'She has been the mother of her people, and as a mother she will be mourned. In all the iaffairs of state she manifested the same wisdom that inspired her private life, nor did her own country alone enjoy the fruits of her experience and sagacity. Through her kindred and descendants abroad her influence for many years has been felt in continental politics, always on the side of peace ; and in at least one crisis she is known to have rendered service to the whole of Europe. DUE TO OVER^A^ORK AND GRIEF. " Her sudden and lamentable breakdov.n was due entirely to worry and overwork. She had been greatly disturbed by events in South Africa and by domestic griefs." " Queen Victoria and Her Influence " was the subject of a sermon at the Epiphany Baptist Church, Philadelphia, by Rev. Dr. Wayland Hoyt. He said : "We are all casting moral shadows, and that is influence. Think of the unconscious influence we exert ; but because it is so silent we should not think lightly of it. Whoever heard the sound of that mighty force that holds the world together ? The sunlight that gives life and strength is a silent force. This force comes from us often unconsciously, and the force so coming is either blighting or blessing mankind. Therefore, how much greater our responsibility than we imagine. " Behold, what a mighty illustration of the force of this influence is set forth in the life of the good Queen who died last HOW VICTORIA PREVENTED WAR. 2J.j week. Great as tliat reign lias been, it lias been equally miglit}^. And it is greater still in tbe mighty unconscious influence it shed on humanity. How long she has stood for that beautiful family affection. " Her love for her home, her home life and her love for him who was for so many years her Consort. The unconscious influ- ence of that sweet and affectionate wife and mother has blessed and brightened millions of homes. How long she stood for sweet motherhood. How long she has stood for the sanctity of the family. Divorces she never countenanced. How long she has stood for devotion of duty and fealty to religion. In her influence religion reigned and it has strengthened and held the many mill- ions in the faith. WILL SHINE THROUGH AGES TO COME. "The sweet, holy influence shed by the Queen's life shall shine through all the ages to come. In our lives let us strive to be what she was, a devoted Christian and one who helped the world to something better and more holy." Rev. Dr. Alford thus discoursed at Westminster Church on " Victoria and Her Reign " : "Queen Victoria's possessions were found in every clime, and many races are mourning for her. But sorrow for the death of such a noble Queen is not confined to her subjects. The whole world is draped in mourning. In America we feel it almost as though we had lost a beloved President. Our Chief Magistrate sends a touching message of sympathy. Congress passes resolu- tions of sorrow and adjourns as a mark of respect to the memory of the Queen. Flags all over the country are at half mast, pub- lic buildings are draped, and memorial services are held in many cities. Her death has caused universal grief "Victoria as a sovereign had no superiors. She gathered around her a galaxy of great men, such as Sir Robert Peel, Lord Beaconsfield, and Mr. Gladstone. While we boast of our freedom, and that we have no royalty to support, yet Queen Victoria has been the central figure of English History, the rallying point of 296 HOW VICTORIA PREVENTED WAR. Britisli patriotism. When the people lost confidence in the government the}^ were still loyal and devoted to their noble Queen. When the changes came and a new government was being organized the Queen tided the country over the dangerous transition. " Victoria was a wise and discreet sovereign, always laboring for the peace and prosperity ^of her country. Her influence transcended that of every other sovereign. Her sceptre was like the olive branch, and her counsels were always for peace. The empire grew enormously during her reign, and the democratic idea has through her influence become firmly established." CHAPTER XVin. The Queen's Later Married Life. T^HB Exhibition 3^ear of 185 1, which marked an epoch in the ^ histor}/' of the nation, marked also the meridian of Queen Victoria's married life. There seemed to be scarcely a cloud upon her horizon. She rejoiced in the beautiful children who clustered at her knee, and in the husband who, after eleven vears of wedded life, was more than ever her ideal of all that was noble, good, and true ; and it was her further happiness to find that the country was beginning to appreciate him too. The overwhelming success of the Great Exhibition, Prince Albert's own creation, silenced for the present his detractors, and Ministers were now eager to tell the Queen that it was a wonder- ful conception, and that the Prince was a very remarkable man, to which Her Majesty was apt to reply in effect, if not in words, "Didn't I tell you so?" Shortly after her engagement she had told Lord Melbourne that the Prince was perfection, and the old man smiled at a girl-bride's enthusiasm ; but the day came when he wrote to the Queen : ''You said when you were going to be married that he (the Prince) was perfection, which I thought a little exaggerated then ; but reall}^ I think now that it is in some degree realized." Such happiness and content was naturally reflected in the Queen's appearance at this period. Her face, which in her girl- hood was bright and prett}-, had taken a more enduring charm in its softened, thoughtful expression, and those who were about her speak of the spiritual serenity of her countenance and the lovableness of her disposition. Baron Stockmar, who had watched her long and critically, said : " The Queen improves greatly. She makes daily advances in discernment and exper- ience ; the candor, the love of truth, the fairness, the considerate- ness with which she judges men and things are truly delightful, 298 THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. and tlie ingenuous self-knowledge witli slie speaks about herself is simply charming." For fourteen years she had wielded the greatest sceptre in the world, and the experience thus gained was showing itself in her mastery of the duties and responsilities of her position. The young Queen who had resented the downfall of the Melbourne Ministry because it removed loved friends from her side had learned to regard such changes from the constitutional stand-j point, and not from private feeling. Landseer, who had many opportunities of judging, told Caroline Fox that he thought the Queen's intellect superior to any w^oman's in Europe. Her memory was so remarkable that he had heard her recall "the exact words of speeches made years before, which the speakers themselves had forgotten." The Queen had now developed into a sagacious states woman with whom Cabinet Ministers had to reckon. PUREST COURT IN EUROPE. Her Court was at once the purest and one of the most splendid in Europe, and the season which followed the opening of the Great Exhibition was the most brilliant of any since the Queen's accession ; the town literally swarmed with distinguished people from all parts of the world. The two chief society events were the Queen's Stuart Ball and the City of London Ball. The strong dramatic element in the Queen's character led her to adopt the ''bal masque" as her favorite form of entertainment. Fancy balls illustrating the Plantagenet and Georgian periods had already been given, and on the 13th of June, 1851, the famous Stuart Ball, to illustrate the time of the Merry Monarch, took place at Buckingham Palace. The Queen and Prince Albert appeared in superb dresses of' the period, and Her Majesty's pretty fair hair was plaited with pearls beneath a crown of diamonds. It might be described as a "gentlemen's night," for they took the palm for smart dresses ; ga}^ cavaliers were they all, with lovelocks, collars and cuffs of Honilon lace, and such a profusion of ribbons as had never been THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. 299 seen before. They wore them hanging in bunches like a High- lander's philibeg, and even their shirt sleeves were bound and ornamented with ribbons. Of course "the Duke" (Wellington) was there, but he drew the line at lovelocks, and wore his own scanty grey hair, which made him a marked figure in the crowd, with flowing curls. It is interesting to note that Mr. Gladstone figured as Sir Leoline Jenkins, Judge in the High Court of Admiralty, and wore " a black velvet coat turned up with blue satin, ruffles and collar of old point lace, black breeches and stockings, and shoes with spreading bows." About a month later came the ball at the Guildhall given by the Mayor and Corporation to the Queen in celebration of the Great Exhibition. Her Majesty drove from Buckingham Palace through dense crowds of people literally shouting in every tongue, and to see her return more than a million people waited in the streets until three o'clock in the morning. The ball itself was the most amusing affair possible, many of the guests not having the least idea of Court, or even of ordinary good behaviour. BURST INTO A FIT OF LAUGHTER. A nobleman who was present relates that the ladies passed the Queen at a run, and then returned to stare at her. Some of the gentlemen passed with their arms round the ladies' waists, and others holding them by the hand at arm's length, as if going to dance a minuet. But when one man kissed his hand to the Queen, her risibility could stand no more, and she went off into one of those uncontrollable fits of laughter for which Her Majesty was rather famous, and doubtless the Lord Mayor's guests thought this the best part of the entertainment. In accordance with the spirit of peace and goodwill to all men with which the Queen and Prince Albert had initiated the Exhi- bition, religious, philanthropic, and scientific institutions received a marked share of attention. A monster meeting on behalf of the Societ}' for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts was held, at which Prince Albeit presided, and made a remark- 300 THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. ably fine speech ; and lie was also active on behalf of the British Association. At length there came a lull in the routs, meetings, and festivities — town was out of town, for the Queen had left for the Highlands. It was on this occasion that Her Majesty first travelled by the Great Northern Railway. She halted at Peterborough to receive her ''kind, good master," Bishop Davys. Canon Davys, 'the son of the Bishop, has told the present writer that Her Majesty never visited his father at Peterborough Palace, as some writers allege, knowing the simple life which he led ; but she never failed to invite him to meet her at the station when she passed through Peterborough on her way to Scotland. She always received her old tutor in the royal saloon carriage like a valued friend, and would show him her children, and talk over their futures with him. MAKING A SAILOR OF THE PRINCE. Canon Davys attended as chaplain on such occasions, and he well remembers the Queen bringing forward Prince Alfred (the present Duke of Saxe-Coburg), and saying, "We are going to make this boy a sailor." Proceeding to Edinburgh, the Queen passed a night at Holyrood Palace. It may not be generally known that Her Majesty has always shown a sympathetic inter- est in the fate of Mary Queen of Scots, and this her first sojourn in the Palace so intimately connected with her was full of romantic interest, and she told Sir Archibald Alison that she was glad that she was descended from Mary Stuart and not from Elizabeth Tudor. From Holj^rood the royal party proceeded to Balmoral, which had now been purchased by Prince Albert, he having previously rented it. Here the autumn was passed by the Queen in that free, simple manner which she loved — walking, driving, riding, sketching, and visiting the cottagers. At first the simple Scotch folk were a little disconcerted by the royal visits ; but when one of the old women expressed her nervousness to the Queen, Her Majesty replied that she hoped that they would not allow any THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. 301 feeling of that kind to trouble them, as she was just a woman like themselves. The following story will illustrate the feeling which speedily grew up between the Queen and her poorer neighbors. A man from Balmoral was being examined as a witness before the jury, when the presiding judge spoke rather sharply to him. "Just allow me to tak' time, my lord," said the man ; " I'm no accus- tomed to sic a company ;" adding to the bystanders, after he left the witness-box, "the Queen has been to my hut, and she speaks pleasantly and draws pretty pictures for the bairns. I would far rather speak to the Queen than to yon chap in the big wig." GREAT THRONG OF SCHOOL CHILDREN. After leaving the Highlands the Queen paid her first visit to Liverpool and Manchester. The festivities at Liverpool were marred by a steady downpour ; but at Manchester the weather was more propitious, and an interesting demonstration took place in Peel Park, where eighty thousand school children, belonging to the various religious denominations, were assembled. The "canny" Manchester folk had hit on the right thing to please the Queen's motherly heart. Her look of delight as she gazed at the children, ranged tier above tier, fourteen deep, was long remembered b}^ the, ipeople. Continuing lier journey to London, the Queen paid a fare- well visit to the Exhibition, where she found Mary Kerlynack, the plucky old woman who walked all the way from her native Cornwall to see the wonder, still hovering about the doors, and appeared ready to cry when the Queen looked at her. The Exhi- bition was closed on the 15th of October, the twelfth anniversary of Her Majesty's betrothal to Prince Albert. Its success had exceeded the most sanguine expectations ; yet a feeling of sadness seemed to be in the heart of the Queen and of the nation, a half- conscious foreboding that this Peace Festival was to be the herald of a darker instead of a brighter time, for already the war-clouds were gathering which burst in the Crimean war. It was while still in Scotland that the Queen received the J^02 THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE, news of the death of the Duke of Wellington, which filled her with grief " One cannot think of the country without the Duke, our immortal hero," she said. A curious coincidence occurred on the morning when the Queen received the tidings. She was out walking, and suddenly missed the watch given her by the Duke, which she always wore. Later in the morning a servant returned to the Queen, who was sketching at the Glassalt Shiel, to say that the watch was all right at the Castle, but at the same time handing Lord Derby's telegram giving the news of the Duke's death. Her Majesty returned to town to witness the funeral proces- sion, which was the most remarkable death pageant of her reign. It took place on the i8th of November, 1852, and passed to St. Paul's through streets draped in black ; a " masquerade in ink," Dickens rather flippantly called it. Duty to the Crown had always been the mainspring of Wellington's life, and his devotion to the Queen, over whom he had watched with a fatherly pride from her earliest years, was quite romantic. MISFORTUNES AND BLESSINGS. On the 7th of April, 1852, the Queen's eighth child and fourth son was born at Buckingham Palace, and received, among others, the name of Leopold, after her beloved uncle, the King of the Belgians. Only three weeks before this event an alarming fire had broken out at Windsor Castle close to the white drawing room, where the Queen and Prince were sitting ; but Her Majesty displayed her usual intrepidity, and received no harm. A few months after her confinement, she had her family " down with the measles," and suffered a slight attack herself Happily all quickly recovered, and in the succeeding August the royal party visited Ireland to open the Exhibition of Art and Industry at Dublin. In the autumn of 1853 the Queen was considerably "wor- ried" by a revival of the charges of "foreign influence" directed against her husband. War was now imminent with Russia, and the popular feeling was in its favor ; still, there was hesitation in the Cabinet, attributed to the influence "behind the throne." THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. 303 The feeling displayed drew from the Queen a letter to Lord Aberdeen, in whicli she said that the Prince was one and the same Avith herself, and that attacks upon him were the same as attacks upon the throne. When Parliament met in January, 1854, the calumnies against the Prince were refuted in both Houses, and for the first time the right of the Prince to advise the sovereign — his wife — was officially accepted. Shortly after this dark cloud had been lifted, the Queen kept the fourteenth anniversary of her marriage at Windsor, when the royal children performed a Masque of the Seasons, which the Baroness Bunsen, who was present, describes as being a wonder- fully prett}^ sight. Spring was represented by Princess Alice, Summer by the Princess Royal, Autumn by Prince Alfred, and Winter by the Prince of Wales. A separate tableau was given for each season, and the children recited suitable verses from Thomson's "Seasons." As a finale, all the seasons stood in a group, while the little Princess Helena, dressed as Britannia, pronounced a blessing on their parents. A CONSCIENTIOUS MOTHER. The Queen's elder children were now entering upon their teens, and it was a conscientious duty with her that they should be rightly trained for their high position. When some years previously Mr. Birch had been appointed tutor to the Prince of Wales, the Queen wrote: "It is an important step, and God's blessing be upon it ; for upon the good education of princes, and especially those who are destined to govern, the welfare of the world, in these days, very greatly depends." The instruction which she had given for the religious training of the Princess Royal was followed in the case of all the royal children. " I am quite clear," wrote the Queen in a memorandum, that " she should have great reverence for God and religion, but that she should have the feeling of devotion and love which our heavenly Father encourages His earthly children to have for Him, and not one of fear and trembling ; and that the thoughts of death and an after life should not be represented in an alarming 304 THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. and forbidding view, and tliat slie should be made to know as j^et no difference of creeds, and not tbink that sbe can onh- pray on ber knees, or tbat tbose wbo do not kneel are less fervent and devout in tbeir prayers." Her Majest}'-, indeed, kept tbe religious instruction of ber cbildren largely in ber own bands. A story is told that wben tbe Arcbdeacon of London was catecbising tbe young Princes be said, " Your governess deserves great credit for instructing you so tborougbly." At wbicb tbe boys piped out, " Ob, but it is mamma wbo teacbes us our Catecbism." It is not perbaps generally known tbat tbe Queen occasion- ally taught a Bible-class for tbe cbildren of those in attendance at Buckingham Palace, and tbat, it having come to ber knowledge tbat tbe cbildren of the servants and attendants at the Palace were without the means for ordinary instruction, she commanded that a school should be started for them in Palace Street, Pimlico, and herself showed tbe greatest interest in its management. ENCOURAGED TO FOLLOW THEIR OWN TASTES. Her Majesty encouraged her own boys to choose tbeir pro- fession wben they were quite young, and had them educated in accordance with tbeir choice, excepting of course the Prince of Wales, wbo was born to wear tbe purple, and bad no option in tbe matter. His training and education were, however, a consci- entious study with bis parents, wbo placed him successively under tbe care of Mr. Birch and Mr. Gibbs, and when in 1859, he entered Cambridge University, General the Hon. Robert Bruce, brother of Lord Elgin, accompanied him as "Governor." Tbe attachment of " Princey," as the heir to tbe throne was frequently called by tbe Queen's ladies, to his tutors was quite touching. Lady Canning writes from Windsor Castle in June, 1852 : " Mr. Birch [the tutor] left yesterday. It has been a ter- rible sorrow to tbe Prince of Wales, wbo has done no end of touching things since he heard tbat he was to lose him, three weeks ago. He is such an affectionate, dear little boy ; bis little notes and presents, were really moving." THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. 305 Prince Alfred early expressed his wish to be a sailor, and he was sent from home at twelve years of age to pursue his studies in a separate establishment, at the Royal Lodge, Windsor Park, under the care of Lieutenant Cowell, a young of&cer of engineers, afterwards Sir John Cowell, K. C. B., Master of Her Majesty's Household; later on, the sailor-Prince had an establishment at Alverbank, near Portsmouth, for the greater convenience of his naval studies. Prince Arthur decided to be a soldier, and began his training when nine years of age, under Captain Blphinstone, of the Engineers, afterwards Sir Howard Blphinstone. Thus the education of the three elder Princes was settled. Great grief was felt by the Queen and Prince Albert, when in 185 1, Lady Lyttelton retired from the post of governess to the royal children. She was succeeded by Lad}^ Caroline Barrington, sister of Earl Grey, who held the important position for twenty- four years, and was greatly beloved by the young Princesses. A STRONG CHARACTER. The Princess Royal became very remarkable as a girl as she had been clever as a child, and the constant companionship of her scholarly father developed her natural intellect to an astonishing degree. She was more of a woman at fifteen than most girls are at twenty. Princess Alice inherited her mother's affectionate nature and musical voice, and we find on festive occasions in the royal household that "Alice" did the recitations and speechifying. A girl of such strong personality as the Princess Royal needed the curb occasionally, and how promptly the royal mother applied it is illustrated by the following story. When about thirteen years old the Princess accompanied her mother to a military review, and seemed disposed, as she sat in the car- riage, to be a little coquettish with some of the young ofiicers of the escort. The Queen gave her some warning looks without avail, and presently the young Princess dangled her handkerchief over the side of the carriage and dropped it — evidently for the purpose. There Avas an immediate rush of young officers to pick it up ; 20 306 THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. but tte royal motTier bid tbe gentlemen desist from their gallant intention, and turning to poor unfortunate " Vicky," said in a stern voice, " Now, my daiigliter, pick up your handkercbief yourself." Tbere was no help for it ; tbe footman let down tbe steps, and tbe young Princess did ber mother's bidding, witb flam- ing ckeeks and a saucy toss of tbe bead, tbougb. Anotber time it was " Princey " wbo received a wbolesome lesson. He was riding in company witb bis father, and for once forgot his usual politeness, and neglected to acknowledge the salute of a passer-by. Prince Albert observing it said, " Now, my son, go back and return that man's bow," which he accord- ingly did. One might go on multiplying these stories, but suffi- cient has been said to show that the Queen's children were taught respectful obedience to their parents and elders in a manner not common to-day. ONE GREAT \A/'AR IN EACH REIGN. It always seems to have been the fate of English queens to have one important war. Queen Elizabeth fought the Spaniard and vanquished the Armada, Mary had her disastrous war with the French and lost Calais, Queen Anne's reign was famous for the victories of Marlborough, and Victoria had the Crimean war. It was on the 28th of February, 1854, that Her Majesty signed a formal declaration of war with Russia. In doing so she acted from the strongest sense of duty. The nation had made up its mind that Russian aggressions in the East must be checked, and the war-cry in the country was too strong to be disregarded. It is quite evident that the Queen and Prince Consort would have avoided the contest if they could have found an honorable means of doing so. In reply to the King of Prussia, who wrote at the eleventh hour urging peace, the Queen sent a letter full of patriotic spirit, and ending with the famous quotation : " Beware of entrance to a quarrel ; but being in, Bear it, that the opposer may beware of thee." THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. 36? For the next two years her life was passed in consuming anxiet}^ regarding this campaign. First she bid God-speed to her gallant troops as the}^ started for the seat of war ; then came the farewell to the magnificent war fleet as it sailed for the Baltic under command of Sir Charles Napier, and the launching and christening of the " Royal Albert," a monster ironclad sent to the Crimea with reinforcements after the battle of Inkerniann. With throbbing heart the Queen received the tidings of the battles of Alva, Inkermann, Balaclava, and the Charge of the Light Brigade ; and as the cry of the widow and the orphan began to be heard in the land, she and the Prince felt that something must be done to aid the distressed. PRINCE CONSORT'S PATRIOTIC FUND. In October, 1854, the Patriotic Fund, headed by the Prince Con- sort, was started. Subscriptions poured in from every part of the empire, and all over England, concerts, theatricals, and entertain- ments were held to aid the good work. By March, 1855, the Fund had reached the sum of one million. The royal children drew and painted pictures, which were exhibited at Burlington House, and sold in aid of the Fund. The " Battle Field," painted by the clever Princess Ro3-al, brought 250 guineas; "Bertie's" production realized only 55 guineas — rather trying for a boy to be so far behind his sister — while the drawings of the younger chil- dren brought 30 guineas apiece. The Queen and her ladies spent much of their time in knit- ting and sewing garments for the soldiers and preparing band- ages, while "Vicky "and "Alice," with all the enthusiasm of young girls, longed and even planned to go out and join Florence Nightingale and her noble band of nurses at Scutari. In fact, the sympathy and enthusiasm of the royal children were stirred to the highest pitch, and we find one of the young Princes say- ing to Lord Cardigan, when he returned to Windsor to visit Her Majesty, "Do hurry back and take Sebastopol, or else it will kill mamma." Frequent letters were written by the Queen to the seat of 308 THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LILE. war, expressing concern at the gross mismanagement of the com- missariat in the early part of the campaign, and vehementh^ urg- ing that every effort shonld be made to save the brave men from privation. During a war debate in Parliament in January, 1855, Mr. Augustus Stafford thrilled his hearers by telling them that he had seen a wounded man in the hospitel, after hearing one of the Queen's sympathetic letters read, propose her health in a glass of bark and quinine. A SOLDIER'S LOYAL TOAST. "It is a bitter cup for a loyal toast," said Mr. Stafford, to to which the man replied, "Yes ; and but for the words of the Queen I could not have got it down." In opening Parliament during this period of national sorrow, for the first timethe Queen's silvery accents failed her, and the speech from the throne was read by her in broken accents and with tears streaming down her face. " It was a sight never to be forgotten," says one who was present; " for the whole assembly was convulsed with grief ; there was scarcely one present who had not the loss of a dear one to mourn." When the melancholy contingents of wounded began to return home, the Queen constantly visited the sufferers in the military hospitals ; and it having occurred to har that the men A¥Ould value a token of regard from her own hands, a most pathetic and interesting ceremony took place on the i8th of May, 1855, at the Horse Guards, when she presented war medals to the officers and men disabled or home on sick leave. Sad-eyed indeed was the Queen as they filed past her with gaunt forms, pallid faces, and maimed and disabled bodies ; but it was beautiful to see how the faces of the men brightened as she spoke kind and grateful words to them. An amusing story is told by the Earl of Malmesbury of the "density" of the Minister for War, Lord Panmure, on this occa- sion. " Was the Queen touched? " asked a lady of him, referring to the pathetic spectacle. "Bless my soul, no!" was the reply; " she had a brass railing before her, and no one could touch her." THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. 309 "Was slie moved, I mean?" persisted tlie lady. "Moved!" answered Lord Panmnre ; " slie had no occasion to move." The seqnel to this lack of intelligence on the part of the Minister of War, may be found in the fact that tlie Queen's quick eyes had detected many flaws in the management of the military hospitals during her visits, and she had addressed remonstrances to Lord Panmnre on the subject. It was owing to tiie Queen's efforts that, after the war, the beautiful military hospital at Netley was built. In connection with the distribution of the Crimean war medals, a story is told of an old lady who kept the Swiss Cottage on the Duke of Bedford's estate at Endsleigh. When Her Majesty was paying a visit to the Cottage, the old lady thought, "Now's my chance,'' and plucking up heart, she said, "Please, your Majesty, ma'am, I had a son, a faithful subject of yom Majesty, and he was killed in your wars out in the Crimea, and I wants his medal." "And you shall have it," replied the Queen, with a soft voice and melting eye, as she took the old woman's SOVEREIGNS WHO WERE FRIENDS. The friendly alliance entered into between France and Eng- land during the Crimean war was the occasion of an interchange of visits between the sovereigns. The Emperor Napoleon, with his lovely young Empress, Eugenie, visited Windsor in April, 1855, and a few months later the Queen aud Prince Albert returned the visit, taking the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal along with them. A series of brilliant entertainments took place in Paris, and the friendship between the Queen and the amiable and lovely Eugenie, which lasted until the Queen's death. Often one fancies that the two royal widows sadly talked together of those bright, happy times. The two children enjoyed their visit to Paris immensely, and the Prince of Wales conceived the brilliant idea that he and his sister might remain behind and continue the festivities after the departure of their parents. The Empress made the usual reply which hostesses ^ive to importunate 310 THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LILE. juveniles — that their "papa and mamma would not be able to spare them," to which " Bertie " replied, " Oh, they can do without us ; there are six more at home." Shortly after the return of the Queen from France, the joy bells rang through the land that at length Sebastopol had fallen, and the war was practically at an end. The years 1856-57 were spent largely by the Queen amongst the returning warriors. It was a season of military reviews and decorations, and the enthusiasm of the troops at Aldershot, as Her Majesty rode down the lines on her chestnut charger in the uniform of a field marshal, draped below the waist with a dark blue skirt, was unbounded ; and when on another occasion she delivered a stirring speech to the soldiers from her carriage, the scene of excitement beggars description — "bearskins and shakos were thrown into the air, dragoons waved their sabres, and shouts rang all down the lines." MISS NIGHTINGALE AT THE CASTLE. The Queen showed her appreciation of Miss Nightingale's noble work by inviting her to Balmoral immediately after she had settled in the newly built castle. On the 26th of June, 1857, came the crowning act of the Queen in the Crimean period, when she distributed the Victoria Crosses, a badge for valor specially struck at this time, in Hyde Park to those who had performed special acts of bravery during the war. It was at this time of wide distribution of honors that Her Majesty conferred upon her noble husband the title of Prince Consort. Her Majesty's ninth, and youngest child, the Princess Bea- trice, was born on the 14th of April, 1857, ^^^ ^^ sooner does one cease to record this, the last birth in the royal household, than it becomes the pleasing duty to start with the weddings. One of the first acts of the Queen, when she had recovered from her con- finement, was to announce to Parliament the formal betrothal of her daughter, the Princess Royal, to Prince Frederick William of Prussia, eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Prussia, the direct heir to the throne, THE OUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. 311 Prince Fritz had visited Windsor during the Great Exhibi- tion in 185 1, and had greatly admired the young Princess at that time. When he returned in 1855, he found her "woman grown," chough only fifteen years of age, and as they rode together one day among the hills of Balmoral, he declared his love by present- ing the " Rose of England" with a spra}^ of white heather. The Queen and Prince Albert gave their consent to the betrothal on condition that it was regarded, for the present, as 11 private family matter, the extreme 3'outh of the Princess rendering anything more public undesirable, and the Queen felt that the matter should not take place until her daughter had attained her seventeenth year. THE GREAT MUTINY IN INDIA. The two years which intervened before the Princess's mar- riage were clouded by the terrible incidents of the Indian mutiny, which were a cause of continued anxiety to the Queen, and led to a "little skirmish" with Lord Palmerston. In June, 1857, ^^^ Queen was not satisfied that the Government were making suifi- ciently vigorous efforts to meet the crisis, and told Palmerston what she would have done had she been in the House of Com- mons, to w^hich Lord Palmerston replied : " It is fortunate for those from whose opinion your Majesty differs that your Majesty is not in the House of Commons, for they would have had to encounter a formidable opponent." We find Palmerston frequentl}^ speaking at this period of the Queen's " sagacity." A few days before the marriage of her daughter the Queen addressed a beautiful letter to Sir Colin Campbell, the hero of Lucknow, and a pathetic picture of the " Relief of Lucknow " was one of the last pieces of work done by the Princess Royal before her marriage. This, the first wedding in the Queen's family, was attended with all the little home touches which made Her Majesty's life so charming. She and the Prince themselves arranged the bride's presents to be viewed by their friends. The details of the mar- riage ceremony were identical with those of the Queen's own wedding, ^he calls it the "second most eventful day" in her 312 THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. life, and said tliat she felt as if slie were " being married over again herself" The very youthful bride looked charming in her white silk and orange blossoms, with the famous myrtle in her bouquet, a shoot of which, planted at Osborne, has grown into a tree which supplies the royal brides of the present time. The marriage was celebrated, like the Queen's, at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace, and took place on the 25th of January, 1858. A pretty little scene was enacted when, as the bride advanced to the altar, the bridegroom knelt to kiss her hand. Unlike her royal mother, the young Princess had to leave home and kindred for a foreign land, and the parting, after the brief honeymoon at Windsor, was a heart-breaking one for all. The Princess had said to her mother, " I think it will kill me to say good-bye to papa ;" and when the time came for her to sail for Germany, the poor young bride — clever, wilful, independent "Vicky" of the old days — was quite broken down. A SAD SEPARATION, The Queen did not trust herself to see her daughter off, and those who saw the Prince Consort's white, rigid face as he took his last look at the departing vessel have told the present writer that they never can forget its look of sadness. When the Princess was saying good-bye to the old people about Balmoral, one old "body" up and spoke her mind to the Queen, and expressed her opinion that the Princess Royal was as sorry to leave as they were to part with her ; then suddenly recol- lecting herself, she apologized, saying, "I mean no harm, but I always say just what I think, not what is fut" (fit). The Queen's comment on the incident was: "Dear old lady, she is such a pleasant person." Her Majesty dislikes, above everything, cringing servility, and delights in those honest, candid people, who say what they think, not what is " fut.'' In the following August the Queen and Prince Consort visited their daughter in her new home, and the Queen was rejoiced to find her " quite the old Vicky still ;" but in taking THE QUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. 313 leave of her after a pleasant stay in Germany, the royal mother felt sad that it was impossible for her to return again to the young Princess at that critical time when " every other mother goes to her child." On the 27th of January, 1859, the Princess Frederick Wil- liam was confined of a son, the present Emperor William, and Her Majesty found herself at thirty-nine with the ancient dignity "grandmamma" conferred upon her. In the September of i860 the Queen and Prince spent some time in Coburg, and were visited by "Vicky" and "Fritz" and the wonderful "baby Wil- liam," who was duly brought to grandmamma's room every morning, and was pronounced " such a darling." A SORE BEREAVEMENT. But the time has come when the shadow of death encom- passed the life of the beloved Queen. Her mother, the Duchess of Kent, had been for some time in declining health, and in March of 186 1, the Queen was summoned to Frogmore, and found her in a dying condition. She passed peacefully away, solaced by the daughter Avhom she had reared Avith unsurpassed love and care, and to whom her death came as the first great grief in life. "What a blessed end!" the Queen writes in her diary; " her gentle spirit at rest her sufferings over ! But I — I, wretched child — who had lost the mother I so tenderly loved, from whom for these forty-one years I had never been parted except for a few weeks — what was my case ? My childhood — everything seemed to crowd upon me at once. I seemed to have lived through a life, to have become old !" The Queen was much depressed in ;the months which fol- lowed, despite the loving sympathy of her husband and children ; and indeed she had not recovered her spirits when ten months later came a loss which made all others trivial. For the last ten years the Health of the Prince Censort had been unsatisfactory ; the great mental strain Avhich he underwent in organizing the Exhibition of 183 1, followed by the hard work and constant aux. 314 THE OUEEN'S LATER MARRIED LIFE. iety attendant on tlie Crimean war and the Indian mutiny, liad weakened his constitution, and when in December of 1861 he was seized with an attack of typhoid fever, he had no strength to resist the disease. The agonized suspense of his wife during the fortnight which followed his seizure was in proportion to the absorbing and pas-| sionate love she had borne him throughout the twenty-one years of their wedded life. When hope was abandoned and the doctors could no longer conceal their fears from her, the Queen writes : " I went to my room, and felt as if my heart must break." Then came a change in the Prince's condition, and the wife's heart beat fast with hope ; but it was only for a few hours. As the day advanced it became evident that the Prince was sinking. Bending over him the Queen whispered, '"Tis your own little wife," and he turned his head and kissed her. After ten o'clock, on the fatal 14th of December, came the end, and the great and good Prince, who had worn, through good report and ill, " the white flower of a blameless life," passed to his reward, and the Crown was left a "lonely splendor." CHAPTER XIX. The Castle in the Highlands. AN official of tHe Queen's household has fully described her ^~^ home life in the following pages. He lifts the curtain and shows us the Queen as she was at her own fireside. Balmoral Castle, the Scottish home of Queen Victoria, is in the Bast Highlands, in the Valley of the Dee. The Queen and Prince Consort first came here in 1848, at the recommendation of their physician, Sir James Clark. The neighborhood of Balmoral is esteemed the driest and healthiest in Scotland. It is nine hun- dred feet above sea level. The air is pure and bracing, the soil gravell}^, and there is less rain than in the West Highlands. It is a beautiful district, whether in spring, when the birches are in tender leaf and the broom bursting into yellow bloom ; or in summer, when the hills are pink with heather ; or in autumn, the Queen's favorite season here, when there is an inde- scribable glory upon hill and valley, of golden birch, purpling heather, scarlet rowan, and brown bracken. Millais says Scot- land is like a wet pebble ; a Scotch pebble he means, with its colors deepened and enriched by moisture. And this is pre-emi- nently true of Deeside. The district has its wilder aspects, too. It is a land of glens and rushing streams, of corries and crags. The Castle stands upon a "haugh" or open space by the Dee, the 'hills receding for background. Byron's " Dark Loch- nagar," 3800 feet high, closes the vista to the south. Byron passed some time in this neighborhood when a boy, and Loch- nagar and Dee's "rushing tide" are met with more than once in his poems. The picturesque beauty of the Scottish Highlands is justly celebrated, and in this particular locality the scenery has a peculiar charm for all visitors. Both the Queen and the Prince were impressed with the 315 316 THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. beauty of Balmoral, and, above all, witb its solitude and peace, after tbe rush of Court life in London and Windsor. The Prince rejoiced especially in the deer that came " stealthily about the house," and with his usual promptitude had a shot at them on the third day after their arrival. They made the ascent of Loch- nagar that year, partly on ponies, partly on foot, and it is said were lost some hours in a thick mist. The mountain has a long sharp back, ending in a peak, as seen from the east, and in a nook by this peak they ate their luncheon. This was the first of many ascents. In 1852, the Prince bought the estate for ^31,500, ($157,500). Later on he purchased Birkhall, in its immediate vicinity, for the Prince of Wales, who resided there at one time with his tutor. The Prince Consort made extensive plantings on the Birkhall estate for a deer forest, and intended ultimately to build a larger house for his son. But death, as he so often does, cut short these plans, and the estate has since been bought of the Prince of Wales by the Queen. A ROMANTIC REGION. Abergeldie, which lies between the two other estates, is held by lease. It has long been the property of the Gordons. Together with the great forest of Balloch Buie, a still more recent purchase, the whole comprises a little over 40,000 acres. The estate extends along the Dee for twelve miles. A public road once ran up the valley on both sides of the river. But after Balmoral became the property of Prince Albert the road was closed upon the south side, traf&c being diverted to the north bank by a bridge just by the castle gate. On the first arrival of the Royal Family they drove from Aberdeen, a distance of fifty miles, having come by sea to that point. But soon a railway began to creep up the valley by degrees, threatening destruction to their seclusion, and was at last stopped at Ballater, eight miles distant, by Act of Parliament. There was an old castle on the estate at that time, a picturesque pld affair, as extant engravings show, which had grown up into its THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLAND?^. ;^17 more lordly condition from a farmhouse. This proved quite inad- equate for the family, however, and in 1853 the corner-stone of a new house was laid. In 1855 it was ready for partial occupancy. When the Queen and Prince entered it to take possession, an old shoe was thrown in after them for good luck, in accordance with au old Hi o-h land custom. SCENE IN THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND. Several incidents which took place during the building of the Castle illustrate the considerateness of the Prince Consort. The Crimean war broke out, with the usual result of an advance in the price of all merchandise, including building materials. This was, of course, very unfortunate for the builder, who had made his contract upon the basis of previous prices. But Prince Albert came to his relief by taking the contract off his hands, and paying him a good salary as overseer of the works, at the same time that he paid full wages to the workmen. At another epoch in the building a fire broke out, threatening 3lS THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. destruction to all tliat liad been accomplislied. It was manfully fought, Prince Albert helping to pass the buckets on from the river, and at last subdued, though not before it had burned the workshops and consumed the workmen's tools, together Avith the little sums of money put by from their wages in their chests. Prince Albert afterwards ascertained the amount of these sums, and made up their loss to the men. The Castle is of light gray granite of a fine quality, and of the old Scotch baronial architecture, with round turrets and extinguisher tops, and with crow-stepped gables. Its great tower is a hundred feet high ; upon it is a clock which gives the time to the neighborhood, and a flagstaff, from which the Royal Standard floats when the Queen is in residence. Above the main or Queen's entrance are the Royal Arms in high relief Shields carved with various insignia, conspicuous among them the three feathers of the Prince of Wales, adorn the south front ; the carving on these is touched up with gilt. PANELS WITH RICH DESIGNS. Below the windows of the Queen's sitting-room to the west, are inserted panels of white marble, bearing bas-reliefs of St. Hubert and the Deer, St. George and the Dragon, and St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. As you look at the Castle from the north bank, its towers seem to rise out of a mass of forest trees. But it is really very open about it, with pleasure- grounds to the west and north, sloping to the Dee. When Prince Albert was making his selection of the site, he fixed upon that which would receive the sun's rays the greater part of the day. Taken altogether, it impresses you as a stately and beautiful home. But beautiful as it is by day, it takes en a more marked loveliness under the magic play of the moonlight, with its less clearly defined shadows. The Castle accommodates about one hundred and thirty. The Dee in the more immediate vicinity is bordered by large trees, under which runs a footpath. So near is the house to the river, that from any part of it, if the windows be open, the rush THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. 319 of its waters is heard. A granite slab upon the lawn indicates the high-water mark of the Dee, at the time of the June spate in 1872, when two little children fell into a burn which enters the Dee just above Balmoral, and, being swept into the larger stream, were drowned; a tragic incident that called out the active sympa- thies of Her Majest3^ Dee, like all mountain streams, is as ruthless in flood as he is mild and placable in ebb, though never wholly to be trusted, with his swift currents that drop twenty-five feet to the mile in the upper strath. Looking from the drawing-room windows, the eye passes over flower-beds and terraces, over the Dee and forests beyond, on up the strath, where hill overlaps hill, to the Braes o' Mar. This is the view seen from the Queen's own sitting-room, and was one very dear to Her Majesty. In the flower-beds to the west stands the eagle fountain, given to the Queen by William I. of Germany, then King of Prussia only. RESIDENCE LOVED BY THE QUEEN. Little wonder is it that the Queen loved Balmoral best of all her residences. Its winning beauty would explain that, even aside from the fact that house and grounds are the work of the Prince Consort, formed in accordance with his taste, and therefore doubly dear. He left this property to the Queen in his will, and but little change has taken place in it since his death. Even when necessary additions have been made, they have been so arranged as not to interfere with the general plan. The house was built at first for a residence of six weeks or so in the autumn — as a hunting-lodge. And as such it was used until the Prince's death. In the spring following Prince Albert's death, the Queen came for the first time at that season — arriving on May Day. After that time she came regularly in May, reaching there before her birthday. May 24th. She remained until into June, and returned again in August in time for the Prince Consort's birth- day, which fell on the 26th. She remained until the middle of November. 320 • TME castle in the HIGHLANDS. Strangers were admitted to Balmoral only in tlie absence of the Queen and by order. Carriages of such must be left outside tlie gate, where a policeman is always stationed. A short walk by a perfectly-kept carriageway, or by equally well-cared for paths, brings them to the Castle, which thej^ enter by the equerries' door in the great tower, the same at which all those call who come to enter their names in the visitors' book which is kept there. The main entrance is reserved for the Queen and invited guests. Consider yourself as of the latter, and, as you step in, you find yourself in a flagged hall of moderate size and good proportions. A row of stags' heads confronts you from the walls. Added to these is a boar's head, the original owner of which was shot by Prince Albert in Germany. Just under the boar's head, upon a table, stands a marble bust of the Queen (1867). It is a head of extreme dignit}^, though somewhat sad in expression. AN OLD SCOTTISH KING. Opposite the entrance, in a recess, is a bronze figure, life- size, of Malcolm Caenmore, " MLVIL— MXCIII." Why Malcolm, son of the murdered Duncan, was chosen out of all the Scotch kings for a place here, I have not sufiicient knowledge of Scotch history to say. Perhaps because he at times resided in this valley, having a castle — or what passed for a castle in those days — on an artificial island in Loch Kinnord, and not far from the fortification known to-day as the Peel Bog, escaping from which, Macbeth met his fate at the hands of Macduff. However that may be, here he is, and on each side of him, under glass, are the old colors of the 79th Highlanderb, mere frag- ments, torn with shot, and blackened and begrimed with powder and the dust of battle. In 1873, Her Maj esty presented the regi- ment with new colors, and the old were given to her. They were in the Crimean War and at the taking of Lucknow in the Indian Mutiny. The presentation took place in the Isle of Wight, and after that the title of "The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders" was conferred upon the regiment, and the facings of the uniforms were changed from yellow to the Royal blue. THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. S21 The fire irons in the hall were a birthday gift to the Queen from the Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lome ; they are her own design, the conventionalised Scotch thistle. The sturdy fire dogs seem well fitted to bear up the logs of which the fire is always made. A clock, the usual weather glass, and a pretty lantern, complete the furnishings of the hall. From the hall you pass into a corridor running across the Castle from north to south. Here again are stags' head upon the walls, with gilt lettering attached to each telling when and by whom the stag was shot. In the arch formed by the staircase stands the marble statue, life-size, of Prince x^lbert, by Theed. He is in Highland shooting dress, kilt, plaid, and pouch. In one hand he holds his rifle, the other rests upon his collie's head. His Glengarry cap, with its eagle feather, lies at his feet beside a clump of crumpled bracken. Upon the pedestal is cut : ALBERT, PRINCE CONSORT, 1861. His life sprang from a deep inner sympathy with God's will, And therefore with all that is true, beautiful and good. A little way up the staircase, in a recess, is a bronze bust of the late Emperor Frederick of Germany. A martial head, in expression quite different from Prince Albert's more introspective look. His memory is closely linked with Balmoral, for it was here that he and the Princess Royal were betrothed. Anecdotes of the Emperor Frederick yet survive here. At the time of their betrothal, the two used often to walk down to that very pretty part of the estate where most of the cottages cluster, and the little cottage girls, as in duty bound, dropped their lowest courtesies to the princely pair. Thereupon the tall young man, in a spirit of mischief not unusual in his species, would gravely drop a courtesy in return, and then walk away laughing heartily. "I mind it well," says one of the little lassies now a woman. "I mind just how I felt. I thought it was too bad of him to 21 322 THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. make fun of our courtesies tHat way. And I did not know whether to laugh or be angry." A young man recalls the soldierly figure and frank, straight- forward speech of the young Crown Prince. " My brother and I met him one time when he was staying here, and, of course, we took off our caps. ' Put on your caps, boys, you'll take cold,' said he." The Crown Princess, the "Empress Frederick," was much attached to Balmoral. In 1857, just before her marriage, the Prince Consort wrote: "The departure from here (Balmoral) will be a great trial to us all, especially to Vicky, who leaves it for good and all." And when, not long after the marriage, her father was in Germany, among the presents on his birth- day was an iron chair from " Vicky " for the grounds at Balmoral. A FAVORITE AMONG THE COTTAGERS. Before her marriage she had photographs taken of several of the cottage families, those to whom she was more especially attached, to carry with her to her German home. She was greatly beloved in return, and "there was always great rejoicing when she came," though her last visits were infrequent. A marble bust of the late Grand Duke of Hesse has been placed in this corridor, and there is also a bust of the late Prince Leo- pold, Duke of Albany. On either side the staircase arch are busts of Dr. Norman MacLeod and Principal Tulloch of St. Andrews, chaplains of the Queen. The bust of Dr. MacLeod stands upon a pedestal of Balmoral granite, which is dark gray and takes a fine polish. A conspicuous object is a large gong with the Scotch national motto engraved upon it, "Nemo me impune lacessit " ; which may be roughly translated, " Whoever strikes me let him beware of consequences." A partition divides this corridor into two unequal parts. In the northern and smaller the band is stationed at dinner time when there is a band at the Castle. After the guests have retired to the drawing-room, the band is stationed in the larger section which is nearer that apartment. THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. 32B A long passage runs from the corridor to the equerries' door and in the north right angle thus formed is the dining-room, of moderate size, and the windows of which look to the north There is nothing especially noticeable in the furnishings of this room. The long dining-table, to which are drawn up the hand- some dark leather chairs, fills the centre. The pictures on the LOCH LOMOND. walls are black and white ; noriceable among them eariy portraits of the Queen and Prince Consort. I observe one very interesting engraving which I saw also on many cottage walls, that of the Queen in her widow's dress, seated on horseback and reading dis- patches at Osborne. Her faithful Highland attendant, John Brown, stands at the horse's head. All the pictures at Balmoral are black and white. Engrav- ings come here, water colors go to Osborne, and oils to Windsor. West of the corridor is the drawing-room suite, which comprises 324 THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. billiard-, drawing-room and library. The floors of all tbese are covered with carpets of Royal Stuart tartan, a brilliant tartan which has squares of pure scarlet in it. The windows are draped with Victoria tartan, as are the windows of the dining-room. The furniture of the drawing-room is upholstered in the same tartan, the Victoria, which has a good deal of white. A small round turret room opens into the billiard-room, a cosy nook, looking to the Dee, and fitted with a writing desk. Among the pictures upon the walls of the billard room is an engraving of "The Free Church," and the visitor, especially if he be not new to the Highlands, but somewhat familiar with its people, their characteristics and their history, pauses before it, attracted by the fine strong face of the old woman in her mutch, the devout expression of the old shepherd, and by the sleeping collies. The drawing-room is a handsome home-like apartment ; but the visitor who looks for splendor will not find it. That word can apply to nothing at Balmoral, except it be to Nature's handiwork — her cloud-capped hills, her gorgeous sunsets, her glowing autumn landscapes. Splendors are reserved for the royal palaces; Balmoral is a home. BAGPIPES AND DEER. It speaks of the Highlands with its stags' heads and tartans. Even the well-worn hearthrug in the drawing-room has a pattern of bagpipe and deer. The fragrant birch of the district is burned upon its hearths. Candles are used for lighting. The Castle is warmed throughout by hot-air pipes. In front of the drawing-room fireplace stands a large round table, with comfortable chairs and couches drawn cosily about it '^ Family statuettes and photographs are scattered about ; miniature ^ photographs of all the Prince of Wales' children when young; a pretty group of the three older daughters of the Duke of Edin- burgh ; small equestrian statues under glass of Princess Alice and Prince Arthur (Duke of Connaught) ; Beatrice and Leopold together ; a silver statuette of the late Duke of Clarence. There are cabinets of olive and of darker woods ; one filled with chased THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. 