LIFE OF QUEEN VICTORIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 103

LIFE OF QUEEN VICTORIA.

By Blue Violet. Among the many Sovereigns who have from time to time sat upon the English throne none ruled eo long »nd lived such a busy, noble, and pure life as the royal lady, Victoria, and who r 'll live in the history of her country as .the " Good Queen." In the old palace at. Kensington. . West London, a royal seat of King William 111 and Queen Mary, there was born on .the 24th of May, 1«19, a blue-eyed and fair-haired little girl, the only child of the Duke of Kent, the fourth son, of George 111, and Princess Victoria Mary Louisa of Saxe-Coburg, Saalfeld. Nobody dreamt at that time that the little princess would ever be Queen of England, as George 111 was then on the throne, and his three sons stood between her and it. She was christened Alexandrina Victoria —Victoria after her mother, and Alxandrina after Alexander I of Russia. As a child she uws called " Drina." but in later life she called herself " Victoria " alone, wishing to be known by her mother's name. She was only eight months old when her father died through a chill caused by his not changing nis wet clothes after coming in from a walk. ' The young JPrineess was brought up in the simpbst manner, and she received her education undei her mother's constant and loving care. She was trained in habits of strict economy and pruderce, and was expected never to exceed her allowance. As one old lady remarked, " her bringing up was one of the wisest and oiost simple fashion." Fearing the sweet modesty of childhood might be spoiled, her mother withheld the knowledge" of her nearness to the throne until she was 12 years old, when it became necessary, as there was now only one life between her and it. Her uncle. William, after a short reign, died, and the Princess at the age of 18 became Queen. Her first act in her new role was to write a letter of sympathy to her aunt, Adelaide, William IV's widow.

Juno 28, 1838, was her coronation day, and it is said that on alighting at, Buckingham Palace after the ceremony she heard her favourite dog barking, and cried, "There's Tfssh !" forgetting her crewn and sceptre in her girlish eagerness to greet her small friend. She had not been long on the throne before anxiety arose concerning- her probable marriage /among those about the Court. England had already been ruled by a maiden Queen, and did not wish for

another. Without any fault of her own the Queen was at this time very unpopular with many of her subjects. For two years she uuled by herself, and then on February 10, 1840," she married her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, to the joy of her relations, who had always looked for this union. On November 21, 1840, their first child, the Princess Royal, was born, and on November 9 the following year there came an heir, Albert Edward, to the intense satisfaction of the people, and there was great rejoicing throughout the knd. TJbft Queen had altogether niiKT children, all of wnoir grew up. Although she was kind and tender to her children she was not wanting in the firmness which a model mother should possess, and they were taught to be obedient and to be kind and respectful. One day a sailor carried one of the Queen's daughters on board the royal yacht. As he put her down he said, ' There yon are. my little lady!" Tho child had not liked being carried, and shook herself and said. " 1 am not a little lady; I'm a Princess!" Her mother, who overheard her daughter's speech, said quietly, "You had better tell the kind sailor who carried you that you are not a little lady yet, though you hope to be one some day." Until 1861 the Queen had never known bereavement in her immediate family circle, and she called these 12 months " the year of sorrow," and a year of sorrow it was indeed. Early in that year her mother, the Duchess of Kent, who was ripe in years, passed peacefully away, and on December 14 of the same year the Prince Consort died through the effects of wearing damp clothes. It is said that in anewer to someone present who. tenderly offered condolence the Queen said, " I suppose I must not fret too much, for many pool women have to go through this trial." Everyone thought and felt for the Queen, and the question on every lip was, "How will the Queen bear it?" Her grief was indeed intense and heartbreak ing, but her high and unselfish sense of duty contended with it. On no ocasion during her grief did she neglect the public duties belonging to her exalted position. The Prince of Wales married Princess l Alexandra of Denmark on March 10, 1863, and or January 8 a son was born at Frogmore. The Queen, cheered by the appearance of an heir to her heir-apparent, directed that her next birthday should be kept in "London with all the signs of gladness that had been stayed the last two years by her grief. Two years later she was mode Empress of India, on May Day. On June 21, 1887, the completion of the 50 years' reign was celebrated by a jubilee festival, and 10 years later, at the end of the sixetieh year of her rule, we had the great Diamond Jubilee. The first month of the new century had little more than half passed away when the world heard that the Queen's life was sen ously menaced, and on January 22 she passed ' qu'etly away at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, with many of her descendants around her. The death of her Majesty was heard everywhere with sorrow, and the new ruler, our late King Edward, received the condolences of the world. On February 4, 1901, the last honours to the departed Queen were paid, and she was buried at Frogmore, beside her beloved hus-band, Prince Albert. So ended the longest reign which England has ever witnessed, and during which many great things have taken place. New countries Lave been added to the Empire, and others have become populated by English-speak-ing people, who have increased by many millions since 1837. The inventions, too, of this reign are numerous and important. Railways have been practically built since the Queen came to the throne. The ocean steamer, telegraph, telephone, and phonj graph are inventions of this reign. Electricity also has been set to work in the service of man. When the Queen came to the throne there were "no penny papers, much less halfpenny ones. Postage, too, was far dearer, and books v»-ere very expensive, the price of paper being made very high by taxes long since repealed. Free education carne to the poor man with free libraries museums, parks, and reading rooms. Her Jong -reign rncde the United J> ingdom more prosperous, more peaceful, and happier than it ever was before. In all the world there has been no Sovereign so good, so great, so well loved as Victoria, and her memory will always bo preen in the hearts of all loyal subjects of the British Crown.