The Story of the Queen's Life.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11663, 24 January 1901, Page 2

The Story of the Queen's Life.

To \Wite the story" of the life of (our late Queen is to write a history of the British Empire for the greater part of the nineteenth century, a , stupendous task quite' beyond the scope of the daily press, for hers was a life crowded: with • events of worldrwide importance as no other modern life has been, : while her private life was more than ordinarily eventful. Her Majesty Victoria, by the Grace of, God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of" the Faith, Empress- of India (to give her fulL title) ;waß ,born at Kensington Palace on the 24th May, 1819, the daughter of Edward, . Duke, of Rent, the' fourth son of George 111., arid Victoria .Mary Louisa, .fourth daughter of Francis, JDuke of Saxe-XJoburg-Saalfeld. Her father died on January 23rd, 1820, and the yo"iirig Princess was thus left in. charge of her mother who superintended, with . admirable wisdom and are ; the training of the future Queen, who.was instructed in all those things fitted not only to make her a. noble sovereign, but a noblewoman. , The Duchess of Kent had a valuable coadjutor in the Duchess Northunr berlahd,^ the result being that the young Princess acquired many accomplishments, including drawing, music, .and a knowledge of the Continental languages. The political training of the Princess was entrusted to Viscount Melbourne, who. with admir- j able . discretion, explained, the principles of our Constitutional Government, thus preparing her for the duties she had to perform as the constitutional ruler of a free country. The year 1837 marks the first great era in the public life of Victoria. Her uncle, William IV., died on June 19th, after a short reign of seven years. She was residing at Kensington Palace with her mo.ther, when early in the morning.of the" 20th, so early indeed that it was with difficulty the porter at the gate was aroused, the' Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chamberlain arrived from, Windsor Castle.' . After obtaining admittance it was some little time before they could secure attention, but eventually they were able to , makb the importance of their mission known. The Princess came into" 1 the" room dressed in a loose white night-gown and shawl, her hair falling upon her shoulders, and her feet in slippers. She had guessed the significance of the summons. Tears rose in her eyes, but she was perfectly calm and dignified. Thus nobly she received the news that she^was Queen of England. * In the forenoon a Privy Council was held. Lord Melbourne was present, and when all the members had assembled, the Queen, accompanied by her mother, ap peared and took her seat on a throne erected in the room. The Lord ■ Chancellor administered ,the oaths, and the Cabinet Ministers knelt before Her Majesty, who conducted herself -with astonishing calmness. The Ministers having been formally reappointed to their offices, the Queen made a declaration which had been drawn up for her, adding these words: — " This awful responsibility in imposed upon me so suddenly, and at so early a period of my life, that I should feel myself utterly oppressed by the burden were I not sustained by the hope .that Divine Providence, which has called me to this work, will give me strength for the performance of il, and that I shall find in the purity of my intentions, and in my zeal for the public welfare, that support and those resources which usually belong to a more mature age and to longer experience." Rejoicings in the country were universal, and from the largest cities to tho smallest hamlet the event was celebrated with enthusiasm. Tho after-time disclosed how singularly happy the marriage was.