325 caskets of gold presented to Her Majesty, if I remember right, by Scotch muiiicipalties. The library has a small collection of handsomely bound books, and here the Queen frequently dines when the party is small. The windows of these rooms look out upon the garden terrace, and above them are Her Majesty's private rooms. Many of the trees in the park at this side of the Castle were planted by members of the family and by visitors. The ball-room is the centre of the festive life of the Castle. A double flight of steps leads down into it from the house. This is the Queen's entrance, and at the opposite end is another. When a stage is required, for theatricals or tableaux, it is erected in front of these steps. FESTIVITIES AMONG THE TENANTS. A dais at one side, lined with mirrors, serves for the Royal Family when there is a tentantry ball or similar festivities. But when a play or opera is given, the Queen's armchair is placed in front of the stage. On the walls are grouped plaids, Scotch bon-^ nets, dirks, skene dhus, pouches and claymores, above which we find again the stags' heads. The ceiling is panelled, the com- partments being in blue and spangled with stars. Opposite the Queen's entrance is a gallery. A carpet of hunting Stuart tartan covers the floor of the smoking-room. And in this room is a bust of Sir Walter Scott, without whom, in some shape, a Highland home can hardly be said to be complete. A carpet of the same tartan is used in the guest chambers. It is a dark rich tartan, and makes a handsome carpet. I fancy these tartan carpets may be woven for Royal use only, in accordance with a decree similar to that by which certain China patterns are reserved exclusively for them. Even all cracked china is at once smashed and consigned to the ashpit. No one is permitted to keep it. The ''Service-room," as it is called in the household, is finished wholly in Balloch Buie wood, a dark, handsome wood enriched with many knots. The chairs are of the same wood, seated with dark leather. The seat of the Queen's large armchair 826 THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. is embroidered with the Scotch thistle ; a small table stands beside it, with silk cushions for Bible and hymnal. Against the walls are seats or settles of dark carved wood. Upon a raised platform in one corner stands the desk, covered with a dark-red velvet cloth embroidered with passion-flowers and lilies in applique. Upon a bracket above is a small figure of the Christ. Framed pictures in black and white hang upon the walls — sacred subjects, like Fra Bartolomeo's "Descent from the Cross." There is a small organ, which is played by the Princess Beatrice or by some lady-in-waiting. The carpet is peacock-blue. WINDOWS OF BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS. The room is lighted by narrow windows just below the ceil- ing. These windows are of plain glass, slightly touched with color, and with small figures of St. Andrew and his cross — the saltire upon which he is traditionally believed to have been cruci- fied — alternating with the rampant red lion of Scotland. A short flight of steps leads down into this room. The service here is Presbyterian, performed by one of the Queen's chaplains. This service room was completed in 1887, and previous to that time the Queen worshipped at the Presbyterian kirk which stands, or stood, just across the Dee on the north side. It was taken down in the spring of 1893, to be replaced by a handsomer structure. The Queen for some time would not consent to the change, for she loved the "dear little kirk" ; and although she did not attend the weekly service as formerly, she partook of the Com- munion there, every autumn after 1873. I was present at the administration of the Sacrament in 1892 ; and although I do not like to regard such an office from a picto- rial point, yet I was greatly interested in seeing, for the first time, "a table communion," as it is called. Two long, narrow tables running the length of the church were spread with white linen, as were some of the white book-rests. This use of white linen in the Scotch Presbyterian Churches has a beautiful effect, especially as you look down from the galleries, and you are reminded to what an extent linen has been used in sacred ser- THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. 327 vices both Jewisli and Cliristian, and in so-called Pagan ceremo- nies, and always as a type of purity. So many of tlie communicants as there was room for were seated at these tables, and, after communicating, gave place, dur- ino- the singing of one of the paraphrases, to others. The Scotch paraphrases of the Psalms and of other portions of the Bible were alone used in the song service of the day. The Queen desired that the old simplicity of service might be retained in this church, and it has not adopted the modern innovation of hymns— speaking from the Scotch Presbyterian standpoint— and it has as yet no organ. The Queen's taste was for the greatest simplicity in worship. STARED AT BY SUMMER VISITORS. During her habitual attendance at this church she must often have been greatly annoyed by the influx of summer visitors, who came in shoals, picketing their horses all along the road for half a mile each way, while they crowded the little kirk to suffocation. But the overcrowding was not the worst of the infliction. Un- mindful of the sacredness of the place and day, as well as of the respect due to Her Majesty, they persistently stared at her straight through the service, even bringing opera-glasses for the purpose. I remember hearing a— lady say that of course she stared at the Queen. It was exactly what she drove over from Braemar to do. Her Majesty, who observed keenly, and who at once detected the presence of even one stranger, was conscious of and evidently annoyed at her staring, she said. "But what did she care for that?" But an enterprising Englishwoman even eclipsed the per- formance with the opera-glasses. She visited the church on Sacra- ment Sunday, and in order to get as near as possible to Royalty- it is difficult to be charitable in view of what follows— in order to be in the immediate neighborhood of Royalty and force the atten- tion of the Queen, she joined in the solemn service, and, as the Queen left the table, arose from her seat and swept a low courtesy. "Mad! mad!" said the scandalized individual who told me 328 THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. tlie tale. But it is a common madness. The Royal pew was in the gallery, a plain seat differing in nothing from the others. The gallery was deep, like that of an amphitheatre, affording admirable facilities for staring. The one beauty of the homely little kirk was two large win- dows of stained glass, put in by Her Majesty to the memory of Dr. Norman MacLeod, who so often preached here, and who was so welcome a guest at Balmoral. These windows were transferred to the new church, which was, as to its outside, of the beautiful light Inver granite, and lined with the warmer Ballater stone which has all the effect in building of colored marbles. The church is cruciform in shape, and the south transept is reserved for the Royal Family. Towards the building of this new church Her Majesty gave $2,500. Abergeldie Castle is about two and a half miles from Balmo- ral. It is a picturesque old Scotch castle standing directly upon the south side of the Dee. A fine avenue of larches leads down to it from the highway, and the entrance-gate is flanked by two majestic Scotch firs of great size, with elbows like those of oaks. No fine tree is ever destroyed. STORY OF A MARTYRDOM. The square tower is the older portion. An iron ring in the pavement of the ground-floor of the tower marks the spot where the last which burned on Deeside was chained. The martyrdom took place on Craig-na-ban, now upon the Queen's estate, just over against Abergeldie. It is a pretty wooded hill which has a more recent and agreeable association than that just named. For it was upon Craig-na-ban that the young Crown Prince of Prussia pulled the white heather which he presented to his little sixteen- year-old lady-love, and which opened the way, says the Queen, for him to speak of his hopes as they rode down Strath Girnock ; Strath Girnock with its wimplin' stream, like nothing so much as that of Burns in his Hallowe'en. The first-floor of the square tower forms one large vaulted apartment, now a bedroom, the chief bedroom of the Castle, THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. 329 Above, the rooms are divided into smaller bedrooms, and all are reached by tlie winding stone stairs in the ancient turret. In the earlier days of the Queen's stay at Balmoral, her mother, the Duchess of Kent, passed the autumn here. In 1879 the poor Empress Eugenie was invited to Abergeldie for change and quiet, after the sad death of her son the preceding June. Of later years it was occupied by the Prince of Wales and his family, and near the south entrance stands the great tree under which the children could be seen at their tea by the passer-by. For the Castle is very near the highway. Some additions have been made to it, the better to accomodate the family, though at the best it is small for them and their retinue. A louQf line of carrias^e houses has more than once served for a ball-room. Since the marriage of the oldest daughter to the Duke of Fife, their Highland sojourn has been spent at Mar Lodge, some sixteen miles farther up the valley. SPLENDID FOREST OF DROOPING BIRCHES. Abergeldie is justly celebrated for its forest of drooping birches. In the early spring of 1893, the combined beauty of birch and broom in its immediate neighborhood was a thing to dream of ! great masses of golden broom, set amidst the tender vernal green of the drooping birches. The forests of this graceful variety of birch constitute one of the chief charms of Deeside, as well as of the Highlands in general. Just behind the Castle of Abergeldie flows the Dee. A sus- pension foot bridge was built just here by the Queen for the better accomodation of her people. Previously there was a cradle only for transDortation, connected with which was one of those tales of love and fateful death so common in the legends of the Scotch Highlands. The heroine was sweet Babby Brown, who, together with her newly-wedded husband, was engulfed in the swollen Dee as they were crossing, the ropes having been cut by an unsuc- cessful wooer of Babby' s, or Barbara's. To the explorer of Bal- moral, the story has additional interest from the fact that the 330 THE CASTLE IN THE HIGHLANDS. newly-wedded liusband was keeper at " The Hut," one of the Queen's Shiels. Later, the Duke of Connaught and his family were at Aber- gel die during the Queen's autumnal stay at Balmoral. Birkhall is still further from Balmoral, up Glenmuick. The Queen had a private road the greater part of the way there. And here let me say that you never see posted on the Queen's estate, threats of prosecution for trespass. A painted board simply intimates that certain ways are " strictly private." And the same fashion prevails on the Prince of Wales' estate at Sandringham. The royal courtesy never fails ; and lost indeed to all sense of personal and private rights must the individual be who can tres- pass upon ways thus guarded. While the threat to prosecute, I fancy, often acts as a challenge to spirits of daring. The Muick forms the boundary line of the combined estates to the east, and Birkhall stands not far from its margin. It is a plain, ivy-covered structure, beautiful for situation only. Here the Duchess of Albany and her children have spent their autumns of late. It is not equal to the accommodation of a large house- hold. Florence Nightingale was once the guest here of Sir James Clark, after her return from the Crimea, and was invited from here to Balmoral. With the exception of the Home Farm, there are no farm lands on Balmoral proper. It is largely forest. The tenant farms are at Abergeldie and Birkhall. When the Court is in. residence, Balmoral is a busy place, a small town in itself But when the Court leaves in November, it falls into a quiet almost oppressive by contrast. CHAPTER XX. The Memorials at Balmoral. A CAIRN was in its first intention simply a pile of stones tc mark a burial place ; then to commemorate some event oi importance. Cairns are found in every part of Scotland, and top almost every liill in the Highlands. One of the most interesting of the ancient cairns on Deeside is the Cairn-a-Quheen, or Cairn of Remembrance " Cairn-a-Quheen " was the battle-cry of the Farquharsons when any marauding or warlike expedition was on foot. The clan mustered in the immediate vicinity of the cairn, each man bringing a stone. These stones were left on the muster ground, and on their return, when the survivors again assembled, each man picked up a stone and took it away with him. Those that were left denoted the number of the slain, and were added to the cairn. Cairn-a-Quheen is on the north side of the Dee, not far from Balmoral Castle. It does not surprise us, therefore, that the Queen, who was such a lover of old Highland customs, should have built a cairn to commemorate the purchase of Balmoral. It is called the "Queen's Cairn," and is the oldest upon the estate, a former one having been demolished to make way for it. It stands upon the highest point of Craig Gowan. This cairn was built one fine October day in 1852. The Royal Family, accompanied by the ladies and gentlemen in waiting, went up to the spot, where were assembled the servants and tenants. The Queen placed the first stone, and Prince Albert the second. Then the children eact (placed one according to their ages. Prince Arthur, later Duke of Connaught, was the youngest at that time, a wee laddie of two years and six months. After the family, the ladies and gentlemen each placed a stone ; then all advanced together. And so the cairn arose to the 331 332 THE MEMORIALS AT BALMORAL. music of the pipes, and witli mucli gay laughter and merriment. Refreshments were handed round, and all the people danced reels, including the old women in their mutches, and the little children, among them Lizzie Stewart, with hair a-ilying, who was for many years one of the Queen's wardrobe maids. When the cairn was almost complete. Prince Albert climbed up and placed the topmost stone. Then three cheers were given. And so it stands to this day. Lichens have gathered upon it, and heather has rooted itself in its crevices. It is about eight feet high, a cone in shape, hollowed at one side. In this hollow is inserted an oval slab of granite bearing this inscription : — " This cairn was erected in the presence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to commemorate the purchase of the Balmoral Estate, Oct. II, 1852." A GROUP OF CAIRNS. Craig Gowan is south of the Castle, and from its summit you look directly down upon it, its gardens, lawns, and offices. A little below the Queen's Cairn is a flagstaff, and the flat space where the bonfires are built. And still lower down stands Prince Leopold's Cairn, built at the time of his marriage. Each child had a cairn built to commemorate his or her marriage. The Prince of Wales' Cairn is on the Birkhall estate, which he owned at the time of his marriage ; upon the highest of the three mountain peaks known as " The Coyles." It was first built by the tenantry on the smallest of the Coyles. But in time it became quite ruinous, and Her Majesty had this one built. It has the following inscription upon a stone at its foot : — Erected by command of Queen Victoria in remembrance of the marriage of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, AND Alexandra, Princess of Denmark, jOTH March, 1863. THE MEMORIALS AT BALMORAL. 333 Tlie Coyles are a conspicuous and beautiftil feature of this part of the valley. The Princess Royal's Cairn is on a beautiful castellated hill in Glen Gelder, the same hill from out which the granite was quarried for the Castle. In ascending Craig Gowan from the back yoa pass the cairn of Princess Louise. They are all cone-shape, about ten feet high, and compactly built of the ordinary stones you see lying about. i DAINTY LITTLE SUMMER HOUSE. In going down Craig Gowan you have a choice of smooth well-kept paths. Beside one is the Fog (Scottish for moss) House, a little summer-house lined throughout with the soft moss that carpets all the woods hereabouts, and, if it were suffered to have its way, would carpet all the fields as well. By a path winding along the back of Craig Gowan, and crossing a dry ravine — a rustic bridge over which was the last bit of work planned on the estate by Prince Albert — you reach the base of Craig Lowrigan, on the summit of which is the cairn erected by the Queen to the memory of the Prince. You pass through a gate, and a wide, smooth pass is before you, up which, though steep in places, the Queen's garden chair can readily go. By the side of the path, a little way up, is Princess Beatrice's Cairn, with this inscription in the small slab set in one side : — H. R, H. Princess Beatrice MARRIED TO H. R. H. Prince Henry Maurice OF Batten berg, 23RD July, 1885. This may be said to be the youngest of the cairns. The path ascends through a wood of fir and larch, planted since 1852. The day I went up Craig Lowrigan was a fine February day, The robins were singing and the doves cooing in the woods below, although the wind from off Lochnagar's snow-streaked sides was piercing as it swept across the top of the Craig. It was true Queen's weather, such as Her Majesty liked best, clear, sunny, with a touch of frost in the air. ^34 THE MEMORIALS AT BALMORAL. The summit is treeless, but has a low growth of heather and cranberry. The shallow pools of water had a thin coating of ice, and there were plenty of deer tracks about, but no deer visible. The cairn is a pyramid of granite blocks, built without mortar. It is about forty feet square at the base and thirty-five feet high, and can be seen for miles up and down the valley. On one side are cut the initials of the Queen and her children ; on that front- ing the valley is the following inscription : — To THE Beloved Memory OF Albert, the Great and Good Prince Consort, Raised by his Broken-hearted Widow, Victoria R. August 21, 1862. "He being made perfect, in short time fulfilled a long- time, For his soul pleased the Lord, Therefore hastened He to take him Away from among the wicked." — Wisdom of Solomon, iv. 13, 14. Another memorial to Prince Albert is the obelisk erected to his memory by the servants and tenantry of the three estates. It is of plain gray granite, and bears a shield on one side with an inscription to the effect that it was erected by them as "an humble tribute of affection for their beloved master." This obelisk stands in a small plantation of trees, in the eastern part of the park, with flower beds on either side of the approach. A short distance from the obelisk is the bronze statue of Prince Albert presented to the servants and tenantry by the Queen. It is an enlarged copy of the marble statue by Theed in the corridor of the Castle. It stands upon a pedestal of rough granite slabs. Yearly on the return of the Prince's birthday, August 26th, the Queen and family, together with, servants and tenantry, met by this statue, and silently drank to his memory. It was unveiled by the Queen, October 15, 1867, on the anniver- sary of their engagement day. THE MEMORIALS AT BALMORAL. 335 I was passing by this statue with a public official one day. " It is a fine likeness of the Prince," he said. " Could not be bet- ter." Then he added a word in regard to his fine personal pres- ence. "And he was a high-thinking man," he said. There are not many left on the estate who knew the Prince Consort personally. Even most of the children of his day have gone away. One of these remembers him. "He looked particu- larly well on horseback." " He was always busy — always think- ing and planning what good things he could do, how he could improve and make things better." One of the two old servants left is fond of speaking of "his kindness of heart and his invariable good humor. Met you always with a smile. If your work pleased him he said so, and if it did not please him he said so, but always with the same kind smile. Always ready to own if he had made a mistake. A busy systematic man. The punctuallest man. To each hour its work. He might be talking with you, when out would come his watch. 'Time's up,' he would say, and was off like a bird." A PRINCE MUCH BELOVED. The venerable face of the old servant grew mildly radiant as he talked of his master, for the Prince was greatly beloved at Bal- moral. The words " beloved master" on the obelisk, are not per- functory, as is so often the case with mortuary terms of endearment. The Prince was fond of athletic sports, and especially so of deer-stalking. He put all his energies into it for the time being, as he did into everything ; and the stoutest gillie found it difiicult to keep up with him. But he could not understand making a business of hunting. He had a practical knowledge of an extra- ordinary number of things, and a German thoroughness in matters of detail. He knew exactly what he wanted done, and, in default of his servants knowing, could give clear instructions. When the Castle was building, a gentlemen told me he chanced to be by one day when the Prince was giving directions in regard to some features in the landscape gardening, but the man could not catch his idea. ^^Q THE MEMORIALS AT BALMORAL. " Bring- me a board and some sand," said the Prince ; and he quickly moulded the sand into the required sliape. The estate as it is to-day is entirely his work ; and I heartily agree with the old cottager, who has spent most of her days there, when she said to me, " It is a bonnie spot." Jnst at that moment the setting sun was shining full upon the beautiful Castle, illuminating its turrets and gables. I was returning from the small enclosure in which is erected the Memorial Cross to the Princess Alice. You reach it partly by the river path, passing down the terrace steps by the Castle. By the side of this path is a summer-house built of wood and moss, and ornamented with deer antlers, all from "Balmoral Forest," an inscription in moss tells you. The cross is west of the Castle, in the park, and not far from the Dee, whose rushing tide you plainly hear as you sit there. It is of gray Aberdeenshire granite, with passion-flowers cut in low relief; it is about twelve feet high, and stands upon a granite mound partially overrun with ivy. It has the following inscription : — To THE Dear Memory OF Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse, Princess of Great Britain and Ireland. Born April 25, 1843; Died December 14, 1878. This is Erected By Her Sorrowing Mother, Queen Victoria. " Her name shall live though now she is no more." Pleasant words are spoken of the Royal Family by those living in the neighborhood of Balmoral, words dropped casually in conversation, not in reply to the direct question, " How is So-[ and-so liked?" and therefore giving the real feeling of the speaker. One day, in a public conveyance, I heard an ofiicial say, a propos of Abergeldie Castle and the lats Duke of Clarence, who passed so much of his boyhood there, " He was a nice chap ; quiet, and easy approached." And another official, who came in contact with all the mem- THE MEMORIALS AT BALMORAL. 337 bers, said they were always pleasant to meet ; always very appre- ciative of everything done for their comfort ; did not take efforts to that end as a matter of course, as only their due. He always liked to meet with them all. " But," he added, with a perceptible softening of his voice, "the Princess Alice was the most beloved." And I observe that she is always spoken of with great tenderness. She was the second daughter, and admirably filled the place of an older sister. She was the Queen's stay and comfort when Prince Albert died. She was his stay also, ministering to him in his last hours, singing his favorite hymns, and receiving those last messages which the Queen in her anguish, and vainly clinging to hope, could not listen to. ANGEL OF MERCY TO THE POOR. She nursed the Prince of Wales in his nearly fatal illness in 187 1, and he was deeply attached to his sister. At Darmstadt, her German home, she was greatly beloved. Like the Princess Christian, she labored among the poor and suffering, went from house to house, and with no attendant. Often those whose bodily pains she soothed, tending them with her own hands, and to whose spiritual needs she ministered, did not know to whom they were indebted. Hers seems to have been a life governed by even a higher motive than that of a duty ; a life whose source was love. There is an exquisite engraved portrait of her at Abergeldie Castle, taken after the death of a little son who was killed by a fall from a two-story window. The Princess had just turned to leave the room, and though she did not see him fall, heard the rush through the air and the dreadful thud as he struck the ground. Always after that, the old housekeeper told me, she wore the sad yet exquisitely lovely look of this portrait. An old servant tried to describe this look to me, and said it was as though, when she spoke to you and smiled, although sweet and kind as ever, her heart and thoughts were elsewhere. Princess Alice's husband, the late Grand Duke of Hesse, was much liked at Balmoral. His frank and genial manner won all hearts. " He was always so nice !" A scarf pin he gave to one 22 , - . 3S8 THE MEMORIALS AT BALMORAL. of the servants was shown me : a pretty jewelled bit, witli ovef thirty tiny pearls in it. He was generous to the gillies, who by no means have an easy time during the fishing and deer-stalking sea- sons ; and he did not tell tales out of school ! One day, when his party were returning from deer-stalking, they found that the coachman who had been in waiting at the appointed place had improved his leisure by imbibing vast quan- tities of whisky, and was totally unfit to ride — in fact, tumbled oflF his horse as often as he was lifted on. Thereupon he was stowed into the cart with the dead deer, and the Duke of Hesse sprang upon the horse and served as postillion. He conveyed the party in safety to the stables, and as he rode into the yard shouted out, "Take off!" which is the signal for the ostlers given by the coachman. "Take off yourself!" was the reply, and great was the consternation when it was found to whom they had spoken so cavalierly. But, bless you ! the Duke didn't mind ; and, what was still better, he did not betray the drunken coachman, who was sure in his own mind — when he came to that mind — that the next day would be that of his dimissal. "AS HAPPY AS TWO CHILDREN." I recall here how an old servant told me that during the engagement of Princess Alice and Louis of Hesse, she often saw them running about hand in hand, "as happy as two children." It is interesting to observe the tone in which different members of the Royal Family are mentioned — a tone indicative of their Special characteristics. A lad of eighteen or thereabouts, a lad with an open sonsie Scotch face, talked enthusiastically to me of the Princess Louise (Marchioness of Lome). "She is so bright and jolly to talk with!" says he, and, on the whole, thinks he likes her best. Others dwell on the goodness of Princess Beatrice, who is to them a true child of Deeside, so much of her life has been spent there. At a suggestion that some people called her proud, an old cottager remonstrated. " Na, na! her manner was different from the rest ; but she was brought up different — was with older folk THF MEMORIALS AT BALMORAL 330 mostly. Tlie otlier children were taken by tlieir governess or nurse to the cottages to give tlieir own little gifts, and they played with the cottage children an hour every day. It was different with the Princess Beatrice. But she wasna proud. Na, na !" And then she went on to tell me how the Princess often came to see her, and how, when she said "goodbye," she took her by the hand, with many kind wishes for her health and comfort ^during their absence. "And that doesna look like a proud leddy!" And then, with no little pride herself, she added that she had also shaken hands more than once with the Queen. STORY OF THE PRINCES AND A COUNTRYMAN. Of the sons, the Duke of Edinburgh passed the least time here after his boyhood. The Duke of Connaught was often here, and the Prince of Wales was looked upon as a son of the soil. I heard two cottagers talking over a story concerning the three one day. It sounded somewhat familiar to me. It may be an old story ; and it may be a manufactured one. " But," said the old dame, who had known them from childhood, and evidently still viewed them as a trio of extremely lively lads, " it was just what they would have liked." And so I give it. The three had been fishing some distance from Balmoral, and were waiting at the appointed place for the wagonnette to take them home. A boy with an empty cart came along, and, seeing them standing there, asked where they were going. "To Balmoral." " Would they ride with him ? " ''Oh, yes," and they all got in. " And what ma}^ you do at Balmoral ? " asked the boy of the .Prince of Wales, who sat beside him, the whole three, it seems, being stran,g"ers to the lad. "I an? the Prince of Wales." ^'Ay? and who may that chap be?" indicating with his thttta^bover his shoulder the second son of Her Majesty. "He is the Duke of Edinburgh." ?.40 TME memorials at BALMORAL. ''And t'otlier one?" witli anotlierjerk of his thumb. "The Duke of Connaught." The boy wore an air of thought for some moments, then he spoke again. " Perhaps you'd like to know who I am ? " he said. The Prince intimated that he would. " I am the Shah of Persia," said the lad, not to be outdone in this assumption of titles. From internal evidence, I should judge that this story orig- inated at or about the time of the visit of the Shah of Persia and his suite to Balmoral. They were not entertained at the Castle, with the exception of a lunch, but at the neighboring house of Glenmuick. A ball was given there in their honor, largely attended by the neighborhood. The Shah was not impressed with the beauty of the ladies, nor with the dancing. Like all Orientals, he could not understand why people should go through the fatigue of dancing when they could have it done for them. THE SHAH MUCH AMUSED. Wines and whisky had been provided in unlimited measure, and some of the soldiers present, having partaken too freely, fell to fighting under or near the Shah's window, in the mingled dawn and twilight of the midsummer night. Thereupon His Majesty of Persia immediately arose and watched the fight from his window, pronouncing it the best thing he had seen since he arrived in Great Britain. His suite, still preserved in photographs, wore habitually their huge Astrachan hats, and may have done so in bed, for aught any one knew to the contrary. The impression they made on the country side was not a particularly savory one, notwithstanding we are taught by Oriental poetry, including the "Arabian Nights," that bathing is an important function in the Bast. Opposite the bronze statue of the Prince Consort, and front- ing it at some little distance, is the statue of the Queen, also of bronze, which was presented to Her Majesty on her Jubilee year, ■THE MEMORIALS AT BALMORAL. 341 1887, by lier Scotcli servants and tenantry. Tlie Prince of Wales unveiled tlie statue, and made tlie presentation to the Queen, in a speech to which Her Majesty replied. It was rarely that the Queen's self-command failed, but on this occasion she was much affected, especially in that part of the speech wherein she alluded to the great changes that had taken place on the estate — the many faithful servants whom death had removed. The presentation and unveiling of this statue may be classed as among the most interesting of the ceremonies of her Jubilee year, although strictly private. The people present were limited to the Royal Family and to the servants and tenants on the three estates. There is a favorite walk of the Queen running around the east side of Craig Gowan, a forest walk, and besides it a little way back, is the memorial chair of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany. It is in a small amphitheatre or hollow, wooded with drooping birches. Boulders are heaped behind it. It is of Peterhead granite, a handsome mottled stone. The seat is plain, with the exception of a crown encircled by thistles, cut in relief, on the back. It bears the date of the year in which the Prince died, 1884, and the following inscription in gilt letters : "Whoe'er is distant, .Never so ever near He is always near ; As now he's gone," This seat was covered in shortly after the Queen left in November, and the little wooden box or house covering it was further protected by a stout wire fence, as the deer like to rub their antlers upon it. It is a solitary spot, especially lovely when the birches are in leaf. CHAPTER XXI. The Queen's Daily Life at Balmoral. THBRB is probably no one, no woman at least, in all her Kmpire wbose days were more completely filled with suc- cessive duties tban those of tbe Queen of Great Britain. For she bad not only ber own private family and tbe management of ber Balmoral and Osborne estates to look after, but also ber large family of subjects. And in neitber did sbe tbrow tbe responsibility on ber agents. It is said of ber tbat no living statesman was so tborougbly conversant witb tbe workings of every department — of every cog, one may say — in tbe vast Gov- ernmental macbine as tbe Queen. And every detail in regard to tbe management of ber private estates was laid before ber. Tbe Queen was an early riser, tbat is, early as regarded from tbe Bnglisb upper-class standpoint, wbo in tbeir lives turn nigbt into day. And sbe frequently cbose to breakfast at a cer- tain small cottage in tbe near neigbborbood of tbe Castle. Tbis cottage was originally a gardener's cottage, and is built of latb and plaster, and was intended merely for temporary use. But tbe Queen took a fancy to it, and used it for some years. It consists of tbree rooms, in one of wbicb tbe Queen breakfasted, and in tbe largest of wbicb sbe wrote. PORTRAIT OF THE QUEEN'S MOTHER. On tbe background bang family pbotograpbs and portraits in black and wbite of a somewbat early date, I especially remarked one of tbe Ducbess of Kent, tbe Queen's motber, to wbom tbe nation owes so mucb for tbe wise and judicious train- 1 ing of ber daughter. Tbere is an engraving of tbe footman, Jobn Brown, witb tbe dogs at Osborne, and pbotograpbs of tbe favorite collies "Noble" and"Sbarp." And, wbat would immediately attract a bookisb eye, tbere is Cassell's admirable National 342 THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL. 343 Library in its compact little shelves upon a cabinet in one cor- ner. A plain room, plainly furnisbed, with large round table foi writing, and more suggestive of home than public life. But, for that matter, the whole atmosphere of Balmoral is homely. One end of this room is so made that it can be entirely thrown open giving that open air feeling of which the Queen was so fond. The cottage itself is secluded, screened from the Castle by interven- ing shrubberies, and looking out on smooth lawns and secluded paths bordered by quite primeval woods. The Queen was fond of a quiet spot like this in which to work. At Osborne she had a summer-house, and at Windsor she resorted to a tent upon the lawn of Frogmore House. And even when she was temporarily at a place, as at Holyrood Palace, Edin- burgh, which stands in anything but a secluded spot, she con- trived with the help of screens and umbrellas a place to write in the open air. IMPORTANT DISPATCHES. When the Queen was at Balmoral two extra trains were run up and down Deeside, called the Queen's messenger trains. These bear the dispatches to and from London. The up tiain arrives at 5 o'clock a. m., and to attend to these dispatches, after they have been sorted by her private secretary, was a part of the morn- ing's business. There were innumerable papers to sign, and the simple drying of the signature was no small task. In this she was assisted by her personal attendant, Fraucie Clark, who was always at hand. The dispatches were returned upon the 4 o'clock messenger express. At 11 a. m. came the Balmoral mail, for which a messenger was always in waiting at the station with a fast horse and a yellow-bodied gig stamped with the invariable V, R. In looking over the newspapers, the Queen intimated what- ever she would like preserved, and it was one of the duties of the wardrobe maids to cut such paragraphs out and paste them into an album supplied for this purpose. And innumerable are the albums that have grown out of this habit. The cutting is not fi4-i THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL. necessarily concerning a matter of public interest, or any distin- guislied individual. It may be simply a neigbborliood incident, like the drowning of tbe young soldier of ber guard in tbe sum- mer of 1 89 1, or tbe gift to a parisb minister from bis people. Tbe date was always af&xed to tbese cuttings, so tbat wben tbe Queen asked for tbe date of sucb and sucb an occurrence it could be readily found. Tbe Queen bad a small movable bouse or room made, put together witb screw bolts. It could be readily taken apart and set wherever it might please her to command, within sound of the voice of Dee, or on some sunny lawn, or in the shade of a spreading tree. It is about twelve feet square, and can be opened on the four sides or closed, just as the occupant desires, being furnished with sliding walls after the fashion of a Japanese house. The Queen was no longer able to walk about tbe estate as she used to do. A woman, who was a little girl in the days when Prince Albert too came to Deeside, told me a little incident, trivial in itself, but throwing light upon the daily life and ways of that time THE LITTLE LAD IN TROUBLE. She, little Mary, in company witb her brother Kenneth, was helping her neighbor Maggie to herd the cows. Their business was to see that the cows did not get at the corn ; but they being intent on play, the cows were soon left to Kenneth's herding, who was a little lad of five. When at last the cows were discov- ered feeding upon tbe corn, Maggie, true to that instinct which impels every son and daughter of Adam to look about for a scapegoat for bis or her own sins, fell upon Kenneth, scolding him volubly for neglecting to look after the cows. In the midst of her tirade she heard a voice call "Maggie !" and looking up, saw the Queen and Prince Albert in a path upon the hillside above. Maggie hesitated, but again the clear voice of tbe Queen called "Maggie !" and reluctantly Maggie went forward. "Maggie," she said, kindly, "you should remember tbat Kenneth is a little boy, and does not understand about keeping THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL. 345 the COW.S off the corn. It would be a better way to put up a string so they cannot get at it." The children were inwardly amused at the idea of a string being a sufficient guard, but, mindful of what was due to the Queen, did not smile. Not so Prince Albert, who laughed heartily at her, and the two walked merrily off together. "The Prince," adds my story teller, "liked to walk about in that way, with the Queen on his arm, just all by themselves, and with no attendants and no fuss." And there were climbs over the hills, and rough, mossy ground, and walks about the wood, the Prince catching sight of deer perhaps, and starting in pursuit with his gun, the Queen waiting and sketching. When they first came to Balmoral the Queen "ran about everywhere," says an old servant. She " went up to the top of Craig Go wan every day, except on the day of the Braemar games." TREAT FOR THE LITTLE ONES. And every Sunday came a little family walk, the Prince and Queen and all the children together. This treat was looked for- ward to with great delight. "Grant," or whatever the servant's name, the children would say, " to-morrow is Sunday, and we are all going to walk with papa and mama." But all that is long past. The Queen afterward went about the grounds in her garden chair — a basket with thick rubber bands on the wheels for ease and smoothness of motion. Francie Clark led the pony or donkey, and the dogs went with her in charge of the dogmen — ■ "Roy" and "Marco" and the rest. The little beasties did not accompany her in her long drives, though "Sharp," I believe, used occasionally to break away and follow till he caught up to ,her carriage, to return sitting proudly by his royal mistress's side. The Queen drove morning and afternoon. She drove very fast, and as she did not care to drive habitually with four horses> and as she was good to her animals, she had a change of horses in readiness at certain stations. If she drove to Ballater, eight miles, a pair of horses were sent down to the hotel stables some time before. The horses taken out of the carriage there were 346 THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL. ^ groomed, fed, and rested before being taken back. The same was done wben sbe drove up to Braemar, also eight miles, and then on to the Linn of Dee, where the carriage road up the valley comes to an end. Formerly she used to take all-day drives across country, finding great refreshment in this progress through wild, solitary glens, by broad, still moors, and within sound of rushing waters from burn and brooklet. But all that was given up with advan- cing years, together with the picnics when her children were younger, when John Brown boiled the tea-kettle gipsy fashion in shelter of some cairn or cliff, and they drank their tea amid the rosy heather. Though the Queen loved her solitary drives and walks at Balmoral, yet here, as elsewhere, she occasionally graciously showed herself to her eager people. On Saturday, which was the great excursion day into the valley, she often timed her drive and chose her road, so as to meet the crowded brakes. She doubtless enjoyed the sight of these her people taking their pleasure, and they were simply delighted to see her, EAGER TO SEE THE QUEEN. As they drove up to the station to take the train you heard them on all sides — " We saw the Queen " ! " We met the Queen !" Apparently that incident was the crowning pleasure of the day. Sure-footed Highland ponies are kept for the many paths inaccessible by carriage, up the steep hills, and away to Byron's "dark Lochnagar," and as late as 1892 the Queen was able to mount and ride with Francie Clark leading her pony. In her daily drive she would call to inquire for any ailing tenant, or, if death had visited any cottage, to express her sympathy. But she could not get out of her carriage as formerly. To one of her old women whom she had been in the habit of visiting yearly, she sent word that as the Queen was not able to go and see her, she must come and see the Queen. Sometimes there was an unexpected call upon her time and s^mi- pathy, as when the young soldier of her guard was drowned, He THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL. 347 was salmon fishing, and slipped in some way and struck liis liead so that he was stunned and unable to save himself, though the river in that place was shallow. The Queen drove to the barracks to the funeral service, bringing a wreath to place with her own hands upon his cofi&n. And as the train moved away, bearing to his mother her dead son, she stopped her carriage upon the railway bridge and watched it out of sight down the valley. At the time of the Scotch Home Industries Exhibit at Aber- deen (1892) the goods to be sent from Crathie were at the Manse, and she drove thither to see them. She seemed to find time for every duty, however trivial — if a duty ever is trivial. After her engagement to Prince Albert he wrote to a friend: "I think T shall be very happy, for Victoria possesses all the qualities which make a home happy." And in studying the life and character of the Queen, one is struck with her domesticity. One feels that had she been born in a private station she would have been one of the most domestic of women, a true housewife. THE QUEEN'S NEEDLEWORK. I never heard that she took particularly to needlework of any kind — that refuge of Queens in former ages from the dreary monotony of their lives — though occasionally she sent to some lucky bazaar a specimen of her knitting. Lucky, for her work fetched nearly or quite its weight in gold. And she once learned to spin upon the little wheel, most artistic and graceful of indus- tries. One of her cottage women at Balmoral taught her to spin, and she spun enough for a napkin or two. An old cottager told me she had once several threads of the Queen's spinning, but that she had given them away to eager petitioners. When the children were young, all goods purchased for their wear were submitted to her before being determined upon. Her supervision over every detail of their training was complete. In extant memoranda in her own writing she says : " The greatest maxim of all is — that the children should be brought up as simply and in as domestic a way as possible ; that, not interfering with their lessons, they should be as much as possible with their 348 THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL. parents, and learn to place tbeir greatest confidence in tlieni in all things." And that religious training is best given to a child daily at its mother's knee was her sincere conviction. What better rules could be laid down for the training of children in any station in life ? That she experienced the usual anxieties of a mother left ,with a large family of fatherless children we know, for she has told us so. Lamenting the death of her chaplain and friend, Dr. M'lvcod, she writes : "No one ever reassured and comforted me more about my children." PIPERS ENLIVEN THE DINNER. At dinner, which was at nine, the pipers played, marching to and fro outside at a little distance from the windows of the dining-room. They played also at breakfast and lunch. The Queen was fond of the pipes, and nowhere did their music have such power to tirl the heartstrings as in these, their native glens, of which the bagpipe may be said to be the musical interpreter. The soughing of the wind through the firs ; the glad rush and murmur of waters ; the song of the shilfa ; the hum of bees among the heather ; the plaintive cry of the plover ; the peace and calm of the long summer days wherein the lingering twilight breaks into dawn with no intervening night ; all the poetry and color, all the movement and pathos of the "north countree," find expression in the music of its pipes and their quaint, melo- dious strains. And the Queen loved it, and there were always pipers at Bal- moral. Like all the rest of the Queen's Highland retainers, they wore the kilt, and their Court or State dress was particularly handsome. The tunic is of black velvet, the kilt and plaid of Royal Stuart tartan. The buckles, slides, clasp of sporran or pouch, the arm-guard and all ornaments are solid silver. The jewels worn with the Highland dress are always cairngorms, and there is one in the brooch upon the shoulder and in the top of the dirk. A slender silver chain passes over the shoulder and under the opposite arm, to which is attached a silver powder horn. This THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL 340 had its uses once, in other and more disturbed times, but is now only worn in accordance with the ancient custom. The shoes have double silver buckles, the pattern of r.hoe that goes with the kilt. A silver crown and lion, the same that is on the belt clasp and sporran, is fastened in his Glengarry cap. The bag of the bagpipe is of Royal blue velvet, the ribbons are \^ictoria and Royal Stuart tartan, and the banneret is blue silk with the Royal arms embroidered in gold ; as can be seen, a very beautiful dress, but one which loses much given in black and white. < Simplicity always characterizes the recreations of people who of necessity live somewhat artificial lives, providing they are genuine folk and unspoiled. When Prince Henr}^ of Prussia was at the Castle in October, 1892, he diverted himself during his leisure hours in making a waterwheel. He made it in his room. What the housemaids thought of the litter I do not know. But the wheel was a success. He set it up on the border of the Dee, constructing a support of stones, and it responded promptly to the rapid rush of the water. FOND OF REVIVING OLD CUSTOMS. The Queen had a like simplicity of taste, and she was also fond of keeping wp and reviving old customs, and now and then, came a special day in her calendar like Hallowe'en. On that day, should you chance to be at Deeside, you would see the children, as soon as the gloaming set in, abroad with torches, jumping dancing, shouting. These torches, together with the bonfires that are kindled, are said to be simply a remnant of the old fire- worship. Formerly] the torches were carried over the ground sup- posed to be haunted by witches or spirits. At Balmoral the witch is sometimes burned at Hallowe'en. The Queen going out for her evening drive was met on her return by a crowd of servants, keepers, gillies, children, each bearing a torch made of splints of fir tied together. They escorted the Queen to the door, and then they marched round and round the Castle, the flare of their torches illuminating wall and turret and 350 THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL. tower. Tlie foundation of a bonfire liad been previously laid a little west of tbe Castle, witli old barrels or any otber dry fuel, and presently as tbe niarcli continued, a cart was seen approach- ing from tbe stables at tbe east, drawn by balf a dozen men with blackened faces, and clad in garments which further disguised them. In the cart sat the witch, a hideous mannikin. The people applied their torches to the combustibles, and when the bonfire had got well to going "her ladyship," says my informant, who often assisted at this cremation, was thrown on amid applause^ shouts and cheers, the Queen looking on from door or window, laughing and heartily enjoying the wild, fantastic scene. Then followed dancing of reels around the bonfire, the witch meanwhile wasting into ashes and oblivion. The bonfire flares, smoulders, and burns low. The Queen withdraws, and the torch-bearers go down to the iron hall at the stables and finish off the festivities with a dance. BRIGHT AND CHEERY DISPOSITION. The Queen had a cheerful disposition. She loved a jest and a laugh, and she liked to see the people about her cheerful. While uncompromising in her hostility to gaming and other illicit pleasures, she did everything in her power to promote inno- cent amusements. Only once or twice did she do this on so great a scale at Balmoral, as when the Carl Rosa opera troupe were summoned from Dundee. But the household oftener furnished its own entertainments, theatricals, and tableaux vivants, to which people from the country houses and the tenantr^^ were invited. I have before me two programmes of such entertainments. One, of tableaux, on which I see the name of the late Duke of ^ Clarence. There is the- " Arab Encampment," in which Her Majesty's Indian attendants appear. There is a scene from * Macbeth" ; one from "Faust," in which Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg take the parts of Faust and Marguerite. The overture to "Rob Roy" is played as the curtain rises on Ellen Douglas, Lady of the Lake, by one of the maids of honor. THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL. S51 Tlife stage manager is the Hon. Alexander Yorke, wlio is some- times called the " Master of Revels" at the English Court. He is a clever reciter, and has great talent for organizing tableaux and theatricals. The second programme promises, in 1891, the performance by "Her Majesty's Servants" of the comedy "Barbara," and the farce "Cool as a Cucumber." These programmes are on grey paper, with a vignette of Balmoral Castle on one cover and the crown on the other, both in rose pink. The lettering is also in rose pink. The Queen was always present at the rehearsals, criticising, suggesting, laughing. Every one who has ever assisted in ama- teur theatricals knows the difficulties encountered in making all things move smoothly and in orderly fashion. And such will not be surprised to learn that on one occasion, when thunder and lightning entered into the background of the play, the thunder preceded the lightning by several perceptible seconds. A FAMOUS CIRCUS. • But of all the entertainments given at Balmoral, the account of none has so pleased me as that of Finder's Circus. Finder's was formerly a successful circus, but somehow it had run down, apparently through no fault of Finder, unless it were inability to cope with business, an inability he shared with many excellent men. At any rate, whatever the cause, the circus had steadilj^ declined till it was reduced to a few shabby caravans, with gilt much tarnished, and hopelessly dirty — dirt seeming to have an af&nity with fallen fortunes. In this plight it arrived and camped on the moor at Ballater. While moving to and from Braemar it had been met by the Queen. And I like to fancy that as she saw the caravans, and recalled, perhaps, their former splendor, her truly motherly heart went out to this one of her great family of subjects, and she resolved to put out her hand and raise his fallen fortunes. And Finder's Circus was summoned to perform at Balmoral. At first the great Ballater folk were incredulous of the news, for they had 352 THE QUEEN'S DAILY LIFE AT BALMORAL. turned up their noses at the concern, and declined to expend their sixpences in its behalf. But they rallied to its help in good neighborly fashion, lending sundry scrubbing brushes for the cleaning that ensued. Caravans were turned inside out, corners were scoured, children were scrubbed, clothes Avere washed, rents were mended, new shoes were bought, and on the appointed day Finder's Circus started for Balmoral with as shining an aspect as Shakespeare's schoolboy. A field outside the gate and close by the Dee had been chosen for the performance. The Queen had despatched messengers to summon her tenantry from her three estates. The little Batten- berg children came from the Castle, together with all the children from manse, farmhouse and cottage. The Queen drove down in her carriage and sat through the two hours' performance, appa- rently with as much enjoyment as the children. The horses, though few, were good, and there was a delightful performing donkey ; and donkey, horses, and Finder all did their very best, warmed and cheered by the rays of Royalty. * WANTED TO BUY THE DONKEY. After it was over, Finder was summoned to Her Majesty's carriage, and in the course of the conversation that ensued she intimated her desire to buy the delightful performing donkey. But it was not his to sell, he regretfully said, "but I'll be very happy, your Majesty, to buy and train one for you." She made him a personal gift of money, besides that paid in the way of business by her commissioner, together with a jewelled scarf-pin, and he departed rejoicing. And ever after, doubtless, he headed his bills with, " Under the patronage of the Queen," and hundreds flocked to his circus who would never have dreamed of doing so had he not been summoned to Balmoral. In fact, after hearing the story, I resolved that if I were ever in the neighborhood of Finder's Circus, I would go and see it. But, alas ! even as I write word comes that the poor fellow is dead. Not long did he reap the fruits of the kind act of his Queen. CHAPTER XXII. The Queen's Hunting Lodges. THE Queen had four shiels, or hunting lodges, at greater or less distance from the Castle. " The Queen's Shiel " is the near- est and is three miles up Glen Gelder. I walked there one February day and was struck with its picturesque surroundings. Ivcaving the more sheltered walks in the park about Craig Gowan, we came out upon a wide, breezy moor, sloping gently up from the bottom of the glen, wherein are still to be seen ruins of crofters' . cottages with their green plots of land. In one of the larger plots a herd of wild deer were feeding, and shortly after, a group of four came bounding along, not seeing us until right upon us. One stag instantly leaped upon a high boulder and turned his startled head towards us, his whole figure, surmounted by the superb antlers clear cut against the blue winter's sky. FLED WITH SPLENDID LEAPS. The remaining three ranged themselves in a row, and, after gazing intent and motionless, for a moment or two, they sprang as by one impulse across the road, and fled with magnificent leaps over the heather and the Gelder, and so on up the sides of Loch- nagar, pausing now and then to turn and look back at us. We started a few brace of grouse, but grouse are not encour- aged where deer are stalked, as the sudden rise of a covey would startle the large game and betray the presence of the hunter. The road winds after a somewhat zigzag fashion up the glen, dipping into the bottom, and crossing a moss, out of which the cottars on the estate get their peat. A light snow had fallen the night before and lay on the lower slopes in beautiful contrast with the soft purple of the heather. The shiel stands directly upon the Gelder, a rapid, brawling stream running over a bed of boulders, and with here and there a silent pool. It has its source in a small lake in the bosom of Loch- 23 353 254 THE QUEEN'S HUNTING LODGES. nagar, above which hang precipices one thousand feet high, Byron's "steep frowning glories of dark Locknagar." The mountain takes its name from this loch (lake), which is said to signify " The loch of the sobbing and wailing," from the sounds that arise from it when swept by mountain winds. The Queen's estate stretches to the summit of Lochnagar, and Her Majesty considers this mountain the "gem " of the Bast High- lands. And, with its clearly-defined back and peak, and lofty precipices, it certainly possesses a distinction that the more lumpy Cairngorms lack ; and its dusky hue always marks it, even to the least observant eye. Its earlier name was " The White Mounth," and there is a prophetic couplet which says — * ' When the White Mounth frae snaw is clear Ye day o' doom is drawin' near. ' ' And the corrie within which the small loch lies, and which, with its frowning glories, is plainly seen, and seemingly not far from the shiel, keeps its snows through the year, even when the little plantation which encloses the shiel is green, and Her Majesty came here for the solitude of which she was so fond. She frequently drove here of a morning to write. At such times luncheon was sent up, with the necessary attendants, for no one lives here habitually. ARRANGEMENTS OF INTERIOR. " The Queen's Shiel" is the smallest of the four. Its name in Gaelic, " Ruidha na Bhan Righ," is cut in the lintel of the front door. You enter through this door into a small lobby, a door opens on each side into a small square room. These, with a small kitchen, make up the sum of the little biggin. The walls of the sitting and tea-rooms are lined with Balmoral tartan in wool, and the same tartan is used for the upholstery of a sofa and the covers of the centre tables. A plain carpet covers the floor. Family portraits, photographed or engraved, and in plain gilt frames, hang upon the walls. In its perfect simplicity it might be the home of a cottar. A high deer fence encloses the THE QUEEN'S HUNTING LODGES. 