an observer noted it as being composed of high peaks but influences have reduced it to the appearance of a single wasting similar to those which the northern slopes of i ea there are a number of shore on the island and six groups of but m the of the and the great depth of the soil in many places s v v i � � ill � � � letter xviii lions op and the purple which we grow in pots for dinner table ornament is as common as a weed besides this hotel and the handsome but exaggerated and government buildings not yet finished there are few imposing here the but temporary english cathedral the church diminished once to suit a population but already too large again the prison a clean building empty in the because the are sent out to labour on roads and public works the queen s hospital for for which queen and her husband became in the court house a staring building and the palace almost the of this last little can be said except that it is appropriate and to a kingdom of souls which is more than can be said of the income of the king the of the ministers and some other things it stands in of about an acre in extent with a fine avenue running through them and is approached by a flight of steps which leads to a tolerably spacious hall decorated in the european style of louis and his queen presented by themselves and of the late admiral thomas adorn the walls the have a profound respect for this officer s memory as it was through him that the of the islands was promptly restored to the native rulers after the infamous affair of its to england as represented by lord george there are also some ornamental and miniature copies of some of s works xviii the takes up the left wing of the palace this unfortunately a rather dreary in london or new york and no features except a decorated chair which is the throne there is an crown also neither grand nor costly hut this i hare not seen at present the palace is only used for state and for the king is living at his private residence of not far off miss w kindly introduced me to queen or the queen of iv whom you will remember as having visited england a few years when she received great attention she has one fourth of english blood in her veins but her complexion is fully as dark as if she were of descent and her features though refined by education and circumstances are also hut she is a very pretty as well as a very graceful woman she was brought up by dr an here and though educated at the american school for the en of chiefs is very in her and sympathies an attached member of the english church and an ardent of the mission is very popular and her exceeding kindness and benevolence with her strongly national feeling as an make her much beloved by the natives the winter palace as her house is called is a large shady abode like an old fashioned new england house but with two deep and the letter xviii � n s entrance is on the upper one the lower floor seemed given up to attendants and offices and a native woman was clothes under a tree upstairs the house is like a english country house with a pleasant english look as if its furniture and ornaments had been gradually during a series of years and possessed individual histories and reminiscences rather than as if they had been ordered together as from stores indeed it is the most english looking house i have seen since i left home except at if there were a bell i did not see it and we did not ring for the queen received us at the door of the drawing room which was open i had seen her before in dress driving a pair of black horses in a english but on this occasion she was not receiving visitors formally and was indulging in wearing the native and her black hair was left to its own devices she is rather below the middle height very young looking for her age which is thirty seven and very graceful in her movements her manner is indeed ver fascinating from a combination of unconscious dignity with simplicity her expression is sweet and gentle with the same look of sadness about her eyes that the king has but she has a brightness and of expression which give a great charm to her appearance she has much first for the death at the age of of her only child the prince of who when dying was into the english ch by the name of edward queen victoria and the prince of wales being his and c xviii secondly for the premature death of her husband to whom she was much attached she speaks english beautifully only hesitating now and then for the most correct form of expression she spoke a good deal and with great pleasure of england and described and the emotions it excited in her so admirably that i should like to have heard her describe all europe a few days afterwards i went to a garden party at her house it was a very pretty sight and the everybody of was there to the number of i must describe it for the benefit of who in thinking that ed must necessarily be grotesque people arrived shortly before sunset and were received by queen who sat on the lawn with her attendants about her very simply dressed in black silk the king at whose entrance the band played the national stood on another lawn where were made by the and those who were already acquainted with him had an opportunity for a few minutes 