THE QUEEN AS A WOMAN.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13052, 11 March 1911, Page 3

THE QUEEN AS A WOMAN.

INTIMATK PICTURE OF HER DAILY LtFM.

Home ideals,

"The Qtieii of England" is the title of;-.an..article in the North American "Review,:" ,by Sir Clement KinlochCooke, M.l*. An'tf it would bo' difficult to find a more typical picture, of an Englishwoman than is contained in the twelve pages which he has written. Jffom the time of her Majesty's birth until her. .niSm*jge Her lifo was just that of. the fairly weil-to'-fjq English girl; hardly that of. the modern tlti'Z-lis-h yirl,. porhaps, but nearer the old fashioned ideal, the lo&sof which many parents ' deplore". This was liar mother's plan: ' * . , "A child," she said, "has quite enough to do to learn obedience and | atic/iill, to her lessons and—to grow without fnaii.y' parties and late hours, which take .the;.freshness <if childhood away and the brightness aii(l beauty from girlhood—-and then children bo | come intolerable. There nre too many grow.ii-up children in the present day." Ilia article tells how the Queen's many high qualities were developed— her interest in charity by the frequent visits made in her mother's company to the poor around her Richmond homo fit White- Lodge;,her religious i convictions, bred by the-daily life of her home; her musical accomplishments and her artistic talents, fostered by her stay in Florence, where her parents lived for two years. "TV! Queen has a sweet voice," says Sir Clement- Kmloqb-Clarko, "a soft soprano, which greatly matured under the skilful guidance of Signn'r (now

Sir Paolo) Tosti. . . . She is a good judge of a picture and an excellent critic, and while at Florence made several pretty sketches of landscape scenery. She rarely misses any good exhibition, of pictures in London, is particularly foiicl of the old masters, and prefers their riip're1 firiishe'd .style of painting to the impressionist school. .. , ... .

"Dramatic, art of every kind appeals to lrJr, and there are few plays of importance or that...have attracted, public attention during the last two decades she lias not seen. Like her mother, she quickly seizes upon the humorous side of a question. Thus she has a kociii appreciation for a sparkling comedy or a farce. "The Queen is greatly attached to the historical past of her country. Ancient-monuments of every kind have a fascination for her, and her acquaintance! with different kinds of architecture must have entailed much study and f'iose observation.

"She is particularly fond of visiting cathedrals, ami knows, the .interiors of most of the old fcity churches, besides being well versed in they countless treasures contained in the other historic buildings of our great metropolis. ; "Her Majesty follows events attentivclly. She reads the, newspapers daily, and as Princess of Wales attended the more important Parliamentary debates.

"Punctuality is a household word in the Royal establishment, and when tin; Queen makes an appointment it is always kept.

"In business matters her Majesty is clear and expeditious, methodical, and systematic. Her mornings arc generally taken up with attending to the voluminous correspondence that arrives by every- post. "Her secretary and lady-in-waiting submit their letters, and the Queen gives instructions concerning the^i. She quickly grasps the main issue of a question, and ' r,oon makes up her mind, and has never been known to lay aside a matter on the ground that to express an opinion therrton is irksome or difficult.

. "Every, consideration is shown to those- privileged to serve the Queen, and before signifying her pleasure as to tha personal attendance, of members of, her household, her Majesty will often inquire whether they may not have same other engagement, the breaking of which would be inconvenient to them." The Queen as a mother is a picture ever present to the minds of her people. One imvhl only quote, this passage : — "That the Queen's married life has more thin fulfilled all expectations p.: z:\;; no demoiis-.tratioii The education tion and d;>i)y occupations of the royal childir,!] are under the direct supervision of their Majesties, and they are frequently with them during the. day. "The King joins with his sons in their amusements and sports, and chr.ely concerns himself with their r::h:ml work, while t*K> Queen personnil" superintends the education of her daughters ami that of the younger princes." The details of the Queen's charitable works are shorter than onei might expect. Only a tithe of her work for her prople is def.evibrd, for the simple reason that only a tithe -of it is known, save to the recipients. But one. sketch blicwg how, despite all the other calls on her thro, her Majesty ensures that charity shall .never ho forgotten. "Th.-i Queen makes crochet woollen garments for poor children at the rate of sixty a year, and on being asked he.v sh? could possibly make so large a number, replied: 'I have always one of the- little petticoats on hand in mob of my dtting-roonis, and I take it up whenever 1 have a few snare minutes; then in thr, evenings my husband reads to me and I work' and get through a great deal.' "No Quern of England," says Sir Clement Kinloch-Conke, "ever entered upon her queenly (v-tato better qualified to fill that exalted position than Queen Mary. No Oueen over had a greater hold on the affection of the pQople."