355 plantation of mingled fir, larch, and bircli. A wide gate gives en- trance at the approach, and on the opposite side a wicket leads into a footpath running along the bank of the Gelder. " We walked along the footpath above the Gelder for a mile and a half, the dogs, which had come up, following us," writes the Queen in 1879. She had driven up with the Empress Eugenie, who was very " pleased with the little shiel." " When we came back, after walking for an hour, we had tea. Brown had caught some excellent trout and cooked them with oat- meal," which, we are told, " the Empress liked extremely and said would be her dinner." ROMANTIC BRIDLE-PATHS. The Gelder is famed for its trout, and the cooking them in oatmeal is a Scotch fashion, to the toothsomeness of which many can bear testimony. A small stable for horses and ponies is attached to the shiel. The ascent of Lochnagar can be made from here, and a bridle-path also leads over the hills to the Glasallt Shiel. With all these bridle-paths Her Majesty made familiar acquaintance in her mountaineering days. As we lingered, pleased with the atmosphere of perfect solitude and peace, no sound save the ceaseless rush and brattle of the Gelder broke the absolute silence. The Danzig Shiel lis reached from the Castle by the beauti- ful old road leading thither through the forest of the Balloch Buie. This is the road closed to the public by private Act of Parliament after the purchase of the estate by Prince Albert, he at the same time entering into an agreement to build a new bridge across the Dee, and to widen and otherwise improve the road on the north bank, all of which was done at a cost of $25,000. Entering the Balmoral gate, we turned off into a back road running above the flower-gardens and the Queen's Cottage, and a brief drive brought us to the West Lodge, where we joined the Queen's road from the Castle. The Balloch Buie is a remnant of the old Caledonian Forest, and is always named with a certain note of respect in his voice by 356 THE QUEEN* S HUNTING LODGES. the native. The road runs, now on a level with the Dee, now on a hillside, from which we see far below the liquid blue of its rapid waters. Everything indicates that we are entering the heart of a great forest. No sight or sound of an outer world greets us. Great Scotch firs shut us in on every hand. The atmosphere is loaded with their resinous fragrance. Where the beams of the low-run- ning sun strike them, their red bark glows like the decaying em- bers of an ingle nook. In cooler lights it is a reddish purple. Their tall, straight trunks have a columnar aspect, and on a hill- side, as you look up, you fancy you are gazing through vast por- ticoes into the mysterious depths of prodigious halls, wherein once dwelt prehistoric giants. In fact, you may fancy anything you like, as you find your- self seized upon, taken possession of, by the spirits of the Balloch Buie. Now and then an ancient birch, gnarled, crooked, and patched with black moss, breaks the uniformity of the pines. SCOTTISH MOSS AND HEATHER. The very earth looks as though it had been the playground of giants. It is covered with boulders thinly coated with heather and cranberry, the vivid green of the latter serving to lighten the somewhat sombre atmosphere that broods eternally under the dark roof of firs. Moss mingles with the heather. Here roam herds of wild deer, and with the knowledge obtained even from a passing carriage, one quickly sees that deer-stalking is no child's play, but downright hard work, calling for man's utmost powers of physical endurance. Here the sons and sons-in-law of the Queen, took their autumn sport. An attempt is made to keep the deer within bounds by high wire fences on the outskirts of moor and forest, but when frosts are ' keen and snows deep they often break through these, though at such seasons they are fed by the keepers. " Won't you be sorry to have them shot ?" I asked of a daughter of one of the Queen's keepers, who had been telling me of the deer that came daily to be fed and fondled. THE QUEEN'S HUNTING LODGES. 35t " O, in the spring time they will go back to the herd and grow wild again, and I sha'n't know them from the others," was the reply. After a successful day's deer-stalking comes at night the stag- dance. The deer are tossed upon the lawn not far from the Queen's entrance. The people assemble ; Avhiskey circulates ; the gillies, bearing torches in their hands, dance reels ; the red light splashes upon the stags, the kilted dancers, the green sward, and flares across the white castle walls. When Queen Elizabeth of Roumania — the " Carmen Sylva " of literature — was visiting at Balmoral, there was a stag dance, which the poetry-loving Queen witnessed from the great entrance with her hostess. Queen Victoria. "And," added the retainer who told me of it, " it was the only time I ever saw two Queens together." This drive through the Balloch Buie was a favorite one with her majesty. In an opening a clear spring bubbles up. Is this one of the places where the Royal tea-kettle was boiled ? A drive to tea either in the forest or at the shiel was a common pleasure. A COSY TEA-ROOM. The Danzig Shiel, the home of the head forester and his family, stands in a wide open space in the forest. The part de- voted to the Queen is approached by a passage from the forester's side ; it has, however, its own entrance. The little tea-room is fin- ished in Balloch Buie pine, walls and ceiling. Its draperies for window, table, and mantel are, like those of the Glen Gelder Shiel, all of Balmoral tartan ; so is a fire-screen, framed in Balloch Buie fir. The grey carpet with crimson border harmonizes with the other details. Observe tea-cups decorated with a bit of fir and a cone. On the lobby wall hangs a sketch in colors of "Victoria," a deer found when a fawn by the Queen in a gravel-pit up Glen Muick, and brought home in her carriage. This was in 1877, and it lived until 1887 as a pet on the estate. On its pretty collar are the initial V.R. Tradition intimates that, like many petted favor- ites, it was not possessed of the utmost amiability of temper. 358 THE QUEEN'S HUNTING LODGES. Not far from tlie sliiel are tlie falls of the Garbh Allt. The name signifies " the rough burn," and the succession of falls are more like cascades. The water, pouring over its bed of rough, jagged rock, is torn into splendor, and runs on sparkling with iridescent foam between its banks of fir and beech. "This," said our young forester and guide, skipping down a slight declivity, " is where the Queen and Princess like to look at the Falls." They are celebrated for their beauty, and anyone who likes can visit them at any time during the Queen's absence. When she is in residence they can be visited daily until 3 P. M. They are four miles from Braemar, and it is rather a favorite morning walk with visitors there to the Garbh Allt and back. They are reached only by the old Bridge of Dee, a picturesque stone struct- ure rising in the centre, one of several such built by General Wade in 1752, on the line of his military road from Blairgowrie to Inverness. This bridge was now the property of the Queen, but she had a private bridge a little farther down. "THE QUEEN IS KIND." To a remark that it was kind of her Majesty to keep these Falls open to strangers, the mistress of the shiel replied, " The Queen is kind. I do not think she would do an unkind thing." Her Majesty sketched many bits of scenery about and includ- ing the Danzig Shiel, some of which she sent to the Chicago Bxposition. To reach the AUtnaguibhsaich and Glasallt Shiels we drove up Glen Muick on the Balmoral and Birkhall side. The public road runs up the opposite bank. As we near the Falls of Muick the glen contracts, and the musical splash and gurgle of falling waters are heard. The falls are about forty feet high, and the gorge is so narrow that in summer, when the flow is small, they can be easily stepped over at the point where they make the plunge over the edge of the rocks. Flowers in great variety and abundance are found just here. The primrose is among them, a favorite flower of the Queen. She THE QUEEN'S HUNTING LODGES. 3o» had them all about the Castle in their season. The ferns, too, are abundant and varied. Her Majest}^ many a time and often took her afternoon tea here, and it would be difficult to imagine a more charming tea room. Above the falls the glen Avidens, and the Muick, hitherto a bickering, brattling stream, slips silently and smoothly by between peaty banks. Glen Muick signifies "the glen of the sow," and wild boars once presumably roamed here. But why the little farmsteading we pass shortly before reaching the shield should be called Inschnabobart, "The field of the poet's cow," tradition does not say. It is the highest cultivated land in the glen and is 1,300 feet above sea level. ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD.' Just here by Inschnabobart Ford comes in another road from the Castle, the road upon which a carriage accident took place the year succeeding the Prince Consort's death. The Queen was returning at night from the Glasallt Shiel, when the carriage was upset. The coachman and John Brown were the only servants in attendance, the others having gone on. One of them (Kennedy), looking back, observed that the carriage lights had disappeared, and instantly returned to the rescue, thereby saving a long wait till assistance and a fresh carriage could be procured. Fortunately no one was seriously injured ; but the carriage lamps had proved of so little avail in lighting the track that ever after, when driving at night over these mountain roads, the car- riage was preceded by an outrider carrying a pole with a lamp suspended from each end. Her Majesty, with that readiness to acknowledge a service so characteristic of her, afterwards presented Kennedy with a gold watch. Grouse are shot in the upper glen, and it is from here that the first of the season are forwarded on the 12th of August to Windsor. Venison, grouse and salmon are supplied the royal table from the Highland estate ; and on the day of the opening of the Dee fishing, February loth, one or more fine salmon are usually en route for Osborne or Windsor on the late train. The solitude as we ap- 360 THE QUEEN'S HUNTING LODGES. preached the upper part of the glen was absolute. Only one " lum'' sends up its smoke in the neighborhood of the Alltnagui- bhsaich, and that is the keeper's at Spital of Muick. This shiel, with its long Gaelic name, so called from the stream that flows by it, and which signifies "the burn of the fir trees," is familiarly known as " The Hut." And such it was a hundred years ago, when it was roofed with sods, and had but one chimney. It was enlarged before it became the property of the Prince Consort, and consisted of three rooms and a detached kitchen. The Prince made further additions, and it now has two public rooms and half a dozen or so bed rooms, besides accommoda- tions for the keeper who lives here the year round, and a detached building for the gillies, called "The Gillies' Hall." It looks like two small cottages joined together. WADED IN AND SHOT THE STAG. Above the front door are the antlers of a stag killed by the Duke of Edinburgh. The wounded animal had taken to the water of the Dubh Loch, and as the Prince was the only one of the hunt- ing party that could swim he went in and gave the stag its finish- ing touch. The Hut is about a mile from the foot of Loch Muick, a view of which is had from the front windows through an opening in the plantation. A green lawn slopes down in front. The Queen and Prince Consort often spent a few days here. They rowed upon the lake, fished for trout, climbed the neighboring heights, and explored those farther distant ; shot a deer or two perhaps. "We were home at a little past seven," writes the Queen of one of these rows in the twilight, " and it was so still and pretty as we entered the wood and saw the light flickering from our humble little abode." They were staying at the Hut when the news of the death of the Duke of Wellington reached them. After the death of the Prince Consort the Queen made no pronounced stay here. It is now used chiefly as a hunting box by King Edward, and the prin- cipal bed room is called his room. The upholstery — bed curtains, THE QUEEN'S HUNTING LODGES. 361 window draperies, etc., — of the rooms is of chintz in which blue predominates. I saw a pretty coffee service with the three feathers of the Prince of Wales in blue. I observed, too, a chintz in Victo- ria tartan. The Queen occasionally lent this exceedingly cosy little lodge to a friend for the season. A path leads from behind the Hut to the summit of Lochna- o-ar, and is the usual route thither from Ballater and the east. It was made by ordei of the Queen in 1849. It runs between the lodge and the Gillies' Hall to a gate in the deer fence, and there is no necessity for any one passing the front of the lodge. This, however, sometimes happens, and a writer upon Lochnagar sug- gests that finger posts would doubtless prevent this, at least on the part of the well-intentioned tourist, though he pertinently adds that " for persons who will flatten their noses against window panes, the better to examine a private house, finger posts would be superfluous." ROADS AS SMOOTH AS FLOORS. A drive of three miles took us from The Hut to the Glasallt Shiel. This road for the greater part of the way lies along Loch Muick, is built up, in fact, above the water, and guarded on that side by a strong paling. All these roads we passed over are on the Queen's estate, her private roads, and built by her ; all first-rate roads, over which our victoria rolled smoothly without jolt. The day was perfect ; a late March day in the early spring ; cloudless, breezeless, genial; warm enough to have the top down, and demanding no extra wraps. Loch Muick is nearly three miles long by half a mile wide, and lies in the heart of the hills, which dip their feet perpendicu- larly into its waters. At the head of the Loch, on a spit of land formed apparently by the wash of the Glas AUt — " the grey burn " stands the Glasallt Shiel, the remotest, and in all respects the most solitary, of the four. We crossed the burn by a stone bridge as we entered the enclosure. Over the front door is cut — "Victoria Regina," 1868. The Queen in her " Leaves " gives an account of the house- warming, October ist of that year; the dancing, the drinking to 362 • THE QUEEN'S HUNTING LODGES. the " fire-kindling," and all the gay, pretty ceremony ; pathetically adding that this was " the first widow's house," and that she could never have stayed alone at the Alltnaguibhsaich, where she had passed so many happy days with her husband. Prince Albert was very fond of this immediate neighborhood, and intended at some time to build a shiel here, and in erecting this the Queen was simply carrying out his wishes. There was a small) lodge here in this day, where the two occasionally lunched on their mountaineering expeditions. The keeper who lived there was a bachelor, and cared for his own biggin, and there is a legend that he kept his fire-irons in paper in the intervals of the Royal visits, hastily unwrapping them when the approach of the pair was an- nounced. There is still a keeper's lodge just behind the shiel. A PICTURESQUE FALL. Reaching an altitude of about 700 feet above Loch Muick, we came to the Falls of the Glas Allt, which make a clear leap of 150 feet. The Queen has often visited these Falls. They are " quite equal to those of the Bruar at Blair," she says. And the Bruar at Blair is "The Bruar Water " of Burns, which he makes to apostro- phise itself thus : ' ' Here, foaming down the shelvy rocks, In twisting strength I rin ; There, high my boiling torrent smokes Wild roaring o'er a linn. Enjoying large each spring and well, As nature gave them me, lam, altho' I say't mysel'. Worth gaun a mile to see. " Snows were still melting on the moor above, and the waters^ iced by nature's own process, shed a refreshing coolness as they took their leap, breaking into foata and spray worth gaun a mile, indeed, to see! worth the thirteen miles we had come, most certainly ! w CHAPTER XXIII. Child Life at Balmoral Castle. E ALL know tliat the Queen was fond of cliildren, uiJ cHat she was to them a most delightful companion. Sh-? liked^ to give them pleasure. She never suffered a birthday amou^ her many grandchildren to pass without recognition of it, often by a little feast. And they, in turn, arranged their tableaux and little dramatic pieces to commemorate the birthday of their beloved grandmother and Queen. On May-day, 1888 (May 12th, which is the old May-day), as Her Majesty was driving in the neighborhood of Windsor, she met some village children marching with their May-pole and singing their songs. She stopped her carriage and asked ^heni to sing to her, which they readily and gladly did, of course, and she gave them ten shillings for the feast, which is an indispen- sable part of the May-day village party. And little Donald — he is big Donald now — remembers how he went up to the Castle one day from his mother's cottage to receive a gift Her Majesty had brought for that dear mother. Donald had been taught his "manners," and stood up before the Queen, respectful but sturdy, Justin the way Her Majesty liked, and with his little "cocket bonnet," as they call it, jammed under his arm like any little gentleman. The Queen espied the cap (Glengary), and remarked a newness of aspect, the gloss of which so soon passes from a boy's cap. " Ah, and so you've got a new cap, Donald," she said. And Donald brought it promptly forward to display it. "Yes, it was a new cap. And my father made it," says he, with no little pride. His father was the tailor on the estate, and a very good one, as Donald was aware, and made not only caps for his little son but kilts for the young Princes. Donald's cap was finished with a bindinsr of tartan. ^ 363 364 CHILD LIFE AT BALMORAL. The Queen's own children were young when they first came to Balmoral, and it was a busy place in those days. Each child had his or her favorite pursuit aside from the daily lessons ; painting, sketching, photography, gardening. A soldier was stationed there at times to drill the young Princes. And they throve, and grew strong and hearty on the fine mountain air, and the "porridge" of oatmeal to which their residence at Balmoral ^introduced them. The stillroom maid was taught, too, to make oatcakes for their eating. It is doubtless owing to their frequent sojourns here, with the out-of-door life and plain habits of living, that the family owe their high average of good health. At certain hours of the day they played with the cottage children. " O, WE'LL HELP," SAID THE PRINCESSES. I was sitting by one day when a cottager, whose childhood was passed on the Queen's estate, was mixing and baking her oatcakes, and she said : "I remember one day I was making the oatcakes for my mother, when the Princesses Helena and Louise came for me to go and play with them. But my mother said I must finish the oatcakes fir^^t." " O, we'll help," said the Princesses, who before this had had their little cooking lessons and teas at Osborne. And Helena proceeded to tend and turn the cakes that were already baking on the griddle over the fire —the only true and gen- uine way to bake oatcakes — and became very hot and rosy in the process, while Louise, with that spirit of exploration which distin- guishes her, rummaged for an additional cake cutter. Nothing could be found, however, but the teapot lid, which proved too deep, and the dough stuck fast and "messed," till the good mother, fearing a practical illustration of the proverb, " Too many cooks spoil the broth," sent off the three, and finished the oatcakes herself. After the children had grown up, came those of the Prince of Wales at Abergeldie, and of the Duke of Bdinburg at Birkhall, so that the Castle was never really without its child life. CHILD LIFE AT BALMORAL. 3(J5 Then tlie children of the Princess Beatrice played in the old places where their mother's childhood was made happy. Two of the fonr were born at Balmoral. The Little Princess Victoria Eugenie, whose birth took place October 24, 1887, was the first Royal child born in Scotland since 1600. And she had at her christening a third name bestowed upon her, a Gaelic name, because of the place of her nativity. " Princess Kna " she is. called at Balmoral. The cottars and tenantry presented this little lady with a cradle at a cost of sixty dollars. On the third or fourth day after the arrival of the baby the cottage people are invited by twos to welcome her or him, and a wagonette is sent to convey any of the very old women who cannot walk. There is a perennial interest in babies, and although billions have entered this world since the advent of the first, that fact does not seem to detract, luckily, from the interest attaching to each fresh comer. A BIRTH AND BONFIRE. In October, 1891, a little Prince was born. At his birth a bonfire was kindled on Craig Gowan. Gillies, keepers, cottars men, women, and children, marched up preceded by the music of the bagpipes, carrying their flaming torches of pine. After the bonfire was kindled they fell to dancing on the flat, rocky space reserved for that purpose. A small cottage lassie told mc that she assisted on the occasion, and footed a reel in honor of the event. The baptism of the little Prince took place October 29th. The last royal Prince baptized in Scotland previous to this was that much-lamented son of James VI., the Prince Henry, beloved of Sir Walter Raleigh, of whom the Prince said, concerning his long detention in the Tower, that if he were King he would not cage so fine a bird. That christening was in 1594. The ceremony of 189 1 was in the drawing-room of the Castle. The Queen held the child, and the officiating clergyman was Dr. Cameron Lees, of St. Giles', Edinburgh, Chaplain to the Queen and of the Order of the Thistle. The service was of 366 CHILD LIFE AT BALMORAL. course Presbyterian. A picture of this cliristening lias been painted, by order of tbe Queen, by Sir George Reid, President of the Scotcb Royal Academy. He made preparatory studies of the drawing-room witb its tartans, for Her Majesty always insisted upon adherence to facts in these historical pictures, never permit- ting accuracy to be sacrificed to the picturesque. The painting does not lack color or picturesqueness of cos- tume, however, for aside from the distinctive dress of the clergy- man and the handsome dresses of the ladies. Prince Henry of Battenberg wore the Royal Stuart tartan, and, at the special desire of the Queen, Francie Clark, her personal attendant, and Donald Stewart, her head-keeper, were introduced into the picture, both wearing the court dress of Royal Stuart. And the Munshi, her Indian secretary, appears in Oriental costume. The baby, the centre of the ceremonial, wore the white christening robe which has served for all the Royal Family, and the gold font used was the one made for the christening of the Queen's children. The child received a Scotch name, and is called Prince Donald. Many of the tenantry and cottars were invited to the christening, coming in from the distant shiels. DONKEY CART AND PONY. The Battenberg children have their donkey-cart, and there was a small cream-colored pony at their occasional disposal, which was presented to Her Majesty by the proprietor of Sanger's Circus. Her name was Isabella, and she had a harness of red morocco and gold, which exactly suited her complexion. When harnessed the team was an exceedingly jolly little affair. As to other sources of amusement and pleasure, they had those com- '.mon to all children on a beautiful country estate, such as are simply inexhaustible and never pall. They, too, played with the cottage children, and a drive around in the donkey-cart to say good-bye to these always preceded their departure. Kvery autumn saw the two little children of the late Duke of Albany at Birkhall. The little Duke was a bonnie little laddie. The "Seaforth Highlanders " was the "Duke's Own," CHILD LIFE AT BALMORAL. 867 and his little son succeeded to his honors. When he was six years old, a detachment of these were stationed at the barracks in Ballater as the Queen's Guard of Honor. One day it was noised abroad that the small Duke Avas coming to inspect the barracks and review the guard, and quite a crowd were assembled at the parade when the hour arrived. It was quite delightful, I was assured, to see the little fellow in his uniform, and to hear him give the orders in his child voice to the big men, who doubtless enjoyed it as much as he did. Very different, indeed, from the broomstick guns and ragged regiment that commonl}^ fall to the urchin of a military turn of mind ! These children, like all those of the Royal Family, were simply trained — "humbly" trained, says a good cottager. They had no special maid, and were taught to dress and wait upon them- selves. At the same time they were well instructed, and trained in all desirable accomplishments. Little Princess Alice was quite an accomplished horsewoman, and liked nothing better than to ride her mother's great horse. The Duchess made a companion of her children, as all true mothers like to do. LITTLE DUKE AND HIS SAIL BOAT. An amusing anecdote of the little Duke came to my ears. Like all children, he liked to dabble in water and sail boats, and the Muick was conveniently near for such purposes. One day, a neighboring cottar had been scrubbing her pots and kettles in that poetic stream, a not infrequent habit with those whose cot- tages are near a burn. I remember watching for some time one day two farm maids scouring kettles in the Gairn, which flowed beside the farmhouse. Well, this woman had finished her scrubbing, and gone away, leaving her scrubbing brush on the bank, never dreaming that a small yachtsman was to appear and appropriate it. But the little Duke found it. It was a fine large scrubbing brush, and would doubtless float. He tried it. It floated. It not only floated, but sailed most beautifully, with bristles majestically elevated — a charming ship. S68 CHILD LILE AT BALMORAL. He sailed it for some time, when, unhappily, it floated into the current and was gone ! gone on its way to the Dee and the German Ocean. And great was the wrath of the owner when she heard of this departure. She proclaimed it abroad, and the little boy's exploit coming to the Duchess's ears, she at once decreed that a new brush must be bought to replace that lost, and the little Duke must pay for it out of his — somewhat limited — pocket-money. He was accordingly taken by his tutor to a Ballater shop, and asked to select a brush as near like the departed one as was possible. He made his selection. The price was ascertained. "And now you are to pay for it," sa3^s the tutor. "But I haven't any money," was the pathetic reply. " I will lend you some," says the stern tutor. Let us hope that the Duchess privately cancelled the debt. OPENING A BRIDGE WITH CHEERS. The Duchess, with her children, opened a suspension foot- bridge across the Dee. But few people were present, and the ceremony, though pretty, was of the simplest. A brief speech or two was followed by cheers for the Duchess, and then some one said, "Three cheers for the bairns !" and I was much amused at the perfect gravity with which they were received by the little Duke. The little Princess smiled, but not a glimmer pierced the solemnity of his countenance as he took off his cocket bonnet with its eagle feather, and bowed. Such a wee little eaglet ! It will be remembered that he was born after the death of his father. Prince Leopold, and the Queen herself hastened to Clare- mont to welcome the little fatherless boy. She held him in her arms at his christening, and had a peculiar tenderness for this one of her large flock. At Abergeldie Castle the children of the Duke of Connaught used to spend the autumn. The two older were left in the care of the Queen when the Duke and Duchess were in India, and there is a very pleasing photograph of Her Majesty, taken with these children, in her character of grand- mother. CHAPTER XXIV. Comings and Goings of Royalty. BALLATBR is the terminus of the Deeside railway, and a stream of personages more or less distinguished was continu- ally passing through the little station to and from Balmoral Castle when the Queen was in residence there. Members of the Cabinet — Sir William Harcourt, the Earl of Rosebery, Lord Kim- berly, each coming in his turn, in accordance with the etiquette that requires a minister in attendance upon the sovereign when out^ of England. Ladies-in-waiting and gentlemen-in-waiting, their time of ser- vice being over, went and gave place to others. Private guests came and went — old and dear friends and attendants of the Queen, like Lady Jane Churchhill. Miss Kate Marsden, of Siberian leper fame, was '' commanded " by the Queen to Balmoral, that Her Majesty might hear from her own lips the story of her adventures, and her hopes concerning the proposed leper settlement. MUSICIANS BEFORE THE QUEEN. Violinists, vocalists and pianists, also " commanded " for the entertainment of the Royal household, arrived, performed, and departed. A Privy Council is held. But so far as the public, represented by the lookers-on in the station square, is concerned, they come and go and no one is the wiser, for there is nothing to distinguish the Lord Chancellor from the violinist except the latter's violin cases. But when Royalty arrives or departs, it is unmistakable. The first hint that it is expected is the unrolling of the crim- son carpet that stretches from the main entrance of the station to the line. From that moment small groups begin to gather in the square, summoned by the " little birds," time out of mind the bearer of secret intelligence. At least there has been no other messenger. Policemen also appear as by magic. They guard the sacred carpet, and however strong your curiosity to see the expected 24 369 370 COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. arrival, there is no use trying to enter the station or to approach it within certain limits. You are simply ordered back, and retreat. This warning-off may seem an unnecessary precaution, but not to one who has ever been caught in a British crowd. The British crowd is intensely democratic, and would not hesitate to hustle Royalty off the platform in its determination to get a sight of it. If you are going on the same train — which may happen, as Royalty does not, with the exception of the Queen, always have a special — if you go on the same train, well and good. You can enter. But you must bid good-bye to your friends on the outside of the station. And if it be an incoming train, and your friend has been absent years in India or Australia, and you are eager to take him by the hand the very instant the train stops, you will have to restrain your emotion until he gets well outside the sacred limits. PEOPLE GATHER TO SEE THEM OFF. However, to-day it is an outgoing train, and the royalties to be sent off are Prince and Princess Henry of Prussia, who have been at Balmoral a fortnight. Both the Prince and Princess are grand- children of the Queen, the former being the sailor-son of the Em- press Frederick, and the latter a daughter of the lamented Princess Alice. As the time of departure draws near, the groups in the square increase in size and numbers. They hang about the post- office in the Albert Memorial building. They lean against the railing opposite — a row of laborers with hands in their pockets and pipes in their mouths. There is a group at the photographer's corner, where a turn in the Balmoral road gives a coin of vantage. Another at the opposite corner, one of which is a stout old woman in a white mutch, who never fails to appear on these occasions, and who, although she has watched countless arrivals and departures of Royalty, is just as eager as though this were the first instead of the five hundredth. But somehow there is a tremendous fascination in. the thing, and however intensely republican you may be, and however much you may turn up your nose at this tagging at the heels of Royalty, like the old woman, you go and do it yourself every time. COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. 371 The Balmoral luggage-van first arrives, a huge green machine, closed. It is drawn by four horses, on two of which postillions are mounted. It draws up, and unloads from a door behind. What a lot of luggage ! Enough to equip a small army, and all in small receptacles. Not a Saratoga trunk among it. But portmanteaux, hat boxes, Gladstone bags, dressing cases, without end. After the luggage-van, arrive, in different carriages, the little Prince and attendants ; the lady and gentleman-in-waiting ; the maids, both of their Highnesses and of the two last-named fun :tion- aries ; the Queen's equerry in a trap by himself. The carriage of the Duchess of Albany drives up ; she come to see them off. THE WEIRD NOTES OF THE BAGPIPE. Now are heard the notes of a bagpipe, accompanied by the tramp of soldierly feet, and the Queen's Guard of Honor is seen approaching from the direction of the barracks, a detachment of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders. They advance right gallantly, their spats white as pipe-clay can make them. Above their white spats are the pink-and-white plaid stockings, Vv'ith the little skene dhu sticking out of the top. The delicate white and pink and the bare knees contrast broadly with the dark Argyle tartan of the kilt. Their jackets are scarlet, with yellow cuffs and collars, and a tall feather hat with one white plume surmounts the whole. They form in the square, and still we wait. The suspense is not exactly awful, but every eye is painfully fixed on the Bal- moral road. Women advance into the square as near as they dare to the wheel tracks. The group opposite the entrance and com- manding the passage and red carpet consolidate. But " Hush ! hark ! a deep sound " as of horses' feet, and an outrider appears over the railway bridge, galloping as though, to quote from the eminent James Anthony Fronde, as though "what was once called the devil " was after him. He is on a large grey, and how perfectly groomed are both man and horse ! And just behind them more greys, four of them, splendid beasts, also coming at full gallop, and bringing at their heels the 872 COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. Queen's private carriage. On two of tliem are seated postillions in black and white : white duck trousers and black velvet jackets, with close round caps of black velvet, touched up with silver bands. Two footmen in light overcoats are in the rumble. In the open carriages are seated their Royal Highnesses. And it must be confessed the first sight of them is a dreadful damper on our ex- pectations. They are so extraordinarily like the rest of humanity ! Not so good-looking, in fact, as some of us. For even Prince Henry does not carry out the tradition relative to Hohenzollern beauty and magnificence of person ; and the English Royal Family, as every- body knows, is not handsome. TWO FAMOUS RULERS. However, we rally as we reflect that in Prince Henry we see the grandson of the Queen of Great Britain and the brother of the Emperor of Germany — than whom where shall we find two more illustrious governors. As the carriage dashes up to the station the guard salutes ; there is a clatter of steel, the colors dip, the pipers play a strain. Off go all hats, that is all civil hats ; the footmen deposit there's in the rumble ; we observe that one is bald, but luckily the wind is from the sweet south, though were it a stiff north-easter etiquette would remain unchanged. Prince Henry, as he leaves the carriage, comes forward and speaks with the of&cer in command. When the late Grand Duke of Hesse, the " Louis" of the early Balmoral days, visited Deeside, he used to go down the ranks and speak to each soldier, and won all their hearts by so doing. But Prince Henry limits his courte- sies to the captain. They cross the red carpet and enter the saloon, car, the group opposite craning their necks for a last glimpse of the royal backs. The signal is given. The train moves off. The piper tunes up and the guard march away to the music of " The Girl I Left Behind Me." The crowd melts and disappears. The Queen's carriage vanishes over the railway bridge. The rooks that somehow always congregate overhead on these occasions sep- COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. 373 arate with vociferous caws. It was all very pretty, we think as we walk off, in its setting of heather-topped hills sunk in forests bright with autumn tints ; and we resolve that we will come next time, which we do, and see it all over again, the only change being in the occupants of the Queen's carriage. Royalty comes and goes on other than railway occasions. The pretty four-in-hand given by the Balmoral tenantry to Princess Beatrice at the time of her marriage is often seen driving about Ballater, stopping at the photographer's or the door of some old servant. THE ROYAL EQUIPAGE. And any day, turning a corner, perhaps, you come suddenly upon an outrider, who is followed by a carriage, bearing the crown on its panels and drawn by a pair of greys. Very likely there will be three people in the carriage, a lady-in-waiting, one of the Princesses, or a visitor. But you look only at the short figure in black. For there sits the Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India, the first lady in the land, and by other right, too, than of hereditary sovereignty, by the right of imperial womanhood. For whatever else Victoria I. of England was, she was above and beyond all a woman ; and women throughout the civilized world can point with pride to the sovereign lady of Great Britain as a complete refuta- tion of the monstrous assertion that a woman cannot fulfil a public function except at the price of her womanhood. As she drives somewhat slowly through the village, the people come to the doors of their shops and houses, and the children look up from their play. But there is no demonstration. She wishes to come and go like any private citizen, so far as she can, and her good Highlanders respect her wishes. The Queen's train, as it is made up at Ballater, is somewhat' imposing. It is drawn by two engines. Aside from the Queen^s' two carriages there are nine others, and added to these, two guard and luggage vans. Very nearly in the centre are the Queen's car- riages. In entering the rear, you step into the compartment , de- voted to the women in attendance. Ordinarily, the steps of rail- way cars are stationary, but those of the Queen's carriage are 374 COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. dropped, and wlien unused folded into a leather box. Tlie hajndles of the doors are heavily gilded and handsome. All the compartments are thickly padded, walls and ceiling. The ceilings are in white silk. This first compartment is uphol- stered in fawn, and has two long couches which can be converted into four comfortable night couches. Here the Queen's dresser rides, together with one of the wardrobe maids. These wardrobe maids alternately do night duty ; that is, one always sleeps within the Queen's call, and the one whose night it is to serve rides in this compartment, a door at the other end leading directly into the Queen's bed-room. The walls of this royal sleeping-room are upholstered in dark red. The shades are green. So are the beds which stand, two of them, either side of the narrow passage at the upper end of the compartment. The Princess Beatrice alwa3^s shared the compart- ments of the Queen. An electric bell was within reach of the beds. WOOD WORK AND FURNITURE. It was here, between the bed-room and sitting-room, that the big Englishman who took me through the carriages, and who had the train in charge, called my attention to an extremely beautiful door which, he said, was made of "Ungarian hash." A lavatory separates the bed and sitting-rooms. This is finished in light wood, and the bowls and other toilet receptacles are of silver plate. The sitting-room is upholstered in light blue silk of that vivid hue called "royal blue." Blinds and curtains are of blue; so are the lambrequins which are surmounted with the Royal Arms. Large easy-chairs, a sofa, and two tables make up the furni- ture. There are stationary lamps with blue shades and a clock. A door leads from the sitting-room into the compartment where the personal attendant rides. In this compartment are four deep- cushioned chairs which can be converted into night couches. Thick rugs cover the floors of all the compartments. There is no' particular splendor about these interiors ; they are handsome, solid, comfortable; in one word, "English." The body of each carriage is almost black on the outside, COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. 375 highly polished, and bears in colors the Royal Arms, the Scotch thistle, and the star of India. The upper part is in panels of white and gilt, and there is a narrow carved cornice in black, with here and there a gilt lion's head or crown in high relief. The ends of the beams, or whatever they may be technically called, which pro- 'ject at the bottom of the carriage, are also finished in large gilt lions' heads. The running gear is painted to simulate gilt. The Queen's carriages were built with a view to noiselessness and the greatest possible smoothness of motion. They have five floors ; two of wood laid upon each other at right angles, two of rubber, and one of cork. The thick padding of the inside also tends to noiselessness. There are no brakes upon these carriages, but very powerful brakes are brought to bear upon the train from the engines and from the guard's van in the rear. So the occupants were not subjected to those sudden jerks when stopping with which the most of us travelers are familiar. COACHES OF EASE AND COMFORT. The station-master, Mr. Cowie, gave me an illustration of how smoothly and noiselessly they run. The carriages are usually kept at Aboyne, about twelve miles distant, during the Queen's stay at Balmoral, and are taken out for " runs " for a week or so preceding the time appointed for her departure. One summer they were kept at Ballater, and Mr. Cowie went on one of these " runs." He was busy in the saloon, with the blinds down, and had told the men to start when they liked. He felt a slight motion, and supposed they were simply shunting preparatory to starting, when upon lifting a blind he found he was half way to Aboyne. Anyone who has ridden in an ordinary compartment near the rear of an English express, and experienced its jerks and flings as though he were at the end of a huge whip snapped by a Brobding- naggian, will pray that the time may come when this creaminess of motion may spread over the whole railway system. The train as it stood the day of the Queen's departure, to which I refer, had next the engine and guard's van two saloon cars, occupied by a sheriff, directors, and numerous officials representing 376 COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. the railway systems over which the train was to pass. These were followed by the saloon for the Queen's Indian secretary, Munshi Abdul Karim, and Indian attendants. Next came that devoted to the use of Sir Henry Ponsonby, her private secretary, Dr. Reid, her physician, and other gentlemen. Then the Queen's carriages, followed by that of the children of Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg and attendants. The eighth saloon was for the ladies-in- waiting ; the ninth for the dressers and ladies' maid ; tenth^ for upper servants and pages ; eleventh and last for men servants. POLISHED AND DUSTED. Everything was spick-and-span, the dusting of panels and polishing of windows being kept up till the very last minute ; a handsome train, illustrative of the triumph of the nineteenth cen- tury over those dark ages when the few folk who ventured to travel entered upon their journey in great fear and discomfort, the Church putting up prayers for their safety, as the English litany bears witness to-day. The Queen had a waiting room at Ballater. It was fitted up and finished on a day when she was expected. In fact, figuratively speaking, the last blow of the hammer may be said to have mingled with the sound of her approaching train. The officials and work- men awaited anxiously her verdict. " Charming !" was her exclamation as she entered. The walls are paneled in satin-wood, polished but not varnished, alternating with dark wood. The softly-toned ceiling is of thick paper, which gives the effect of stucco, with a white and gilt cornice. There are two pretty windows of stained glass, with the rose, thistle and shamrock, and in the centre the monogram V.R.I. The double English rose and the Scotch thistle are also prominent in the ceil- ing. Plate mirrors are let into the walls above the fireplace and at the opposite end ; there is a thick Persian rug and the furniture is Queen Anne in dark red morocco. The walls of the lavatory are particularly fine, being made of Scotch fir, a handsome wood, and worked in the old linen pattern. Sevetal smoking rooms in English houses have since been finished COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. 377 in this wood and pattern, the owners having seen and admired these walls when gnests of the Queen at Balmoral. Every appoint- ment for the toilet is kept here, even to the toilet vinegar. Tea was sometimes served in this waiting room for members of the royal family coming in on the train. It is a tasteful, cosy, homelike room, and when lighted up by a blazing fire of soft coal in its tiled grate it is ''charming!" as the Queen said. As early as nine on the day the Queen left Balmoral — her Sj-ecial train being scheduled for 2.25 p. m. — every variety of machine was on the way to the Castle for the conveyance of lug- gage, for although there are plenty of horses in the Balmoral stables for ordinary uses, they are insufficient for the moving of the household. During the forenoon all the saddle and carriage horses were brought down together w^ith the ponies and children's donkeys, the latter round, fat little beasts, light, gray and white. The day before all the dogs had been sent to Windsor in company with the pipers : the pipes ignominiously swathed in bags and the little golden brown "Marco" and a fat fox terrier named "Spot" in a comfortable dog box. The whole morning brakes and lorries con- tinued to arrive, and two of the Queen's tall footmen in scarlet coats were busy at the station sorting the luggage they brought. AWAITING THE ARRIVAL. By two o'clock people began to gather in the station square in expectation of the arrival of the Queen. Carriage after carriage from Balmoral drove up all open, although it was a cold day and 'he wind swept freshly down the valley. But the Queen always 'rives with her carriage open, unless it storms, and, of course, the Court follows her example. Sir Henry Ponsonby and Dr. Reid in one. Sir Henry, a tall slight man, with gray hair and beard, and wearing a long light cloak ; ladies in waiting and maids of honor in another ; the two wardrobe maids in a carriage by themselves. The Indian secre- tary, Munshi Abdul Karim, arrived in state, alone in his carriage, wearing a ligbt bluish-gray turban, and apparently concentrating 378 COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. in hirnself tlie dignity of tlie whole Indian empire. He looked neither to the right nor to the left, bnt descending with unbending solemnity, stalked majestically over the red carpet and disappeared into his own saloon. Not so the little white-turbaned Indian upon the box. He had no sense of dignity to disturb him, and skipped down from his perch with the celerity of a monkey, picked up his master's traps and trotted after him, also disappearing into the saloon, but reap- pearing shortly at a window, out of which he hung in intense enjoyment of the bustle. WOMAN V/ITH A GOOD MEMORY. My own place of observation was a window in the Albert Memorial Hall, looking directly down upon the little square and close to the entrance of the station. I heard a voice behind me say : " I remember the first time the Queen came to Balmoral." I turned quickly and asked : ' ' Do you remember when she and Prince Albert drove from Aberdeen to Balmoral with triumphal arches all the way ? I have been wanting to see somebody that remembered that." ''Yes," she said, for it was a woman's voice. " I remember it all perfectly. I was eight years old, and I wore a white frock, and all we children sang ' God Save the Queen' as she drove by. I remember how disappointed I was, for I thought she would wear a crown and ride in a gilt coach. She wore a white bonnet trimmed with a blue ribbon, the royal blue, and a blue veil, and a shawl of Royal Stuart plaid folded in a point." So said the voice, and it gave a picturesque touch to the hour and scene. That was in 1848, and quite unlike the happy-hearted wife of that time was the woman we were about to see. Other scraps of the Ballater folk talk caught my ear : " There she is !" " Oh, no, that isn't she yet !" "She'll not be before her time !" " She's in no hurry to get away from Balmoral !" " Aye, aye ! she'll be sorry to go !" In the meantime the Guard of Honor had arrived and taken their stand. From our position we could see the Balmoral road where it COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. 37y winds around Craigendarrocli, and the carriage at first taken for the Queen's proved to be that conveying the baby of the house- hold, little Prince Donald, a fine large carriage drawn by four horses, with postillions in scarlet jackets, and two footmen in the rumble. This carriage was closed, baby here as elsewhere being a law unto himself. He was lifted out, a soft white bundle, in his nurse's arms, and with another child toddling by her side, they also disappeared under the arched entrance. Soon after, two more white-turbaned Indian attendants drove up in a brougham, and one of them, clad in a light blue gown, with white trousers and white sash, took his stand by the entrance. Then we knew that Her Majesty could not be far behind. FIRST TO ENTER AND LEAVE THE CASTLE. For, as she was always the first to arrive at the Castle, so was she the last to leave. When she came in May and August, a brougham was always in waiting at the station, into which two of the attendants instantly sprang and drove with all speed to the Castle to be in attendance when Her Majesty arrived. And she was the first to enter the CasJe. When she left everybody was sent off, these two attendants alone waiting to see her into her carriage. Then they departed and she was the last to drive away. A man was stationed by the flagstaff on the hall, and as soon as the carriage with its outrider was seen coming round Craigendar- roch the Royal Standard was run up. The carriage slowed as it entered the square, and the Queen bowed as she passed. Her face wore a somewhat serious aspect, and there was an air of gravity about the people. With two or three exceptions they were all Ballater folk. They knew her well. Many years of coming and going made them familiar with her face. It was not curiosity that had brought them out. It was quite another feeling, and it seemed more like a family gathered to say " good-bye " and " God-speed " to its head than a Queen to her subjects. There was a touching homeliness about the scene. There were no cheers, no demonstration, as she did not wish it. Only once was that rule broken over, and that was in 1887, her 380 COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. Jubilee year. Then the scliool children were ranged beside the road ; the old men of eighty came from all down the valley and stood in one line, and all the people cheered to their hearts' content while the Queen walked her horses and bowed smiling and happy. As her carriage, with its four beautiful greys ridden by pos- tillions in black and white, drew up at the station, the salute was played. For a moment she sat quietly while every eye was fixed upon her ; a short woman, plainly dressed in black, very like her later photographs. For myself, as I looked at her, I lost sight of the Queen and Empress in the woman. I thought of the young girl awakened on that June morning in 1837, ^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ Queen of Great Britain, and who came with loosened hair and little slippered feet to ask the reverend prelate, who was one of the messengers, to pray for her. What a life lay between that hour and this ! How rich in all that consecrates life and makes for character ! She has touch»;d the heights af human happiness, and has sounded the depths of human sorrow. " God bless her ! '' I heard a voice say behind me. HER MAJESTY'S ATTENDANTS. The Princess Beatrice was seated beside her and her two old- est children sat with their backs to the horses. The mother and children stepped out ; and then Francie Clark, her personal High- land attendant, who had ridden in his place in the rumble, came forward, together with the blue-and-white robed Indian attendant, to assist the Queen to alight. She stood for a moment, walking- stick in hand, and then she, too, disappeared in the arched entrance. As the train moved noiselessly out we saw her at a window of her saloon, and the faces of the children, grave like those of every one else, looked out from the following carriage. As the train dis- appeared down the valley, the Royal Standard dropped. The Queen's was not a fast train. Thirty-five miles an hour was its maximum. It used to be preceded by a pilot engine ; but of late years a new system was adopted. There were ordinarily three men at work on the line in every one and a half miles, COMINGS AND GOINGS OF ROYALTY. 381 These were turned for the time into signalmen, and wherever necessary additional men were placed. Bach one was supplied with a white and a red flag. They were so stationed that, together, they commanded the line, and as the train approached each showed his white flag if all was clear ; should there be any obstruction he showed the red. When night came on lanterns were substituted for flags, the white light for safety, the red for danger. So that really every foot of the line from Balmoral, or rather Ballater, to Windsor was under supervision as the royal train moved on. About three hours after the special the train left conveying the horses, donkeys, ponies and carriages — eight horse trucks, with three boxes in each and a compartment for the man in charge, and four carriage trucks. The horses were blanketed and guarded as to their legs, the donkeys remonstrating after their fashion to the embarkation. There was a carriage for the hostlers and addi- tional servants, and all were under the charge of the head coach- man. Sands, a typical English coachman of extensive breadth, who might have stepped out from among his jolly compeers in " Pick- wick." CHAPTER XXV. Funeral of Queen Victoria. WITH grand, yet mournful, display of naval pomp and power, tlie body of Queen Victoria was borne on the afternoon of February ist from its quiet resting place in Osborne House to Ports- moutb, the heart of England's navy. Not since Admiral Cervera's ships lit up the Cuban coast with their self-consuming fires had anything been seen which, in tragic splendor, approached the naval spectacle of this day. The half hundred fighting ships that fired their broadsides and minute guns were inferior in strength to the force gathered in the same waters for the jubilee celebration, but the lack of for- midableness was fully atoned for by the solemnity of this fleet in mourning. Over the still waters, between the roll of the six pounders, came strains of Chopin's and Beethoven's funeral marches. The crews, accustomed to cheer with the heartiness which belongs only to "jackies" stood silently along the decks, and the flags which usually float defiantly in the breeze, drooped half-way down the halyards. Evidences of profound mourning were displayed on every side ; the nation was in grief. The most powerful fleet England could gather on short notice lay inert and silent, save for the mournful strains of the bands and woeful sound of guns that betokened neither peace nor war, but death. Past these and past the Hohenzollern, the huge, though cumbersome, Camperdown, the Rodney and the Benbow, on through the line of British battleships, all as powerful as the Oregon or Kentucky ; still on, till Japan's Hatsuse, the biggest warship in the world, was left astern, and the German Baden was beam to beam with Vice Admiral Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson's splendid flagship, the Majestic, of the Channel Squadron, the naval funeral procession slowly steamed. Ahead were eight destroyers ; 382 FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. 383 and sel dom liave these speedy craft drawn their long black hulls so slug:gishly through the water. Paddling leisurely after them was the royal yacht Alberta, half screened by the awning on the poop, the royal coffin placed on a crimson dais, the curtains of which were drawn back and tied to four poles, leaving free to view the magnificent casket and 'robes. Sometimes abeam, sometimes ahead, was the Trinity House , yacht Irene, watching the course, while in the wake of the coffin came the royal yacht Victoria and Albert, with King Edward and Queen Alexandra and the English royal family ; the royal yacht Osborne, with other royal personages ; the imperial yacht Hohenzollern, with Emperor William, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and others ; the Admiralty yacht Enchantress, and a Trinity House yacht with officials on board. BOOMING OF MINUTE GUNS. Minute guns were fired by all ships in the Solent and at Cowes, commencing when the Alberta left the pier. Each ship ceased firing immediately after the tail of the procession had passed her. After the procession had passed the Majestic the forts and ships in Portsmouth harbor commenced firing minute guns, and continued firing until the Alberta was alongside the wharf. No standards were displayed, and ensigns and Union Jacks were at half mast. The bands played the funeral marches of Chopin and Beethoven only. No national anthem was played. On the approach of the procession the ships were manned and the guards and bands were paraded. The officers were in full dress, and the men wore "No. i rig" and straw hats. The guards presented arms as the Alberta passed each ship, and then rested on their arms reversed until the procession had passed. A detachment of marines and the Admiral's band was on board Nelson's old flagship, the Victory, in Portsmouth harbor. All the sea front and dockyards were manned by marines and sailors, while Barrow Island was manned by boys from the training ship St. Vincent and men from the gunnery ship Excel- 384 FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. lent. When tlie Majestic was left astern, the Alberta was moored for the night. The bod}^ will be taken ashore at Portsmouth, and thence conveyed to London and Windsor for the last tributes. The spectacle of the two great monarch s, followed by the women of their families and the noblest princes of Europe, walk- ing silently along the country road behind the bier blazing with precious stones will live long in the memory of those who saw it. The veneration and the love which the action implied were accen- tuated by the splendor of the uniforms of these kings and princes, and the magnificence of the military display which preceded them, a dazzling mass of color. The head of the procession emerged from the royal entrance to Osborne, the scarlet bands rousing the country echoes with the grand strains of the funeral marches. GIRL QUEEN'S CORONATION ROBE. The land ceremony, consisting in bringing the coffin from Osborne House to the pier at Cowes, was scarcely less interest- ing than the naval function. At noon the gorgeous trappings of the chapelle Ardente were disturbed. Over the coffin was thrown the coronation robe worn by the girl Queen. On this was placed the royal regalia, wand, sceptre and crown, which were scarcely ever used by the Queen in her lifetime. Dummy regalia will be buried with her at Frogmore. Cowes was astir at dawn, and long before the hour for the funeral the hilly York avenue leading from Osborne was a pic- turesque sight. From the castle gate to the pier troops stood with elbows touching. Behind them were thousands of men, women and children. The road was lined with poles, with shields of black and silver upon them bearing the royal monogram or sur- rounded with flags. Stands for spectators dotted the route. Innumerable cameras were posted at advantageous spots. Hawk- ers were busy disposing of black borderedin memoriam cards and other souvenirs. Equerries, aides-de-camp, mounted grooms and messengers dashed hither and thither, seeing that everything was in readiness. The guard around Osborne House was most rigid, and, -FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. 385 besides tiie police, a long, thin line of red merged into tlie green and brown woods, clnstering around the royal residence. The Queen's Guard was drawn up in double rank before the Queen's entrance, with heads bowed over their reversed guns, as in the death chamber. At 1.30 P. M. the bars of the main door of Osborne House opened and the petty officers of the royal yacht Victoria and Albert then doifed their hats and entered. King Edward came from a side entrance, accompanied by Emperor William of Germany. They both wore Admiral's uniforms. The Grenadiers momentarily raised their heads and came to the salute, which the King returned, and the men again became mute figures. Then, through the glass doors could be seen the coffin carried by the sailors, who but a few moments previous had entered. It was preceded by pipers, and was covered with the royal robes and regalia, and accompanied on either side by equerries. T\VO FAMOUS MONARCHS. Immediately behind the King took his place, on his right the Emperor of Germany. The King's head was bowed. The Emperor was erect, his face expressionless. Then followed the royal princes. A few seconds later emerged Queen Alexandra and eight royal princesses, all afoot and dressed in the simplest black, their faces entirely veiled with crape. Several of the party, and especially Princess Beatrice, were sobbing bitterly. In striking contrast with the black robed women followed the heads of the royal household in gorgeous uniforms. The coffin was placed upon the gun carriage. The pipers commenced their dirge. At 1.45 P. M. sailors from the Victoria and Albert raised the precious burden, and bore it from the house. This duty was to have fallen to the Highlanders, but at the rehearsal they were so awkward that it was decided that the sailors should perform the task. Outside the royal residence Grenadier Guards were drawn up on a brilliant line. With a sharp click they presented arms, for the last time, in honor of their dead Queen. The pipers led the procession, making the woods ring with a weird refrain. 