On the 21st of June her accesion to> bhe throne was proclaimed. At St.. James's Palace she was met moat enthusiastically and her unaffected manner and' her charming simplicity' won th« keartss of all. <...,<«•.- Oa the 20th of November* the Qteem for" tbe first time opened Parliament, 1 Jtodaring ie*" confidence in the loyalty andt wisdon of hit people. \The next great event of the Queen's life was her coronation, which took place at Westminster on the 28th June, 1838, and the scene was a most imposing one. Her popularity grew day l>^ day ; her name became engraven -on -the Hearts off her subjects, and it was clear that, under her beneficent and enlightened- rule, loyalty in the national heart would grow deeper; ' . ' ....,.' . \On the 10th of February,- 1840. the. Queen's marriage with Francis, Albert Augustus Charles <. Emmanuel, Duke of iSaxony, Prince of Coburg- and } Gotha, took place &% the Chapel Rbyml, St# James's, amid a scene of great splendour, la multiplied forms the Prince demonstrated his intellectual gifts and hightoned moral character. . , On November 21st,. 1840,' the .Princess I Royal was born, who afterward* married] the late Emperor Frederick of r Gehnany» and who at this mo'meni is lying seriously ill at Frie'dfiehshof Castle'; _ Anxiety upon her account is believed to hare assisted in hastening her nwtherViieatb. The« heir-apparent — now the King—was born on November 9th, 1841 ; Priacess Alice on April, 25th, 1843 ; PrinceAJfired oa AtJgflst 6th, 1844 ;'- Princess Helena (the Printefew Christian) on May '2sth, -IJK6 ; jprincea* Ixrcnae (the* Marchioness of Lome) on 1 March IBth, 1848V,,Priift>e Arthur (the Ih»fce j ofCoonaugKt) off May Ist, 1850 ; . Prince' Leopold on April 7th, 1853 ; and Princess Beatrice on April 14th, 1857. The Princess Abe* married! the. , Grand, Duke of Hesse m 1862 and died on December 14ib^'l878L. One of her daughters is now the Ciarina. of Russia. . Prince Alfred .(the t J)uke of Edinburgh and; Duke of Sdx&-.C6borg» Gotha), married the Grand' Dnchea* Marie of Russia. He died on July 30th,, 1900. Prince Leopold (Dukeof Albany y died on March 28th, 1,884.' Priaoes& ■Beatrice married Prince Henryiof Batteaberg who died on January 20 th,\ 18 W6. < In 1842 the Queen and Prince, Consort visited Scotland for the first time, and the records of the journey, in "OnrLife in the Highlands," written by-Jhe Queen's: own hand, serre to show how noble waa the aifectiou that -knit the; Royal hearts. together. Scottish history and scenery had" a pecular charm for them. ■ Meanwhile/ the Queen continued to take the deepest interest in; -all that related to the national welMre^ In numerous .ways she manifested her desire for the good of her subjects, and in cases of national loss, by reason. of death, she was ever ready with, the word of .consolation and sorrow. - A conspicuous- instance of this occurred when the. iDpke of Wellington, died in 1852.', % The event Jonched . her. Heart ' : deeply. On receipt of the intelligence she i wrote thusrrr-lM opened, the, letter, agdjialas,' it contained -information of the. fatal newa —that England's, or* lather Britain's, pride, her glory, her hero\*he greatest man she had ever produced, Tftjs no more! Sad ..day 1j t Great irr,eparabler national low I'! - . i ,rf> &,],-;,.•-*- ' • On the 10th of June, 18,64, |he opened the Crystal Palace, amidst; af: scene of unusual splendour. The rnptdre bejtwoen England and ' Russia,- which resulted itf the Crimean War, took place .in,, 1855. With her humane instincts^ibe Queen issued a commission for the. purpose of raising a Patriotic Fund fc* JrWireMef of the. orphans and .widows of soldiers that might fall in thetrar^ . Thi* i»a<ieataret in Her Majesty's character which ham been displayed on all occasions 61 national suffering. - . v - ul^i . In the midst of all her splendour and! prosperity the Queen has not been without heavy bereavement. On theil4tb of December,' 1891,' to the intense grief of Her Msjesty; the Prince Consort died! rather suddenly. The news of his decease created n lational shock. ItAwas on a Saturday cv^aing, shortly/ before elerea o'clock,' that His Royal Highness died. The Queen, ,y. the • Prince, , olf.