25 ^8() FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. Behind them came the roj'-al family. At the gate the military portion of the parade stood ready, a glittering medley of uniforms. The two points of the land ceremony that seemed to specially rivet attention were the gems of the regalia and the veiled Queen and princesses. The emblems of sovereignity on top of the cofhn riveted all eyes. The jewels in the golden crown glittered with dazzling brilliancy in the sunlight. The evident fatigue of Queen Alexandra and the princesses appealed to all. "To think," said one, "that those poor, dear things, so pale and fine, trudged all down that weary road." And an old inhabitant, when the troops came to the " reverse " for the last night and the "Alberta" began to move off, muttered, "She has been here many a time, but this is the last." GROOMS IN BRIGHT SCARLET. The mounted grooms who headed the line wore bright scarlet. With the massed bands there were no fewer than forty muffled drums in the line. Among the Highlanders were seven Queen foresters in royal Stuart tartan, following whom two pipers wailed the sad music of the Black Watch's dirge. The King, Bmperor William and the Duke of Connaught walked three abreast, followed by the princes. They stepped slowly, a sad looking group, in spite of the brilliancy of their uniforms. But for a spectacle supremely touching, nothing could equal the band of mourners surrounding Queen Alexandra, the ladies, clothed in the deepest black, walking three by three along the shrub lined avenue and into the public road, like the merest peasants at the funeral of a relative. The pipers had followed the first dirge by the touching lament, "The Flowers of the Forest," which represents the with- ering of the last and best of them. As they reached the Queen's gate and wailed their closing strain, the muffled drums rolled out vvith oft recurring rhj^thmic beats, and the massed bands burst forth into the magnificent music of Chopin's Funeral March. Off went every hat, every woman curtsied low, the troops reversed arms and leaned their bended heads over them, still as statues. FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. 387 Down hill weut tlie sad procession, tlirongli tlie still and silent ranks of the people. No sound but that of the mournful march could be heard, but that was echoed far away to the specta- tors of the neighboring hills and to the ships far out to sea. The mourning procession neared the pier without incident. The sun sparkled on the royal gems, reflecting a thousand rays. The strains of Chopin's Funeral March, rising sweetly in the almost summer air, gave warning to the naval of&cers on the pier that the coffin was drawing near. The flag flying from the stafl" within the ivy covered court was hoisted to the masthead, the bands ceased, and there was no sound heard save the splash by the boatmen who clustered near the dock. The surrounding quays were black with expectant thousands. Through the court archway came the few staff officers, then the Highlanders, their pipes silent and all heads bared. BRONZED TARS STAND READY. Bight bronzed and bearded tars were drawn up waiting to receive their burden. Then came the Grenadiers, resplendent in their busbies and scarlet, and quickly formed a circuit around the court. The artillery horses were restless from the long walk, and pranced under the gateway, drawing the gun carriage with the coffin. A second later the King and the Bmperor and their suites appeared. As the carriage stopped before the gangway of the Alberta, loud orders rang out, a sharp movement ran through the line of Grenadiers, their arms were instantly reversed, and, with equal precision, came the hands of the Bmperor, King and the Duke of Connaught in stately salute. The King was tired from the walk. The equerries relieved the regalia, the royalties still standing at the salute, while behind them the princesses bowed their heads, visibly fatigued. The light oak of the coffin shone out. As the sailors grasped the handles, the young Crown Prince of Germany could scarcely keep his hand at the salute for emotion. With perfect precision the coffin was lifted ofl" the gun carriage on board the yacht. Once {-J8S FUNERAL OF QUEEN "VICTORIA. more tlie Grenadiers came to the "present" as the King, fol- lowed by his relatives, stepped down the gangway, and the regalia and robes were replaced on the coffin. The King then boarded a steam launch and went off to the royal yacht Victoria and Albert. Shortly afterwards the other royalties boarded the yachts, and the Alberta with her solemn burden moved away from the pier and passed the ships which lay waiting in the sunlit Solent. A few minutes after the Alberta left, minute guns began to be fired, and before the Camperdown was passed the Solent echoed and re-echoed with reports, while clouds of smoke curled slowly in the sides of the warships, for there was scarcely a puff of wind. IMMENSE FLEET OF VESSELS. The fishing smacks, tugs, steamers a.nd rowboats emerged from the mouth of the Medina river to get a view of the Alberta. After she had rounded the headland and turned towards Ports- mouth, the yacht proceeded at a higher speed than expected, threading her way swiftly, preceded by the torpedo boats and accompanied by the Irene. No better conditions of weather and water could have been wished for such a spectacle. Thousands of spectators, who lined the docks and shores of the Isle of Wight, making a mourning edge, could clearly see every detail. On reaching Trinity pier, the same petty officers carried the coffin through the escort, to the roll of muffled drums, and placed it reverently in the pavilion of the Alberta. A few moments later the torpedo fleet was in motion and slowly left the Medina for the Solent. The massed bands played Beethoven's funeral march. As the Alberta passed abeam of the Alexandria, the great vessel fired the first gun of the salute, which was taken up by the Rodney and other warships. From the island to the mainland all the ships were manned, and from the bands floated the sad strains of funeral marches. The crimson velvet covered dais of the Alberta was so placed that the body rested athwartship, a few feet forward of the yellow funnel, and flanked by two pedestals, on which were anchors flC Hi X > m a LU Q z p o cc flC p CO h" CO z: UJ lij Dd d: Q cc _1 LU — I I O O Q Z < > DC _J C5 _i D Q u. Z LU < O < z LU LlJ Q. CC O Q _1 z • — I CO to o < Q. Q O O C5 UJ I 1- < a: O h- o > FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. 3«9 formed of tlie choicest flowers from the officers of the four naval commands, Portsmonth, Devonport, the Nore and the Channel Squadron, "as a slight token of loving devotion to their late Queen." Not since the Diamond Jubilee had the town of Portsmouth held such a crowd as poured in to witness the funeral. The bas- tions and promontories overlooking the sea and harbor and every point of vantage were black with spectators. Conspicuous in the spacious harbor was the old battleship Victory, on the old fashioned poop of which a guard of royal marines was mounted, and where the Admiral's Band played funeral marches. Thou- sands of visitors spent the morning on yachts and tugs, to get a closer glimpse of the great line of warships w^hich stretched from opposite South Sea. A SCENE OF MOURNING. Spithead wore an air of sadness, which the calm of the beautiful morning failed to dispel. The great fleet seemed life- less. Scarcely a small boat was afloat, and, except for the white ensigns, which hung listlessly half-mast, and the occasional flutter of signal bunting from the flagship, there was no glimpse of color. The big bell of the Town Hall commenced ringing a funeral knell on the arrival of the Alberta, and continued to toll for two hours. The Majestic and German flagship were the last of the fleet to salute the cortege. The Alberta entered the harbor at 4.40 P. M., and moored alongside the landing place. The royal yachts Victoria and Albert and the Osborne were secured to buoys in the harbors, while the imperial yacht Hohenzollern was berthed by the dockyard jetty. Special trains took down the members of the House of Lords and of the House of Commons, the diplomats and other officers ' and the correspondents from Victoria Station to Portsmouth early this morning. The members of Parliament and correspondents representing every nation embarked on a small steamer, and were entertained at luncheon as guests of the Admiralty. 390 FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. The fleet stretched from Portsmouth to Cowes, the turrets of Osborne standing above the purple hills. There were nineteen British battleships, eleven cruisers and eight gunboats — not even the full strength of the Channel squadron. Bight naval ambas- sadors of friendly Powers were ranged along the Portsmouth end, while gunboats and steamers with official spectators formed the remainder of the southern line. The British ships were an imposing sight, with their uniform decorations — coal-black hulls, with a line of red just above the water, white upper work and yellow smokestacks. All displayed the jack at the foremast and the white ensign at half-mast at their sterns. The foreign ships attracted most of the attention of the Bnglish spectators. Giant of the whole fleet was the Japanese battleship Hatsuse, Ithe largest war machine afloat, a fortress of clay-colored steel, with the scarlet sun on a white field hanging at her stern, the fighting emblem of the youngest world Power. THE EMPEROR'S NAVY. Emperor William's navy was represented by Nymphe, Vic- toria Luise, Hagen and Baden, all blue-gray colored upper works. The Hagen was flying Prince Henry of Prussia's flag, yellow arms on a white field. The Dupuy de Lome, under France's tricolor, was a fine sight. She is built with a prow fronted long ram, high out of the water. Portugal was represented by the cruiser Don Carlos. The ill fortune of Spain's navy asserted itself at the last moment, for word came that the Emperador Carlos V. had turned back from her trip to the port with crippled engines. The pathway between the warships was a quarter of a mile avenue of clear water. Behind the lines of warships hovered a few yachts and Channel steamers. Black torpedo boats and torpedo boat destroyers were skimming about, and officers' gigs and launches swarmed everywhere. Bugle calls came over the waters, and gaudy signal flags burst out and disappeared. The British ships were also lighted with gleams of the scarlet coats of the marines. FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. - 391. Throiigli tlie whole lengtli of tine ciiannel there was only a long, double file of warships, with black messenger boats dashing among them. For nearly three hours the fleet watched for the coming of the funeral. Shortly before 3 o'clock white smoke broke from the Majestic' s sides, and, a second later, a report cracked over the harbor and echoed to the hill, announcing the starting of the Alberta from Trinity Pier. From ship to ship the salute was passed down the line. Bach vessel of the fleet was firing minute guns. They all employed their shore side bat- teries, so that on the channel side were silhouettes of hulls, spars and iron work, before backgrounds of dense, gray smoke. The sound was that of a great battle. The funeral fleet was just well under way when it came abreast of the press boat. Eight torpedo boat destroyers crept ahead, moving in pairs, like silent pall-bearers marching before a hearse. They were the Portsmouth Squadron, of exactly the same size, every inch of hull and machinery painted a dull black, with an ofiicer standing like a statue on its bow, each of the crews aligned at ^' attention," like sentries, on their decks. A FLEET FOR ESCORT. Hardly a ripple came from their bows, their speed being barely five knots. The pairs of torpedo boat destroyers were about 100 yards apart, with four boats' lengths between stern and bows. Then, a quarter of a mile behind, but seeming across the water but a stone's throw, followed the royal yacht Alberta, a vessel on which the eyes of the world may be said to have been centered. She was a commonplace looking little vessel, lying low in the water, with a gilt trimmed hull and side wheels, protected by yellow paddle-boxes. At her stern stood a tall ofi&cer, uni- formed in dark blue alone, as motionless as part of the ship. The Union Jack was at the foremast, the royal standard fell from half way up the mainmast and the naval ensign trailed from her stern. The after deck of the yacht was roofed with a white awn- ing, and, beneath the awning, through glasses, could be seen the catafalque, of royal purple and ruby lines, on which rested the coffin, 392 FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. Four officers, in sombre uniforms, stood at tlie four corners of tlie catafalque, with tlieir faces turned towards the ships. A few other persons could be seen clustered on the Alberta's deck. As the funeral yacht moved slowly past, the decks of the warships were crowded with their crews. They were all manned to their full complement. The sailors, in blue, with straw hats, formed a solid mass along the decks of each ship, standing with their arms at " attention." A line of scarlet coats, topped by snowy, shining helmets, on the afterdecks, showed where the marines were stationed. The fighting tops and guns were also manned. The officers stood out in a showy, full dress array. The band of each ship took up the funeral march when the Alberta came abreast of her, and the spectators on all the other craft took off their hats. So, with all eyes focused on the tiny looking purple bier, the remains of Queen Victoria were carried by. Over all the miles of water there came no sound save the boom of cannon and the mournful notes of many bands. ROYAL YACHTS IN LINE. Following the Alberta trailed along five other yachts at regu- lar intervals. First was the Victoria and Albert, a royal yacht twice as large as the Alberta and of similar design. She carried the royal mourners ; also the relatives of officials followed the cof- fin. King Edward and Emperor William were chief am.ong them; but from the observation boats, they were the only group not recognizable. A few scarlet coats could be seen, with ladies in the deepest mourning, and on the upper decks the Queen's Indian attendants were distinguishable by their white turbans. In the wake of the Victoria and Albert, Emperor William's yacht Hohenzollern loomed up like an ocean greyhound, as large as a warship, painted a spotless white, with yellow funnels, trim, glittering, unfunereal, carrying the German flag at her bow and the naval ensign at half-mast at the stern. Three other yachts came in single file behind. The Osborne, larger than the Alberta and of the same class ; next came tjae FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. 393 admiralty yacht Encliantress, smaller, and then a little Trinity House yacht. Finally came another vessel, a black torpedo boat destroyer. But the Alberta, marked by the purple and opal on her deck, and the big Hohenzollern stood out conspicuous in the crawling fleet. Twenty minutes after the first pair of torpedo boat destroy- ers came abreast of the press boat, the historic parade had passed and was dwindling, smaller and smaller, toward the sunset, where the purple clouds and volumes of smoke made an overpoweringly impressive stage spectacle. The guns of each warship ceased firing when the Alberta had gone by, and the marines "reversed arms." But they and all the crews remained at their stations while the fleet steamers from the shores, their decks solid masses of black, crowded with thousands of the late Queen's subjects, raised their anchors and followed outside the line of warships. THUNDER OF MINUTE GUNS CEASES. Gradually the din of the minute guns lessened as the bat- teries of ship after ship ceased firing, while the funeral parade swept around the end of the line and into the entrance of of Ports- mouth harbor. It was 5 o'clock when the echoes of the last gun ceased. The sun was a great red globe sinking to the hill tops, the clouds began to fall again upon the channel, and the body of the Queen was safe in Portsmouth harbor. When the Alberta entered the harbor, with the minute guns in the forts sounding, the bells of all the churches of the city tolling, the ancient frigate Victory, moored there, fired a salute from muzzle loaders. The marines manning her stood at arms. The Admiral's band played a dirge. The King's yacht was made fast to a buoy in midstream, with the Hohenzollern lying near. The royal personages and their suites dined on board, and passed the night there. Steam launches with armed guards patrolled around both yachts all night. The crowd in Portsmouth was estimated at 100,000. Every town along the channel contributed its quota, and the railway pompanies were helpless in the evening before the rush of persons 394 FUNERAL OF QUEEN VICTORIA. going home after the parade. Thousands crowded into the stations and fought their way into the trains. Foreign officers, diplomatists, and members of Parliament mixed in the rush and took their chances with the mob. The cars going toward London were packed to suffocation by all classes of Ipeople. From Victoria Station to Paddington Station the streets of London were draped in purple, black, and white. In St. James street was a perfect blaze of purple of all shades. Piccadilly was gorgeous. Some of the clubs were entirely veiled with purple cloth, relieved by white bows and rosettes. The lamp posts in the middle of the road along the route were removed, and the streets were sanded preparatory to the function. Not until late in the evening did the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, give the finishing touches to the official programme, the exacting and difficult qiiestion of precedence among the multitude of British and visiting royalties having been finally settled and the number of horses their carriages should be drawn bj^, as well as the question of who should drive and who should ride having been determined. MOST BRILLIANT EVER ^A^ITNESSED. The cavalcade which followed the coffin, with King Edward in the centre, flanked by Bmperor William and the Duke of Con- naught, exceeded in brilliancy anything ever seen in England. There were nearly fifty kings and princes, each wearing the uniform of his own country. The War and Navy Departments as Washington issued instructions to the army and naval officers, who, by detail or invitation, were to attend the religious service in memory of Queen Victoria at St. John's Church on February 2d, to wear special full dress, with the crepe badge of mourning on the sword hilt. Following the example set by the President in the case of the White House, all of the Cabinet officers ordered the United States flag to be placed at half-staff all day. CHAPTER XXVI. Britain's Queen Laid to Rest with Imposing Ceremonies \ A yiTH every circumstance of splendid pomp befitting the" " ' obsequies of so migbty and well-beloved a monarch, all that was mortal of Queen Victoria was borne through the streets of the capital to the ancient fortress-palace of the sovereigns of England. The solemn magnificence of the opening phase of these last rites on the preceding day was fully maintained. Perhaps the stately grandeur of the sorroM^ful pageant through the swarming streets of London, with hundreds of thousands of mourners forming a black border to the route, will never be surpassed. There was in Victoria's funeral procession an absence of that black ceremonial generally connected with the final progress to the grave. The coffin was drawn by cream-colored horses. The pall was white, and the uniforms of the troops and the gold trappings of the foreign sovereigns, Princes and representatives, forming a glittering medley, gave brilliant coloring to the scene. The chief mourner himself, with his Field Marshal's uniform, even though this was partially hidden by his overcoat, surrounded by his corps, helped to leaven the symbols of mourning making the route. Never in English history has a sovereign been borne to the grave attended by so many distinguished mourners. The gather- ing of crowned heads surpassed those v/horode in the jubilee pro- cession. All the great officers of state participated. The display of the naval and military forces reached the great total of 35,000 men. The scene at Victoria Station, from early morning, was most brilliant and impressive. For the ceremony the station was trans- formed into an immense reception hall. All the trains were stop- ' ped before 9 A. M., and the long platforms were covered with purple cloth. On another platform, facing that at which the 395 396 BRITAIN'S QUEEN LAID TO REST. Queen's train was to arrive, guards of honor, composed of blue jackets and grenadier guards, were drawn up. The broad road- way separating the two was swept clean and sanded, and a num- ber of little purple colored platforms, from which members of the Royal family were expected to mount their horses, were placed at intervals at the side and centre. At lo o'clock an army of grooms, with horses, arrived, and thenceforward distinguished British naval and military officers and foreign royalties, in dazzling uniforms, came in quick succes- sion. The Lord Chamberlain and his officials, bareheaded, with their white wands of office, received the most distinguished per- sonages and conducted them to a little pavilion erected on the platform. The whole station by that time resembled the scene at a levee. THE RENOWNED FIELD MARSHAL. The Commander-in-Chief of the forces. Field Marshal Karl Roberts, on a beautiful spirited brown mare, carrying his field marshal's baton, at this juncture trotted into the station and became the centre of interest. He was soon followed by the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, and many of the most distin- guished British officers. Then came the carriages for the Queen and the Princesses. They were the state carriages used on the occasion of the late Queen's jubilee, with beautiful gold-mounted harnesses and trappings. The horses were ridden by postillions in scarlet jackets, with only a narrowband of crepe on their arms, as mark of the great change. The carriages w^ere closed. Following the carriages and preceded by an officer came an object at which every officer in the animated throng instinctively came to the salute, and every head was bared. It was the little Khaki-colored gun carriage, which was to carry Queen Victoria's body from Victoria to Paddington station. The eight Hanoverian cream-colored horses, which also drew the late Queen on the occasion of the Jubilee, were used to-day. The gold harnesses, scarlet-coated postillions, and scarlet and gold-covered grooms, who held each of the horses by the bridle, were all the same. Only, the little gun carriage, instead MFMORIAL SERVICE IN ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL, WINDSOR CHIEF MOURNERS IN THE FUNERAL MARCH THROUGH LONDON KING EDWARD, CHIEF MOURNER, MOUNTED ON A DARK BAY CHARGER. ON THE KING'S RIGHT THE GERMAN EMPEROR. ON HIS LEFT THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT KING EDWARD'S FIRST OFFICIAL ACT AFTER HE WAS PROCLAIMED KING THE EARTHLY CF^OWN PASSES: THE HEAVENLY CROWN ENDURES BRITAIN'S QUEEN LAID TO REST. 89? of the glittering glass-and-gold coach, marked tlie change. With the exception that rubber tires were on the wheels, the gun car- riage was as if in actual use. The place for the coffin to rest was over the gun. It was then nearly ii o'clock, when, amid cries of "The King of Portugal's horse," the "Grand Duke of Hesse's horse, I etc., as the Princes mounted, the train steamed into the station a\ minute ahead of the time. All heads were uncovered as the saloon carriage bearing the Queen's body stopped exactly opposite the gun carriage, and King Edward, Queen Alexandra, Emperor William and others alighted. Then the bearer party advanced to the saloon carriage, and, with his hand at the salute and standing a little in advance of the others, King Edward watched the painfully slow removal of the coffin to the gun carriage. It was finally accomplished, and the pall and the regalia of the British crown were placed on the coffin. The King and the others with him then mounted and the procession started. UNPARALLELED MARTIAL ARRAY. The gray dawn of a London morning with the sky draped with fleecy clouds, proclaimed ideal conditions for the funeral day of England's Queen. Such a martial array has not been seen in London for years, and it is equally true that a day of greater sadness has never been known in England. Accompanied by the marching troopers, King Edward, Emperor William and the Duke of Connaught at their head, the body of Victoria was escorted through London from Victoria Station to Paddington, where it was taken by train to Windsor. There the Queen, at 2.30 in the after- noon, was interred at Frogmore beside her beloved Prince Albert. The calm serenity of the atmosphere was reflected by the crowds which at daylight began to assemble at every point of vantage along the route of the Royal obsequies. So soft, peaceful and noiseless was the progress of the ingathering hosts that the constantly swelling throngs and the rhythmic tread of the assembling troops seemed to accentuate the solemn stillness. 898 BRITAIN'S QUEEN LAID TO REST. The earl}- scenes were unlike tliose of many spectacular days wliicli London witnessed in the past year. The crowds which so early gathered in the streets evinced an entire lack of feverish unrest and excitement. The great masses of police which assem- bled, phantom-like, in the grayness of the morning seemed more apologetically to tiptoe their allotted stations, as though their presence reflected on the solemnity dominating everything. Never did a concourse of people so little need either civil or military guidance. No man standing b}^ his mother's bier ever needed admonition less than did these hundreds of thousands of men and women, gathered from all parts of the kingdom on the funeral of their mother, the Queen. In the great green spaces of Hyde Park, St. James's, and others, these long black lines stood silhouetted against the morn- ing sky, solemn, silent, and picturesque, staunchly stemming the onrush of that endless flood of people pouring in from every street and avenue. Purple was the tone of the royal mourning, and this seemed almost a relief, contrasted with these silent masses of black-garbed crowds. It was the true note, after all, of the day's ceremonial. EVIDENCES OF NATIONAL GRIEF. The troops began to move less early than on Proclamation Day. That was the day of the official pronouncement of the authority of the King, and the streets were closed as if by magic and with a tone of authority that did not mark this morning's scenes. Buckingham Palace, the great hotels about the Victoria Sta- tion, the princely homes in Park Lane, and every shop and house thence to Paddington bore ample evidence of the national grief, and together with purple and white festoons, wreaths of bay and laurel were hanging from every lamppost, while flags at half- mast, bordered with crepe, told in a dignified, simple manner the story of the nation's loss. The firing of minute guns and the tolling of bells at a quarter past ii announced to the countless multitudes who had BRITAIN'S OUEKN LAID TO REST. 3^9 been crowding London's mudd}^ streets since dayliglit tliat tlie funeral procession with the bod}- of Queen Victoria had begun its passage through the capital The people fought for hours for a glimpse of the cofi&n and the Kings and others following it. They saw a long procession of soldiers, a passing show of dazzling regalia, with a hundred royalties crowding after, and then dispersed, while all the church chimes of the city were ringing and muffled dirges played. The procession, apart from the gun carriage bearing the cofiin and the Royal Family and official mourners about it, was not noteworthy. Parliament, the judiciary, and the commercial bodies were not represented. Royalty, the army and navy monopolized the pageant. Three thousand soldiers and sailors, picked companies representing all branches of the service — cavalry, artillery, infantr^^, yeomanry, militia, volunteers and colonials — formed the advanced escort. They marched slowly and without music. Most of the uniforms were covered with dark overcoats, and the standards were draped with black, the officers wearing bands of crepe on their sleeves. BANDS PLAYING FUNERAL MARCHES. The infantry marched in columns of four, with rifles reversed. They were half an hour in passing. Then came Field Marshal Barl Roberts and his staff, and after them four massed bauds pla3ang funeral marches. Three hundred miisicians announced the coming of the bod}^ of the Queen. There was a long array of Court officials, under the leader- ship of the Duke of Norfolk (the Karl Marshal), all attired quaintly and brilliantly, beariug maces or wands, most of them elderly men who for years had served the Royal lady for whom they were performing the last oifices. Most of the spectators expected an imposing catafalque, and the coflin was almost past before they recognized its presence by removing their hats. It was a pathetically small oblong block concealed beneath a rich pall of white satin, on the corners of which gleamed the Royal arms. Across the pall the Royal 400 BRITAIN'S QUEEN LAID TO REST. standard was draped, and a large crown of gold, encrusted witli jewels, rested at tlie liead of tlie cof&n, whicli was at the end of the gun carriage, just over the gun. On the foot of the cof&n were two smaller crowns with a gold jewelled sceptre lying between them. The eight horses which drew the gun carriage were aim or t concealed beneath their rich harness. A large bow of purple was attached to the coffin. This was the only symbol of mourning. Around the coffin walked the stalwart bearers, non-commis- sioned officers of the Guards and Household Cavalry, and on either side were the Queen's equerries, Lords-in-waiting, and physicians. All the uniforms were covered with long dark cloaks. A GREAT MULTITUDE OF SPECTATORS. The Queen's body arrived at Windsor at 2. jO P. M. The morning opened gloomy, with a heavy rain falling, but later brightened. Thousands upon thousands flocked to town by every railroad route. A bewildering number of wreaths continued to arrive from all over the world. These were so numerous that the authorities were quite at a loss to know how to deal with them. It soon became necessary to exclude the public from the cloisters, which were overflowing. In St. George's Chapel Royal the purple covered bier stood awaiting its royal burden. Four shields adorned its sides, each with a golden monogram, " V. R. I." At Frogmore the cover of the great stone sarcophagus was rolled away. When the Queen's remains were laid beside those of the Prince Consort, the stone was replaced and finally sealed, a marble figure being placed above it. The service at St. George's Chapel was concluded at 4.10 P. M. The body lay until Monday, February 4th, in the Albert Memorial Chapel. No funeral pomp known to history was comparable in impressive solemnity with the passing of the Queen's mortuary procession between the double lines of battleships extending across the Solent from Cowes to Portsmouth. The ceremonies attending the interment which marked the last official testimonies BRITAIN'S QUEEN LAID TO REST. 401 of respect to the memory of the departed sovereign were, in another way, equally imposing. The pageantr}^ was arranged on a scale of imperial magnificence proper to the expression of mourning by the great nation unquestionably devoted with royal affection to Queen Victoria ; but, withal, the occasion was marked throughout with simplicity, good taste, and propriety. Her Majesty's mortal remains were placed, in accordance with her own long entertained design, in the tomb beside her beloved husband, and the sentiments sincerely felt by her people are reflected in the inscription she caused to be placed over the entrance to this last home on earth : " Here at last will I rest with thee ; with thee in Christ will I rise again." MAUSOLEUM AT FROGMORE. Frogmore, where the remains of Queen Victoria are to rest, lies in Windsor Great Park, about three-quarters of a mile south- east of the Castle, and a short distance to the east of the famous Long Walk. The mausoleum erected by the Queen for the rest- ing place of the Prince Consort stands in the grounds of Frog- more House, which is technically a part of Windsor Castle. The grounds are beautiful, being richly wooded ; but the whole place is terribly damp, and it is necessary to have fires perpetually burning, summer and winter, in order to keep the beautiful and costly decorations of the mausoleum from bein^ injured. The mausoleum was erected by the Queen in 1862 — Prince Albert died on December 14th, preceding — the foundation stone having been laid by the Queen on March 15th. The building was formally consecrated by the Bishop of Oxford on December 17th, and on the following day the mortal remains of Prince Albert were removed from Windsor and placed in a temporar}- stone sarcophagus in the splendid edifice intended for his perma- nent resting place and for that of the Queen. The structure is in the form of a cross, with arms of about equal length, and a porch on the eastern side. The breadth is 70 feet and the length 80 feet. The extreme height from the ground level to the top of the cross is 83 feet, and the height 26 402 BRITAIN'S QUEEN LAID TO REST. from tlie floor to the top of the roof, exclusive of the cross, 70 feet. The external appearance of the mausoleum is somewhat plain, but the approach is strikingly effective, and at once pre- pares the visitor for what is contained inside. A grand flight of marble steps leads to the portico, on each ^side of which stands the bronze figure of an angel. The entrance to the vestibule is by a broad and partly gilded grille, and above this, and under the heraldic quarterings of the Queen and Prince Albert, is the following inscription in Latin : ALBERTI PRINCIPIS OVOD MORTALE ERAT HOC IN SEPVLCRO DEPONI VOLVIT VIDVA MOERENS VICTORIA REGINA VALE DESIDERATISSIME ! HIC DEMVM CONQVIESCAM TECVM TECVM IN CHRISTO CONSTVCAM THE INSCRIPTION'S MEANING. This inscription may be translated thus : " His mourning widow, Victoria, the Queen, directed all that is mortal of Prince Albert to be placed in this sepulchre. Farewell, well-beloved ! Here at last I will rest with thee ; with thee in Christ I will rise again." The interior of the mausoleum is supassingly beautiful. The richly marbled and frescoed piers are cornered by Corinthian pilasters of statuary marble, with ormolo capitals supporting the arches that carry the lofty cupola, the azure ceiling of which is powdered with gold stars, and divided into panels by bands of miniature gilt angels, rising one above the other to the roof. In each of the arches hangs a bronze and gold lamp, the gift of the present King. Immediately beneath the dome, and at the centre of the richly variegated marble pavement, is the massive gray granite sarco- phagus, containing the coffin of the Prince Consort, a white mar- ble recumbent statue of whom, clad in his Field Marshal's uniform, and wearing the mantle of the Order of the Garter, lies on the right lid of the tomb. The left side of the lid, and the space under- neath the sarcophagus, have been unoccupied for thirty-nine years, awaiting the effigy and coffin of the Queen. Grandly designed BRITAIN'S QUEEN LAID TO REST. 403 bronze angels of large size kneel with ontstretclied wings and flowing robes at the corners of the tomb, about the base of which are laid the wreaths of fresh flowers and immortelles constantly contributed by the members of the Royal family. On the piers of the mausoleum are white marble statues of David, Solomon, Daniel and Isaiah, and the intervals between the arches are filled in with frescoes of the four Evangelists. The side aisle on the left is adorned with a large mural painting of the Adoration of the Magi, in front of w^hich is the memorial of the late Princess Alice of Hesse, an exquisitely chiseled group of the Grand Duchess and her child. MONUMENTS AND PAINTINGS. There is also a monument to the Duke of Albany. Above the altar is a painting of the Resurrection. In the right aisle is a mural picture of the Crucifixion, the small niches in the side arches being filled with porphyr}^ vases mounted on bases of mala- chite. The upper part of the interior is also adorned with a series of bas-reliefs of Scripture subjects, inlaid work, and frescoes, not an inch of the walls being left undecorated. Over the entrance door, and placed so as to attract the atten- tion of those leaving the building is the text: — "Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the grave shall hear His voice." — St. John, fifth chapter, 28th verse. On only one day in the year has this magnificent tomb been opened heretofore to public inspection, and that day has been the anniversary of the Prince Consort's death, December 14th. Before the public has been admitted, the Queen and other members of the Royal family have visited the tomb and a service has been conducted in their presence by the Dean of Windsor. A specially selected anthem and hymns have been sung by the choir of St. George's Chapel on these accasions. After these services the building has been thrown open to the general public, admitted on tickets furnished by officials of the Castle and Windsor. In common with the mourning cities of the earth Philadel- phia and New York laid their wreaths on the bier of Victoria. 404 BRITAIN'S OUEEN LAID TO REST. At the hour when England, garbed in mournful black, consigned the hallowed dead to the tomb, thousands of Philadelphians met to pay tribute to the Queen's memory. Not only in churches was there mourning. Almost every business exchange quit its hurry and bustle for the day and the halls of commerce remained silent and desolate. A million looms in Kensington ceased their clatter and the toilers of the mills wearing mourning badges, bowed their heads in sorrow, when the clergy sang their requiem for Victoria's soul. Besides the main service which was held at St. Mark's Chiirch, ceremonies were held at eight other churches. At each the old English ritual which was used in the cathedrals and churches of England on the death of William IV., George III. and George IV., was used. A CROWD OF WORSHIPERS. The great interest centered in *St. Mark's, where the main services were held at 3 o'clock. This service, which was under the direction of the English Consul in Philadelphia, was singu- larly impressive. Representatives of the various British societies attended, together with State and city of&cials. Justices of the Supreme Court, Judges of the courts, officers of the army and navy stationed in Philadelphia, officers of the Russian navy, repre- sentatives of foreign governments, prominent Pennsylvanians and representative persons of Philadelphia — so widespread was the interest. In all there were 6000 applications made for invitations to the services. St. Mark's, however, could only accommodate one- sixth of this number, and consequently the invitations issued were limited to that number. Holders of these invitations began presenting them at the church as early as 11.30 o'clock. With them came hundreds of persons who had not been able to secure the coveted tickets. It was a bus}- time for the door tenders. Holders of tickets were admitted and given seats, but those who had none were turned away. Thej^ did not leave without protest, though, and some even had to be driven away by the policemen stationed about the church to preserve order. BRITAIN'S QUEEN LAID TO REST. 405 By 1.30 o'clock a large crowd liad assembled in tlie streets outside, commenting upon tlie constantly arriving guests, and crowding about tlie doors, in a vain attempt to force tbeir way inside. The interior of tbe cliurch, just before tbe liour for tbe ser- vices to begin, presented an impressive sight. Upon the black- draped altar shone lights innumerable, and at the foot, surround- ing the catafalque, upon which rested an empty casket, were many tall candelabra, supporting numerous branches. The walls of the edifice were heavily draped in black. The pulpit, reading desk, organ and altar rails were shrouded in the same sable hues. The supporting pillars of the nave were also enfolded from base to capital in black, and, in fact, there was barely a part of the church that did not bear the color of mourning. THE ROYAL PURPLE. The catafalque rested on a platform in the centre of main aisle. Its base, about two feet in height, extended the entire width of the aisle. The casket rested upon several tall trestles, and was covered by a royal purple pall, in the centre of which was a cross of white. At the foot — the head of the casket rested against the altar — stood a diamond-shaped shield of black. In its centre was the British coat-of-arms, the royal emblem being sur- rounded by the letters V. R. I. in white. At the foot also in white, were the dates of Victoria's reign — 1837 ^^^ 1901. On the top of the casket lay a single floral piece. It was a crown of golden-hued flowers, with dark red carnations, repre- senting the cap. On the silk ribbons with which it was tied was inscribed in gold letters, " A token of profound love and respect from his British Majesty's Consul and staff." Around the catafalque were many other floral tributes. Among these was a three-foot high anchor of violets, the top being surmounted by a crown of yellow carnations. The base was of smilax, and the purple ribbons which hung from the top bore the inscription of the Transatlantic Society of St. George. CHAPTER XXVIL Stately Pomp of the Funeral March. A HEAVY rain was falling at 9.30 o'clock, when the Royal ■**■ mourners left the yachts for the Clarence Yard, where the Alberta had lain all night long, with the body of the Queen watched by a marine guard. Admiral Sir Charles Hothan, the flag officers, and the captains of all ships in the harbor, with other naval officers, attended the disembarkation of the body, which, at 8.45, was carried off the yacht. The landing place and the approaches to the station were heavily draped. Bnormous crowds had gathered. The royal train left Gosport for London at 8.53. Guards were mounted on the warships, and minute guns were fired as the coffin, borne by bluejackets, was transferred to the waiting saloon carriage. The scene was pathetic and imposing. The King, accompanied by Queen Alexandra and some princesses who passed the night on board the royal yacht Victoria and Albert proceeded to the roysl yacht Alberta in a steam launch. King Edward boarded the yacht five minutes after Emperor William had steamed alongside the Alberta from theHohenzollern. BLUE JACKETS FOR A GUARD. The guard of honor on the jetty consisted of several hundred marines and bluejackets. The commanders of the warships which took part in the pageant of the day before had alread}^ assembled under the covered way leading from the yacht to the railroad station. There was a short service on the yacht before the body was removed, the Duke of Connaught, the Crown Prince of Germany, Prince Arthur of Connaught, Prince Henry of Prussia, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Princess Henry of Battenberg being present. The only mourning visible was in the dresses of the prirt cesser. STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. 407 The firing of minute guns marked the passage of the coffin to the draped railroad station, to which it was borne shoulder high by petty officers of the royal j^achts, preceded by a clergyman. Immediately behind the coffin were carried the crown, globe, standard, and a few choice wreaths. King Edward, Emperor William, the Duke of Connaught and the Crown Prince followed the remains, and then came the ladies of the Royal Family and the Admirals. The progress of this mournful procession was marked by the firing of the guns and the strains of the funeral march. The wind-driven rain was falling in torrents. The cof- fin was placed on the dais and Admiral Sir Nowell Salmon, King Edward, Queen Alexandra, Emperor William, and the other members of the Royal Family took their seats, and the train moved off. MYRIAD HEARTS MOVED WITH SORROW. One great deep sigh^ direct from the hearts of millions of earnestly sincere mourners, was the accompaniment to the passage of that particularly short built cof&n containing all the mortal remains of the greatest queen the world has known, over the whole three miles and a half of the streets of London. You ask what was the most touching sights of to-day, which thrilled even the most callous with a feeling of intense tender- ness. The reply is that it was when, as that beloved body passed, born upon the gun carriage of khaki color, every hat, as by natural instinct, was removed, every head was bowed, every voice was hushed, every face displayed an awe-stricken appear- ance, as if what was passing was too sacred to look upon. Women burst into tears. Many of them shrieked out as they lost consciousness, and were carried away by the staff of the ambulance corps. Never, if anything can be judged from out- ward appearances, has any mourning been so deeply felt as that shown to the memory of Queen Victoria. The evidences of mourning were intense. The solemnity of 'the whole pageant* was slich that none will ever forget who witnessed it. ~ ■ " . Most. persons had gone to bed late ,over night, but the whoTe 408 STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. town was astir early. Thousands had never gone to bed at all. People from the country, failing to find house room, had slept anywhere. The night was cold, and early dawn revealed a strong white frost. It almost reminded one of the extraordinary priva- tions that Russian peasants underwent to witness the Czar's coronation ceremony. At seven o'clock the streets were already lined. An hour earlier many had chosen a lamp post to stand by and stick to, to save themselves from being swept away. There they remained with stoical patience and unfailing good temper five long hours, until the procession had passed. By seven o'clock a host of curi- ous people lined the edges of the pavement. Each was engaged, with a few exceptions, in reading a paper. The result was that in looking down the line of any of the streets most occupied one saw an endless line of newspapers. VIOLETS FOR MOURNING SYMBOLS. Old persons, some quite of the age of the Queen, brought their own camp stools. The women soon got tired and sat dowi\. en masse on the edge of the pavement ; some used papers to sit upon, others small bits of board which they had brought with them. Many wore violets, symbolic of the purple mourning. All wore mourning garb. The whole appearance of the people was as of those who had slept little. In fact, the town had not slept. When they went to bed carpenters were still frantically hammering nails into boards and making stands. At six o'clock in the morning they were still at it. But the result was really admirable. All the honors went to St. James street, which was beauti- tifuUy decorated from end to end. Some of the decorations must have cost large amounts, for of the cloth used were samples of pure archil purple, rich and rare. There were few instances of that' particular purple which in other parts of the town, especially tljjfc Edgeware road district, came under what may be called garish or livid colors. Nor bad tlic clubs beeu closed all night. During the small STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. 409 hours of the night in every instance sudden transformations had been made. By the time the members hurriedly retiirned in the morning solid stands had appeared at all the windows. Where they came from none knew, but there they were. There was no settled hour of opening the clubs. The mem- bers hastened in furtively before the sun had risen and laid their 'hats on the newly made stands to signify that they had the right to them. Ladies were accepted in every club, even the most exclusive and old fashioned ones. These came early, too, because they knew that by being late they would not have a chance of passing through the vast throng outside. GREAT THRONG IN ST. JAMES STREET. By eight o'clock St. James street was almost jammed. A strange sight was seen at the clubs. The ladies whose friends had the luck to draw lucky numbers were to be found at an unus- ually early hour breakfasting in the sanctum sanctorum, the club dining room, enjoying it vastly, by the way, and having, in reply to their eager inquiries, the most noted members pointed out to them. All looked upon the forthcoming sight in the most solemn mood, as the historical event of the century. These ladies too, who perhaps never in their lives before were troubled to get up early, were up this day when the sparrows first began to twitter. Their whole souls, just like those of the populace, were given up to their grief Old people, while the long wait lasted, talked of the famous burial of the Duke of Wellington. That procession, they said, extended from Constitution Hill to St. Paul's. This was quite double that length. There were those who told of the Kaiser's recent splendid behavior, how he and the Princess of Wales had in turn for nearly six hours held up the head of the Queen in her last mortal agony, and how His Imperial Majest}^, finding that labor was scarce at Osborne owing to the multiplicity of matters 10 be attended to, had himself taken a hammer and tacks and had, with much artistic taste, arranged the draperies, the hanging of which had been undertaken by a big firm. 410 STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. Lord Roberts passed down St. James street with his scarlet bound field marshal's staff in his hand. Man 3^ persons cheered and there was considerable waving of pocket handkerchiefs. But " Bobs" went along, looking as annoyed as he was capable of. He evidently did not think such ovations at this particular time were appropriate, and he showed it in his face. But as he passed down in the midst of all his glorious surroundings he looked up with a friendly expression to a small balcony over a jeweller's shop. On that balcony were ranged a lot of old men in the well known red uniform of the Chelsea Pensioners' Home for Aged Soldiers. By that attention he made those white headed and white bearded old warriors doubly happy. The first great happiness he had given them was by securing this particular balcony for the special use. Few per- sons knew that this kind action was the work of Lord Roberts. Others who knew said, "Ah, yes, 'Bobs' always does the right thing." FONDNESS FOR CHILDREN. The Queen loved little children and little children loved her. From all over the country came beautiful evergreen wreaths, made by children, and sent around in carts. The message of the children was : "Please do put them up on the line of the route where the poor Queen's body will pass." And their beautiful wreaths, so lovingly worked, figured everywhere it was possible to put them. Punctual to the miiiiitd the train arrived at Victoria Station. K ing Edward is a stickier on punctuality. It is second nature with him. He dire-cted the entire ceremonies. He insisted especially upon punctuality, and he was a little ahead of it. About this time the crush became euormous in King street, one of the principal arteries leading into St. James street. The mob at one time seriously threatened to "overcome the force placed to keep it back. ColonerTrotter, the energetic commandant of the home" district, 'firsT praced'HUssafs' there, their horseg being backed into "the crowd,'but "they were" simply swept" away by the STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. 411 surging mass. Tiien he called in the aid of heavy cavalry dragoons. After much trouble, and letting out a certain number of the crowd and chasing them down the street, they managed to get the crowd back in line just as the procession began to move. This kind of thing occurred at many points, for the crowd was beyond anything ever before seen in London, having been further added to by the ro^^al order that every place of business should close. The procession itself really started from about the top of St. James street. So long was it that the only way found possible to manage it was to start it off at the slowest possible measure. After the marchers had gone thus a few minutes the order came, through signallers stationed along the line, to move quicker. The procession then fell into a brisk march, to the relief of the soldiers and somewhat to the astonishment of the spectators. CARE FOR FAINTING WOMEN. As the crowd began to push the ambulance corps were kept busy picking up the women who were fainting away. When once the procession started the most wonderful thing was the almost terrible hushed silence amid such a vast concourse. Not a sound could be heard beyond the continuous martial tramp, tramp of heavy feet upon the wood pavement. Never a word came from the crowd except now and again the disquieting shriek of some hysterical woman alarmed and fainting. Meanwhile the sun had shone out brightly. As each section of the procession passed, bringing nearer the cof&n, the suppressed excitement rose higher and higher, till finally there arose a sort of deep murmur, accompanied by distant sounds of music and muffled drums, the combined bands playing a funeral march in the slowest possible time. All faces bore an expression of intense strain on the nerves. An aide-de-camp and two signallers, who galloped furiously past. as if out of breath, served to divert attention from the painful, strain. . - , -. Then a cry- -arose like ^ a \y.ail,_ '_' Poor.old _ Queen ! " All seemed to say the same thing as by one common train of thoughts 412 STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. The famous cream steeds so loved by the Queen appeared with trappings rich and beautiful and hitched to an unusual vehicle, that khaki colored gun carriage. Ah ! how the women wept then. There was scarcely a dry eye among them. Many of them tarned away and wept bitterly, and men sobbed like school boys. It may be doubted if there was one among those hundreds of thou- sands who looked upon that coffin with its rich pall so beautifully embroidered, with its silk Union Jack fondly folded over the top, with that crown, on a red velvet cushion, which the Queen had worn, and that diadem and sceptre, without feeling exceeding emotion. No, it was far too much for that crowd, worked up by its long hours of waiting. "Poor old Queen!" the}^ said, and said no more, but it meant volumes which their hearts were too full to utter. ALL EYES ON KING EDWARD. How will the King look ? All eyes were riveted upon him. Mounted upon a superb bay horse, he wore an air which was never seen before. He was no longer the Prince of Wales. The deep responsibitity of the last few days had given his face quite another look. He seemed to have grown. He held his head high. He looked the King every inch of him. "Wonderful !" exclaimed some at my side, who knew him as he was and saw him so changed. His eyes seemed everywhere. He appeared to be taking in everything on the route, alert, watching, seeing, noting every- thing. That was the strong impression he gave, and he must have been thoroughly pleased with what his favorite quarter of the town had done. Next to interest the crowd came the Kaiser. Like the King, he wore a field marshal's uniform and bestrode a great white horse. But he was not an imposing figure. In what contrast was the great, big, full blooded King of Portugal, with his fair hair and carefully curled cavalier mustache. The latter was the embodiment of health, the picture of good humor, a man free from care. STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. 41S Three younger princes, all heir? to thrones, attracted attention. They were riding together. These were the Crown Prince of Roumania, the great heavy limbed Duke of Sparta, and in the centre the lithe, elegant, youthful figure of the Crown Prince of Germany in a great gray officer's coat. With his pale, thoughtful face, touching in its sorrow, and his admirable bearing, his wliole aspect left a most sympathetic effect on the public mind seeking for impressions. Murmurs of admiration and sympathy went up when the royal carriage containing the new Queen and her daughters passed. Deepl}^ clothed in black, with great lace veils over their "aces and intentionally avoiding the public gaze, they sat far back in these old fashioned, deep carriages and nothing was seen of them. A few minutes later the street was one great moving mass of people, as if a dam had broken which let the waters loose in all directions. This surging of the uncontrolled throng into the street was not the least, by far, of the wonderful sights which were seen this day. A RUSH FOR RELICS. I have told you of the wreaths which were suspended on every lamp post along the route of the procession. No sooner was the procession past than, as if by one accord, all made a rush for leaves and sprigs from the wreaths as mementoes of this greatest funeral ever known, and a sort of relic of the Queen, which will be treasured in the household for years to come. The following impressions were given by one who was in the peers' stand : "A wild struggle at half-past eight o'clock in the morning through St. James street, through the rows of kilted lads standing at ease, with the strong, unformed faces of jejune youth and the quips and laughter of the suburbs and provinces on their lips ; undisciplined children, ignoring the flag, ignoring their officers. A savage race for life at the tail of carriages and cabs for better protection, with generals in vv'hite plumes and 'hooligans' in 414 STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. rags hustling one another, tearing the skirts from court dames and Piccadilly damsels, with the coachmen of duchesses in creped liveries swearing in the language of 'bus conductors at bespan- gled diplomats not alert enough to get out of their way. " A suffocating, ruthless scuffle over which the policeman, red and angry, kept intoning his eternal ' Pass away, there ! You can't pass without a ticket. Pass away there ! ' And so I reached the peers' stand at the corner of the Mall, an excel- lent place, because the procession was to move right up the Mall along our front line of vision, through that ancient avenue of trees reserved for royal progression, and then, turning the corner into the courtyard of St. James's Palace, would pass almost at our feet. "The first impression was a confusion of color, color inhar- monious to the last degree— a vaguely bizarre background of dull gray, leaden mist, against which were outlined the smoke black- ened trees of the park, withered and leafless. GOLD TRAPPINGS OF THE GUARD. "Half wa};^ up the dome of the sky was a sickly yellow smear of sun, which now and again threw out an almost imperceptible gleam, perfunctorily responded to by gold epaulettes and the polish of cuirass and helmet, but insuf&cient for warmth or con- solation. "The whole foreground and middle distance was a compact and writhing mass of black, relieved only by the gamboge of the pale and anxious faces, an immeasurable mob, with a topping of the universal mourning. By degrees the trees in the park became thick with adventurous climbers. Bundles of boys hung from ihe becraped lamp posts. Now and then there was a shriek and a sharp crack as somebody's skull struck hard upon the pavement. A branch had broken. A great yell went up, half scream of pain, half shout of laughter. "The thin streak of white helmeted soldiers which divided the mob in the centre of the Mall was now in motion. As the clock, Big Ben of Westminster, struck eleven in deep toned STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. 415 accents a great bravo of Welcome wafted its noisy echo over the thousand serried ranks of the crowd across the vast expanse of park. Lord Roberts, looking bigger, younger and browner than the portraits show him, had arrived at the head of his staff and was giving directions, pointing with his marshal's baton to this. spot and that. He did not answer the applause, but he did not decline it. He looked grave and preoccupied. " Popular generals were recognized and pointed out as they passed through the Mall en route to Victoria Station, but there was no cheering. That very tall Highland of&cer, with stern, full, Scottish features, sallow face and two dark cavities under his brows, who is tottering along on the arm of a captain of Dra- goons, followed b}^ a thick set soldier servant in a kilt, is a recip- ient of the Victoria Cross, who rallied an English detachment in South Africa and saved it from capture at the cost of his e37esight. He is one of the heroes of the war, but the crowd did not recognize him. It knew but few of the famous men present. MURMURS OF ADMIRATION. "Indeed, the English of&cer makes no appeal to the public's love of ' hero worship." It recognized none of the regiments and could barely distinguish the British Hussar from an Austrian attache. Many of the uniforms roused murmurs of admiration but also astonishment. " There were men in khaki, with broad brimmed hats bound with red ribbon, the flaps turned up on the right side. Who were these ? Bushmen. Then there were men with Zouave trousers and red fezzes. Who would have thought that West Indian regiments were costumed thus ? You might have taken them for Frenchmen. "Those Colonials, with green cock feathers spreading over their felt helmets, are just like Italian bersagliers. In such con- fusion, remark and observation the time was whiled away, until suddenly, at a word of command, all these incoherent elements grouped themselves together as if by magic. A distant bell began to toll. 416 STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. '* ' Reverse, arms ! ' rang out, and in columns of companies tlie soldiers wlio had been guarding the route joined in the proces- sion, the top of which had been formed some hundreds of yards ahead. Very slowly, with features almost ecstatically solemn, they passed along. Flashes from the white flags of the signalling corporals accompanying each battalion and squadron regulated the rate of progress. "The black tinselled helmets of the artillerymen, the sombre, billowy mass of busbies, the flutter of the Lancers' pennons of red and white, the flash of the Dragoons' helmets and cuirasses, and also, under the forest of lances, the thin, tilted straw hats of the sailors over their blue and white uniforms, the brown fur of the Yeomanry's hats, the shining black and brass ornaments of shakoes, the gold braid of dolmans, the glitter of steel and brass and red and gold succeeded one another in endless arraj^, an orgy of mufiled magnificence, the half hidden pride of color subdued by the fog of mourning. REMINDERS OF WATERLOO. "What a contrast from the splendor of the Jubilee! How many ages seemed to be represented in that sparkling cortege, of which every detail was a souvenir of military pomp no longer practicable ! Those red-coated cuirassiers were a far off echo of Waterloo. Those Hussars were pure empire, and the very gen- erals and marshals looked as if they might have stepped out of one of Meissonier's pictures. "No sooner had these soldiers, clad in the ghostly raiment of secular battlefields, passed by than I fell right back into the Georgian age, with the cream-colored ponies drawing the hearse, the pink stockinged coachmen of the state carriages, with their gold braided liveries and three cornered hats, while here and there I note a khaki cork helmet, which would suddenly surge up to make anachronisms of all these impressions. Nor did the flat commercial gray of the volunteers, nor their lugubrious black, nor the silent pipers with their streaming tartans, tend to lessen this incoherency. STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. 4n "Only the funeral music of the massed bands pla3'ed Chopin's dead march triumphed over tlie contradictory color of the waves of uniform and livery and drowned all hearts in the unison of sorrow and respect. A throb went through the vast mass of spectators as the little white cofiin containing the royal remains slowly approached on its simple khaki colored gun car- riage, covered with the royal standard and an embroidered purple pall bearing the royal and imperial diadems and sceptre. Here, indeed, was simple and perfect pathos. " All heads uncovered, and there was a murmur of sympathy alike for the dead Queen and the new King, whose features majestic in their grave, chastened sorrow, outlined themselves clearly and finely against the gray sky as he followed close behind the cortege, the German Emperor, pale and expressionless, at his side. Then there were no eyes for anything else, and rapidly the black surging sea of mourning humanity ebbed away." The following lines by BUa Wheeler Wilcox vividly com- memorate the scene : THE QUEEN'S LAST RIDE. The Queen is taking a drive to-day. They have hung with purple the carriage way ; They have dressed with purple the royal track, Where the Queen goes forth and never comes back. Let no man labor as she goes by On her last appearance to mortal eye ; With heads uncovered let all men wait For the Queen to pass in her regal state. Army and navy shall lead the way For that wonderful coach of the Queen's to-day. Kings and Princes and lords of the land Shall ride behind her, a humble band. And over the city and over the world Shall flags of all nations be half-mast furled For the silent lady of royal birth Who is riding away from the courts of earth — Riding away from the world's unrest To a mystical goal on a secret quest. 27 418 STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. Though in regal splendor she drives through town Her robes are simple, shh wears no crown. And yet she wears one — for, widowed no more, She is crowned with the love that has gone before, And crowned with the love she has left behind In the hidden depths of each thinking mind. Uncover your heads, lift your heart on high, For the Queen in silence is driving by. An eye witness of the impressive scene at Windsor wliere tlie Queen was entombed thus describes it : " It might have been known beforehand that Windsor's royal borough, where the late Queen spent so many years of her life, and where she was so generally beloved by the inhabitants, would have presented an even sadder and more impressive picture than the metropolis itself HARD WORK FOR THE POLICE. "There was heartfelt mourning on the part of the people of Windsor. )eeply sincere it surely was, but it was well that the military and pol .e arrangements for guarding the route of the procession from the station to the castle were perfect. As it was, the police had a good deal of work to keep the unruly portion of the crowd in order, in some cases having to use force. " When I got down to Windsor early in the morning 1 found all the town astir. It was mild, but cloudy, and even threatened rain. Not a breath stirred the Union Jack over the castle. It dapped idly against the mast. Everybody was dressed in the deepest mourning and seemed to be wending his way castleward or to the station to take the place allotted to each as a resident of the royal borough — these places were held by ticket — because it had been given out by printed notice that the street would be closed to traf&c after half-past ten o'clock. "That the inhabitants of Windsor profoundly mourned their Queen was apparent on almost every face passed. Old and young alike, all showed their grief Many women I saw with tears in their eyes as they realized that they were now going to pay the la3t tribute of respect to the dear sovereign to whom not so very STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL MARCH. 419 long ago tliey had bidden mi revoir^ never dreaming it would prove the last good-bye. " I confess that the walk from the station up to Castle Hill, seeing those mourners wending their way to attend the funeral, was a sight most touching and the very essence of pathos. By half-past nine the castle walls presented an animated yet dismal sight. All along the walls facing the street was one line of people, a long black line, with not one touch of color anywhere. The sky now began to clear. Touches of blue were seen here and there. Hopes now rose that the rain, which up till now it had been feared would make the day more dismal than it was, would hold off. " Then, again, the scene began to change. Till now all had been placid. Nothing but quiet, heartbroken mourners had filled the streets, with the exception of the soldiery passing and repas- sing on their way to take up their positions along the procession route. Just before ten o'clock the first excursion trains began to arrive, followed by many more fast after one another. THOUSANDS OF VISITORS. "Within an hour thousands of strangers had poured into the town, hurrying and scurrying hither and thither, hustling and jostling, eager to secure as quickly as possible, by fair means or otherwise, the best positions along the sides of the streets, for all knew that as the distance which the cortege had to traverse was a very short one there could not be room for one tithe of the people streaming into the town to see the procession. " A call at two of the ambulance stations after all was over revealed the fact that not a few very serious casualties took place, mostly of women being crushed by the violence of the mob. What were the feelings of the people of Windsor only a glance up and down the street made apparent. Every house was draped in pur- ple and black, quite as profusely as in London. At every window were seen mournful faces. Every point of vantage had been seized. "Every roof within seeing distance of the procession was 420 STATELY POMP OF THE FUNERAL. MARCH. covered witli men and boys armed witli glasses, watching in tlie distance for tlie first signs of tlie fnneral train. It was first from tlie excitement of tliose on tlie lionsetops tliat the people below got the news that the train was in sight. It was just about half- past two that in the distance one could hear the sob, sob of the engine bringing home all that was left of her who was Queen Victoria. "' Boom !' went the first of the rainute guns, which told of the arrival of the train. ' Toll ! ' went the first bell, followed by- others in the town. Then it was that the pent-up emotion of the people at the windows gave way. Many were the handkerchiefs I could see held to the eyes. Overhead I could hear the heart- broken sobbing of a woman who could also hear the approach and had to be removed to be comforted. UNABLE TO BEAR THE STRAIN. " Not far behind, too, I heard the nervous, hysterical cry of a woman who, after several hours of waiting, had to go away, unable to bear the strain till the procession had passed. If it was so within this narrow space where I stood, how many more such pathetic scenes must have taken place here ? " Presently, amid the booming of guns and tolling of bells, came the sounds of the mournful music of the procession. As it came in sight the murmurs of the people were silenced. Heads were reverently bared as the funeral car passed. King, Kmperor and Princes following on foot, keeping slow step to the music of the band. Bverybody who got a view seemed deeply moved. It was more than touching. It was painful to hear the sobs of the women. "The eyes of the men, too, showed more than a suspicion of tears, and when spoken to they answered either with a nod or a shake of the head, unable to trust themselves to utter a word. What added mournfulness to the scene was that just when the first gun was heard the sky began to darken as the procession wended its way to the Castle and became quite overcast. " CHAPTER XXVIII. Memorial Services and Tributes. A PATHOS and solemnity sucli as seldom mark tlie passing from daylight into darkness of a cof&n, tke royal family, on January 25tli, took their last loving look at the features of the dead Queen. The cof&n was taken into the bedroom about ten o'clock in the morning. King Edward, the Emperor William, the Duke of Connaught, Sir James Reid and the royal ladies were there waiting. The latter having retired, Sir James Reid, with reverent hands, assisted by three trusted household servants, and in the presence of the King, the Emperor and the Duke removed the body from the bed to the coffin. Not a trace of suffering was visible. The servants having retired, Queen Alexandra, the Princes and the children were recalled, and with lingering steps and stifled sobs, they passed slowly before the white robed peaceful figure. At the foot, never moving, stood the King, and when the mourning crowd had passed there remained only the son and grandson of the dead. The Emperor William wept even more bitterly than the royal ladies. Finally he also retired, and the King was left alone. Sir James Reid, beckoning to the servants with the coffin Hd, asked the King's instructions. For a few sec- onds the King stood speechless, stricken with emotion at the last farewell. Then he said quickly : — " Close it finally. It must not be opened again." Thus the body of England's greatest ruler was forever shut off from human view. Reverently the coffin was borne into the dining room. Of&cers and men from the royal yachts took their stand around the cof&n, over which the King, Queen and Kaiser gently laid the robes of a Knight of the Garter, placing at the head a diamond crown. Beneath lay the royal ensign, while hanging above wasthe Union Jack. At the altar was the rector of Whippingham, who read a portion afthe funeral service in the presence of the ro3/al family. 421 422 ' MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. Emperor William covered his face with his hands, and the grief of Princess Beatrice was pitiful. After the benediction each placed a wreath upon the co£&n and then all retired. The great east window of St. George's Chapel, at Windsor, with its faint stained figures, threw a soft light over this burial and worshiping place of kings, the service in whicli was one of the most marvelous sights of Her Majesty's funeral on Februar}^ 2d. Such an array of royalty and so many flaming colors never were concentrated in so small a space. Before each oaken stall glimmered the waxen taper which burns when Knights of the Garter are present. Above their heads, resting upon the carved sabres of the stalls, were the special insignia of each knight, while hanging over this were the motionless banners bearing the strange devices of the members of the order. GLITTERING GOLD AND RED. On each side of the chancel flamed two rows of candles, in the light of which glittered the gold and red worn by the knights. In sombre contrast sat the long line of Princesses and ladies-in- waiting, making a foreground of deepest black. Among the early arrivals were Ministers and former Minis- ters in full state uniform, their breasts a mass of gold braid. Members of the Cabinet took their seats in a row. The castle courtyard was filled with privileged spectators. Exquisite wreaths almost covered the chapel steps. Inside, while those in gorgeous uniforms and deep black took their places, court attendants in gold and black and pages costumed in the style of George III.'s reign, with big lace ruffles, bright red coats and white breeches and stockings, flitted hither and thither. With the brilliancy of of&cial costumes vied in splendor the College of Heralds, gorgeous in quaint mantles, tabards and insig- nia, and the mediaeval looking Yeomen of the Guard, carrying their halberds at slope. Lord Salisbury followed, wearing a velvet skull cap and wrapped in an ordinary black overcoat over a plain court uniform. The ladies-in-waiting, veiled as the Princesses were, took their seats on a long bench below the stalls. MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES 423 Lord Rosebery entered about a quarter after i o'clock. Most of the Diplomatic Corps occupied two rows of stalls on tbe rigbt of tbe cbancel. His brilliant robes made the Chinese Minister most conspicuous. Baron Eckhardstein, the giant of the Diplo- matic Corps, in attendance upon Count von Hatzfeldt-Wilden- burg, the German Ambassador, towered above all others in the magnificent white and gold uniform of the German army. The Haytian Minister with black face, formed a severe contrast to Count von Hatzfeldt, who sat next to him. From the court\^ard came the sounds of sharp commands, as troops were brought to attention or shifted. Two o'clock came, and the congregation was coughing uneasily. At a quarter after two Sir Walter Parratt, at the organ, began Mendelssohn's march in B minor from the '' Songs Without Words." The Castle clock struck the half-hour, and the organ ceased. SOUND OF SALUTING GUNS. The sound of the slowly saluting guns was heard, and silence fell on the assemblage. Ten minutes passed, and Sir Walter Parratt played softly. White-haired statesmen, one by one, dropped into their seats. The strain was too much, and the diplomats followed siiit. The music of the bands could be heard first faintly and then nearer and nearer, until the majestic roll of the funeral march penetrated every corner of the chapel. Quietly, with no heralding, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Winchester and the Dean of Windsor, who were to officiate, walked from the vestry down to the chancel, followed by the choir. The nobles rose to their feet. For fifteen minutes the congregation listened to the military bands outside. At twenty minutes after three the doors swung open. "I Am the Resurrec- tion" was sung by the choir. Slowly the white robed boys made their way up the aisle. After the Archbishop of Canterbury came the white rods, the coffin borne by grenadiers, and then the equerries, carrying the pall and regalia. Walking together came the King, Emperor William and the Puke of Connaught. Behind them were the King of the Belgians, 424 MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. tlie King of Greece and tHe King of Portugal, and after tliem tlie royal Princes. The American Ambassador, entered with the procession and sat in a corner near the master of ceremonies. The choir, having passed to the right of the altar, and the Queen and Princesses having gone to their positions in the Queen's Gallery, overlooking the altar, the service proceeded. The iVrchbishop stood at the altar steps, directly before the coffin. On his left was the Bishop of Winchester, in scarlet robes, who read the regular lesson for the dead. The Duke of Cambridge was helped to a stall, being unable to stand any longer. The coffin rested upon a catafalque placed at the steps of the altar. The cross over the communion table was covered with white flowers, and the reredos was almost concealed with sprays of fern dotted with lilies. IMPRESSIVE RITUAL. " Man That is Born of Woman " was chanted by the choir to Wesley's music, followed by "Thou Knowest, Lord, the Secrets of Our Hearts." The Dean of Windsor read: "I Heard a Voice," and the choir sang the Lord's Prayer to music composed by Gounod especially for the late Queen. Once more the strains of the choir welled up through the ancient chapel with Tchai- kowsky's " How Blessed Are They That Die." A few sobs were heard, and the choir then broke the oppres- sive stillness with the sweet harmony of the "Dresden Amen." Then the loud tones of the Norrey King of Arms, William Henry Weldon, proclaimed the dead monarch's titles, ending with " God Save the King," in such dramatic tones, that his hearers started with realization that a new regime had begun. Spohr's anthem, " Blessed Are the Departed," followed, and the service ended with Beethoven's funeral march, played by Sir Walter Parratt. The trembling voice of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is almost blind, had scarcely ended the final benediction before he turned to go up the altar steps. His sight and strength failed him, and he tottered, groped and was on the point of falling when MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. 425 tlie Archbishop of York, who had been standing some distance behind him, advanced and canght his hand, and gently led the venerable prelate to the holy table. Then they both knelt, the greatest dignitaries of England's church, next in rank to the royal blood, their heads bowed upon the purple altar cloth. While the Archbishop prayed and the Bishops and clergy reverentlj^ kept their knees, the King and Emperor William, followed by three other Kings, walked almost hurriedly up to the altar rails and out into the castle by a private exit. Their gor- geous suites followed mechanically, and a kaleidoscope of color and royalty surged by the chancel. Against this hurrying throng the cofiiii and kneeling figures within the holy enclosure stood out in contrast. At four o'clock the service was over. The Archbishop of Cai'ierbury bowed his head on the altar and prayed, and the Kings and Princesses passed to the left of the altar leaving the coffin and the c itafalque and passing into the castle. MEMORIAL SERVICES IN MANY PLACES. Simultaneousl}'^ with the funeral services at Windsor impressive memorial services were held at St. Paul's, West- minster Abbey and churches of every denomination throughout the United Kingdom. Five thousand persons managed to get into St. Paul's Cathedral, and 5000 more tried to follow. The Lord Mayor and corporation and representatives of the city guilds and public bodies of all kinds attended the Cathedral. At West- minster Abbey and the adjoining St. Margaret's Church peers and commons mustered in large numbers. Music was a very prominent feature of all the services. Cable dispatches from all parts of the empire gave details of similar observances. Everywhere there was a suspension of bus- iness. Foreign countries were not behind the British colonies in mourning Queen Victoria. From all parts of the world came cable reports that the day vv^as commemorated by special services, some of which were of an official character. At Lisbon the day was one of national mourning, and 426 MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. throughout Portugal flags were half-masted, the ships and forts firing guns at fifteen minute intervals. To-night a salute of twenty-one guns will be fired, and the theatres will be closed. At Teheran an impressive service in the Protestant Church was attended by the princes, Grand Vizier, ministers, high officials, diplomatic corps and all the Europeans. At Jerusalem a service was held in St. George's Church. The consuls and local authorities attended in uniform. From Dres- den, Trieste, Tangier, Port Said, Funchal, Paris, Berlin, Vienna and scores of other points the same story was repeated. In every case the services were attended by the local authorities and rep resentatives of the courts. MOURNING IN CANADA. All over Canada there were demonstrations of mourning for Queen Victoria. At Ottawa, the headquarters of the civil govern- ment, services M^ere held attended by the Governor General, the officials and representatives of the people. In every city of any size from Halifax to Vancouver buildings and stores were draped in the mourning colors, black and purple and white, and religious services were held by all denominations. Halifax being the military headquarters in British North America, was the chief city of mourning in Canada. Hundreds of flags were at half-mast, thousands of 3^ards of sombre draperies hung from the homes and buildings of the city and business houses and stores were closed during the hours of the funeral. The chief interest centered in the military exercises in Gar- rison Chapel. Colonel Biscoe, commanding the forces in British North America, attended by the officers of the staff, paid tribute to the dead sovereign. At St. Paul's, the Lieutenant Governor, representative of the King, accompanied by a staff of officers, attended services. In the evening eighty-one guns were fired at the citadel, the last one just at sunset, and in accordance with the wish of the King, the fortress flags will fly at half-mast until after the intej*' ment at Windsor. MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. 427 In Montreal, tlie fire bells rang at minute intervals and the cliurcli bells tolled. In all the cburclies solemn requiem services were held. All business was suspended. A remarkable scene occurred in front of the Montreal Star office, where pictures of the late Queen were distributed. Thousands besieged the office and closed up St. James street for traffic, and many were hurt in the crush. ^' Cape Town, Feb. 2. — The city was draped to-day with mourning, and from early morning streams of people placed UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO. wreaths at the foot of the Queen's statue in Parliament House Garden. At noon eight hundred members of the Royal Women's Guild marched past the statue. Wreaths from every part of South Africa were deposited about the statue, notably from the insurgent district. The wreaths covered the lawn." " Calcutta, Feb. 2. — The outburst of mourning here for the Queen is unique in its intensity. There was an imposing state service in the Cathedral, the Hindoos holding an enormous open air service. The Mahommedan shops are closed." "Bombay, Feb. 2. — The mourning here was general. The stores and banks were closed, and trains and street railroads worked on Sunday schedules. Native soldiers, with arms 428 MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. reversed, watched tlie Queen's statue all niglit long, and at dawn natives flocked thither to deposit wreaths. Many remained to pray before the statue." "Hong Kong, Feb. 2. — Services were held to-day at the Cathedral, the governor and council, the Government officials and the British and foreign naval and military officers attending. A special Chinese service was held in the afternoon." "x\delaide, South Australia, Feb. 2. — Despatches received here show that business was entirely suspended throughout the PARLIAMENT HOUSE, OTTAWA. colony to-day. Train traffic ceased simultaneously for ten minutes." " Kingston, Jamaica, Feb. 2. — A state service was held here simultaneously with the Queen's funeral in England. Thousands of people attended." " Hamilton, Island of Bermuda, Feb. 2 — The memorial service in the Cathedral to-day was an imposing function. Several American clergymen participated and the United States Consul had a prominent place among the officials." "Paris, Feb. 2. — Flags draped with crepe floated from the Ely see and public buildings to-day and every English place MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. 429 of business was closed on account of the funeral of Queen Victoria. At ii o'clock tlie of&cial services in the English church in the Rue d'Aguesseau were held in the exact form of the ser- vices in St. Paul's, London. M. Combariu represented President Loubet. Madame Loubet was also present, as well as most of the members of the Ministry, United States Ambassador Porter and Mrs. Porter and most of the diplomatic corps. This afternoon at 5 o'clock services were held in the American church in the Ave- nue de I'Alma for the American colony." "Berlin, Feb. 2. — Memorial services for Queen Victoria were held to-day in many towns of the Empire. The service at Horn- burg was attended by the Empress of Germany, the hereditary Prince of Saxe-Meinengen, the Crown Princes of Greece and Princess Frederick of Hesse. At Munich the Prince Regent of Bavaria and other princes and princesses attended a service, and at Kiel eighty-one guns were fired by the warships." SERVICES IN ROME, "Rome, Feb. 2. — At the English Church of All Saints ser- vices, to-day, the Marquis Visconti-Venosta, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, represented the King and Ministry. A delega- tion from the Senate and Chamber of Deputies and the Diplo- matic Corps v/ere present with the English colony." "The Hague, Feb. 2. — Representatives of the Queen and Queen mother, the diplomatic corps, and the members of the British colony, attended a service of the English church to-day." " Manila, Feb. 2. — The obsequies of Queen Victoria were attended by the military, the civil of&cers and the public. Much private business was suspended and salutes were fired at intervals." The shadow of a very real grief lay over Washington on the day of the Queen's funeral. The sound of the muffled drums and solemn knells of mourning Britain were echoed in the hearts of sympathetic Americans here in Washington. At every staft the flag drooped half-masted and on almost every citizen was some little badge of woe. Had some great American crossed the mys- 430 MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. terious bourne signs of public grief could not bave been more manifest. Without ostentation, silently, respectfully, the wbole populace mourned. At the quaint old Cburcb of St. John's, on the northern side of Lafayette Square, the prayer house of eight Presidents, the of&cial church of the British Ambassador, this general grief was crystallized into a memorial service for the dead Queen Victoria. Long before the service was timed to begin a crowd of women in black and men in mourning gathered on the church steps in the bright, frosty morning. By half-past ten a couple of hundred stood there, in each hand the black edged card of invitation. Out on the sunny road- way scores more paced to and fro awaiting the doors' opening. Now and then a carriage drew up, with its gold laced members of an embassy, but few alighted thus early, and the carriages were ordered to drive on around the square. A DISTINGUISHED COMPANY. About a quarter before eleven the doors were thrown open to the ticket holders, and at once every corner of the building, save the pews reserved for the Diplomatic Corps, was filled with a notable congregation. In the body of the church were many women gowned in heavy black. To their left across the aisle were the empty seats for the Ambassadors and Ministers. The long pew in front was kept for the President of the United States, his- Cabinet and Lord Pauncefote. The altar rail and pillars were draped in purple, and in great vases stood bunches of calla lilies and palm leaves. Elsewhere about the church were other bunches of lilies, relieving with their white purity the dusty decorations that still survived from Christmas. With the public arrived the Minister of Switzerland and the junior members of the British Embassy in court uniform. After them in quick succession came a long stream of Ambassadors, Ministers and members of legations — a glittering crowd in gold and lace and flashing orders. The first of the Ambassadors to MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. 481 arrive was Baron de Fava, of Italy. He was shown to his seat in the front pew to the left of the aisle facing the altar, where he was speedily joined by Herr von Holleben, the German Ambas- sador. Behind these sat Count Cassini, the Ambassador of Russia, and M. Jules Cambon, the Ambassador of France. Alone in the third pew sat Senor Don Manuel de Azpiroz, the Ambas- sador of Mexico. Back from the Ambassadors were ranged the Ministers of Austria-Hungary, Spain, the Netherlands and Turkey. Mr. Grip, the Minister of Sweden and Norway, covered his court uniform with a heavy fur mantle as a precaution against draughts, and near him were the Ministers of Belgium, Denmark, Japan and Siam. Wu Ting-fang, the Minister of China, sat next the Por- tugese Minister, Viscount de Santo-Thyrso. BRILLIANT UNIFORMS AND TRAPPINGS. In the centre of the church. General Isaac Khan, the Persian Minister, was remarkable for his astrakhan cap and the glittering profusion of his orders. Near him were grouped the new Minis- ter Resident of Uruguay, the Minister of Hayti, and the repre- sentatives of the South American republics. All these with their suites made up a notable blaze of color in the body of the church that vied with the stained glass windows in brilliancy and relieved the black monotony of the women mourners. Promptly at eleven o'clock Lord Pauncefote in his heavily laced uniform with the broad scarlet sash of his rank hung over his shoulder, received President McKinley at the doorway and accompanied him to his seat at the right hand of the foremost pew. Out from the gilded magnificence of his military and naval staffs, out from the flashing brilliancy of the diplomats who rose to receive him, Mr. McKinley stood alone in the simple dignity of his black overcoat and black sailor knot tie. Amid all the pomp and splendor of foreign courts he was the most dis- tinguished man in the assemblage. With the President entered Secretary of State Hay, and next them, in the foremost pew, sat Secretary of War Root and 432 MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. Secretary of tlie Treasury Gage. Behind these sat Secretary of the Navy Long, Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock and Secre- tary of Agriculture Wilson. In the third row sat Chief Justice Fuller and Justice Harlan, of the Supreme Court. Further back were other Justices of the Supreme Court, and then came Admiral Dewey, with his staff, and behind him General Miles and Adju- tant General Corbin. Accompanying these were all of the chief of&cers of the army quartered in Washington and the head- quarters staff. When the President had been seated and Lord Pauncefote had reached his place beside Lady Pauncefote and the Misses Pauncefote, the organ broke forth into the low wail of Chopin's "Marche Funebre," accompanied by the harp. Above, from the belfry, the slow toll of the bell that knelled Garfield and Lincoln could be heard at half minute intervals, and the church settled down to its sad ceremonial. HEADS BOWED IN REVERENCE. On the steps and in the galleries, during the assembling of the diplomatists, there had been some inclination to chatter, to discuss the arrivals and to view the whole ceremony as something of a pageant — the mere memorial service for a dead queen. As the wild grief of the funeral march sobbed through the church all this was silenced. It was no longer the death of a queen they solemnized, but the whole congregation gathered in reverence round the open grave of a good woman and mixed their grief with the sorrowing nation over seas. It was a very simple service. Its note was most truly caught in the Queen's favorite hymn, "Peace, Perfect Peace," and over everything the feeling was that of a tired and weary spirit taken into rest. The rector, the Rev. Dr. Alexander MacKay-Smith, con- ducted the usual services for the dead, assisted by the Rev. Dr. McKim, and Bishop Satterlee preached solemnly and feelingly. " England has had many illustrious sovereigns," said Bishop Satterlee in his address, "but where among them all do we find MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. 433 anotlier whose reign has been such an inspiration to all that was noble and true in the hearts of the nation, or one who was so lov- ingly just as that gracious and beloved British sovereign whose burial we are solemnizing this day ?" The choir of St. John's Church rendered the musical part of the service, which consisted of one anthem and the hj^mns "Lead Kindly Light," *' Peace, Perfect Peace," and "Jerusalem the Golden." A few minutes after 12 o'clock President McKinle}^ led the congregation out of church, accompanied to his carriage by Lord Pauncefote, and after them filed all the others out to the street and the sunshine. Nowhere on the earth's surface was a truer, more heartfelt tribute paid the dead Queen Victoria than in the capital of the United States. AT TRINITY CHURCH, NEW YORK. When the organ pealed forth the first strains of Chopin's funeral march in the opening voluntary at Trinity Church > New York, at the Queen's memorial service, there was not an unoccu- pied seat in the church, and the aisles and the space between the main doors and pews were crowded with men and women. Major General Brooke, commanding the Department of the East, and his staff occupied the front piew on the left of the main aisle, opposite the one occupied by Sir Percy Sanderson and his staff. They were in full dress uniform. Among others present were Admiral Barker and Andrew Carnegie. The Rev. Dr. Morgan Dix, rector, led in the processional. Among the officiating clergymen were the Most Rev. John T. Lewis, Archbishop of Ontario and Metropolitan ; Bishop Worth- ington, of Nebraska; Rev. Parker Morgan, D.D., andRev. E. Wal- pole Warren. The lesson was read by the Rev. Parker Morgan, rector of the Church of the Heavenly Rest. The Apostles' Creed and the prayers were chanted by the Rev. E. Walpole Warren. The closing prayers were offered by the Rev. Dr. Morgan Dix. The Archbishop of Ontario and Metropolitan pronounced the benediction. St. Paul's Chapel was crowded to the doors in the afternoon 28 434 MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES. at a special service in memory of the Queen, which was held in order to accommodate the great number of persons who were unable to gain admittance to Trinity. The Rev. W. Montague Geer, the vicar of the chapel, read the Episcopal ritual for the burial of the dead, with the exception of the committal. Services in commemoration of Queen Victoria were held in the Church of the Heavenly Rest under the auspices of the British Schools and Universities Club of New York. Six thou- sand persons crowded into the edifice, which was draped with royal purple, while the pulpit was adorned with the Union Jack and the lectern clothed with the Stars and Stripes. Hanging over the auditorium were the flags of the United States, Australia, Scotland, England, Ireland and Canada. Seated in a body, with their president, Dr. John A. Irwin, were the members of the club, numbering 150 persons. The principal address was given by the Rev. B. Walpole Warren, D. D. rector of St. James's parish. CHARACTER OF VICTORIA. Andrew Carnegie spoke in Carnegie Hall Sunday afternoon, February 3d, upon "The Moral Character of Queen Victoria." "One of the important traits," said Mr. Carnegie, "of Queen Victoria was her large, liberal, and generous toleration of all sects. Queen Victoria kept her court pure. The chief jewel in her dower was purity. No scandal or loose living was ever tolerated there." Mr. Carnegie went on to say that her unvarying kindness to every one, and expecially to the humblest servants, was one of her strongest traits. He said she once had a man 'servant by the name of John Brown. He was one of those remarkable men, who would have made his mark in any line of work, and stood very close to the Queen. When he died she had the following inscrip- tion put on a tablet above his grave : " A tribute of loving, grateful, and everlasting friendship from his truest, best, and most grateful friend, Victoria." "If we all treated our servants in that light," commented Mr. Carnegie, " I think there would be less to say in regard to Memorial services and tributes. 435 the domestic problem in this country." After Mr. Carnegie's address, Edwin Markham read a poem upon the Queen. EDWIN MARKHAM'S TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN. Homage and hush of heart belong to death, When at the door the dread one entereth. The courteous departure of the soul To seek its high imperishable goal, The still withdrawal of that inward thing That gives the shapen clay the auricle. Sends on all hearts the ancient wondering. And so a stillness falls across the day, Now that the Queen has pushed aside the crown. And with no heralds telhng her renown, Has gone the august unattended way — Gone down the way where all of earth recedes. Leaving behind a fragrance of good deeds, A wreath of memories forever green Above her name, mother and friend and Queen. Whatever fortune comes to shape events She carried in her heart the good intent, And surely, too, since that far fragrant hour. When first the boughs of Eden broke to flower. Nothing has shined more Kingly than good deeds. Lo, out of these the golden Heaven proceeds. The memory of good deeds will ever stay, A lamp to light us on the darkened way, A music to the ear on clamoring street, A cooling well amid the noonday heat, A scent of green boughs blown through narrow walls. A feel of rest when quiet evening falls. The kindly deed will live in memory When London in far centuries shall be As still as Babylon and both a-dream — When London dead shall be some poet's theme — When all her tombs and towers shall be a flight Of ghostly arches in the noiseless night. .i36 MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES, Then as some bard on legends borne along Shall build her faded glories into song, Some Homer sing her darings and defeats, Filling with crowds again the grass-grown streets, Placing dead kings back on their crumbled seats, There suddenly will sweep into his rhyme Victoria's name long lavendered by Time, And all the poet heart of him will stir At some small heart- warm chronicles of her. The obscure whisper of some kindly deed Of this dead Queen, her quick reply to need : And lo, his song will brighten and will shine As though a star should break along the line. Greater than any king with wolfish hordes That ever climbed the pathway of the swords, Was this Queen-mother, gracious, gentle, good, A white fair flower of Christian womanhood. Her banners felt the wind of every sea, And yet she held a wider realm in fee, The pure high kingdom of the womanly. Peace to her spirit as the years increase — Peace, for her last great passion was for peace. O God of nations, on the darlc of things. Send down the white fire of the King of Kings, Until all rulers shall be lifted up To drink with common man the equal cup. Send wisdom upon nations, and send down On kings the deeper meaning of the crown. Come, God of Kings and peoples, breathe on men Till love's heroic ages flower again. SIGNATURE OF THE QUEEN. PART II. King Edward VIL CHAPTER XXIX. The New King Proclaimed. ^^CDWARD VII., King of Great Britain and Ireland and ^ Emperor of India, Defender of the Faith;" was formalh^ proclaimed at Temple Bar, on St. Paul's Cathedral steps and at the Royal Exchange, London, on Wednesday, January 23, 1901. The Privy Council met in St. James' Palace at 2 o'clock in the afternoon for the purpose of signing the accession proclama- tion of Edward VII. The attendance at the meeting of the Council was more than 200. The Duke of Devonshire read the proclamation. The Duke of York first signed it, then the Duke of Counaught, the Prince Christian, the Duke of Cambridge, the Queen consort, the Duke and Duchess of York, and all the royal familv. King Edward then took the oath. This is the oath with which Edward VII. assumed government over the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and all its dominions : Lord Chancellor — Is your Majesty willing to take the oath ? The King — I am. Lord Chancellor — Will you soleuml}^ promise and swear to govern the people of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the dominions thereto belonging, according to the statutes in Parliament agreed on and the respective laws and customs of the same ? The King — I solemnly promise so to do. Lord Chancellor — Will you to the utmost of your power cause law and justice in mercy to be expected in all your judgments ? The King — I will. 437 438 THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. Lord Cliancellor — Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the laws of God, the true profession of the Gospel and the Protestant Reformed religion established by law, and will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the United Church of Bngland and Ireland and the doctrine, worship, disci- pline and government thereof as by law established with Bngland and Ireland and the territories thereunto belonging, and will you preserve unto the Bishops and clergy of England and Ireland and to the churches there committed to their charge all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them ? The King — All this I promise to do. After the oath of office had been administered to the new monarch he was duly proclaimed Kiug, The council lasted an hour, during which the ministers gave up their seals of office, which the King immediately returned to them. DUKES AND LORDS OF THE COUNCIL. The King at first was in a separate room from the privy councillors. The Duke of Devonshire, Lord President of the Council, formally announced the death of the Queen. The royal Dukes and some Lords of the Council then repaired to the King's presence and acquainted him with the Duke's announcement. The King's speech was made with great earnestness and was entirely extemporaneous. He said : "I have decided to assume the title of Bdward VII. in accordance with the wishes of my beloved mother, who united the virtues of supreme, domestic good with the affection and patriotism of a wise and peace loving monarch. I have the respect- ful desire to leave the memory of my father's name, Albert, the exclusive treasure of my beloved mother. " Notwithstanding my personal desire I cannot hope to do justice to the renown and virtues associated with Prince Albert's name. I shall do the utmost to be worthy of my great position." At 4.30 p. m. a royal salute of twenty-one guns was fired in St. James' Park. THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. 439 In the House of Commons there was a full attendance. Speaker William Court Gully, after taking the chair, said : " I would remind the House that b};^ reason of the deeply lamented decease of her late Majest}^ Queen Victoria it has now become our dut}^ to take the oath of allegiance to her successor. King Edward VH. I will, according to ciistom, take the oath myself first and then invite the members to come to the table and take it." The Speaker then took the oath in the following form : " I, William Court Gully, do swear that I will be faithful and bear allegiance to His Majesty, King Edward VII., his heirs and suc- cessors, according to the law, so help me God." In the House of Lords a similar ceremony was performed. Lord Kimberly and the Archbishop of Canterbury were the first to be sworn after the Lord Chancellor. Both houses of Parliament received identical messages from the King, and voted condolence with His Majesty on his bereave- ment and congratulation on his accession to the throne. MESSAGE FROM THE KING. The Lord Chancellor, Lord Halsbury, and the Speaker, Mr. William Court Gully, read the following message in their respective houses : "The King is fully assured that the House of Commons will share the deep sorrow which has befallen His Majesty and the nation by the lamentable death of his mother, the late Queen, Her devotion to the welfare of her country and her people and her wise and beneficent rule during the sixty-four years of her glorious reign will ever be held in affectionate memory by her loyal and devoted subjects throughout the dominions of the British Empire." In the House of Commons, Mr. A. J. Balfour, First Lord of the Treasury, and government leader, in moving the address in reply to the message, said the House in all its long History had never met under sadder circumstances or with a clearer duty to express the universal sorrow extending from end to end of the 440 THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. empire. In the wliole history of the British monarchy there had never been a case in which the national grief had been so deeply seated. The end of a great epoch had come, an epoch more crowded with important changes and great developments than any period of like length in the history of the world. The influence of the Crown in the British constitution was not a diminishing but an increasing factor, and must continue to increase with the growth and development of the self-governing communities over the sea, which were founded by Great Britain, through the person of the sovereign, who was a living symbol of the unity of the empire. In moving a double response of con- dolence and congratulation, Mr. Balfour said they all had unfail- ing confidence that the great interests committed to the new sov- reign were safe in his keeping. LORD SALISBURY'S PATHETIC SPEECH. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, the liberal leader, seconded the motion, which was adopted, the members standing. The House then adjourned until February 14th. In the House of lyords Lord Salisbury moved the reply to the King's message in a speech full of emotion. He said that, in per- forming the saddest duty that had ever befallen him, he was only echoing the accents of sorrow, deeper than he had ever seen, of this nation, which had been called forth by the singular loss which, under the dispensation of Providence, they had suffered, and their admiration of the glorious reign and splendid character of the sovereign they had lost. Being a constitutional monarch, with restricted powers, she had reigned by sheer force of character, by the lovableness of her disposition, and by her hold on the hearts of her subjects. The example which she set of governing by esteem and love would never be forgotten, nor how much she assisted in the elevation of her people by their simple contemplation of her brilliant qualities as wife, mother and woman. She always maintained a rigorous supervision over public affairs, giving her Ministers the benefit of her advice and warn- THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. 441 ing thein of dangers. No Minister could disregard her views, or press her to disregard them, without feeling he had incurred a great danger. She had brought the country peacefully through a great change, from old to new England. She possessed extra- ordinary knowledge of what the people would think. He had always said that when he knew what the Queen thought, he knew for a certainty what her subjects would think, especially the middle classes. The King came to the throne with the one great advantage of having before him the greatest example possible. Lord Kimberley, the liberal leader in the House of Lords, and the Archbishop of Canterbury seconded the address. THE QUEEN'S UNUSUAL REQUEST. Lord Salisbury was looking exceedingly well when he rose to make his speech, in a clear and impressive style. No poli- tician in England has ever seen so much of the Queen as this grand old statesmen, with leonine head and massive face. Only two weeks before the Queen, being solicitous about his health, insisted that he should sit in her presence, because she had heard that it was bad for him to stand. Her late Majesty had also insisted that he should bring one of his sons down with him to Osborne to keep him company. What he told of the influence which the Queen had over him and her Council of Ministers was listened to in the crowded House with breathless interest, for all felt that what Lord Salis bury could tell no one else had hitherto known. Thus, in simple words, told with simple manner, the Prime Minister was intensely- interesting. It was the story of the inner influence of the Queeu upon public matters, which had always been guessed, but never absolutely known until Lord Salisbury told it. In telling of her intuitive knowledge of her people. Lord Salisbury caused a flutter of emotion throughout the House — a house which is known for its coldness of demeanor. For, as the rugged helmsman of the British Government expressed it, when his intuition failed him as regards the best way to act he had but to go to the Queen, 442 THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. SHe liad always had an absolutely accurate instinctive knowledge of what the people of England would approve. In that she was stronger than all her Ministers, and as he told this Lord Salis- bury's voice over and over again was broken with emotion, for he spoke as it rarely comes to the lot of a statesman to speak, and it was apparent to all present that he spoke directly from his heart of one whom he loved reverently. In the upper house the feature was the great show of bishops, ■ fourteen of them in their white lawn full sleeves, contrasting strongly vi^ith the rest of the occupants of the house. The effect of the ladies all in black, especially the long line of black hats and bonnets, most of which were decorated with aigrettes or black feathers, gave an appearance of awful solemnity in the house, which at the best is only very dimly lighted. QUAINT OLD CUSTOMS. London was given a glimpse of mediaeval times on January 24th. The quaint ceremonies with which King Edward VII. was proclaimed at various points of the metropolis exactly followed ancient precedents. The of&cials purposely arranged the func- tion an hour ahead of the published announcement, and the inhabi- tants, when they awoke, were surprised to find the entire space between St. James's Palace and the city lined with troops. About 10,000 soldiers. Life Guards, Horse Guards, Foot Guards and other cavalry and infantry regiments, had been brought from Aldersliot and London Barracks after midnight. All the officers had crape on their arms, and the drums and brass instruments were shrouded with crape. The troops made an imposing spectacle, but they were entirely eclipsed by the strange spectacle presented by the officials of the College of Arms. The ceremony began at St. James's Palace, where at 9 o'clock Edward VII. was proclaimed King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India. The proclama- tion, which was read by William Henry Weldon, King-at-Arms since 1894, and formerly Windsor Herald, was as follows : ■'Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God to call to His mercy THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. 443 our late sovereign, Lady Queen Victoria of blessed and glorious memory, by whose decease the imperial crown of tbe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is solely and rigbtfully come to the bigli and mighty Prince Albert Edward, we, there- fore, the Lords spiritual and temporal of this realm, being here assisted with these of her late Majesty's Privy Council, with num- bers of other principle gentlemen of quality, with the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and citizens of London, do now hereby with one voice consent with tongue and heart to publish and proclaim that the high and mighty Prince Albert Edward is now, by the death of our late sovereign of happy memory, become our only lawful and rightful liege Lord, Edward VII., by the grace of God King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, defender of the faith. Emperor of India, to whom we acknowledge all faith and constant obedience with all hearty and humble affection, beseeching God, by whom all Kings and Queens do reign, to bless the royal Prince Edward VII. with long and happy years to reign EARL ROBERTS AND HIS STAFF. The King was not present. There was a large assemblage of officials and college heralds. Among those in attendance Avere Earl Roberts and members of the Headquarters Staff and other army officers. There was a great concourse of people from the commencement to the close. The proclamation was greeted by a fanfare of trumpets. At the conclusion of the ceremony the band belonging to the Foot Guards in the Friary Court played " God Save the King." The members of the King's household witnessed the ceremony from Marlborough House. On the balcony, overlooking the Friary Court, from which the proclamation was read, were the Duke of Norfolk and other officers of State. The balcony was draped in crimson cloth. Beside the officials in resplendent uniforms were stationed the trumpeters. Here were seen many prominent persons, among them Sir Henry Arthur White, Private Solicitor to the Queen, 444 THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. In the yard of Marlborough House and the Friary Court were stationed a large body of police, soldiers and Foot Guards. The Foot Guards acted as a guard of honor, and they were posted immediately beneath the balcony. The spectators began to assemble at an early hou.r. The troops arrived at 8 o'clock, and shortly before 9 o'clock in the morning a brilliant cavalcade passed down the Mall and entered Friary Court. It consisted of the Headquarters Staff, headed by the Commander-in-Chief of the forces, Karl Roberts, in full uniform, and carryiug a marshal's baton, and Sir Evelyn Wood, the Adjutant General. At 9 o'clock the court dignitaries, headed by the Duke of Norfolk, appeared on the balcony. Then the heralds blew a fanfare and King-at-Arms Weldon, in the midst of dead silence, read the proclamation. All heads were bared THE CROWD GAVE A SHOUT. As the reading was concluded, the King-at-Arnis, raising his three cornered hat, cried loudly, " God save tlie King ! " The crowd took up the cry, while the cheers, the fanfares of the trumpets and the band playing a national anthem made a curious medley. King-at-Arms Weldon read the proclamation in clear tones, which were distinctly heard at a great distance. The third fanfare of trumpets ended the ceremony. The officials then marched in procession from the balcony, through the palace, to the Ambassador's Court, where a number of royal carriages had been placed, by the direction of the King, at the disposal of the Barl-Marshal. These took the officials who read the proclamation to the city, and, escorted by a detach- ment of Horse Guards, formed a picturesque and gorgeous procession. The contingent from the College of Arms was composed of three kings-at-arms, four heralds and eight pursuivants. The costumes of the two latter were gorgeous beyond compare. They wore tabards, a garment resembling the costume of kings as depicted on playing cards. These tabards were beautifully and heavily embroidered with silk lions, the royal coat-of arms and THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. 