^Wale» t Princess.. Alice,' and • Princeis were .present 1 at. the last moment. To the peoplerof London the event was made known at midnight by the tolling ■ of the creat bell at St. Paul's.' rThe sympathy for the Queen wan universal. In' lßsß the.Pjrincess.. Royal-w as married ;to Frederick, William, /then .Crown Prince of -Prussia, and- afterwards Era peror of .Germany. ,: \on^Mwcfi~ lOtb, 1863, the Prince' of WaleslwJMjtunited to> the Princess Alexandra of Bnmisu^, who* was welcomed, to England Jtraft/ day* previously amid /almc«t Vnnpapdkfcdl magnificence. • The.Qneen wa» preseniat the marriage,, which tookl place., in Si. George's Chapel, Windsor., 7 Hes Majesty has taken an equally lovmg> interest in all the other marriages, conflicted, with her faniily. .With r imme^, iPßponsibilitiesitnd ceaseless duties. ,anar,pt^ps she has exhibited to the nation^, ttjfhjßftttern of a mother imbued with thj». wry highest solicitude for the welfare, of her children*..^.shv .-;».nv ' , - Her reign for the first few- yean was tranquil, but the Crimean war in 185455 ipnt an end to the period >«f repose. The Indian Mutiny, witto-'its;< shocking barbarities, followed three yesm later. Since 'that '"time "we f hare 'seenf " other struggles less' terrible I ,' and there bno> doubt thatthegrief^ndannetycansediliei Queeu'by th& bitter war in South^Africa hastened her end 1 as it clouded .her last days. 1 ' ' ' ' ■'' '"'" ' ?" H ''■> - It T is 1 pleasing, however, 'to 'turn aside from r these darker pictures to the triumphs of peace and the continued supremacy of* free ' and constitutional Government with its long train 1 of blessings, Whilst European States bare been convulsed and empires hare risen and been swept away at a stroke, the-- throne of Victoria has never been for, a. moment ruffled,. "standing like an iron pillar, and steadfast as" a n wall l of brass.;* Her Majesty has ever shown that her mind is hot -exclusive or one r sided in its ' range. Not courts and camps, not royal pageants and the din of war, were her delight.. Whilst manifesting the necessary -attention^ to the graver and more momentous coricerns of the nation, she always disclosed an interest in her people but rarely met with amongst royal personages. ' "Tijii fine combination is nowhere' more clearly revealed than in her 1 "Leaves. from our Journal in the "Highlands," to: « full of charming simplicity; and so narked by a sense' of the highest responsibility. Though spending many hours 'amongst the home 9 of the poor peasantry, her mind is concentrated upon the grave issues of the* nations.'- ' J Her period of sovereignty is full of important changes. She has -seen the. Corn T/awsT /aws abolished, Poor Laws amended, the Volunteer Force established, Jews" admitted into Parliament, penny postage established, and the outlying dependencies of the Empire, united together and to the Mother Country by the electric cable. Legislation has been unusu.illy active, and great results have been achieved. Further political power has been placed in the hands ,of the people, education improved and extended, and " honest efforts made to uproot abuses. Tha devotion to her throne has been almost universal amongst Her subject. In 1887 the Jubilee of Her^ Majesty's reign was celebrated with great splendour. eclipsed only by the commemoration of ' ' the Diamond Jubilee in 1897, an event wh»ch is of too recent date to need recapitulation here. Last year Her Majesty paid a lengthy visit, to Iceland, and was everywhere received with loyalty and enthusiasm, which could not be excelled in any part of her dominions. The vi&it was welltimed, and bad a good effect in cementing the ties between Ireland and England. Her marvellous tact on. this, ns on counile&j o'l'tsr occasions, did more thau the efforts of diplomatists aud statesmen to foster good; feeling. It is well-known that, at more*'*' than ono or two crises, her personal influence has staved of a threatened war between

nations and helped to restore amicable relations. Her close connection, through her numerous family, with most of the reigning houses of Europe, has enabled her to possess a power which probably no Other monarch has ever possessed, while her remarkable foresight and judgment have enabled her to wield it always on the side of right and peace. In the domestic policy of the Empire her benign influence has extended brough her family and her Court, down through all grades of society, ever leading to the raising of the moral character of the nation. I* may wall be said of her that she luld a nobler office upon earth "Than arms, or power of braia, or

birth, Could give the warrior K>ngs of old." from her accession to tht throne to her dying momentt she rft'eained the deepest affections of her people.