445 flowers in bewildering confusion. There was the rouge dragon, the blue mantle and the maltravers, with all the armorial bear- ings of that quaint old body, the College of Arms, in full and solemn arra}^ A blare of trumpets announced the progress of the cavalcade as it proceeded through the Trafalgar Square and the Strand. The chief interest centered in the entrance of the heralds' procession into the city at Temple Bar. The gray minarets of the law courts and the tall spires of the Strand churches loomed, phantomlike, out of the fog, while a long, double line of over- coated troops stood, chilled and motionless, along the half deserted streets. THE LORD MAYOR'S PROCESSION. The clocks in the law courts and St. Dunstan's tolled out mournfully the quarter hours till 9.15, when, out of the gray mist from within the city boundary, appeared a procession of carriages forming the Lord Mayor's entourage. It was there that the two processions were to merge in kalei- doscopic grandeur. The Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, Aldermen and mace-bearers, in scarlet, fur trimmed robes, cocked hats, rufiled shirts, silk knee breeches aud low buckled shoes, peered out from the Cinderella-like coaches that would have been the envy of Alice in Wonderland. Overhead, in the midst of the pageant, the great Griffin which marks the city boundary spread its wide, fantastic wings, like some great Hindoo god. In their gold liveries the white wigged coachmen of the Lord Mayor looked down contemptuously upon soldier, herald and peer. In the olden days a veritable bar or gate separated the city from without. To-day ten strong policemen stretched a red silken rope across the thoroughfare in honor of the city's ancient privileges. As the clock struck the time the officer in command of the troops cried " Attention ! " The rifle stocks came down with a click upon the asphalt pavement, and two gold laced trumpeters appeared at the Griffin's side. The Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, 446 THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. mace-bearers, cliaplain, remembrancer and tbe white wigged Judges of the city courts left their carriages and grouped them- selves together between the lines of drawn tip troops. Then the City Marshal, who was on horseback, wearing a uniform of scarlet, gold laced, with scarlet plumes, rode up to the barrier, and the Norrow King of Arms, whose green and gold tabard outshone those of his colleagues, appeared at the imagi- nary bar. His trumpeter blew a shrill blast, which the Lord Mayor's trumpeters answered, and then the City Marshal rode up to the barrier and demanded, " Who goes there? " The Norrow King of Arms replied that it was the King's herald, come to read a proclamation. " Bnter herald," said the Marshal, and the herald was conducted to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, who were still grouped in the street. The herald then read the proclamation, to which the Lord Mayor and Aldermen replied : " We, with one voice, consent, tongue and heart, pledge allegiance to King Bdward VII." RESOUNDING TRUMPETS. The trumpeters blew a blast while the wondering crowd stood bareheaded and silenced, not knowing what to do, till a military band in the procession struck up " God Save the King." This familiar air has still but one meaning in England, and the crowd took up the words feebly, with " God Save the King" on the tongue, but with " God Save the Queen" in mind. A few streets further on the proclamation was read again, and the procession advanced, by way of Lndgate Hill, to the Royal exchange. The final proclamation was made in front of the Royal Exchange. The square before the Exchange, with the prison- like walls of the Bank of England on one side and the massive ofi&cial residence of the Lord Mayor on the other, was a stage setting whose age and solidity befitted the portentous ceremony. There were no decorations except flags, all half masted, save the city's red cross on a white field over the Mansion House. The royal standard hung above the Exchange, and over the surrounding business buildings flew the union jack. Black was THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. 447 the universal color worn by tlie people. Hardly a bright bon- net or gown relieved the sombreneSvS of the crowd. Soldiers and policemen formed an almost solid lane down Cheapside, where the pageant was to pass. The people behind, crowding for a sight over their shoulders, were of all classes, from prosperous brokers to East End costers. The mass was subdued and remarkably orderly, an impres- sive contrast to the usual London holida}^ crowd. The roofs of tlie Exchange, Bank and Mansion House and all the windows and balconies overlooking the scene were filled with solid rows of people. Big policemen kept a clear space in front of the Exchange. At about lo o'clock the procession, which was disappoint- ingly short, though gorgeous, swept down from the Temple Bar at a rapid pace, and was received silently. The officials entered the Exchange by Cornhill and appeared on the top steps, the Lord Ma3^or, with the sword bearer, leading, Sheriffs, Aldermen, Recorder and City Marshal, following. "HIS MAJESTY KING EDWARD VII." A flourish of trumpe-ts impressed silence upon the crowds, and the Lord Mayor, uncovering, stepped forward. All hats came off and the men remained bareheaded throughout the ceremony, under the misty rain, for nearly half an hour. The Lord Mayor's voice was strong and his oratorical words were distinguishable a block away while he read the warrant of the Privy Council to the herald. Thereupon the spectacularly attired herald, bareheaded also, for the third time delivered the proclamation. Probably no one fifty feet distant heard his words until, at the ending, he raised his voice and shouted : " God save the King !" putting particular stress on the words. When the Lord Mayor finished reading the warrant with the words "His Majesty King Edward VII. " the crowd, for the first time, cheered feebly, but without unison, seeming to feel that too great a display of enthusiam for the King might appear to par- take of disloyalty to the memory of the departed Queen. It was 448 THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. only when tHe herald shouted "God save the King!" that the populace responded heartil}'- with cheers, many people echoing the shouts of " God save the King ! " and waving- their hats. The Lord Mayor, in the meantime, proceeded to the Mansion House, stepped out on the upper balcony and said, in ringing tones : "Join in singing from the bottom of your hearts, ' God Save the King ' " The response was uncertain at first, for the people present feared to undertake the unfamiliar words, until the Common Sergeant (legal adviser of the Corporation) led off, whereupon hundreds joined in. This was repeated three times, each time hundreds more taking up the singing, until it became a mighty roar. Then came more cheers for the King and for the Queen Consort, hearty but solemn and of a vastly different sort from the shouts heard for Queen Victoria's jubilee. There was an undertone of mourning. DRINKING THE KING'S HEALTH. Then the Life Guards and of&cials from the West End moved away, and the crowd broke up. The city officers gathered about a table in the Mansion House and raised their glasses, drinking the health of King Edward VII., who had been pro- claimed King according to the ancient ritual. The instruction that the Duke of York is to be named in the Prayer Book "Duke of Cornwall," seems to throw light upon the much debated question of the heir apparent' s title. It was sup- posed that the title "Prince of Wales," which belongs only to a son born of the King, would be conferred upon the Duke of York by royal patent; but the "Gazette" announcement seems to indicate that this will not be done, and that the Duke of York will henceforth be known as the Duke of Cornwall. King Edward VII. has been proclaimed in many cities and towns of the United Kingdom, the usual procedure being that the Mayor, attended by the other members of the corporation, has read the proclamation in the Town Hall or market place. In Dublin uniformed heralds proclaimed Edward VII. at one of the THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED. 449 castle gates, in the presence of tlie Lord Lieutenant, Earl Cado- gau, and tlie Irish Privy Council. The ceremony of proclaiming the new King in Dublin was highly interesting. Earl Cadogan, the Lord Lieutenant, first proclaimed Edward VII. at a full meeting of the Irish Privy Council. Then, at 4 o'clock P. M., a procession was formed, headed by the Lord Mayor, which issued from a gate of the upper castle and took up a position on the west side of Cork Hill, where a great concourse had gathered to witness the spectacle. Athlone Pursuivant in full regalia, mounted and attended by an escort of Lancers, preceded Ulster King of Arms, mounted and Avearing a brilliant uniform. Then the Lord Lieutenant, with several aides, rode out of the gates. The band played "God Save the King." Athlone Pursuivant cried, "Oyez, Oyez," and com- manded silence. A fanfare was sounded. Then Ulster King at Arms read the proclamation. Cheers were giveu for the King, and "God Save the King" was played. "GOD SAVE THE KING"— New National Anthem for Britons. God save our gracious King, Long live our noble King, "^ God save the King. Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us. God save the King. O Lord our God arise, Scatter his enemies And make them fall ; Confound their politics, : Frustrate their knavish tricks ; On him our hopes we fix. God save us all. Thy choicest gifts in store On him be pleased to pour, Long may he reign. May he defend our laws And ever give us cause To sing with heart and voice, God save the Kins' ! 29 ^ CHAPTER XXX. Life of King Edward. A LBBRT BDWARD, known for more than lialf a century as -'*■ the Prince of Wales, and now summoned to the throne of the mightiest empire in all history, over which he will reign as Edward VII, was born on November 9, 1841. The second child and the eldest son of Queen Victoria, his advent into the world was greeted with great rejoicing. As the first child of the royal couple (the Empress Dowager of Germany) had proved to be a girl, the British nation was naturally anxious that the second should be a boy. When a new heir was expected Prince Albert sent his couriers in hot haste from Buckingham Palace to the various dignitaries of church and state, whose presence at the expected birth of a possi- ble crown prince is demanded by royal etiquette. They gathered together in the antiroom close by the Queen's bed chamber. Among them were archbishops and bishops, arrayed in silk hats and gorgeous aprons ; members of the Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister ; nurses and doctors by the score. AWAITING THE GREAT EVENT. For four hours this motley assemblage awaited the event. Their patience was rewarded. When it was announced that the hopes and wishes of a nation had been fulfilled and that a boy had been born there was universal gratulation. Prelates and states- men embraced one another with uncontrolled effusiveness. Cannon from the grounds without thundered the news to all the surround- ing districts. Thousands of church bells took up the glad tidings and pealed out the announcement to an expectant nation. Earlj^ in the morn- ing the Privy Council met in state to ordain prayer and thanks- giving from one end of the country to the other. A few weeks later, on the occasion of the Prince's baptism in 460 LIFE OF KING EDWARD. 451 the royal chapel of Windsor, he was shown from the balcon}^ to a huge crowd of persons, who went wild with delight. The boyhood of the Prince was uneventful. His early educa- tion was conducted at home under the tutelage of the Rev. H. M. Birch, rector of Prestwich ; Mr. Gibbs, barri5:ter-at-law ; the Rev. C. F. Tarver and Mr. H. W. Fisher. He then studied for a season at Bdinburg,' and later entered Christ Church, Oxford. Here he attended public lectures for a year, and afterward resided for three or four terms at Trinity College, Cambridge, for the same purpose. His earliest appearance in a leading part on any public occa- sion was in 1859 at the la3dng of the foundation stone of the Lam- beth School of Art at Vauxhall. After the death of his father in December, 1861, he naturally became the most desirable functionary at all ceremonies in which beneficent or charitable undertakings were to be recognized by royal approval. This work has ever since occupied a large share of his time and has always been performed with dignity, tact and patience. Indeed, no prince of any country has ever personally exerted himself more faithfully to render services of this sort to the com- munity. The multiplicity and variety of his engagements on behalf of local and special enterprises make a surprising list, and necessaril}'- involved a sacrifice of ease and leisure which few men of high rank would care to make. VISIT OF THE PRINCE TO CANADA. In the summer of i860 the Prince paid a visit to Canada and the United States. Everywhere he was received with boundless enthusiasm. He danced at a ball given in his honor at Washings ton, where he was cordially welcomed by President Buchanan, The ' United States, indeed, was prepared to receive him with open arms. ^ At Hamilton, the last place in Canada where he made a halt, he had spoken some kindly word, which awoke general approval here in the United States. " My duties," he said, " as representative of the Queen ceases this day, but in a private capacity I am about to visit before my return home that remarkable land which claims with us a common 452 LIFE OF KING EDWARD. ancestr}^ and in whose extraordinary progress every Knglisliman feels a common interest." His first formal stop on American soil was in Chicago. This visit is still fresh in the memory of man}^ old citizens, and some of them recall incidents about his brief stay that are of considerable interest. The prince, traveling under the name of Baron Renfrew, arrived in Chicago from Detroit over the Michigan Central, accom- panied by a small suite and Lord Lyons, British minister at Wash- ington. A great crowd was assembled at the depot to greet the party, and the approaches to the station Avere beautifully decorated. ' i AN ADDRESS OF WELCOME. The Prince was driven to the Richmond House, a well-known hotel in early days on Michigan avenue, between Randolph and Washington streets, and the whole second floor was set aside for his use. On the morning after his arrival a committee consisting of Mayor John Went worth, W. B. Ogden, William Bross and B. W. McComas visited his apartments and presented him, through Lord Lyons, with an address of welcome. It contained among other things the following words : " As the son of the most admirable of monarchs and the best of women, Baron Renfrew challenges our most affectionate and kind regards." In the afternoon the Prince expressed a desire to drive about the city, and Fernando Jones, then a member of the Council, accom- panied him in a carriage and did his best to entertain the royal visitor. Mr. Jones recalls very plainly his impression of the young man who is now Edward VII, King of England. He said : " We all saw in him a light-hearted and enthusiastic lad, a true specimen of the healthy young Englishman. It did not take any of us long to get on a friendly footing with him, for he barrecJ all strict forms and insisted on our dropping much of the ceremou}^ we had thought fit to adopt in our intercourse with him. During the drive I proposed that we go to see the workings of a big grain elevator near the entrance to the river. The Prince assented eagerly, and in a few minutes we were scrambling to the top. LIFE OF KING EDWARD. 453 '' A small English vessel was being loaded with grain, and to commemorate the occasion we arranged that the wheat run into the hole while the Prince was there should be sent as a present to Queen Victoria. While we were watching operations the Prince sidled up to me and said : ' Let us get away from those old fellows and watch the work from the other side of the shoot.' John Went- worth stood and looked at us as we were shifting places. I could see he was getting ready for a speech, and the Prince wanted to keep away from it. A minute later the young man stepped onto a pile of grain and John called out : ' Hey get your feet off that wheat.' " Well, sir, the Prince was dumbfounded. I guess he had never been spoken to that way before in alibis life. But Went- worth immediately remedied his mistake b}^ saying: ' You see your royal highness, that grain's intended for your mother. Now, she might have a loaf of bread made from that very wheat that you've been standing in, and that would be dreadful.' Then we all laughed, the prince more heartily than any of us. OFF FOR A DAY'S SHOOTING. " The next day I accompanied him and his party down to Dwight, where they had been invited for a day's shooting by a Mr. Morgan, who had a fine place there. The prince had a splen- did time, acting like a good-natured boy, full of high spirits and anxious to please. He was delighted with the arrang-ements that had been made for his day in the woods " A fine lunch had been prepared by the host. Game of all kinds was on the tables, but when the time to eat came the prince was missing. I was sent out to find him, and after wandering about two miles I came across him sitting on the ground in an old shanty, with a backwoodsman standing beside him. He had found the man, struck up an acquaintance and was being initiated into the right way to cook prairie chicken. "Two birds that the prince had just killed were being broiled by this humble expert, who had no idea who his new found friend was. I approached and told the prince that we were waiting lunch 454 LIFE OF KING EDWARD. for him, but lie would not come away till tlie birds were cooked and he had eaten a little of them. When we were wandering back through the woods he told me that he had never enjoyed a bite better in his life. " Some years later I was at the first great Paris exposition as an honorary commissioner from Illinois. The Prince of Wales visited the American section one day, and, noticing me, he came right up, held out his hand and said: ' Hey get your feet off that wheat.' Then he explained the joke to the gentlemen with him and gave me all sorts of kinds of kind messages to take back to Mr. Wentworth and others who had helped to entertain him in Chicago. A ROYAL GOOD FELLOW. " I consider the prince a right royal good fellow — a man of democratic tastes and one who I believe will make a popular and conscientious king." From Chicago the Prince passed on to St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Baltimore and Washington. For five days he was a guest of President Buchanan. He visited Mount Vernon and planted a chestnut tree by the side of Washington's tomb. From the capital the Prince and his party set out for Richmond, then a centre of political agitation, and soon to prove the focus of disaffec- tion against the Union. His next halt was made at Philadelphia, where he visited Independence Hall and other places famous in Anglo-American history. From Philadelphia he took sail for New York, landing at Castle Garden on October nth. He was driven through Broadway to the Fifth Avenue Hotel, escorted by the Mayor and other civic dignitaries, and cheered on his way by vast crowds of citizens vvdio had gathered to do him honor. One feature of the hospitalities tendered him in New York was a parade of the Volunteer Fire Department, six thousand men strong, each man in uniform, and all save those of the ropes and tillers bearing torches. It is interesting to note that among the paraders were William M. Tweed and Richard Croker. Albany, Boston and Portsmouth, LIFE OF KING EDWARD. 455 N. H., were visited in turn, and from the latter place the Prince and his party embarked for England on October 20tli. In 1862, accompanied by Dean Stanley, lie made a journey to the Bast, including a visit to Jerusalem. The young Prince was now of a marriageable age. Speculation was rife as to who would be the lady of his choice. The question was settled in the early part of 1863, when his engagement was announced to Princess Alexandra, the eldest daughter of the King of Denmark. She was three years younger than the Prince, and though comparatively poor, was beautiful and accomplished. The marriage was celebrated in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on March lo, 1863. ALEXANDRA'S ENTHQSIASTIC RECEPTION. All England rejoiced over the event. Tennyson, the recently appointed poet laureate, wrote one of his first poems, '*A Welcome to Alexandra," on this occasion. The Princess soon made herself very popular with all classes of the British public, not only by her outward grace of manner, but also by her virtues and amiability. The Prince himself has always shared in this popularity. The Prince made his maiden speech in the House of Lords in 1884. It was in support of a motion in favor of the better housing of the poor. He was subsequently one of the commission ap- pointed to consider the matter. He is a fervent sportsman, and has never been without a string of thoroughbred racing horses. Several of them, including Florizel II. and Persimmon, have won the Derby. He is as fond of a good dog as of a good horse. His kennels at Sandringham are fourteen in number, built of brick and iron, with every modern improvement that architects and dog fanciers could suggest. As a social factor in England the Prince has always been supreme. Ward McAllister called him "the great social dictator.'' It was largely through his influence that many Americans — a nation whom he has always liked — have received their entree into the inner circles of the British aristocracy. Nevertheless, the social and fashionable side of his life has been more of a duty than a pleasure to him. He has always been most content when sur- 456 LIFE OF KING EDWARD. rounded by a circle of his old friends at Ms palace, in Sandringham, a small village in the county of Norfolk. There he has lived the life of an English country gentleman. The affection and esteem in which the Prince has been held was never better exemplified than in December, 1871, when he was attacked by typhoid fever, and for some weeks hung between life and death. The anxiety of the public was intense, and the news of his recovery was greeted with great joy. On his first appear- ance in public to take part in the memorable " Thanksgiving ser- vice" in St. Paul's Cathedral, on February 27, 1872, the streets along the line of his route were crowded with a cheering multi- tude. He has had five children, the eldest of whom, Albert Victor Christian Edward, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, was born January 8, 1864, and died in January, 1892. The second son, George Frederick Ernest Albert, Duke of York, born June 3, 1865, married Princess Mary, of Teck, July 6, 1893. Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar, born February 20, 1867, married the Duke of Fife in 1889. Victoria Alexander Olga Marie was born July 6, 1868, and Maud Charlotte Mary Victoria, born November 26, 1869, married Prince Charles, the second son of the Crown Prince of Denmark, on July 22, 1896. GRANDEST EMPIRE IN THE W^ORLD. The future only can determine the character of the new ruler of the British Empire — an empire with an area of nearly 11,000,000 square miles, and a population of more than 360,000,000. As Prince of Wales his life, apparently one of leisure, was circum- scribed by customs through the bounds of which even he could not break without incurring criticism far harsher than any applied to him by his worst detractors. As Prince of Wales he was placed by fate in the most difficult position of any British subject. Up to man's ripe age he was obliged to see the vast distinction between himself and other British males of all grades and stations and in every conceivable relation of life. The very position that lifted him to his exalted social LIFE OF KING EDWARD. 45T altitude made him at the same time such a slave to couventionalities in both his public and private concerns that his range of inde- pendent action was almost incredibly narrow. Albert Edward could not figure to any prominent extent in politics, for he must not be biased. His nearness to the throne prevented him from making any attempt to loosen the sword he wore, like his soldier brother, the Duke of Connaught. In fact, the general condition of British political and social life absolutely prevents any attempt on the part of the heir to the throne from being anything else but the first gentleman of England, the head of the social life of the countr3^ As such he was at once the idoj of the nobility and the object of scorn of the radical. NO ADDITIONAL HONOR. There was nothing on all the earth that could possibly tempt him to be ambitious. As the successor to the British throne he could not pose as a " mailed hand," like his nephew of Germany. He could not look forward to any exaltation of his condition, nor, in fact, to anything in the shape oi additional honor. By right of his birth he is the equal of the greatest of emperors, and carries about with him as a collection of pictures those proud orders of knighthood to gain which all other men, except kings and crowned princes, risk life and all that is dearer than life. He is, of course, many times over a doctor of laws, of divinity, of medicine, of music, and equally, of course, grand master of Free Masons, president of learned institutions and honorary colonel not only of home regiments, but of regiments all over Europe. He is a field-marshal, without having served in the field. He has been the object of severe and senseless criticisms. If he encouraged national sports, this great and acknowledged relaxa- tion in English life, he was a profligate, and he was compared with royal predecessors whose conduct certainly does not commend itself to-day to even the staunchest supporters of anarchy. If he did not lavish money which he did not possess he was said to be stingy. If he made an outlay on a church at Sandring- ham or a ball at Marlborough House he was a spendthrift. 458 LIFE OF KING EDWARD. UnwortHy friendsliips were attributed to him with men upon whom he either never set eyes, or with whom he perhaps exchanged a casual word. If he played a game at cards, he was a gambler. " Fierce as is a light that beats upon a throne," the cruel and searching illumination of Albert Edward's life inflicted on him the disabilities and responsibilities, while denying him either the power of the throne or the privileges of a private station. Hence, it remains to be seen what he is as a man of independent thought and action, as king with power and authority, as master of his own situation. It is but stating plain truth to say that between the adulation of courtiers and the attacks of radicals, the new king is deservedly popular. Despite all the devotion shown Queen Victoria, the new king is certain of the most joyous homage ever vouchsafed any British sovereign, for he is closer to the people than any of them ever was. This is saying a great deal, for the nation has had many very popular rulers. NEVER SHIRKED ANY DUTY. Albert Bdward has never shirked any public duty, from the attendance at a horse-race to great occasions of state. He has always freely mixed with the people — according to the views of some very particular courtiers, too much so — and it is for this rea- son that if it were possible to ballot the whole of the British Empire to-day upon the question, " Who is the most popular man living? " the votes would probably be divided among half a dozen eminent men, but the name of Albert Edward would certainly be the most universally approved, and not solely because he is the king. No longer a young man, iVlbert Edward begins his reign with an experience and a popularity enjoyed by few sovereigns of any land. From the popular point of view, his position is one of envia- ble romance and power ; from his own point of view it has doubtless long since become one of unenviable monotony. If one were to ask what are the leading traits of the king's character, it would be difficult to name any distinguishing virtues, or vices for that matter, for the life of Albert Edward has shown so LIFE OF KING EDWARD. 459 well balanced a nature that it has no sharply defined features, un- less it be that of great patience with public clamor. He is a genial man, fond of traveling and sport and yet with great aptitude for purely domestic enjoyments. Thanks to an iron constitution and an unfailing stock of animal spirit — with which no doubt the said constitution has a good deal to do — the King has retained a youth- fulness and general vitality of expression which are noticeable wherever he is and whatever he is doing. Of the king's globe-trotting experiences, while he was yet Prince of Wales, books could be written. He has traveled in nearly all parts of the world, and has been received everywhere with remarkable enthusiasm. As a boy of fifteen he went through Germany and Switzerland, and two years later he paid a visit to the pope — the first visit the Vatican ever received from a British prince. GAYETY AND AMUSEMENT. His visit to this country in i860 was one ceaseless whirl of gayety, and is well remembered in Chicago where, as already stated, the royal party stopped at the old Richmond House, at the corner of Lake street and Michigan avenue. The grand ball given in his honor on that occasion is still talked about at the afternoon teas of the "old dames." A book, describing the American trip, also reveals the fact that before the Prince started on his journey, his father, the Prince Consort, supplied him with memoranda to be used in replying to the addresses which would be made to him during his progress. The best proof of the Prince Consort's wisdom, the writer says, is to be found in the fact that every one of those notes afterward turned out to be simply invaluable, owing to the peculiar aptness with which they had been framed to suit the circumstances of each locality where an address was likely to be received. The King has inherited much of the punctuality and devotion to public duties evinced by his lamented mother, and he is pre-emi- nently a busy man. In this respect the testimony of Chauncey M. Depew, who on one of his visits to England spent much time in the Prince's coterie, may well be given. 460 LIFE OF KING EDWARD. '' Bver since the Prince reached his majority," says Mr. Depew, ^'he has been most careful in observing his public duties. If his presence is asked at a Sunday-school picnic, a horse show, a race course or a cornerstone laying, he is always there, no matter what the personal discomfort. In fact, association with his subjects has made his face more familiar to the people of England by actual .•Contact than any other human being, and far more than that of the President in our land to us. " They are proud of him, and I have yet to hear one man or woman speak who would not be glad to see him King, without meaning any disrespect to his mother. He has grown closer into their lives than any man of his rank in the history of England, He spends his money everywhere. He is charitable to a great degree, and the people of no nation are more fond of seeing their sovereign than the English. LIFE IN THE OPEN AIR. " His life in the field, whether behind the hounds, on the quarter stretch, or with his guns and dogs on the heather, is but a part of his common purpose to represent in all his actions the wishes of his people and their penchants." In this connection one of the countless anecdotes retailed about the king is quite apropos. While a young man some of the ladies of his set had arranged an elaborate picnic at which the Prince of Wales was to be the star. At the same time his presence was demanded for the laying of a corner stone for the town hall. The Prince broke the social engagement for the public one, and some time afterward he was good-naturedly chaffed by the ladies for his non-appearance at the picnic. " I was commanded to other duties," said the Prince in ex- planation. " Oh, I guess your mamma would not let you come," replied one who was more indiscreet than the others. The Prince's remark, made quite gravely, was: "Be kind enough, madam^ to remember that my mother is your Queen, and has the right to command us both." CHAPTER XXXI. Incidents in the Life of the King. EDWARD VII. by the grace of God, King of Great Britain and Ireland and Braperor of India, has been the most-talked- about and most-written-about Englishman of the nineteenth century. He has also been the most popular Knglishman of his day. He has fulfilled the difficult and delicate tasks of his posi- tion with rare tact and admirable j udgment. Strange as it may seem, he has never meddled in the politics of the Kingdom, and the outside public has very little idea of his real inclinations in. the matter of partizanship. The first Prince of Wales was afterwards crowned as Edward II., King of England. The title was first conferred in the thir- teenth century upon the infant son of Edward I., who was born at Caernarvon, while his father was fighting the Welsh. Edward agreed with the Welsh to give them a Prince who was a native of their own country, and then nominated his own son to the dignity. AN AMUSING CONTROVERSY. From first to last all of the Princes of Wales have had their share of trouble. Albert Edward came into the world heralding heart-burnings and envy. It had been customary to advance the officer on guard at St. James's Palace to the rank of major when a royal child was born ; but on the night of November 9, 1841, owing to the hour at which the guard was relieved, it became difficult to decide who was to receive the major's commission. The guard had been relieved at 10.45, ^•^^ ^^ 10.48 the child had been born. Then arose the question, which of the two officers was entitled to promotion, the officer of the old guard or the officer in command of the relief ? The officer of the fresh guard claimed it because his men marched into the palace yard before the birth, the other officer asserted his right to promotion because the sentries had not been changed at the time the child v/as born. So bitter became the discussion that it had to be taken to Lord Hill for decision, who gave the officer of the old guard the commission. 461 462 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. But this was not all. There was a similar case at Chester, involving civic honors and a title. The baby Prince having been born Karl of Chester, the Mayor of Chester expected to be made baronet. But it so happened that the old Mayor had gone out and the new Mayor had come into office on the same day, and it was difficult to decide which functionary was entitled to the honor. The new Mayor was a Tory linen draper, the ex-Mayor a Whig banker, and as the Queen did not at that time love a Tory, and had Lord Hill's decision in the case of the two officers of the guard to guide her, the banker probably became the baronet, but history, when consulted in regard to this momentous question, places a finger on her lips and is mute. A HARD WORKED MAN. Albert Edward as Prince of Wales has been the hardest worked man in the Kingdom. An endless routine of official and social functions have fallen perforce to his lot. The docks, harbors, bridges, and exhibitions that have been "inaugurated" or have been " opened" by him would have worn out long years since any other man but this one who had been reared with that very work in view. For the past forty years the Prince of Wales has lived in the blaze of fiercest publicity. The public has known all about his private life, what he ate and how much, how he dressed, whom he talked to and what he did from the moment he arose in the morn- ing until he retired at night. And he has born this scrutiny with a stoicism and good nature that have won him thousands of friends. The main secret of the new King's hold upon the people has been his unfailing good nature. A conspicuous, but little known incident illustrative of this occurred in the House of Commons one afternoon during the Spring of the session of 1875. The House was crowded in every part. A number of peers accompanied the Prince to the gallery of the House, while the austere Count Munster, German Ambassador, towered at the Prince's right hand, divided only by the partition INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. 463 between the peers' gallery, and the one set apart for distinguished strangers. Mr. Chaplin, a friend of the Prince's was to make a speech. Everything was ready, and the speaker was about to announce the orator of the occasion when Joseph Gillis Biggar, who was described at the time as " an educated, obscure Irishman, who, when not con- cerned with the affairs of the Imperial Parliament was curing bacon at Belfast and selling it at enhanced prices in Liverpool," rose in his place and observed : " Mr. Speaker, sir, I believe there are strangers in the House ?" The House of Commons, tied hand and foot by its own archaic regulations, had no appeal against this action. The prince and his suite were absolutely helpless. The rule invoked barred strangers, and out the party had to go. So they filed forth, the Prince of Wales at the head, the proud English peers following, and by another exit the Ambassador of one of the most powerful nations of Europe, practically driven from the House of Commons by the whim of one man. TOOK IT ALL IN GOOD PART. The Prince of Wales bore this unparalleled affront with the utmost good humor, and never displayed the slightest resentment toward Biggar, who had not the grace to refrain from boasting of the matter later on. The public life of the Prince of Wales practically began with his visit to Canada and the United States in i860. That he has been gifted with a good constitution is shown by his powers of en- durance through the wear and tear of his endless engagements. It is said that when he was in Canada he went about to all sorts of places the livelong day, usually a State dinner in the evening, and finished with a ball, at which he almost invariably danced from ten to four the next morning. His suite were sometimes worn out long before he showed the slightest signs of fatigue. For ten days in Ireland during one of his visits he scarcely had an hour to himself, except during the very brief intervals snatched for sleep. All his life he has had to meet and hold his own with diplomats, cardinals, chancellors, commanding officers. 464 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. presidents, local deputations, and the most brilliant men and women of his age. Tlie result of this has been to make him per- haps the best all-round man in Europe. The late Ward McAllister spoke of him as the " great social arbitrator of the Bnglish-speak- ing world." A great many people believe that the eldest son of the Knglish sovereign is born Prince of Wales. This is not the case. He is by birth Duke of Cornwall, and is immediately afterwards created Prince of Wales. In point of fact Albert Edward was not invested with this title until just a month after his birth, the patent being dated December 8, 1841. LONG LIST OF TITLES. The charter styles him " Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Saxony, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Great Stew- ard of Scotland," and then proceeds to confer on him the titles of Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester. When the Prince's name appears in the London Gazette nowadays, in connection with any military appointment, he can only be correctly described as fol- lows : " Field Marshal His Royal Highness Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall (here follows a long list of titles), Colonel Tenth Hussars, Colonel-in-Field First Life Guards, Gordon Highlanders, and Royal Horse Guards, Personal Aide-de-Camp to the Queen." The exact financial position of the Prince of Wales has never been fully known. There have been rumors at times that he was greatly in debt. There are very grave doubts as to the truth of these charges, and some years ago Sir Francis Knollys felt called upon to announce that the Prince of Wales did not owe any debts that he could not shortly dispose of. When the Prince became of age he became possessed of the accumulations realized during his minority from the Duchy of Cornwall. A portion of them was expended in the purchase of the Sandringham estate, and the remainder became his. With this nest ^zz^ with an income of $550,000 per annum, one of $50,000 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. 465 for his wife, a separate provision for his children, and with Marl- borough House kept up for hira at the public cost, there seemed to be no reason for the alleged excessive expenditure. The Prince of Wales until he reached his majority was under the personal direction of his father, the Prince Consort. The latter trained his son with a carefulness that many people in lower ranks might imitate. He gave the lad the best of advice; he found him the best masters, he personally superintended his studies in European languages, and he mapped out all of his travels. It is not generally known that the Prince of Wales and his brothers were also trained by their father in mechanic arts. On the right of the entrance gate to Osborne, where the late Queen and Bmpress died, stands the royal children's toolhouse, built, as a slip of wood in the late Queen's handwriting states, by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Bdinburg in 1857. It was in an excel- lent state of preservation up until a few years ago, for the late Prince Consort always taught his children that anything worth doing at all was worth doing well. WORKHOUSE OF THE YOUNG PRINCES. Judging from the size and work on this toolhouse the two Princes were very clever at carpentering, the boarding of the sides being substantially put together, and the gables of the roof mor- ticed in true form. Frequently when the Prince of Wales visited the gardens at Osborne he looked critically round this shed to see that the joinings were still secure. There is no more thorough stickler for Royal etiquette than Albert Edward, and this fact, together with the incident that caused the most discussion in the polite society of Europe some years ago, gave to the Prince of Wales the reputation of having the oddest code of etiquette of any Royal personage in the world. The incident referred to was that concerning Baron Hirsch, the wealthy and philanthropic Jew, for whom the Prince of Wales entertained the warmest friendship. The munificence and charity of Baron Hirscli have endeared his name to millions. When he entered London society in 1890 30 466 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. and at once became a great favorite with the Prince of Wales, and a member of the " Prince's set," his introduction was resented by a number of aristocrats and crowned heads. An incident in this connection came very nearly precipitating a diplomatic rupture, but the Prince of Wales stood by his new friend with a sturdiness that won even his enemies. At a ball given by the Duchess of Buccleugh, Baron Hirsch danced opposite the Prince in the quadrille of honor with the Ro^^al Part}^ The Princess Maud was his partner, precedence being given him over Count Deym, the Austrian Ambassador, and his wife. As at the Austrian Court Jews are prohibited, the only exceptions being the ladies of the Rothschild family, the effect upon Count Deym was so great that it was with the greatest difficulty he was prevented from resigning his office. To those who do not understand the Pnnce of Wales' code of social ethics, some of his actions have been difficult of comprehen- sion. The Prince considers that there are but two social ranks, Royalty and the people, and he is said, many 3'ears ago, to have declared his intention to democratize the British people so that they might realize that below Ro^^alty all are on a common level. IN HIS PRIVATE STUDY. Perhaps of all the clues that afford a real insight into the character of the new King the best is that furnished by his private study at Sandringham. Here every morning from ten to twelve o'clock he dictates answers to the letters laid before him by his private secretary. And the private mail of President McKinle}^ is said to be not as large as that of the new King. The room in ques- tion is the smallest of the Prince's suite. It is lit by a single large window. The woodwork is all of light oak, and the walls and ceil- ings are of a neutral tint. It is essentially the haunt of a man. There are no hangings, no bric-a-brac, no dainty devices of fair fingers, no soft rugs on the oaken floor. " Business " is written in invisible characters all over the apartment. The principal piece of furniture is a solid, square oaken desk, upon, which all ready laid to his hand, are the paper and envelopes INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. 467 the Prince invariably uses. Under the desk stands an odd waste basket, shaped like a high silk hat, for which the Prince furnished the idea originally. There are no books in the room, but a set of shelves holds all conveniences for smoking. On the walls hang a variety of sketches. There is a telephone by the window, and it connects with Marlborough House in London and various other places by private signal. There is a private side to the nevi King's life, which only a few of the initiated are permitted to see. There is one evening of the week that the Prince reserves to himself, and no amount of in- fluence or intriguing will induce him to undertake a formal function then, no matter how important it may be. That night is Sunday night. It is the ''night off" of H. R. H. It is the occasion when he is " at home " to his " set " and the little knot oi intimates that he cultivates. ATTENDS CHURCH REGULARLY. Like a good Christian and the ' ' first gentleman in England/' he invariably attends divine worship in the morning, dines early with his family, and then the night is his own. Henry Labouchere used to be the generous provider of Sunday night entertainments for the Prince. But Labouchere's conversion to liberalism has marred these plans. It is on these occasions that the generous, cultivated, genial and talented men of the world meet the Prince. The wits, musicians, vocalists, dramatists and travelers with a sprinkling of journalists, lawyers and physicians are on his list. All of these, and many other people were bidden to this Sun' day night feast. After a charming supper, they sang and played, chatted, chaffed and reveled in the Bohemianism of the occasion. There was no formality or restraint. There were no speeches or prosings, no healths to be drunk, no studied compliments to be paid. It was a night of laughter and song, of jest and wine ; a company where all the guests were clever. The law of succession to the throne of England rests on the presumption that the sovereignty never dies. There is no inter- rugnum ; the crown passes instantly. In the case of Edward VII., 468 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. while lie will be King of Great Britain and Ireland, and Emperor of India, his wife will be known as the Queen Consort. Concerning the visit of the Prince of Wales to this country, to which reference has already been made, one of our public journals made the following interesting comments : " The fact that the Prince visited the United States on that occasion was due chiefly to the gracious tact with which James Buchanan, who was then President, requested Queen Victoria to permit her son's entrance into this country. It had been originall}'' planned that his journey should be only in Canada, although doubtless with an expectation that he would be asked to cross the border. However this may have been, Mr. Buchanan, who, pre- vious to the nomination to the presidency, had been American Minister at the Court of St. James, and had frequently met the Queen in the course of his social and diplomatic duties — -although not until after the famous friction over the sort of clothes he should wear had been removed — took early opportunity in the summer of i860 to address her on the subject. LETTER FROM THE QUEEN. " I have learned," he wrote, " from the public journals that the Prince of Wales is about to visit Your Majesty's North American dominions. Should it be the intention of His Royal Highness to extend his visit to the United States, I need not say how happy I shall be to give him a cordial welcome to Washington." To this Victoria, who was then forty years of age, and whose husband, the Prince Consort, was still living, replied in terms of gratification. She assured her " good friend " that it would give the Prince great pleasure to have an opportunity to certify in per- son to the feelings of good will which the President had expressed and which he fully reciprocated. " He will thus be able, at the same time," said the Queen, "to mark the respect which he entertains for the Chief Magistrate of a great and friendly state and kindred nation." There had been some misgivings expressed here and there as to whether it would be wise \o allow the young man with his escort of noblemen to pass through INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. 469 a country in which the memory of his great-grandfather, George III., had not yet ceased to be an occasional object of patriotic anathema. There was a fear that some of the exuberant members of the Native American lodges of recent years might conceive that it was their duty to indicate their displeasure. But Buchanan, as the head of the Democratic party, which contained the strongest anti- English prejudices of the day, gave the assurance that there was little or nothing to be apprehended on that score, and declared that the majority of his countrymen would have no objection if he should entertain the heir apparent in the White House. And so, in the main, it turned out to be. Extravagant adula- tion rather than unfriendly criticism marked nearly the whole journey in the United States. In almost every city he was received with the same spirit of welcome that was manifested in Philadel- phia. He had dropped all royal state and travelled under the name of Baron Renfrew. But pursuing crowds of enthusiasts, tuft hunters and municipal committees, as well as invitations to balls, dinners and receptions were everywhere the order of the day. THE PRINCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE. It was shortly before he came to Philadelphia that he reached Washington as the guest of Buchanan. He spent several days in the capital as the President's guest in the White House and en- joyed particularly the society of the President's accomplished young niece, Harriet Lane. His visit to Mount Vernon and the respect which he paid to the tomb of George Washington, were noted by the American people as a rule with a profound sense of sentimen- tal sympathy. Buchanan, moreover, had performed the ofi&ces of hospitality with marked discretion. Few politicians have understood the temper of his countrymen in these things better than " Old Public Functionary." He refrained from extravagant or ostentatious dis- play ; his conduct was a model of simple dignity, and he took care to foot up all the bills of the Prince's visit to Washington out of his own pocket and scrupulously and sternly refused to allow the national treasury to be drawn upon. 470 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. On the day wlien the Prince and his suite left the national capital, the President wrote to Victoria that his prophecy of a cor- dial welcome by the American people to her son had now become history. This was to be attributed, he said, not only to the high regard entertained for her, but also to the Prince's "noble and manly bearing " in passing through " a trying ordeal for a person of hi;^ years." His visit exercised a happy influence on the kindrec people of the two countries and Buchanan had no doubt that tht visit would be to the end all that Her Majesty could have desired, The following is the substance of an interview with the Prince of Wales shortly before his mother's death. A correspondent who had been privileged to meet him on more than one occasion, had an interview with him at Marlborough House, his Royal Highness's London residence. The Prince talked with great frankness con- cerning himself and his views on various subjects. PRESSURE OF PUBLIC BUSINESS. *' If any one ever deserved the appellation of a 'busy man,' " writes the interviewer, " the Prince does, and there are few city mer- chants or business men who work harder than he does, and even the London public has no idea of the quantity of work he gets through in the course of a day. It is only by following a most methodical arrangement that he is able to do so much as he does in the time. As a matter of fact, all his engagements are made weeks and sometimes months ahead, and every hour, almost every minute, is mapped out for him. " When the correspondent was ushered into his study at Marl- borough House, the Prince was seated at an old fashioned pedestal writing desk, the fac-simile of the one used by his father, the late Prince Consort, which was piled high with papers and documents of all descriptions. He wore a black morning coat and vest, dark gray trousers, square fronted collar, with a white spotted black bow tie, and patent leather shoes, and in his fingers he held the inevit- able cigar. "His greeting was kind in the extreme. It was merely like an elderly business man smiling a kind welcome to a young intruder. INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. 4/1 *' Well, what do you want ine to say ?" was his Royal High- ness 's query as soon as the preliminary greetings were over. The correspondent launched forth his questions, beginning with inquiries about the numerous public dinners which the Prince attended, and alluding to the published statement that the Prince held the record for obtaining the largest sum of money ever col- lected at one banquet. " Yes. That's quite correct. I certainly hold the record in that respect," said the Prince. "And presiding at dinners, etc., for the benefit of charities, especially Masonic ones, is almost a pleas- ure to me ; the onl}^ part I do not like about the proceedings is if the dinner drags itself out to a considerable length. That I do not like, and when dining in private at home the meal seldom lasts more than an hour." "I have read many times in reports of dinners, etc., at which your Royal Highness has been present," said the correspondent, " that you were continually smiling during the proceedings and seemed to be enjoying yourself very much ?" " Yes," replied the Prince (a shade of weariness creeping into his eyes), " that is where I act. If only you knew how terribly bored I am by the inordinate length of some of these dinners, and the speeches, and how I am longing to get away, you would be really sorry for me. But, there — I must not say too much on that subject." FOND OF WHOLESOME SPORTS. " With regard to horse racing and betting, your Royal High- ness ?" " I think racing is the finest sport in the world, and I only regret that it should be harmed by the amount of betting w^hich goes on. Personally, I am strongly adverse to the practice, and I always use what influence I possess to discountenance it amongst my personal friends, especially when it is made a regular practice of and the stakes are large." " There are many people who think that ^^our Royal Highness has a very easy life of it, and that the hardest duties which you have to perform are attending state functions, etc." 472 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE KING. " Now, here is some information for you," said the Prince. " Do you know that I myself see every letter which is addressed to me, and in the majority of instances dictate the reply. When the mail arrives in the morning it is opened by my secretary's staff and sorted into three groups — letters from personal friends and relatives, those bearing on State affairs, and thirdly, begging letters and petitions, etc., — and I make it my business to make myself aware of the contents of each. This of itself is no light task, when you take into consideration the fact that each morning's mail con- sists of some hundreds of letters. So that those who say mine is an idle life malign me." "One more question," said the correspondent. "What is yotir Royal Highness' favorite recreation ?" " Shooting," he replied unhesitatingly. " There is nothing I like better than a good day's shoot. It seems the only thing whicK takes me out of myself and makes me forget the cares and respon> sibilities of my position." CHAPTER XXXII. Powers of Great Britain's Sovereign. Long live the King ! is the proclamation in the United King' doni and throughout the Empire upon which the sun never sets. It is a feature of monarchy that it knows no interregnum, save in cases so rare as to be revolutionary. The moment that sees the death of one sovereign sees also the accession of another. So there is a new figure among the rulers of the world, a figure new as that of a ruler, though long familiar as a man and as the heir of the throne. Indeed, not many heirs apparent have waited for accession as long as he, and none, we may confidently add, more patiently. There has been no furtive trying on of the maternal crown. And it may well be believed that, apart from the inconsolable bereavement and regret which he feels at the loss of his revered mother, for simply personal reasons His Majesty ascends the throne of his ancestors with no eagerness, but with sincere reluct- ance. To one who would serve his own comfort and pleasure there is little to be desired in royal palaces. To one who would serve the welfare of his people there is opportunity which is to be accepted more as a duty than as a delight, save the delight that is found in duty itself. The King, as we have said, is well known as a man and a prince. For a quarter of a century he has been the greatest per- sonage in Europe outside the list of reigning monarchs — the most courted, the most sought after, the most in perpetual evi- dence. There has always been much in his life, and steadily more from year to year, that all the world commends and ad- mires. We are now considering him as the Prince of Wales, which he was from his birth to the day of his mother's death. And we have only to compare his record with that of other Princes of Wales and of other heirs to thrones to see a splendid 473 474 POWERS OF GREAT BRITAIN'S SOVEREIGN. vindication of Hs loyalty, his patriotism and, we may add, his statesmanship. It has been the general rule for the heir to a throne to be either openly or secretly the leader of the Opposi- tion. We do not mean the Parliamentary Opposition, but a court circle of opposition far more mischievous. In more than one European monarchy within the memory of living men the heir apparent has been at the head of what was almost a rival court, and has long been in semi-estrangement from his sovereign. In the case of him who was but yesterday the Prince of Wales and is to-day the King of England there has never been a suspicion of the sort, or ground for one. HELPFUL TO THE QUEEN. He has scrupulously refrained from any meddling in politics, but so far as he has been identified with public affairs it has been as an affectionate son of his mother and a devotedly loyal, saga- cious and helpful subject of the Queen. He passes now from the duties of aid to those of successor to his mother, without a jar, and with the well-earned confidence that nearly sixty years' close observation of him inspired among all classes in the British Empire. In the transition from the reign of Victoria to that of her son the Kingdom and Empire suffer no other than a purely personal change. In a constitutional monarchy the personality of the monarch may weigh less than that of the president in a republic. The King will govern through his Ministers and Parliament, and these are selected for him by the people, and will, therefore, remain substantially the same under the King as they have been under the Queen. The international standing and relationships of the realm will also remain unchanged. The personal prestige of the British Crown will not be impaired. For the King, though the newest sovereign in Europe, is the senior of many, and especially of those with whom he will most come into contact. He is the uncle of the German and Russian Emperors, and the senior of the sovereigns of Italy, Spain and Portugal and the Netherlands. There is therefore no POWERS OF GREAT BRITAIN S SOVEREIGN. 475 fear of liis inot inaiutainmg with ease the distinguished rank of Great Britain among the sovereignties of the world. He is, moreover, blessed with a companionship of a Queen who commands the love of the people and the esteem of all the world in a measure well nigh comparable with that of his lamented mother. Her presence will assure for his Court a degree of purity and grace not unlike that which for more than sixty years has prevailed there and has given the British Court an honorable pre-eminence. Thus beginning his reign at a time when the British Empire is greater and more powerful than ever before, and when there is an auspicious outlook for the continuance of its prosperity, Albert Edward may well enjoy the sincere good wishes of all men and hear no false note in the popular acclaim of " Long live the King !" ESTEEMED AT HOME AND ABROAD. Edward VII. ascends the throne with qualities and an expe- rience that will equip him to succeed the lamented Queen, and a worldwide popularity that attests the esteem in which he is held at home and abroad. Though it has riveted universal atten- tion and comes for the first time in nearly sixty-four years of English history, the passing of the crown from one sovereign to another in the greatest of empires is an event of less political significance than was any of the eighteen changes of Prime Ministers that mark the reign of Victoria. The obvious reason is that in the British system the King and Emperor, theoretically all powerful, is practically less potent than the Prime Minister. The Premier rather than the sover- eign is in reality the executive head of the nation. A new Ministry means a new government and national policy. The accession of a king does not necessarily involve any change of Ministers, government or policy. This cannot be said of Russia, for example, where the Czar is the real as well as the titular ruler, nor of Germany, whose Kaiser wields a power not conceded to a British sovereign, nor even of the United States, where a change of President may 476 POWERS OF GREAT BRITAIN'S SOVEREIGN. signify a new national departure. But limited as are liis consti- tutional prerogatives, the influence wliicli tlie King of Great Bri- tain and tlie Emperor of India may exert on public affairs and national policy is not to be underestimated. Nominally a monarcby, tbe Britisb Government is in realiiy ''a veiled republic." The sovereign is a monarcli in name, but witb far less power tban is vested in the President of the Ameri- can Republic. . The King reigns without ruling. He does not govern, but is governed. He appoints Ministers, who are his masters instead of his servants. He summons and prorogues Parliament, but only in obedience to the will of the people. He reads addresses from the throne, signs decrees of state and approves acts of Parliament, but as an agent rather than a principal. RULERS ARE SERVANTS. Much is heard of the British constitution, but, unlike the American, it is not a written charter. The immediate rulers of the Empire are the Ministers, and they are the creatures as well as the servants of the people. Their accession and tenure depend on the will of the Commons, and that in turn on the will of the people. Unlike the Senate of the United States, which is elective, the House of Lords is largely hereditary. But the greatest gov ernmental power is wielded by the House of Commons, and this like the House of Representatives at Washington, is the creature of popular suffrage. In striking contrast with the nominal functions of the British sovereign are the real constitutional powers of the American Chief Magistrate. He is the executive head of the government, in fact as well as in name. By recommending measures to Con- gress he exercises an important influence on legislation. No bill can become a law without his approval unless passed by a two- thirds vote over his veto. In making treaties with the consent of the Senate he virtually controls the foreign policy and relations of the nation. It is for him to appoint, with the concurrence of the Senate, which is rarely withheld, every diplomatic representative of the POWERS OF GREAT BRITAIN'S SOVEREIGN. 477 Urii'^.ed States, all federal judges and numerous other of&cials. As commander-in-cliief of the army and navy, he directs the operations of both. Though war may be declared only by Con- gress, military and naval force may be used for emergencies in time of peace by order of the President. The difference between the sovereign of England and the President of the United States finds a striking illustration in the South African and Spanish wars. It is well known that Queen Victoria keenly deprecated the former, but was powerless to avert it. It was the act of a Ministry nominally subject to her com- mand, but really her ruler, and was sanctioned by a Parliament over which she had no control. Though the Spanish War could be declared only by Congress, it was Mr. McKinley who sent the ultimatum that led to a breach of diplomatic relations and open hostilities between Spain and the United States. It was Mr. McKinley also who dictated the terms of peace that stripped Spain of her last colonies and added the Philippines as well as Puerto Rico to the national domain and sovereignty. GOVERNMENT REMAINS THE SAME. Quickly and smoothly, with a few brief ceremonies, the British realm and of the great Empire of which it is the core is transferred, and the whole machinery of its Government runs right on as it ran before. The immediate change is seen to be nominal only. I^ord Salisbury remains at his post as Prime Minister and all his Cab- inet with him, recommissioned, after a formal resignation, by the new sovereign. Parliament meets to recognize officially the beginning of the new reign, but there is no change in its orga- nization or in its legislative programme. The heads of the great administrative'departments of the Government go as if nothing had happened. The fact that there is a new head of the state involves no changes in the personnel of the Foreign Of&ce, the War Office, the Admiralty, the Treasury, the Colonial or the Home Of&ce, neither of the men at the top nor of the clerks below. One of the sharpest contrasts between the working of the 478 POWERS OF GREAT BRITAIN'S SOVEREIGN. Britisli governmental machinery and that of the United States isi thus exemplified. When President Harrison died and Mr. Tyler became President in his place there was a complete change of administration. With the new President came a new Cabinet, with new chief ofiicials in all the departments and a general change of of&ce-holders all over the country. The same thing occurred when President Taylor died and was succeeded by Mr. Fillmore, again when President Lincoln's death brought Andrew Johnson to the head of the Government, and once more when Garfield's death called Mr. Arthur to the Presidency. And in three of these four instances the main lines of American policy were changed along with the personnel of the Administration. EFFECT ON THE IRISH CAUSE. The accession of Edward VII. to the throne causes no change whatever in British policies. The Salisbury-Chamberlain party continues to control and shape them, j ust as if Victoria still reigned, until either their majority in the House of Commons refuses longer to support them or Parliament expires by the seven year limitation. The influence of the Sovereign is not confined to official acts. It is largely moral and operates powerfully through public opin- ion. It requires some audacity to oppose the King's expressed wishes. Justin McCarthy, historian of the Queen's reign, has written the following statement on the effect the accession of King Edward is likely to have on the Irish cause : "I do not think the substitution of the Prince of Wales for the Queen as sovereign will have much, if any effect, on the Irish national cause. The effect, if any, would be rather injurious than otherwise, as the feelings of the Queen were known to be on the whole friendly and favorable to Ireland, and she is not believed to have favored the policy of a South African war. "The Prince has never given, so far as I have heard, any expression of opinion from which the Irish Nationalists could derive any encouragement to their hopes, and his surroundings POWERS OF GREAT BRITAIN'S SOVEREIGN. 479 would seem likely to be favorable to an imperialistic policy and not sympathetic with Irish claims. "The time, however, has gone by when the mere sympathies of a sovereign either way could much affect the prospects of the Irish cause, and Irishmen must look to their own united and patriotic action to press the justice of their claims on the attention of Parliament and people, and make it clear that nothing can satisfy Ireland short of the restoration of her national Parliament. "The Prince of Wales is believed to have strong common sense, and if he makes up his mind to the fact that the Irish claim must be granted sooner or later he may then help to make his reign memorable for good." KING EDWARD'S SPEECH. On the occasion of assuming the throne, the King stated that he intended to exercise his pierogfl^tives as sovereign in his address to the Privy Council : "Your Royal Highness, my Lords and Gentlemen : This is the most painful occasion on which I shall ever be called upon to address you. My first and melancholy duty is to announce to you the death of my beloved mother, the Queen ; and I know how deeply you and the whole nation, and, I think I may say, the whole world, sympathize with me in the irreparable loss we have all sustained. " I need hardly say that my constant endeavor will be always to walk in her footsteps. In undertaking the heavy load which now devolves upon me, I am fully determined to be a con- stitutional sovereign in the strictest sense of the word, and, so long as there is breath in my body, to work for the good and amelioration of my people. " I have resolved to be known by the name of Edward, which has been borne by six of my ancestors. In doing so I do not undervalue the name of Albert, which I inherit from my ever-to- be lamented, great and wise father, who by universal consent is, I think, deservedly known by the name of Albert the Good, and I desire that his name should stand alone. 480 POWERS OF GREAT BTITAIN'S SOVEYEIGN. *' In conclusion, I trust to Parliament and the nation to sup- port me in the arduous duties which may devolve upon me by inheritance, and to which I am determined to devote my whole strength during the remainder of my life." It will be seen that in taking the oath the new monarch assumed the title of Edward VII., King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India. In wealth, territory, and population this is probabl}^ the greatest realm ever ruled by a sovereign in ancient or modern times. China is sup- posed to have 400,000,000 souls within its borders, but, with that possible exception, Edward VII. is the titular ruler of millions more people than owe allegiance to any sovereign. The British Empire includes India, Australia, British North America, British West Indies, British Asia, and British Africa. The total area, including the colonies and dependencies, of this vast domain is over 11,000,000 square miles, containing a total population of 366,000,000. The area of the Chinese Empire is but 4,179,000 square miles, and, while the vast reaches of the Russian Empire include over 8,000,000 square miles, the total population is only 108,000,000. GREAT POWER OF THE KING. Edward VII. is the titular ruler of the great British Empire, but it has become a commonplace that the sovereign of Great Britain reigns but does not govern. The sovereign of England has large powers, but the rulers of to-day are the members of the House of Commons, who represent the people. He has no veto on legislation, and has been deprived by constitutional practice of the exercise of prerogatives which were legally his, but when occasion requires he can change his , ministers, and set up a new government. In this way he is a ruler clothed with power. The main difference between the British system and our own may be traced to the fact that the United States has a written Constitution, while the British Constitution is, for the most part unwritten. This unwritten Constitution is made up of custom and prac- POWERS OF GREAT BRITAIN'S SOVEREIGN. 451 tice, and during the past century the tendencies were so strongly democratic that the English government is, except in name, essentially a democracy. The English monarch, according to English law, has high prerogatives, but according to the Consti- tution or custom "he can exercise no prerogative affecting seri- ously the well-being of the realm." The Ministers are responsible for every act, and the sovereign " acts only upon the advice of the Ministers." The Cabinet is now the repository of power, and the power is exercised b}/- the most influential members of the Cabinet who form the Ministry. So firmly settled has become the custom that the monarch now gives effect, whatever his personal wishes may be, to policies which the Cabinet favors. The Cabinet can only rule by having majorities in the House of Commons, who represent the people of England. From the passage of the Reform bill of 1832 the sove- reign's power has been minimized. An " unpurchasable House of Commons" represents the people's will ; the influence of the House of Lords has been curtailed, and the Cabinet and Ministry which represent the majorities in the Commons, exercise the Crown's prerogatives. APPROVES THE POLICY OF THE CABINET. While the King of England does not possess, under the present Constitution, the powers which were formerly associated with the kingly office, his influence is great. A rash sovereign might, in his intercourse with foreign rulers, provoke such resentment as would decide the question of peace or war between nations, and a prudent King who follows in the footsteps of Queen Victoria, may prove a mighty power in preserving amity with the world. King Edward is credited with strong common sense ; he knows the temper of the English people so well that he will probably never be so unwise as to attempt to thwart their will, and the recent history of England shows that a sovereign who follows the nation will win honor for the sovereign and glory for the realm. Barring the disillusions caused by a few modern embellish- 31 .... 482 POWERS OF GREAT BRITAIN'S SOVEREIGN. meiits, sucli as railways, Bnglaud at ttie time of the Queen's deatli, miglit liave been tliouglit to be in tlie tentb instead of the twentieth century. Nobles and officials, arrayed in arcl:aic cos- tumes, with ancient symbols of office, in all cities and towns were performing tlie old time rites pertaining to the accession of a sovereign. Placards printed in quaint type and quainter Shake- spearian language proclaiming Edward VII. King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, were surrounded by crowds, as they have been in centuries past, read- ing the proclamation eagerly, as if they had not already read it in the newspapers. Anyone crediting the English with republican tendencies must have been convinced by the week's demonstrations of the unquestioning loyalty of the whole people to the monarchy. Thousands of columns of editorials in journals of every shade, save a few Irish publications, contained no hint of dissatisfaction with Edward Rex, only confidence and good wishes. No monarch ever took the crown more strongly supported. POPULAR ALL OVER EUROPE. The same good feeling toward Edward VI I. pervades Europe. Only a few Parisian and Russian papers attacked him. The tributes to the dead Queen cause an era of good feeling on the part of the English toward their sister nations. Emperor Wil- liam's willing abandonment of the celebration of the bi-centennial of the Prussian monarchy did much to strengthen the Anglo- German alliance, while the action of the Boer prisoners at Cape Town in giving up their sports pending the Queen's funeral softened the animosities of war. The solemnity with which the English people look on what seem to Americans to be strange ceremonies is remarkable. Every Englishman thinks he has a personal share in the affair. A unique illustration of British adherence to traditions marked the signing of the proclamation at St. James's Palace. The Lord Mayor is always one of the signers, whereupon, accord- ing to the view of the Privy Councillors, he must retire before POWERS OF GREAT BRITAIN'S SOVEREIGN. 483 tlie King enters and the speeches are made. An ancient picture represents the Lord Mayor among the receivers of the King, therefore the mayors invariably claim this right. On Wednes- day, January 23d, however, the Duke of Devonshire, as Lord President of the Council, requested the Lord Mayor to leave the room, which he reluctantly did. Speaking of the new monarch the London "Times" had this to say : " The King has undergone a long training in ciie best of schools and has proved himself the possessor of great natural aptitude for the duties of royalty. Endowed as he is with mau}^ of the most lovable and most attractive qualities of his mother, with warm sympathies, a kind heart, and generous disposition, and with a quick appreciation of genuine worth, the nation is happy in the confidence that it may count upon the maintenance of that conception of royalty which is the only one that most of us have ever known. To these qualities the King adds perfect tact, a wide knowledge of men and business, the virtues of method, prompt decision and punctuality, and a great capacity for work." GOOD OLD ENGLISH NAME. The new King has given general satisfaction by adopting the good old English name Edward. It carries the mind back to the far off days of the English Justinian, Edward I., of whom our latest historian, Professor Goldwin Smith, has said, " No tomb in Westminster Abbey holds nobler dust than his." Albert, though common enough in England now, is not really English at all. If it be difdcult for the moment to realize who is meant by Edward VII., that is because we are all grown so much accus- tomed to the most popular Prince of Wales who ever bore the title, and to his gracious wife, now Queen Consort. Edward VII. 's express resolve to be like his mother, a "con- stitutional sovereign," is one which everybody believes he will carry out. During his long heir apparency he carefully abstained not merely from political intrigue, but from all action which could be even twisted into preference of one party over another. CHAPTER XXXIII. The New Queen of Great Britain. IT IS related tliat three young princesses sat in a beautiful old wood, once upon a time, talking "in naive girlish fashion" of the future. "I should like," said one princess, who was very lively and vivacious, "to have all the best things the world can give, so that I could do much good." "I," observed a younger princess, "should like to be very clever and wise and good." " And I," observed the third princess, thoughtfully, "should like best to be loved." It is said that these three princesses were Dagmar, Thyra and Alexandra of Denmark, and that she who spoke last realized her ambition by going to England as Princess of Wales, and earning the title " Queen of Hearts." And, indeed, the life story of Queen Alexandra, so long beloved as Princess of Wales, reads like a tale of enchantment. Born to modest fortunes, no more simple and retiring existence could be imagined than that which she led in the Gule Palace and the Chateau of Bernstorff. The former of these homes, where her earliest years were spent, is described as being in no sense a palace, but merely a comfortable dwelling, containing pleasantly furnished rooms set around a dull, gloomy courtyard, and it is said that the windows of Alexandra's room "had a very unlovely view of the courtyard, the chimneys and smoke begrimed walls of neighboring houses." At the time of her birth her father. Prince Christian, had no expectation of ever succeeding to the throne of Denmark ; for he belonged to a younger branch of the House of Oldenburg. His income was small for the maintenance of a family numbering five children, but he was cast in an intellectual mould, as was his wife, and the two supplemented whatever was lacking in the 484 THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN. 485 instruction furnished by teachers who came to Gule daily, for the services of resident tutors and governesses were pecuniarily beyond reach. The Princess Christian was a wise and careful mother. Her daughters she taught the arts of dressmaking and millinery, so that they could manufacture their own wardrobes, and household tasks of all kinds formed part of their education. Princess Alex- andra remarked herself in later years, "We were made to learn when we were children ; our parents told us it was necessary." She herself, though not especially studious, inherited the maternal talent for music and embroidery ; in fact, in all gentle and fem- inine arts she seemed to excel. She was early pronounced the beauty of the family. HEIR TO THE MONARCHY. Prince Christian had from his thirteenth year been the adopted son of the reigning monarch of Denmark, King Christian VIIL, and his prospects were considerably altered upon the death of the latter in the year 1852. Frederick VII. then came to the throne, and Prince Christian was formally constituted heir to the mon- arch}^ No increase of income accompanied these increased honors, however, and extreme simplicity still characterized the life of his family. The only change of moment was that of removal from Gule to the Chateau of Bernstorff, which the nation purchased and presented to him. The annals of childhood in the case of Princess Alexandra contain no striking incidents. Life at Bernstorff was much more delightful than at Gule. It is narrated how she and her brothers rejoiced with natural, childlike joy over the country pleasures now theirs, and how they " roamed the woods gathering wild flowers, swinging on the branches of great trees in the adjacent forests, cantering along the country roads on their ponies, and tending their pet animals." Untrammeled by forms and cere- monies of station, surrounded by the love of good and wise parents, their lot was more enviable than they, perhaps, could appreciate, 186 THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN. Stories are multiplied of how on Sunday, they would accom- pany their parents on foot to the little church of Gjentofie, where the villagers of the neighborhood worshiped, and how Alexandra xnd her sisters visited among the peasants, carrying comforts to ihe needy and words of sympathy to the sick or unhappy. These charities were the result of some self-sacrifice, doubtless, for, as his children grew older, the modest resources of the Prince com- pelled economy in the household. The Lutheran priest of Gjentofie prepared Princess Alex- andra for confirmation, and the ceremony was carried out in the Chapel Royal, part of the Christianborg Palace, Copenhagen. She had then reached the age of sixteen, and her personal charms were such that the beauty of her appearance, clad simply in white, was matter of enthusiastic comment. It was predicted then that she would be a prize for some European sovereign. MADE A VISIT TO ENGLAND. During childhood Princess Alexandra had visited England, staying for a while with her great-aunt, the Duchess of Cam- bridge, and when she had reached maidenhood she sometimes went with her parents on visits to the lesser German royalties. From these places her fame as a beauty spread to England. It seems established as fact that the Prince of Wales fell in love with a miniature of the Princess Alexandra, seen at the home of the Duchess of Cambridge, and entrusted to a confiden- tial friend the task of repairing to Copenhagen to see her and to bring back a reliable report of her personality. Subsequently an informal meeting took place between the Princess and Prince, concerning which the suspicion has existed that it was pre- arranged by the latter. At all events, when the Prince was traveling abroad in 1861, he went with his attendants one day to see the famous Cathedral of Worms, and there met Prince Christian and the blue-eyed Alexandra also sight-seeing. Again, while staying at Heidel- berg, the Prince encountered her, and his father, the Prince Con- sort, recorded in his diary: "We hear nothing but excellent THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN. 487 accounts of the Princess Alexandra ; tlie young people liave evi- dently taken a warm liking to each other." A third meeting is spoken of as having taken place at the country seat of King Leopold, Laeken, and on September 9, 1862, the pair were betrothed, although the news was not given to the world for some few months, being then announced in the columns of the London Gazette. Queen Victoria had set her heart upon a German alliance for her son, and it was only through the per- suasions of her most trusted advisers that she relinquished the plan and consented to the marriage. DESTINED TO THE THRONE OF BRITAIN. And so the daughter of the Sea Kings swept forth into public view, and to this girl, reared with such an entire absence of osten- tation, opened the prospect of one day taking her place as consort on the throne of England. A greater contrast of conditions never occurred in one life than that between the maiden and mar- ried state of Princess Alexandra, and perhaps no bridegroom ever made wiser choice than did Albert Edward, when he secured for his companion through life the young girl whom circumstances had disciplined into the wearing of rank worthily. The engagement was of six months' duration, and the prepa- tions for the nuptial ceremony were gorgeous in the extreme. It is said that the Princess took much pleasure in the elaboration of her trousseau, confiding to an intimate friend that " it cost twice as much as her father's income for a whole year," One hundred thousand kroners ($28,000), contributed by the Danes, was pre- sented to her as the "people's dowry," whereupon the Princess made six dowerless Danish brides happy by ordering the division among them of 6000 thalers ($4200). King Leopold of Belgium presented her wedding dress, wrought out of Brussels lace. Splendid and numerous were the^ gifts showered upon the bride-elect, and the poor people among whom she had lived and moved, and had tended and whose utmost devotion was hers, they, too, had their offering to bring. A depu- tation of villagers, led by the worthy pastor of the little church 488 THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN. where slie had so often worshiped, presented to her a pair of porcelain vases. The Princess was so much touched that tears choked the utterance of her thanks. And so the day came when, with fluttering pennons, throb- bing hearts, love outpoured, the people of England welcomed the Sea Kings' daughter. Many times it has been told how the waiting thousands shouted as with one voice, "Alexandra! God bless her !" and how her youthful grace and personality magnet- ized all eyes and conquered all hearts. Two days later, March loth, the Prince of Wales wedded Alexandra of Denmark, in St. George's Chapel, in which no royal marriage had been celebrated since that of Henry I, in the year 1142. Her devotedness as wife and mother, the charities and domestic sweetness of her private life at Sandringham, the charm of her manners and beauty when seen at public functions, have made her dearer to the people with each year of her residence in England. The British nation has great cause for thanksgiving that Queen Victoria has such a noble and worthy successor in Queen Alexandra. FASCINATING AND POPULAR. Alexandra of Denmark, who now becomes Queen of England and Empress of India, is one of the most fascinating and popular women in the whole of her husband's vast dominions, which embrace one-quarter of the entire population of the known world. Wherever the gracious woman, who has now become Queen, appears, not only does she become the cynosure of all eyes, but more than that. The loveliness of every other woman present seems to pale, this, too, in spite of the fact that she is the grand- mother of six little ones, and nearer sixty years of age than fifty. True, she remains amazingly youthful in appearance, thanks not so much to those vulgar devices known as " making up," as to those judicious cares that are entirely legitimate. For instance daily massage has been employed to help nature in warding off wrinkles from the face, while elasticity and elegance of the figure have been retained by means of exercise, moderation and diet THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN. 489 to tlie same phenomenal degree as in the case of the late Bmpress of Austria at the time of her assassination. The hair is dressed in precisely the same quiet and charac- teristic manner of twenty-five years before, the head retains the same dainty poise of a neck so graceful that it conveys the impres- sion of a slender stalk supporting a flower, while the eyes assuredly have neither dimmed nor changed, flashing as in days of yore with fun or mischief or else sweetly appealing in that sort of pathetic manner peculiar to people who are hard of hearing But it is not this that makes the new Queen of England so fasci- nating — that renders her so much more attractive than people of immeasurably superior beauty. Nor can it be described as magnetism. For magnetism implies something that is violent and against which one would be inclined to resist. But it is the sweet, gracious and kindly manner that converts every man who sets eyes upon her into her sworn admirer, and that even disarms the jealousy of women, transforming them into her devoted friends. IN THE FULL GLARE OF PUBLICITY. From the time of her marriage, she has lived almost unceas- ingly exposed to that full glare of publicity which beats upon the throne, occupying by reason of the seclusion of the late Queen the role of first lady of the land, at any rate in a social sense. And throughout that entire period she has not made one singly mistake. She has known in her own friendly and calm manner the people whom it was desirable that she should know. She has steered dear of all those acquaintances who might have given rise to ill-natured comment. She has never lost her head, never been guilty of anything that could be construed as partaking of the nature of a blunder, and has by means of the atmosphere of ideal refinement which she seems to diffuse around her kept within bounds the tendency of modern society to exu- berance and vulgarity, and, perfect intact, has presented through her married life a picture of the most unruiSled domestic happiness. 490 THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN. Finally, in an age wliere calumny is so rife and all-prevalent tliat not even an angel descended from lieaven would be permitted to retain tlie celestial garments unsullied and tlie wings unruf- fled, no breath of scandal bas ever tarnished even for a fleeting moment the fair name of England's new Queen. Surely w^hen one considers all the temptations of one kind and another to which a woman in the position of this one, who until now has borne the title of Princess of Wales, is exposed, every one intent on flattering her and many endeavoring in vain to poison her mind against those whom they wish to oust from her favor, the fact that she could be without a single mistake to her record indi- cates that far from being a dull or foolish person, she must be possessed of extraordinary cleverness — the most delightful con- trast that it is possible to conceive to her immediate predecessor as Princess of Wales. EXERTS A WIDE INFLUENCE. Quite mistaken is the impression which prevails that she has taken no part whatsoever in public life. It was estimated that through her personal influence and direct action she has, during the near four decades that have elapsed since she first came to England as the bride of the then Prince of Wales, been instru- mental in securing the subscription and contribution of no less than $250,000,000 for charitable and philanthropic enterprises, this in itself being an achievement which conveys some idea of the usefulness of the royal woman's life and the benefit which she has been to the land of her adoption. Not merely columns but volumes could be written of her innumerable acts of kindness, generosity, and of tender consid- aration of others, but it will suf6.ce to relate one incident which may serve to illustrate the sympathy which she felt, and whichf can only be surpassed by the sympathy which she inspired. On one occasion when she was in London an old lady-in- waiting of her mother, the late Queen of Denmark, lay dying in the royal palace at Copenhagen. She had known the present Queen of England since the latter' s infancy and was deeply THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN. 491 attached to tier. King Cliristian writes every week to his daughter in England, and in one of his letters declared that her one dying wish was to speak with her Princess Alex before she expired. Alexandra was quite unable to leave England at the time, but she spoke a tender and sympathetic message into a phonograph and dispatched it to Copenhagen by special messenger. Already the dimness of death had veiled the old woman's eyes, when the phonograph gave out its message of love and hope, and as the last words died away and only the vibrations of the phonograph lingered on the air, she sighed happily, and with " God bless you, dear," on her lips, passed away to another world. LIKE THE LATE QUEEN. If anything could console the English people for the loss which they have sustained lin the person of Victoria, it is the knowledge that their new Queen is like her lamented mother-in law, a woman of singularly blameless life, of kindly disposition, a pattern of all domestic virtues, a woman whose heart goes out instinctively to all sorrow and suffering; in one word, a both lovely and lovable sovereign. The Queen of England, as she is now in truth, soon came to be Queen in the hearts of the common people, who knew her for the personal interest she took in their welfare. She is well fitted for queenly honors. Her beauty, goodness and strong character have impressed themselves upon the English nation, and from the time she married the heir apparent, she has been the idol of the English people, and, after the Queen, has been the most popular member of the royal family. The Princess was fifty-six years old in December, 1900. She is a splendid type of woman. She is a brilliant woman, strictly conservative, of com- manding presence and stature. She was a favorite companion of the Queen and is very popular. Her character is at once strong and sweet, and she shows a kindly consideration for all who approach her. As a mother she is ideal. Her children were reared and edu- cated as befits their station, and their discipline is a matter of com- 492 THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN. ment in England. Slie is a fhoronglily practical woman, fond of tlie best literature, and an accomplislied musician. The new Queen is an earnest, practical, clear-headed person, whose main characteristic has been her love of home. The abstruse studies, the deep and high reflections on the philosophy of politics that the Hmpress Dowager of Germany is so famous for, -are quite beyond her range. She does not read serious books nor trouble her head about international relations. And yet, the part she plays in English social life is that for which nature really suits her. BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY HOME. Her home at Sandringham is admitted by all who know it to be a perfect specimen of a country gentleman's home. The cottages on the estate are good, and the laborers well looked after. The new Queen goes about the neighborhood on foot, or driving herself in her pony carriage, and stops to see the cottagers just as a lad\^ of the manor should. There is a technical school in the village in which many arts and crafts are taught, and she herself has taken lessons from its teachers in the same arts that her villagers ma}^ learn. The new Queen is an excellent wood carver and leather worker by this means. The following pretty little story of the new Queen is current around Sandringham. During a visit to her country home, she called at the house of one of the most valued members of her household, with whom was then staying, an aged relative whom the Princess had known for many years. This lady, being at the time badly crippled by rheumatism, apologized to the Princess, saying : "I hope you will excuse me. I can't curtesy, but may I kiss your hand ? " "No, indeed," was the gracious answer. "You shan't do that. I will kiss your hand." And she did. The Queen from her childhood has been a slave to discipline. Her early training in the Danish Court was of the most rigid character. It is said that she can sit bolt upright without chang- THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN. 49.1 ing an attitude for hours at a time. Slie obeys her prompters in court etiquette with the precision and celerity of a trained soldier. An illustration of this kind occurred once at the Ascot races. The Princess, surrounded by the well-behaved and substan- tial element that her real qualities attract, was beside the track smiling amiably and making an ideal picture of queenl}^ dignit}^ and beauty. Things went well until a nobleman, whose conduct demanded a direct cut by the court, had the audacity to press forward and seek the recognition of the Princess. AVhether absent-mindedness or inability to act her role was the cause, Alexandra leaned a trifle forward and was about to accord the honor of her salutation, when, quick as a flash, the prompter at her elbow whispered : "Brect — quick — look across the field." ANNOYED BY POMPS AND DISPLAYS. Accustomed to discipline, the Princess straightened her lithe form erect, and elevating her glass, stared across the field, and beyond the nobleman's flushed and enraged face. She does not like display or the customary pomps of court. The most admired and beloved woman in England, next to the late Queen, she courted most what she least obtained — domes- ticity. At Marlborough House she cared more for her dogs than she cared for formal callers. Borzois, a pet, was a greater favorite than any prince of the realm. The Princess of Wales had always hated Marlborough House. It is associated with sad memories. She loved Sandringham. Her eldest boy died there. In London the new Queen felt that her life was more or less resericted by court etiquette. The annoyance of the admiring crowd was distasteful to her. Above everything else, the new Queen is a humane woman. She will not change one iota as a Queen from what she has been as a ^ Princess. Of all royal women, now that Queen Victoria is gone, she is the best beloved. Her simple, unostentatious manners, her fondness for simplicity of life, have endeared her to every- body she came in contact with. 494 THE NEW QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN. Whenever fhe Queen, as the Princess of Wales, could get away from court life nothing pleased her better than a little shopping tour, with her daughters, and on these occasions she used to find time to personally visit as a Avoman charities that she contributed to as a Princess. A pretty story is told about her which is absolutely true. Two children in the convalescent ward of Guy's Hospital were talking about a kindly sweet woman who had come to see them. " The Princess sent me a doll to my hos- pital," said one girl. "The nurse told me so. It is a real doll from the Princess." "Oh, yes," said the other girl, "but the Princess visited our hospital and gave a bunch of flowers to ever3^bod3^ Mine was tied with a red ribbon that she had worn." ONCE A PLAIN DRESSER. Further controversy was impossible. It is not generally known that in her girlhood the new Queen of England, who has for years set the fashions of Europe, was a plain dresser. King Christian did not succeed to the throne of Denmark until eight months after his daughter was married to the present King. He was not a man of wealth. The chief duty of Princess Alexandra was to read fairy tales to her little brothers and sisters and to inculcate in their youthful minds that good manners are better than fine clothes. As a result of overwork she was sent to Germany to visit a royal aunt. It was there that she first met Albert Edward, and it was there that King Edward VII. said that if he could not marry Alexandra he would marry no other woman. Voyages across the sea did not cure that love. Albert Edward married the woman of his choice, and from the moment she set foot on English soil she has been, next to the late Queen, the adored woman of the English people. There is but one sentiment about the new Queen in the land of her adoption — affectionate respect. CHAPTER XXXIV. New Heir Apparent and the Succession to the Throne. pRINCB George Frederick Ernest Albert, the second son of the -1 new King and Queen of Great Britain — Prince Albert Victor, the eldest son, having died January 14, 1892, at the age of 18 — is the heir apparent. Up to his grandmother's death he was Duke of York, Barl of Inverness and Baron Killarney. Since his father's accession to the throne the Duke of York succeeds to the titles and dignity of the Prince of Wales and heir-direct to the throne. Comparatively little is known to the world at large about his tastes, his daily life and his character. He is a sailor, having joined the navy within a few days of attaining his twelfth year, and sailors are proverbially modest. Significant of the man is the well-authenticated fact that, when he was asked some time ago for his favorite motto, he replied: '' England expects every man to do his duty." WELL RECEIVED IN IRELAND. This is very forcibly illustrated by the fact that when it be- came advisable, some few years ago, for reasons of state, that he should visit Ireland, he lived up to the duty implied in his favorite motto, despite the fact that both he and his wife were overwhelmed with anonymous letters threatening them with a speedy end if they carried out their intention. The trip to Ireland was made and proved such a success that it was seriously discussed immediately afterward whether it would be wise to create the Duke of York Prince of Ireland, and make the title a permanent one for the eldest son of the Prince of Wales. The present Prince had an early training practically identical with that of his elder brother, but even in the nurser}^ Prince George made it quite clear that he was determined to be a sailor. He was never so happy as when listening to the thrilling stories 495 496 THE NEW HEIR APPARENT. told Hm by tlie rector of Sandringham, who had been naval in- structor to the Duke of Bdinburg, the Prince's uncle and late reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. When the boy was only seven years old his father had decided that he should be trained for the navy, very wisely directing, however, that the Prince's general education should not be neglected. Prince George entered the navy June 5, 1877, joining the Britannia at Dartmouth. He was treated exactly as his fellow naval cadets on board the training ship, which he quitted two years later, leaving a good record, and having made himself very popular both among officers and men. After a nine months' cruise he became a full-fledged naval officer. Like his father, the present king, he has seen a good deal of the world, partly because his calling as a sailor compelled him to, but mostly because he is fond of travel. He served on the North American station for some time and subsequently in the channel • squadron. The future king never lost an opportunity of seeing something of the vast British colonies audit is well known that he shares all his father's interest in Greater Britain. SHORT NAVAL CAREER. Physically Prince George always had the best of health until, while on a visit to the Duke of Clarence, he contracted a peculiarly terrible form of typhoid fever. Scarcely had his parents recovered from the keen anxiety which was felt on his behalf before they were called upon to lose their eldest son and heir. The prince's naval career was necessarily cut short, and he being still single there was much discussion as to the succession in the event of his death, the other children of the then Prince of Wales being girls. There is a good deal of misconception in the popular mind as to the line of succession to the British throne. The crown de- scends to the nearest heir of the last wearer, be that heir male or female — daughters, of course, postponed to sons ; and thus in the event of the death of the duke of York and all his children and their surviving issue, the crown would pass to the Duchess of Fife, and afterward descend from her to her infant daughter, the Lady THE NEW HEIR APPARENT. 497 Alexandra Duff, always supposing that a son was not born to her in the meantime. In that case the son would naturally take precedence. There are certain personages in the succession to the throne who would obviously, from motives of public policy, never be al- lowed to ascend it — the German Emperor, for instance — but foreign nationality or the possession of a foreign crown does not in itself vitiate their right. Parliament could, and in the case of the throne passing to a foreign sovereign undoubtedly would, bar the claim. It is sometimes said that such and such a female member of the royal family has " renounced" her right of succession. Neither the act of settlement, under which the crown devolves, nor any other act makes provision for renunciation upon any ground what- soever. DECIDING UPON HIS TITLE. Few people are aware that all the members of the British royal family are, constitutionally speaking, commoners until they are formally admitted to the house of lords. There was some discus- sion as to what title Prince George should be given, and it was finally decided that of all the royal dukedoms that of York, which dates from the reign of Edward III., would be the most suitable. In fact, this title had always been allotted to the second son of the sovereign until the traditional custom was broken by Queen Vic- toria, who created her second son Duke of Edinburg. The engagement and marriage of Prince George and Princess Victoria Mary of Teck are still very fresh in the recollection of most people. The present king had always desired that his sons should, if it were possible, marry princesses who had been brought up in the United Kingdom, and he was exceedingly pleased at his own son's choice. The marriage, which took place July 6, 1893, aroused immense enthusiasm. When she married the present Princess was a woman young in years but old in sorrow. The whole world knows of the death, on the eve of his marriage, of her first affianced, the Duke 498 THE NEW HEIR APPARENl . of Clarence, elder brother of lier present husband. A few years later came the death of her mother, the kindly and lamented Duchess of Teck, to whom she was more like a sister than a daughter, always accompanying her on her many missions of mercy. The present Princess of Wales was born May 26, 1867, and Iher early life was passed in the apartments at Kensington Palace, where she and her three brothers were born. Princess May, as she was called in the family, instead of Mary, her baptismal name, led an uneventful life until she was fifteen years of age, when a few years were spent in foreign travel with her parents. The winter sojourn was in Florence, where the princess studied under Italian masters and developed her artistic tastes. Returning to England, the princess clearly showed that her own pleasure really lay in a simple and free life in her country home. In one respect the new Princess of Wales sets an example to the philanthropic women of the world. She is not content with merely relieving distress and poverty, but endeavors to seek the cause of the evil, and lends her influence to the various schemes for remedial social reform. BETROTHED TO DUKE OF CLARENCE. The circumstances which made her Duchess of York and sub- sequently the mother of the heir presumptive to the British throne are still fresh in the public mind. The late Queen had sanctioned the betrothal of the Duke of Clarence, elder brother of her present husband, to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck in December, 1892. After a courtship of six weeks death intervened. When the Duke of Clarence died the princess returned to her parents at White Lodge, taking up the thread of her old life with .- a touching sweetness and resignation. All that she asked was to be left alone, so that time could heal the wound. But people were not disposed to grant her the privacy which she naturally desired, and scarcely a month had elapsed before gossip was busy arrang- ing a marriage for her with Prince George. In due time she regained her spirits and vivacity, although the THE NEW HEIR APPARENT. 499 trial tlirougli wliicli she had passed left her more matured and thoughtful in manner. Prince George bided his time, and then urged his suit, which resulted in his marriage to the charming and popular princess — a marriage that pleased the nation as few royal marriages do. It was a love match, not an alliance in the interests of the diplomats, and it has remained so. Three children are born to the couple — Prince Edward Albert June 23, 1894 ; Prince Albert Frederick, December 14, 1895, and Princess Victoria Alexandra, April 25, 1897. By the death of the Queen the Duke of York, only surviving son of the new King of England, becomes one of the world's most interesting figures. He steps into the place vacated by his father He will be King of England after the death of Edward VII. The Duke is short, stocky and thick-necked, like his father. He is a naval officer and is known as the " Sailor Prince," HEARTY AND AGREEABLE. The Duke is good-natured and agreeable. He has a brown beard, a ruddy complexion and a clear eye, and is hearty and vigorous. The Duke is a great reader. He was named by Queen Victoria. He was only Prince George until 1892, when the Queen made him Duke of York. As a boy he was the constant companion of his elder brother, the Duke of Clarence. The latter was sickly and died. The Duke of York then married his brother's fiancee Princess Mary of Teck. George Frederick is very popular. He is simple and frank and much like any other well-favored young Englishman. He is bright, brusque and vivacious. He makes a good public speech and cuts a fine figure in ballrooms. The future King was brought up religiously inclined. When aboard ship he reads prayers every morning and conducts the service. St. James Gazette is authority for the following in regard to the succession to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland. Since it was published there have been some deaths and some births in the royal family, but none which would materially affect the suc- cession. It will also be noticed that the Duke of Edinburgh chose 500 THE NEW HEIR APPARENT. the Duchy of Coburg, and later died, and that his only son, Prince Alfred, is also dead. The St. James Gazette says : There seems to be a good deal of misconception in the popular mind as to the line of succession to the throne of this empire — per- haps because it is a subject with which for many years we have happily had no occasion to concern ourselves. The lamented death of the Duke of Clarence has, however, drawn attention to the later genealogy of the royal family, and a certain number of people are evidently confused in their minds. Now, the crown of England descends, like a barony in fee, to the nearest heir of the last wearer, be that heir male or female — daughters being, of course, postponed to sons, and if the Duke of York were childless, the crown would pass to the Duchess of Fife, and afterward descend from her to her daughter, the lady Alexandra Duff, always supposing that a son was not born to her in the mean- time. In that case the son w^ould naturally take precedence. We might then witness the curious sight of a Marquis of Macduff stepping direct from the Guards or the benches of the House of Commons to the throne. THE SUCCESSION DEFINED. So surprising is the ignorance of many people on this subject that there is even a notion that, failing Prince George, the Duke of Edinburgh would have succeeded to the throne. But there are six lives between the Duke of Edinburgh and the crown of England. In view of present interest in the succession, the following com- plete list of every possible heir to the throne claiming through George III may be useful. There are other heirs descending from earlier monarchs of the house of Brunswick, but they are so ex- ceedingly remote that it is not worth while to trace them. There are certain personages in the list who would obviously, from motives of public policy, never be allowed to succeed — for ex- ample, the German Emperor; but foreign nationality, or the pos- session of a foreign crown, does not of itself vitiate right. Parlia- ment could, and in the case of the throne passing to a foreign sovereign, undoubtedly would, bar their claim. THE NEW HEIR APPARENT. 501 The Prince of Wales, it will be remembered, became upon liis father's death, heir presumptive to the Duchy of Coburg: but, to avoid the inconvenience of a potential British monarch being also the heir of a continental reigning sovereign, he renounced his rights in Coburg in favor of his next brother. It is sometimes said that such and such a female member of the royal family has "renounced" her rights of succession. Upon that we can only say that neither the Act of Settlement, under which the crown devolves, nor any other act, makes provision for renunciation upon any pretext whatsoever. DESCENDANTS OF QUEEN VICTORIA. 1. The Prince of Wales (son), 2. Prince George (grandson). 3. Duchess of Fife (granddaughter). 4. The Lady Alexander Duff (great-granddaughter). 5. Princess Victoria of Wales (granddaughter). 6. Princess Maud of Wales (granddaughter). 7. The Duke of Edinburgh (son). 8. Prince Alfred of Edinburgh (grandson). 9. Princess Marie of Edinburgh (granddaughter). 10. Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh (granddaughter). 11. Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh (granddaughter). 12. Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh (granddaughter). 13. The Duke of Connaught (son). 14. Prince Arthur of Connaught (grandson). 15. Princess Margaret of Connaught (granddaughter). 16. Princess Victoria Patricia of Connaught (granddaughter). 17. The Duke of Albany (grandson). 18. Princess Alice of Albany (granddaughter). 19. The Empress Frederick of Germany (daughter). 20. The German Emperor (grandson). 21. The Crown Prince of Prussia (great-grandson). 22. Prince William Frederick of Prussia (great-grandson). 23. Prince Adalbert of Prussia (great-grandson). 24. Prince August of Prussia (great-grandson). f;02 THE NEW HEIR APPARENT. 25. Prince Oscar of Prussia (great-grandson). 26. Prince Joactim Franz Humbert of Prussia (great-grandson). 27. Prince Henry of Prussia (grandson). 28. Prince Waldemar of Prussia (great-grandson). 29. Tlie Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Meiningen (granddaughter). 30. Princess Fedora of Saxe-Meiningen (great-granddaughter). 31. Princess Frederika of Prussia (granddaughter). 32. The Crown Princess of Greece (granddaughter). 33. Prince George of Greece (great-grandson). 34. Princess Margaretta of Prussia (granddaughter). 35. The Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse (grandson). 36. Princess Louise of Battenberg (granddaughter). 37. Princess Victoria Alice of Battenberg (great-granddaughter). 38. Princess Louise Alexandra of Battenberg (great-granddaughter). 39. The Grand Duchess Sergius of Russia (granddaughter). 40. Princess Henry of Prussia (wife of No. 27) (granddaughter). 41. Princess Victoria iVlice Helena of Hesse (granddaughter). 42. Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (daughter). 43. Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein (grandson). 44. Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein (grandson). 45. Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein (granddaughter). 46. Princess Franziska of Schleswig-Holstein (granddaughter). 47. The Marchioness of Lome (daughter). 48. Princess Beatrice (Princess Henry of Battenberg) (daughter). 49. Prince Alexander Albert of Battenberg (grandson). 50. Prince Leopold of Battenberg (grandson). 51. Prince Donald of Battenberg (grandson). 52. Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (granddaughter). DESCENDANTS OF KING GEORGE III. 53. The Duke of Cumberland (great-grandson). 54. Prince George of Cumberland (great-great-grandson). 55. Prince Christian of Cumberland (great-great-grandson.) 56. Prince Ernest of Cumberland (great-great-grandson). 57. Princess May of Cumberland (great-great-granddaughter). 58. Princess Alexandra of Cumberland (great-great-granddaughter). THE NEW HEIR APPARENT. 503 59. Princess Olga of Cumberland (great-great-granddaughter). 60. Princess Frederica of Hanover (Baroness von Pawel Rammin- gen) (great-granddaugliter). 61. Princess Mary Brnestina of Hanover (great-granddaughter). 62. The Duke of Cambridge (grandson). 63. The Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (granddaughter). 64. The Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg (great-grandson). 65. Prince Frederick George of Mecklenburg (great-grandson). i 66. Princess Victoria Mary of Mecklenburg (great-granddaughter). 67. Princess Augusta of Mecklenburg (great-granddaughter). 68. The Duchess of Teck (granddaughter). 69. Prince Adolphus of Teck (great-grandson). 70. Prince Francis of Teck (great-grandson). 71. Prince Alexander of Teck (great-gi andson). 72. Princess May (great-granddaughter), now wife of Prince George, the heir apparent. THE QUEEN'S PREDECESSORS. Name. Egbert Ethel wulf .... (Ethelbald (Ethelbert Ethelred Alfred Edward, the Elder . . Athelstan Edmund Edred Edwy Edgar Edward the Martyr Ethelred II. .... . Edmund Ironside. . . Canute Harold I Hardicanute Edward the Confessor Harold II Saxons and Danes. First King of All England Son of Egbert Son of Ethelwulf Second son of Ethelwulf . Third son of Ethelwulf . Fourth son of Ethelwulf . Son of Alfred Eldest son of Edward . . Brother of Athalstan . . . Brother of Edmund . . . Son of Edmund Second son of Edmund . Son of Edgar Half brother of Edward . Eldest son of Ethelred . . By conquest and election . Son of Canute Another son of Canute . . Son of Ethelred IT. ... Brother-in-law of Edward 827 839 858 858 866 871 901 925 940 946 955 958 975 979 1016 1017 1035 1040 1042 1066 Died. be < 839 858 — 860 — 866 — . 871 — . 901 52 925 46 940 — 946 23 955 — 958 20 975 31 979 17 1016 — 1016 28 1035 40 1040 — 1042 — 1066 64 1066 — 504 THE NEW HEIR APPARENT. Name. William I. . William II. . Henry I. . . Stephen . . Henry II. . Richard I. . John . . . . Henry III. . Edward I. Edward II. . Edward III, Richard II. . Henry IV. . Henry V. . Henry VI. . Edward IV. Edward V. , Richard III. Henry VII. Henry VIII Edward VI. Mary I. . . Elizabeth . . James I. . . Charles I. . Commonwealth Charles II. . James II. . . William III. and Mary II. . . Anne . . . George I. . George II. . George III. George IV. William IV. Victoria . . Saxons and Danes. The Norman Conquerors. By conquest Third son of William I Youngest son of William I . . . . Grandson of William I The Plantagenets. Grandson of Henry I Eldest surviving son of Henry II . . Sixth and youngest son of Henry II. Eldest son of John Eldest son of Henry III Eldest surviving son of Edward I . . Eldest son of Edward II Grandson of Edward III The House of Lancaster. Grandson of Edward III Eldest son of Edward IV Son of Henry V. (died 1471) . . . The House of York. Great great grandson of Edward III. Eldest son of Edward IV Younger brother of Edward IV . . . The House of Tudor. Descended from Edward III Only surviving son of Henry VII . . . Son of Henry VIII. by Jane Seymour . . Daughter of Henry VIII. by Katherine of Arragon. Daughter of Henry VIII by Anne Boleyn. The House of Stuart. Descended from Henry VII Surviving son of James I f Commonwealth proclaimed May 19, 1649 < Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector . . . ( Richard Cromwell, Lord Protector. . . The Stuarts Restored. Eldest son of Charles I Second son of Charles I Grandson of Charles I Eldest daughter of James II. . . Second daughter of James II . . . The House of Hanover. Great grandson of James I Only son of George I Grandson of George II Eldest son of George III Third son of George III Niece of William IV 1066 1087 1100 1135 1154 1189 1199 1216 1272 1307 1327 1377 1399 1413 1422 1461 1483 1483 1485 1509 1547 1553 1558 1603 162o 1649 1653 1658 1660 1685 1689 1702 1714 1727 1760 1820 1830 1837 ^ Died. 5« < 1087 21 1100 43 1135 67 1154 49 1189 56 1199 42 1216 51 1272 65 1307 67 1327 43 1377 65 * Dep. 1399 33 1413 46 1422 34 * Dep. 1461 49 1483 41 1483 12 1485 33 1509 52 1547 55 1553 16 1558 42 1603 69 1625 58 fBeh. 1649 48 59 — 1685 54 D1688,d.l701 68 1702 51 1694 32 1714 49 1727 67 1760 77 1820 82 1830 68 1837 72 1901 81 * Deposed, t Beheaded. THE NEW HEIR APPARENT. 505 LONGEST KNOWN REIGNS. Alfonso I Louis IV Ernest Frederick III Henry Frederick Augustus III, James I Charles II Victoria King of Portugal . . King of France . . . Duke of Altenberg . Count of Hapsburgh Marquis of Meissen Elector and King of Saxony King of Aragon . . Duke of Lorraine . . Queen of England . DATES OF REIGN. 1112-1185 1643-1715 1605—1675 1424—1493 1221—1288 1763—1827 1213—1276 1545—1608 1837—1900 NO. OF YEARS. 73 years (the longest known). 72 years. 70 years. 69 years. 67 years. 64 years. 63 years. 63 years. 64 years. INCOME OF SOVEREIGN AND CHILDREN. Parliament will probably rearrange the civil list of tbe royal family. The income of the sovereign of Great Britain and Ireland and certain members of the royal family is derived from the funds of the kingdom and from private sources. The following table shows the civil list during the last years of the Victorian reign : The Queen — Annually granted by Parliament, .... ^385,000 231,260 44,240 13,200 60,000 40,000 37,000 61,243 10,000 10,000 25,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 3,000 3,000 12,000 6,000 Salaries of household, . For pensions to servants, For bounty and alms, . Revenue from the Duchy of Lancaster Prince of Wales — Annual allowance, . . , For support of children, From Duchy of Cornwall, Princess of Wales — Annual allowance, Duke of Edinburgh — Annual allowance, . Duke of Connaught — Annual allowance, . Empress Victoria of Germany, annuity, . Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, Duchess of Argyll (Princess Louise), annuity, Princess Henry of Battenberg, annuity, . Grand Duchess of Mecklenberg-Strelitz, annuity, Duke of Cambridge, annuity, ..... Princess Helena of Waldeck, annuity, . . CHAPTER XXXV. Careers of Princes of Wales. THE announcement tliat the Duke of Cornwall, heir apparent to the throne of Great Britain, was not likely to receive the title of Prince of WalCvS, was the first intimation to very many that this principality of less than 7500 square miles in area and of a population not numbering 2,000,000 souls, is not a hereditary apanage of the eldest son of England's reigning house. As a matter of fact, the title was Welsh, not English, in its beginnings, and was in 1284 transferred to a royal scion of the dominant country by a purely arbitrary act. Since that time twenty-three kings have sat upon the throne of England, only eleven of whom had borne the title of Prince of Wales. Edward III., Henry VI. and Edward VI. were all heirs apparent, yet did not wear the title of the principality. Six royal princes who had been so honored did not live to be enrolled among the English kings. If, in brief, the title has usually been borne by the eldest son of the reigning house it is due to a custom that is little more than a coincidence. The principality was designed to form an apanage of a younger son. It is not hereditary, but must be conferred anew. There were Princes of Wales before there were Kings of England. When England was Britain and Julius Caesar was encamped there with his Roman legions the sons of the Welsh kings, though little more than native chiefs, were known by the title now borne by King Edward VII. And when the first of England's Edwards invaded Wales at the close of the thirteenth century it was Llewellyn, prince of his land who opposed him and was killed in the struggle. In that year, 1284, the title was first borne by an English prince. The conquering Edward found himself lord of a disaffected country, whose mountainous character gave every aid to a des- 506 CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES. 507 perate people. To pacify them lie promised tliat tliey sHould be ruled by a native Welshman, and then, as soon as arms had been laid by, proclaimed as the new prince, his son Edward, who had been born two days before at the castle of Caernarvon. Caernar- von was in Wales, the country was disarmed, the wily conqueror's troops were massed in the town — and the matter was allowed to stand undisputed. This Edward of Caernarvon, the first of the English Princes of Wales, was crowned as Edward II. when 23. For twenty years he misruled his country, pandering to the rapacity of such vicious favorites as Piers Gaveston, and was then, with the active con- nivance of his mother, deposed, imprisoned, forced to resign the Clown, and eventually murdered, while another Edward, not a Prince of Wales, succeeded to the kingdom. MANY VIOLENT DEATHS. The violent death of the first incumbent of the title has fuund a strange counterpart in the fate of five others of the seven- teen who have followed him in the holding of the honor. Four were murdered, the first Charles was beheaded. Henry VIII. and Charles II. died of the effects of dissipated lives. George III. died insane, death came suddenly to four who lay ill but a few hotirs — out of all the seventeen only the Black Prince, Henry V. and George IV. died " natural" deaths. None has borne the title of Prince of Wales more nobly than did the "Black Prince." The name by which he is best known arose from the color of his armor, but not only was he Prince of Wales, but also Duke of Cornwall, the first of the name. His father, Edward III., whom Macaulay calls "the greatest warrior who ever sat upon the English throne," had carried the banner of St. George far beyond the Pyrenees and Alps, and ever in the van rode the Prince of Wales. At Crecy, when but sixteen, he led 8000 Englishmen to victory against 60,000 Frenchmen, taking prisoner the aged John, King of Bohemia, from whom he thus won the right to wear as his princely crest the three ostrich plumes with the motto " Ich Dien "—" I serve." 508 CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES. Ten years later he won Poitiers, and, leading tlie Bnglish forces into Spain, won battle after battle sontb of the Bbro. At last, exhausted by a life of warfare and exposure, he died of con- sumption, just a year before the death of Edward III. would have made him king. Richard II. succeeded to the throne. As prince he had been weak, frivolous and selfish ; as king he lived magnificently, but with no regard to his duties. His household consisted of 10,000 persons, his rapacit}^ led to a disordered kingdom. His death was violent. Lured to one of the castles in the Wales whose prince he had been, he was made prisoner by the disaffected nobles, imprisoned for years and finally starved to death. HANDSOME HARRY. " Harry of Monmouth " next held the Welsh title. Hand- some and courageous, he was the idol of the English. His mili- tary career, which was to add Agincourt to the long list of England's victories, began when he was but 15, when he fought by the side of his father lin the battle of Shrewsbury. Shakes- peare has described the young manhood of "Prince Hal " as wild and dissipated, but when the Prince of Wales had become the King of England he assumed and maintained a character both noble and kingly. It is of this Henry Prince of Wales that the story is told of his having struck Chief Justice Gascoign with his sword for administering their dues to some of the wild young noble's wilder friends. For this the Justice first imprisoned the son, and then carried the news to the father. Henry IV. laughed at the message. " I am happy, indeed," said he, "to have a magistrate who dares to enforce the law and a son who is willing to submit to it." Three Edwards succeeded Henry V. to the title of Prince of Wales. The first, only son of Henry VI., was stabbed to death by Richard of Gloucester. Edward V., called " Edward of the Sanctuary," because born in the precincts of the Abbey of West- minster, ended a princehood of twelve years with a reign of but carei':rs of princes of wales. 509 ten weeks, and again it was Ricliarcl of Gloucester through whom death came. Edward and his jAounger brother Richard were sent to the Tower under pretense of awaiting the coronation in safety. There they were smothered. Retribution came to this hunch-backed Richard a year later (1484) when his only son, whom he had made Prince of Wales as as soon as he himself had been proclaimed King, died of fever after an illness of six days. Sudden death also came to the next incumbent, Arthur, eldest son of Henry VII. His youth had been one of brilliant promise, but the plague of 1502 invaded the precincts of Ludlow Castle, and put a period to the hopes of the nation. Henry, his younger brother, succeeded him in the title of Prince of Wales. In the five years of his princehood there was no warning of the selfish, tyrannical, sensual King he was to become as the eighth of the name. Henry the Prince was hand- some, affable, studious, and an adept in all manly exercises. Henry the King died before his time, worn out by the dissipa- tions of a vicious life. FIRST OF THE STUARTS. Henry VIII. died in 1547. Not till 1603, when James L, the first of the Stuarts, had ascended the throne, does the title of Prince of Wales reappear. The two sons of this monarch both had the honor coi^ferred upon them. Henry, the eldest, died in 1612, when his father's reign was at its height, and in the same year the title was given to Charles, the younger son, who lived to succeed as Charles I. Before his accession, however this handsome and courteous prince was sent to Madrid to sue for the hand of the Infanta Maria. The chronicles of the day tell much of the courtliness of the prince's manner, and of the marvelous and extravagant elegance of his apparel, changed almost hourly and no suit worn twice, but they also relate that his mission was unsuc- cessful, old Aberwaithe quaintly adding, "Fortunately for the Spanish lady." It was this prince, so honorable in all purely personal rela- 510 CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES. tions, wiio, as King, was stigmatized as " untrutliful," as "unfaithful to liis office," and whose misrule ended in 1649 ^^ the scaffold before the Royal Palace of Whitehall. Charles, his son, was a Prince of Wales without a country. Wandering through the corrupt courts of Europe, begging aid through which the "Protector" Cromwell might be driven from the government he had seized, young Charles had every chance to perfect himself in the school of vice in which the licentious Duke of Buckingham had first introduced him. He was brilliant and accomplished, possessed great abilities, but was too indolent to apply himself He was ready for any forlorn hope by which he might win back his kingdom, and yet more ready for any amour in which danger was wedded to romance. NOTORIOUS CHARLES II. Till he was thirty this Prince of Wales lived in an atmos- phere of dissimulation. As Charles II. was welcomed back home with a pageant seldom surpassed in Bnglish history, and he gave to his country a reign that was far from successful. Posterity knows him by Rochester's pungent epitaph : — " Here lies our sovereign Lord, the King, Whose word no man relies on : Who never said a foolish thing, And never did a wise one," From 1685 to 1727 the title of Prince of Wales again disap- peared from the rolls of British royalty. Then, when George I. came over from Hanover, his son George had the title conferred upon him. Of the King, George II. but little may be said ; of George, Prince of Wales, nothing. His sons, 'Frederick and George, held the title in succession. The first was killed by a blow from a cricket ball nine years before the throne could have been his, George lived to become George HI., to reign longer than an}^ other British monarch save Victoria, and at last to die insane. An interesting memorial of this Prince George remains in CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES. 611 this country, in the princely crest yet to be seen over the pulpit canopy of old St. Paul's Chapel, at the corner of Broadway and Vesey streets, New York. While New York was still a loyal British colony the three plumes were carved and placed there, and there they stood secure because forgotten while the mob of 1775 ransacked the city, destroying every other vestige of Bnglish rule. Nowhere else in the country is the insignia of the Prince of Wales to be found in its royal significance. LED A LIFE OF PLEASURE. George once more followed George, the new prince being one day to be known as the fourth of that name. Ten years before his accession to the throne, this Prince of W^ales was declared regent, owing to his father's mental incapacity. He was a young man of marked beauty, tall and well built, with an attractive face and polished manners. But his looks, his usefulness, the esteem of his people, all were sacrificed to licentious pleasures. To dissi- pation he added insubordination, thwarting the government at ever}^ turn, and assiduously cultivating the leaders of the oppo- sition. While still Prince of Wales, he had married Caroline, Prin- cess of Brunswick, almost immediately^ deserting her on charges of infidelit}', which were never proved. At his accession he intro- duced a bill into Parliament, dissolving the marriage, but popular indignation was so great that he withdrew the rec[uest. He died in 1830. Bleven 3^ears later the late holder of the title was born. He is the sixth Edward to have held the title, though but three of these have lived to succeed to the throne. No name, indeed, is more closely associated with, the Welsh principality. Edward I. brought the title into the English court, Edward II. first beld it, Edward the Black Prince made it most notable, two Edwards were slain because of the title, anotber died three months after receiv- ing it, and it is Edward VII. who has spread its fame most widely over the world. Long familiarly known as the Prince of Wales, lie h-as given the title a new dignity and lustre. 51:^ CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES. ENGLISH SOVEREIGNS WHO HAVE BORNE THE TITLE OF PRINCE OF WALES. Edward II. Reigned 1307-1327 Murdered Richard II, 1377-1399 Murdered Henry V, 1413-1422 Dysentery Edward V, 1483 Murdered Henry VIII, 1509-1547 Dissipation Charles I, 1625-1649 Beheaded Charles II, 1660-1685 Apoplexy George II, 1727-1760 Heart Disease George III, 1760-1820 Mental Derangement George IV, 1820-1830 Heart Failure Edward VII, 1901—? PRINCES OF WALES NOT SUCCEEDING TO THE THRONE. Edward, the Black Prince, son of Edward III Died, 1376 Edward, son of Henry VI Murdered, 1471 Edward, son of Richard IIL Fever, 1484 Arthur, son of Henry VII Plague, 1502 Henry, son of James I Fever, 1612 Frederick, son of George II Accidental Death, 1751 ENGLISH MONARCHS WHO HAVE NOT BORNE THE TITLE OF PRINCE OF WALES. *Edward III Richard III James II *Henry IV Henry VII William III Henry VI *Edward VI George I Edward IV James I William IV *Heir-apparent. A writer who has ever}^ facility for becoming acquainted with the Royal Family and British government comments as follows : " The Victorian era is gone forever. It is indelibly asso- ciated with the character of a good woman. Long before this letter reaches America everything that can be said about the Queen will have been said and said well. More than once or twice I have seen the tears standing in the eyes of men as they watched Her Majesty in recent years driving through the streets of London on the rare occasion of her visits to the metropolis. CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES. 618 " I have seen no tears on tier death. I do not think the news- papers are accurate in saying that the nation is overwhelmed with grief. The Queen's death, at eighty-two years of age, was expected. Full of years and honor, every additional day that we lived under Victoria was a day to the good. When the end came men mourned truly, but mourning for the inevitable is a different thing from mourning for an unexpected blow or the removal of of one whose life and career are yet to come. "There is no doubt that the conductors of the newspapers think they fulfill a popular demand in describing outward and visible signs of grief that do not really exist. The grief is there, and will remain. The real expression of sorrow for the Queen, however, does not find vent in tears. We know that her court was pure ; that she herself was a moniiment of permanent efficiency ; that she never made a mistake, never spared herself, and was a mother to us all. As time passes we shall miss her more and more THE SUBJECT OF PETTY CRITICSMS. " King Edward VII. held his first council on Wednesda}^, January 30th. I speak of the King as I know him. The fierce light that beats upon the new sovereign reveals a not unworthy successor. In one respect his Majesty is the most unfortunate man in England. For long years he has been libeled incessantly and malignantly. Silence was imposed on him by reasons of State. "As the Prince of Wales he was the only subject of the Queen who could not reply when he was attacked. When he patronized the drama, for the neglect of which the Queen was persistently blamed, he was described as a trifler, who found in the society of play actors relief from the tedium of a wasted life. When he encouraged the greatest of our national sports, he was depicted as a profligate, compared with George IV., and held up to public contumely. "If he did not lavish money he did not possess, he was charged with stinginess, but when he made an outlay on a church at Sandringham or a ball at Marlborough House, he was a 33 514 CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES. Spendthrift. Friendsliips witli bad men upon whom he never set eyes were attributed to him without the possibility of denial. If he played a game of cards he was a gambler. Although this campaign of continuous and malignant libel dogged his footsteps with the persistency of bloodhounds on the track of a criminal, the good sense of the British public succeeded in diagnosing the manly and unselfish goodness of Edward VII. Whatever his faults, he is a man — and one of the kindest hearts among us. "Irreparable as is the loss which the nation and the empire have suffered in their bereavement, the King of England to-day brings new hope to the race. For more than a generation the monarch has necessarily avoided her capital city. Monarchy, which has been for too long a term of abstraction, is now a reality to the multitude. Royal pageants have long been renounced, except on the rarest occasions. No stimulus to the imagination of democracy has been contributed by the court. COURT NOT GIVEN TO GAYETY. "State visits to the opera, to theatres, and State appearances at gala times have also been abandoned for many years by the Court of St. James. Music, art, literature, of late years, have received none of the support that comes from the presence of a brilliant court in the metropolis of the nation. Traders and wage-earners who now suffer under the heavy burden of our national sorrow may feel assured that under the King no effort will be spared to stimulate the arts and industries of Britain by the example, the protection and the patronage of a patriotic and efficient throne. The court has long been costly and invisible, owing to circumstances beyond the control of anyone. " The King, however, has kept in close touch with all classes of his subjects. A better judge of character does not live, and if his knowledge is acquired from men rather than from books, his subjects will be none the worse for that. The King is a close student of contemporary history. He is acquainted with all the Ambassadors and chief colonial Governors, the generals and admirals of the day. His knowledge of imperial politics and of CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES. • 616 the social influences that govern the history of our time is excelled by that of no Englishman. His mind is nimble ; he is quick in seeing and seizing a point. It is questionable whether the late Lord Randolph Churchill or the Earl of Rosebery himself pos- sesses a nimbler or quicker intellect than the King. "I remember the late Baron Ferdinand Rothschild telling me that he considered the Prince's quickness of mind superior to that of the two statesmen referred to. The friendly relations established between the Czar and Great Britain are largely due to the efforts of King Edward VII., first at Livadia and afterwards at St. Petersburg on the occasion of the death of Alexander III. No ambassador could have placed the relations between the two countries on the footing that has prevailed since the Czar Nicholas came to the throne. England has continued to reap the benefits of these relations during the South African war. NO CHANGE OF FOREIGN RELATIONS. " There is no reason to doubt that the King will stand as firmly for his own country as the Kaiser, his nephew, has stood for Germany. But since the policy of Britain is to hold the seas free for the trafiic of all mankind, British relations with foreign Powers will undergo no change under a new reign. Imperial sympathies will be fostered at home and in the colonies by a King who not only understands and trusts democracy, but likes it. Art, letters, music, and the drama will acquire fresh impulses from one who has always shown himself conspicuously sympathetic with the beauty and refinement of life. The King is one of the few Englishmen who shows his resentment when music is interrupted by conversation. The friendless, the suffering, and the destitute are not likely to be forgotten by the man who, as a member of the Ro3^al Com- mission for the Housing of the Poor, himself investigated in a hundred quarters the actual condition of the people in the slums, and who has more recently given a new lease of life to the volun- tary hospitals of London. Since Lord Granville and Laurence Oliphant died the King has made few intimate friends. Thousands 516 CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES. of acquaintances are his, but loneliness is his lot, as it must be tbe lot of all those who occupy the English throne. There are many things which the King is obliged to do which the outside world calls pleasure and amusements. These things are anything but a source of pleasure or amusement to the King, although his position demands that he should every year go through a certain round of social duties which constantly bore him. "The more serious occupations of his life often receive no record in the public press, while the things which are accounted pleasures not seldom partake of the character of irksome and even distasteful duties. The character, capacity and habits of the King may be inferred from his immense vigor at a time of life when every one who has lived merely a life of pleasure would be seeking repose and indulging in indolent renunciation of avoid- able duties. AN ADMIRER OF GLADSTONE. "Lord Salisbury's absence from Osborne and the very guarded manner in which, in his speech in the House of Lords he referred to the ' hope ' with which the country regarded the future reign of Edward VII., have excited the keenest interest and com- ment in London society. Few people consider that the Premier- ship will long remain in the hands of Lord Salisbury. There is, indeed, reason to believe that the King, whose personal respect and affection for Mr. Gladstone were unobtrusively shown in many ways, is not on terms of intimacy or affection with Lord Salisbury. " The King is a great advocate of efficiency, and Lord Salis- bury, who is a past master in the art of letting things drift, would not be likely to have so easy a time under the new mon- arch as under Queen Victoria, whose retired life and great age compelled her to accept the views of her Prime Minister on such a question as imperial defense without serious criticism. "There is good reason to believe that the King, who is punctual and efficient in the performance of his own duties, will give an immense impulse to the demand for efficiency in the pub- CAREERS OF PRINCES OF WALES. 617 lie services. It is time that a strong will were exerted. At the present time in England we have 90,000 soldiers who are too voting and immature to take the field, but who cost as much as efiicient fighting men, and our two great fleets are unready for war service. Lord Charles Beresford is of opinion that the navy and army and public service must either be brought into a state of efficiency without further delay, or Great Britain will be consigned to the position of a second or third rate Power without more ado. ''Great and drastic changes are in the air — changes that were expected to be made on the dissolution of the last Parliament, but which can no longer be relegated to the future, and Bngland will begin a new stage in her career." CHAPTER XXXVI. The New King and His Royal Mother. INTENSE admiration of King Edward VII. as man, husband father and prince is the keynote struck by "A Member of the Royal Household" in a work entitled the "Private Life of King Edward VII. (Prince of Wales)." " The Prince's character," he says, "had originally a strong tinge of quick temper, which he inherited from his Hanoverian ancestors ; but his courtesy and tact, and the self-control which he has taught himself to exercise, have mastered this hereditary failing, and now he is notably slow to act when put out or annoyed, and makes a point of considering ever}^ side of a question before regarding his own. In speech he is quick and impulsive, and this trait often leads him to give direct orders to servants and others of his household, instead of waiting to put the somewhat complicated machinery of his establishment into motion. "One particularly notable and noble attribute is his — he has never been known to bear a grudge or to do the proverbial ill turn to anybody. It is difficult to say whether the Prince is at his best among the people or in society. By the people on his own estate and by the members of his household, the Prince is positively adored. He goes among the country people in the simplest possible way. "The Prince's popularity is as great in Paris as it is in his own country. The Prince's attitude toward France since that country became a republic has often been commented on, but he, being one of the most broadminded of men, maintains that every country has a right to choose its own form of government. "From the first the Prince of Wales determined that Sand- ringham should be his home in the real English sense of the word. If his life in Norfolk is simple and less tied by etiquette than in London, his personal responsibilities are greater and are 518 NEW KING AND HIS MOTHER. 61!) never shirked. The Prince is practically his own agent and nothing happens on the estate without his hearing and inquiring about it. A Sandringham ball is always opened with a quadrille, in which the royalties and the house party take the leading part. The Prince is a most energetic partner and always 'dances to the tune,' as he himself expresses it. ''Dancing over, an adjournment is made by the Prince to the billiard and smoking rooms. The smoking room is reached through the corridor, which leads on to the bowling alley, which was built a few years ago by the Prince after the best American models. The Prince is devoted to bowls." Dealing with "The Prince at Marlborough House," the author says : "One corner of the grounds is sacred to the memory of four of the Princess' pets, each of which sleeps beneath a tiny tomb- stone. Every one of the Prince's days in London is fully mapped out. He believes firmly in early rising, and not infrequently is to be found taking a brisk stroll in St. James' or the Green Park soon after eight in the morning." HE MARRIED FROM CHOICE. Referring to the domestic life of the Prince, the author says : " The Prince's marriage was a romance savoring of the most poetical traditions of the Middle Ages. Before the Prince Con- sort's death it had been almost settled between him and the Queen that the Prince of Wales should seek a wife among the German princesses. A young German officer, who was a friend of the Prince, informed His Royal Highness one day that he was engaged to be married, and that he would like to show him the portrait of his bride-elect. "He gave the Prince a photograph of a beautiful young girl, wearing the plainest of white muslin frocks, with her hair brushed back from her brow and a narrow black velvet ribbon tied round her throat. The Prince immediately asked the name Qf the original, when the young officer discovered that by mis- 520 NEW KING AND HIS MOTHER. take lie had given the Prince the portait of the King of Den- mark's second daughter. When the mistake was explained, the Prince refused to return the photograph, and a few days later, on seeing a miniature of the same lady, in the Duchess of Cam- bridge's drawing-room, he declared there and then that he would marry only the original of these two pictures. " No doubt the Princes's ideas with regard to society were largely influenced by the visit he paid in i860 to Canada and the United States. His extreme delight at his first introduction to a purely democratic people had great results, and his sincere affection and admiration for the Americans date from the visit which he always recalls as one of the most delightful remembrances of a life that has been full of memorable experiences. DROPPED IN TO TEA. " While visiting the States the Prince proved himself to be both unaffected and unspoiled by his position. One of the pleasantest visits he paid was a quiet call at the house of Bishop McKinley, where he took tea with the Bishop and his wife and family and when ten years later, that eminent divine came to London, the Prince of Wales not only recognized him in the park, but invited him to Marlborough House and made a personal point of bidding the Bishop to a garden party the Princess was about to give. "It is commonly supposed that the Prince's admiration and encouragement supported the cult of the ' professional beauty.' The ladies who were known to the public by that term were many of them members of circles in which the Prince of Wales moved, but it is not generally known that when, after a time the Prince found that the profession of beauty was becoming scandalous in its vulgarity and advertisement, h.e decided to put a stop to the whole business by practically refusing to accept or to know those who were making a trade of their good looks. "The bazaar mania, and the ridiculous means resorted to by smart ladies and well known actresses to extort money from their patrons, also received a severe check from the Prince of Wales, NEW KING AND HIS MOTHER. 621 who on one occasion was kind enongh to lend his personal patron- age to a great fancy fair, got up at the Albert Hall. In the course of the afternoon he honored the refreshment stall by his presence and asked for a cup of tea. The fair vender, thinking to amuse the Prince before handing him the cup, drank from it herself, saying : ' Now the cup of tea is five guineas ! ' The Prince gravely paid the money asked, handed back the tea, and said : ' Will you please give me a clean cup ? ' " Reference is made to the Prince's rigid observance of Sunday as a day of rest, and dealing with "the Prince as a churchman," the author says : " His views are decidedly broad, and he prefers that a service should be choral, and accompanied by due observance and dignity. Yet his admiration for the picturesque has never induced him to attend service in anything but an English church. The Prince was once in Rome at Easter, when people of every sect and religion were crowding into Roman Catholic churches, yet he went quietly into the plain little English church, remarking as he did so that when Church of England people were in Rome they should be more than usually particular to uphold their own form of faith." TAKES IN ALL ENTERTAINMENTS. The King rarely misses any play in London. Though he never expresses to the manager his disapproval of a play, he invariably lets it be known to those about him whether he likes or dislikes it. At one time the King was a most excellent dancer, but of late years he has done nothing more than walk through a quadrille. Invariably well dressed, he sets the fashion for the British public. He has a great aversion to the dinner jacket, except at Monte Carlo and Homburg. He once witnessed a play at the Criterion Theatre, in which an actor was wearing one of these jackets, and he expressed surprise to him afterward for doing so. The actor, in his defence, urged that in the play he was dining in his own house. The Prince said : " You forget that you are 522 Nf'^V K[N(; AND HIS MOTHER. playing tlie part of a Cabinet Minister ; therefore you couldn't possibly wear such a garment." Tbe following account of scenes in London on the day follow- ing the Queen's deatli will be of interest to every reader : " The dominating note of this day on which the British Empire enters upon a new era after the Victorian age, which has already and forever been christened golden, is the terrible difB.- culty which people find of accepting the idea summed up in the phrase ' Le Roi est mort ! Vive le Roi ! ' ' The King (Queen) is dead ! Long live the King ! ' THE METROPOLIS IN MOURNING. " In order to try to give you some idea of what was going on in London on such a history making day, I wandered about to-day everywhere— to the East End, to the House of Commons. Every- where was the same feeling, whicli might thus be translated : ' How can we reconcile our great sorrow ? ' Yes, there is no doubt as to that sorrow, which, to use Tennyson's words, is the 'Noise of mourning of a mighty nation,' with our universal desire to give a welcome to the new King in this great time of trial and responsibility. "Let me tell you as coming from one of the Privy Council- lors, who met to-day to go through the formality of administer- ing the oath at St. James' Palace, that the King said he was almost overcome by his feelings, and that this had been the most trying day in his life. I can quite believe it, for I happened to catch a good look at the new King as he drove from the Victoria station to Marlborough house. " Those of you who have been his friends and have seen him in normal times would liave been pained this morning to see the sad effect which the trials of the last few days have left upon him. The sleepless nights, deep anxiety and shadow of terrible responsibility such as he has had impending over him might unnerve a man far less highly strung than the man Avhom even to-day the people cannot get out of the habit of calling the Prince of Wales. NEW KING AND HIS MOTHER. ^ 523 " The evening papers began to come out very early in the day. The first to appear somewhat startled Londoners by the unusual announcement, " The King is coming to London," printed in great letters on its display bills. Even then it was not known what the title of the new King would be. " After the King arrived St. James' street assumed the appear- ance of a levee day. From top to bottom it was crowded with carriages. The Lord Mayor, arriving in his state carriage, naturally attracted much attention from the crowd, which was so great that the way into Pall iMall was speedily blocked. Down the centre of St. James' street is a long cab rank. There, when the council began, were a lot of four wheel cabs, which remained stationary till all was over. PERCHED ON TOP OF CABS. "They were hired by persons who wanted to see the whole show, principally ladies, who boldly climbed upon the tops and remained there. It certainly looked strange to see these decor- ous appearing ladies, dressed in mourning, sitting on the cab roofs, but they were not the least disconcerted by the amount of attention they attracted. " The club windows and balconies down this street and also on Pall Mall were filled with members, anxious to see what was going on. Round about Marlborough House a dense crowd gath- ered and remained the best part of the day. It is no wonder the crowds were great, when one comes to think of the many large institutions which had taken a holiday as a token of sympathy. Among these were the Stock Exchange, the law courts, the police courts, Lloyds, the Baltic and so on. " London's outward and visible expressions of mourning were certainly none too impressive. The general sign in the shops was a somewhat extraordinary arrangement — just a black board placed perpendicularly on the plate glass window, certainly a very crude and unbeautiful symbol of grief Where so many black boards as were used for this purpose came from is a matter of wonder. Flags were everywhere to be seen at half-mast. 524 NEW KING AND HIS MOTHER. "Hawkers sold mourning souvenirs witli an effigy of the Queen on a sort of large porcelain button, and black and white paper flowers. There were souvenir editions of the papers and piles of books a yard high giving the full and detailed life of the Queen. There were ample signs on all sides of a disposition to let the King understand that the people were prepared to receive him w4th full sympathy and confidence. " The St. James' Gazette, which has been having very fine editorials, after assuring the King that the restraint shown by the people was merely because they love the memory of their Queen, says : "Queen Victoria ascended the throne amid the enthusiastic hopes of her subjects, hopes which all the world now knows were more than amply fulfilled. We greet her illustrious son with more than hope, with well grounded confidence in the future. THANKSGIVING TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE. "He is known to us and we to him. Through the long years of trial he has proved finesse, even for so great an ordeal as wearing his mother's crown. A greater ordeal than this it would be impossible to impose on human shoulders in the midst ■of our grief and his. Therefore, we tender him our respectful and loyal homage. We offer a thanksgiving to the Divine Provi- dence that the noblest monarch in the roll of our Kings for a thousand years is succeeded by a worthy son. " There was another meeting of the theatrical managers to arrange what to do, but the truth is that the matter of reopening is entirely in the hands of the Lord Chamberlain, who has juris- diction over every theatre in England in towns where there is a royal palace. The same rule applies to all places of public entertainment. Thus the theatres will not open until the Lord Chamberlain gives them leave. " Lord Clarendon sent a very courteous notice to the mana- gers, which stipulated that they should close the night of the Queen's death, and said that he would let them know when to open again. NEW KING AND HIS MOTHER. 625 '' We weep for our Queen, but in the truest sincerity and wholehearted ferver we exclaim, ' God save the King ! ' " All through the day large floating crowds swept about town, rushing hither and thither, under the impression that the King was going to come out, Bxceptfor his visit to the Privy Council, at St. James' Palace, however, he remained at Marlborough House, with curtains drawn, working hard on the innumerable documents presented to him. GREAT CROWD AT THE MANSION HOUSE. "One report was that the King was going to the House of Lords, another that he was going into the city. The latter idea took such a hold that thousands of persons congregated around the Mansion House, apparently under the impression that the King would appear on the balcony and the proclamation be read at the same time. Naturally they were disappointed. All that really could be ascertained was that the King was going down to Osborne." The Westminster Gazette draws attention to a somewhat knotty point as to the title of Edward VII., taken by the King. There was no Edward VI. in Scotland, and therefore, for that country, |^can be no Edward VII. Possibly the King will be seventh of England and the first of Scotland. Edward I., son of Henry III., was born at Westminster, June 17,1239; was crowned August 19, 1274, and died July 7, 1307. He reigned thirty-three years. Edward II., son of Edward I. ; was born April 25, 1284, and crowned February 23, 1308. Deposed by Parliament. Murdered at Berkeley Castle, September 21, 1327. He reigned nineteen years. Edward III., son of Edward II., born at Windsor, November 13, 1312 ; was crowned February i, 1328, and died June 21, 1377. He reigned forty-nine years. Edward IV., son of Richard, duke of York ; born April 29, 1441 ; crowned June 28, 1461, and died April 9, 1483. He reigned twenty-two years. 626 NEW KING AND HIS MOTHER. Edward V., born November 4, 1470 ; was murdered June 22, 1483, by bis uncle, tbe Duke of Gloster, wbo became Richard III. Edward VI., was tbe son of Henr}^ VIII ; born October 12, 1537 ; was crowned February 25, 1547, and died July 6, 1553, at the age of 16. Edward VII., the new King of Britain, was born November 9, 1 84 1. He is the son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg Saalfield, and came to the throne on the death of his mother, January 22, 1901. An English editor who was in our country at the time of the Queen's death thus summed up the events which were fraught with snch mighty consequences not only for Britain, but for America and the rest of the world : INTERNATIONAL BONDS STRENGTHENED, " I should like to say emphatically and at once that the splendid and sympathetic treatment of this great sorrow of ours by the American press will do more for international accord than all the utterances of politicians and the workings of diplomacy. You feel for us as we wept for you at the death of Lincoln and of Grant. ''As one deeply interested in the binding together of the four hundred millions of British people, I cannot but realize that we have lost in our Queen a centre of imperial sympathy that did much for cohesion and unity. Could any more potent spell be divined for the union of divergent races that form our Empire than the personality of a good woman ? With 3^011 it has been your beautiful flag ; with us the noblest of women. " But the future has good in store for us. The world has passed from the realm of sentiment to the age of business, and in Edward VII we have one who is above all a man of affairs. Not enough is known on this side of the Atlantic of the marked aptitude of our King as a diplomatist, a negotiator and a hard- working business man. His only rival in this matter among the world's sovereigns is his nephew, William of Germany, and no one will gainsa}^ the fact that for discretion and tact Edward VII NEW KING AND HIS MOTHER. 527 is more than a match for William 11. It bodes well for the world's peace that the friendship that has always existed between our King and many of your statesmen will, as the result of the Emperor's visit, now be firm between him and his German nephew. \ "The three nations do not always see eye and eye ; no treaty will ever link them, perhaps. But there will be that between them, it is to be hoped, which we of the work-a-day world know as a 'business understanding.' NEEDS NO SPECIAL TRAINING. "Edward VII needs no training for his office. For some years past all important foreign diplomatic despatches have been sent to Marlborough House as well as to the Queen, a precedent in English history. He has gathered about him in Sir Francis Knollys, Sir Stanley Clarke, Mr. Sydney Greville and others, accomplished and businesslike men, who have attended to vast correspondence and an infinite amount of office work in a manner that has given universal satisfaction to the Empire. As Prince of Wales, Edward VII showed on a score of occasions that prime essential of a born organizer, the instinct of choosing the right man. As a business people we need a business King, and we have the man we want." Mrs. George Cornwallis-West, formerly Lady Randolph Churchill, and, prior to her marriage. Miss Jennie Jerome, of New York, who had unusual opportunities of meeting Queen Victoria, wrote concerning her : " I have been asked to give my personal reminiscences of Oueen Victoria. So much has been written about Her Majesty :^such a hymn of praise has burst forth from the whole civilized "world— that even out of the fullness of one's heart, and had I one of the most eloquent of pens, it would be difficult to be anything but an echo. " Still, it may be interesting to my countrymen to hear even my small note joining in this harmonious paean as to her good- 528 NEW KING AND HIS MOTHER. ness, a goodness that was felt by all her people, as her greatness was apparent to all nations. To the American, whose pulse beats quickly, and whose brain works in unison, the fulfillment of a high ideal, a noble life must appeal with irresistible force. "lam sure it is no exaggeration to say that the /American people have placed Queen Victoria on as high a pedestal of virtue as their imagination can build. It is not for me to dilate on the qualities of her unique greatness. These will be immortalized by history. Still, I cannot refrain from saying that the great theme of all was her knowledge of and sympathy with human nature. HER MAJESTY IN TEARS. " When Colonel Towse went to Windsor to receive the Vic- toria Cross for a valorous deed by which he lost his eye sight, those present have since told me that as he advanced, led by his wife, toward the Queen, tears poured down her aged cheeks, and it was in a broken voice that she spoke to him. Few at eighty-one could forget their own dim and failing eyes for the blind ones of others. The Queen may be counted on as one of the victims of the war. Bvery defeat, every unsuccessful skirmish, the loss or wounding of any brave soldier was personal to hen " When I had the honor of seeing Her Majesty at Windsor, in December, 1899, before leaving for South Africa in the American hospital ship Maine, she evinced the greatest interest in all the details and fittings of the ship, and particularly as to the history of the hospital staff, doctors and nurses, whom she had received a few days previously. Several times she repeated to me: " 'It is very good of the American people to subscribe for this ship, and I am most grateful to them for coming over and help- ing to take care of my sick and wounded.' "I had not seen her for some years, and the melody of her wonderful voice and the fascination of her marvellous smile again came as a revelation to me. The most commanding presence and regal beauty could not have had a more thrilling effect upon one than this small figure bowed down with sorrow and age." CHAPTER XXXVII. The King in Magnificent State Opens Parliament. WITH the Kmg in his golden carriage going to Parliament, London awoke on February 14th, 1901, to find its dream of a week past about to become a reality. It was a bitterly cold morning with the promise of snow in the air, but for once nobody cared about such trifles as frozen pipes, an ill-prepared breakfast or prospect of biting wind. In fact, on the way to business men hurried to their offices and warehouses a little earlier than usual, rushed through the morning's mail, leaving all but pressing matters to wait till after- noon, and made all speed tow^ard the short line of march where royalty would pass. A SWARMING MULTITUDE. Long before the average city man had arrived, however, every point of vantage had already been taken up by the multitude who swarmed from north, south, east and west of the great city. " We can see it from here," early arrivals had said as they squeezed themselves into doorways, clung tenaciously to curb- stones or huddled close as sheep on the shelters at the street crossings. Those who came later found places as best they could behind the double rank of policemen and soldiers, who stood shoulder to shoulder guarding the wide expanse of cleanly swept street over which the golden carriage would roll. Police regulations stopping vehicular traffic in the streets ad- joining the route were superfluous; the crowd, which choked up every thoroughfare, made the official prohibition unnecessary. Sweeping up the slope of Whitehall from the Horse Guards to Trafalgar square, a compact throng filled every foot of standing ground, and still left an enormous crowd behind, to hurry and roll east or west in the hope of finding a convenient chink between the 3* 529 530 THE KING OPENS PARLIAMENT. surrounding buildings tlirougli whicli a glimpse of the golden car- riage might be obtained. Along Victoria street, over Westminster Bridge, spreading over St. James' Park and the Mall, wedged tight as nails on the sidewalk of Parliament street, blackening the steps of St. James' place, swarming up to the gardens of Carlton Terrace, clinging to lamp posts and trees, anywhere and everywhere that a peep was possible, were people, all satisfied to wait for hours on the chance of a single glimpse of the famous carriage. The heart of loyal England, London, throbbed in anticipation of the return of old-fashioned royalty such as the present genera- tion had only known from histories and picture books. Personal reverence for the late Queen was still abundantly in evidence in the mourning garb of the populace, but there was something quite different from the orthodox idea of royalty. Even the semi-glitter of drawing rooms which every spring attracted crowds to the vicinity of Buckingham Palace failed to satisfy the popular im- agination of the real pomp and estate of royalty. GREAT WAVE OF ENTHUSIASM. The vast crowds swelled and spread until the steps of the National Gallery became black with people, and a wave of enthu- siasm thrilled it to tiptoe expectation. The long-forgotten insignia of royalty, the golden carriage, was coming, and the clanging of church bells, which had drowned all other sounds for hours, was ^suddenly punctuated with a dull boom. It was the royal salute being fired. The procession had started, and the golden carriage with its royal occupants was on its way. Peering over the sea of heads, the people in the distance saw the oasis in the empty street sud- denly hidden by haze from the wintry sunshine, and the momentary fear that it might pass without being seen sent a chill through the crowd, which had long since grown callous to the frosty air. The glittering helmets of the Life Guards at the head of the procession, visible over the shakos of the Grenadiers guarding the line, dispelled the instant's depression as quickly as it had been THE KING OPENS PARLIAMENT. 531 caused. A bewigged coachman, seated on a purple hammer cloth, loomed into view. " Here it comes ! " exclaimed the eager watQhers, but the plain, enamelled coach top floating in the distance was surely not the great carriage itself. Another plain coach top, still another and another, and the people with official programmes told their neighbors that it must surely be the next, the fifth in the line. ROAR OF DISTANT CHEERS. A faint roar of distant cheers rolled backward over the crowd at the same moment that, sweeping around the curve from the Horse Guards into Whitehall, the roof of the golden carriage itself appeared, profuse in ornamentation, the footmen behind swaying and swinging like statues borne shoulder high in a religious pro- cession. A glint of sunshine illumined the gilded crown for a brief instant, but a moment later the helmets of the attendant Life Guards had swallowed up from view the royal equipage. That was all that the majority of the Londoners saw of the brilliant pageant. The lucky few who had succeeded in obtaining places on view- ing stands along the route had a rare spectacle to reward their patience. With them, as with the less fortunate spectators, every- thing, of course, centered on the royal carriage The bodyguard of red-coated guardsmen, followed by several carriages of State, each drawn by six cream colored horses, formed a goodly show in themselves. But towering above these in the distance was the golden car- riage — a gorgeous affair of plate glass and panels, surmounted by a roof as ornamental as a bride's cake, with golden lions, golden cherubs, and the golden crown above all. It was, indeed a casket worthy of its royal occupants. '' Cinderella's carriage," a little tot on one of the stands called it, and the childish criticism called forth no reproof from her elders. Inside the House of Lords the scene was really brilliant. The display of jewels was simply magnificent. When the members of the royal family began to arrive the electric light was turned on, 532 THE KING OPENS PARLIAMENT. and an extra switcli was given as fhe King and Queen entered, tlie effect being brilliant in the extreme. The Queen looked lovely, and really younger than ever. Beneath her royal mantle of ruby velvet she wore a dress entirely of crepe. The ribbon of the Garter was placed most advantageously across the front of her bodice. Her Majesty and all the royal princesses wore high gowns right up to the throat, and long sleeves with little lace cuffs, but, as they wore all their orders and decora tions, the effect was not so sombre as might have been expected with so much crepe. All the royal ladies, too, wore the orthodox royal mourning, a Marie Stuart shaped cap of lisse, or something that looked rather like crepe. Surmounting this, the Queen wore the small diamond crown which the late Queen used to wear at drawing rooms and other great functions. The Duchess of Fife and Princess Charles of Denmark both wore diamond tiaras. So did the Duchess of York. Her tiara was a very high one, with great pearl points. GERMAN HEAD-DRESSES. Princess Christian and Princess Beatrice wore rather different forms of headdress to the other royalties, both being somewhat Ger- man in fashion. Princess Christian's looked more like a widow's cap of crepe, which was just lit up by a single riviere of diamonds,, but there were no brilliant stones on Princess Beatrice's head. As the King and Queen entered the latter's hand was resting on that of His Majesty. When he had assisted the Queen on to the throne the Mistress of the Robes, the Duchess of Buccleuchj Lady Suf&eld and Miss Knollys grouped themselves behind Her Majesty. King Bdward's speech at the opening of Parliament was as follows : — '* My Lords and Gentlemen : — " I address you for the first time at a moment of national sor- row, when the whole country is mourning the irreparable loss we have so recently sustained, and which has fallen with peculiar severity on myself. My beloved mother, during her long and glor- THE KING OPENS PARLIAMENT. 533 ious reign, lias set an example before the world of wliat a monarch should be. It is my earnest desire to walk in her footsteps. " Amid this public and private grief it is satisfactory to me to be able to assure you that my relations with the other Powers con_ tinue friendly. " The war in South Africa is not yet entirely terminated, but the capitals of the enemy and his principal lines of communication are in my possession, and measures have been taken which will, I trust, enable my troops to deal effectually with the forces by which they are still opposed. " I greatly regret the loss of life and expenditure of treasure due to the fruitless guerilla warfare maintained by Boer partisans in the former territories of the two republics. Their early submis- sion is much to be desired in their own interests, as until it takes place it will be impossible for me to establish in those colonies the institutions which will secure the equal rights of all the white inhabitants and protection and justice for the native population. THE AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH. " The establishment of the Australian Commonwealth was pro- claimed at Sydney, January i,with many manifestations of popular rejoicing. My deeply beloved mother had assented to the visit of the Duke of Cornwall and York to open the first Parliament of the new Commonwealth. I have decided that the visit shall not be abandoned and shall be extended to New Zealand and the Dominion of Canada. '* The prolongation of the hostilities in South Africa has led me to make a further call on the patriotism and devotion of Canada and Australasia. I rejoice that my request has met with a prompt and loyal response. " The suffering and mortality caused by the prolonged drought in a large portion of my Indian Empire have been greatly alleviated by a seasonable rainfall, but I regret to add that in parts of the Bombay presidency distress of a serious character still continues. " Gentlemen of the House of Commons : — The estimates for the year will be laid before you. Every care has been taken to 534 THE KING OPENS PARLIAMENT. limit their amount, but the naval and military requirements of the country, and especially the outlay consequent upon the South Afri- can war, has involved an inevitable increase. " The demise of the crown renders it necessary that renewed provision shall be made for the civil list. I place unreservedly at your disposal those hereditary revenues which were so placed by my predecessor, and I have commanded that the papers necessary for full consideration of the subject shall be laid before you. " My Lords and Gentlemen : — " Proposals will be submitted to your judgment for increasing the efficiency of my military forces. Legislation will be proposed to you for the amendment of the law relating to education, and for the purpose of regulating the voluntary sale by landlords to occu- pying tenants in Ireland. " I pray that Almightj^ God may continue to guide you in the conduct of your deliberations, and that He may bless them with success." THE ADDRESS IN REPLY. On the resumption of business in the House of Lords, tha Marquis of Waterford moved the address in reply. Lord Salisbury said the country could hope confidently that the promise of the King that he would follow in his mother's steps would be fully borne out. If so, it would be the greatest triumph for the principle of monarchy and the name of the British union Lord Salisbury thought there was nothing unusual in the length of the Boer war. He referred Lord Kimberley, who had spoken of the government as living in a fool's paradise, to the Americn war. It was four years before the efforts of that very intelligent and most efficient community, North America, were able to bring the civil conflict to a final and successful issue. In the House of Commons, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, the Liberal leader, after wishing the King and Queen a long and happy reign, asked the House to face the grave facts in -connection wdth the war. The question was, had the Government realized the circumstances and adequately provided for them ? He asked THE KING OPENS PARLIAMENT. 535 if it was true tliat General Kitchener had asked for more troops eleven weeks ago. The House would not hesitate to vote anything necessary to clear Cape Colony of invaders, but, when that was accomplished, then was the moment to ofifer the Boers such terms as, while secur- ing for the Empire all they were contending for, would assuage their fears, save their dignity and restore their personal rights. King Edward, accompanied by Queen Alexandra, to-day in- « spected at Buckingham Palace 350 officers and men of Strathcona's Horse. His Majesty presented the regiment with the King's colors and gave medals to the men. A detachment of Guards held the lawn of the West Terrace, and the Canadians were drawn up in front of the Terrace. Colonel Samuel B. Steele, of Strath- cona's Horse, was presented to King Edward, who proceeded to inspect the regiment. ADDRESSED BY THE KING. Returning to the Terrace, the King handed a medal to Colonel Steele. Then the officers and men filed past a table, the King presenting each of them with a medal. The King's color was brought by an escort of Grenadier Guards to the foot of the steps and his Majesty presented it to the Canadian cavalrymen, saying it was the intention of his mother to present it to the regiment, and he now did so in her name and in his own. The color was borne to the regiment, the band playing " God Save the King." Afterwards the Canadians marched past, and the King, accomr panied by Lord Strathcona, advanced and addressed the troopers as follows : '^ Colonel Steele, Officers, Non-commissioned Officers, AND Privates : I welcome you here, to our shores, on your return from active service in South Africa. I know it would have been the earnest wish of my beloved mother, our revered Queen, to wel- come you. Alasl that was not to be. But be assured she deeply appreciated the services you have rendered, as I do. I feel sure that in entrusting the King's color to you. Colonel Steele, and those under you, you will always defend it and do your duty, as 536 THE KING OPENS PARLIAMENT. you have done during the past year in South Africa, and will do so on all future occasions. I am glad Lord Strathcona is here to-day, as it is owing to him that this magnificent force was equipped and sent out. I can only hope 3^our short sojourn in England will be agreeable and that you will return safely to your homes, friends, and relations. Be assured that neither I nor the British nation will ever forget the valuable services you ■ have rendered in South Africa.'' Colonel Steele, thanking the King in behalf of the regiment, assured him that the people of Canada would always do as, well as Strathcona's Horse, if not better, and added that they v/ere " always ready to defend the flag, the King, and the rights of the British Empire." After three cheers for the King, the officers were presented to his Majesty, who shook hands with and thanked each of them. The colors presented to Strathcona's Horse is a silken standard with a silver plate on the staff, bearing an inscription showing the King presented it to the corps. ■_RB S 76 LiDi-iAi-iT ur uuNuncsa < 020 702 553 7