The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-02-02 00:00:00

.1c ,itoutbriblle Obserber

Sal URDAY . FEBRUARY 2nd, 1884.

THE QUEEN AND HER PEOPLE.

The announcement of the forthcoming publi-
(Dation of •' More Leaves from the Journal of a
Life in the Highlands," cannot fail to excite
lunch intvrest amongst various classes of her
Majesty's subjects. Many years have passed
Biwa the first edidon of this work was given by
the Queen to her people, and there can be ro
doubt of the eagerness with which it wan read
as efforaing a glimpse at the inner life of a
household, protwrly regardtd es the highest in
the lend. Lord Tennyson, a very long time
ago, wrote of "the fierce light which beats upon
the throne," and of its intensity there can be no
doubt whatever, judging from the details chron.

toted by the Court Ne-ws-man, when he tells the
public through the columns of the press that
"the Queen drove out yesterday," or that "her
Maj sty and Princess Beatrice walked." Records
Ilk. these respecting ordinary mortals are of not
the slightest interest, but a Sovereign is with
many a mythical personage, and "the divinity
which doth hedge a king," is by no means a
ilklic2 of speech.
In less 'ban two years and a half Queen
Vie one will enter upon the fiftieth year of her
reign. She ascionddd the throne on the 20th
June, 1837, and consequently will begin her
jubilee year on the 20th June, 1886. As we
have been assured that her Majesty's general
health is not impaired by the unfortunate acci-
dent at Windsor Castle many months ago, there
is every prospect of the Sovereign celebrating
her jubilee, as her grandfather did before her.
The Guelphs are a family remarkable for long-
evity. The youngest of the monarchs belong-
ing to the Hanoveri in line who have been re-
moved by death was George 1., who attained the
mature age of 67. Next to him in point of years
was George IV., who was 68. The Queen's
uncle, whom she succeeded, William IV., was
72, George 11. was 77, and good old King George
111. was 82. Therefore, the Sovereign who still
sways the sceptre is as yet the youngest of the
Brunswick House. Queen Victoria is not yet
65 ; and although she is unable to take part in
those stately pageants It hich were accustomed
to distinguieb the court in the first half of her
reign, her health is not affected and there is
every r:,hison t., hope and to believe th 4 her life
rosy he :ipered for many years to come.
.11r. Bright, in an eloquent passage contained
in one of his speeches to his constituents at Bir-
mingham, referred to the Reform agitation of
1832, and said • "Many of the strong men of
that time are now white with age." That was
as far hack as 1858, and if we contrast 1837 with
1884, we shall find that Mr. Bright's words are
much more applicable. For instance, how many
members of the House of Commons as it will
meet on 'I nerday occupied seats in that assembly
when the heralds proclaiined in the market
places of this kingdom that Victoria Alexandrine
had becomd 'he ruler over the lands and seas of
En 4 land? They ern be counted upon the
fiogers of one hand. There is the Prime Minis-
ter, who then sat for Newark ; Mr. Charles
Villiers, M.P., for Wolverhampton ; Sir Harry
Verney, M.P. for Buckingham ; and Mr. Christo-
pher Talbot, U.P. for Glamorganshire, "Oar
fathers—where are they?" And where are the
other 654 members of the House of Commons
who were the law-givers forty-seven years ago?
There is not the slightest doubt about the answer
to be givea to this question. Most of them have
gone to swell a much larger majority than any
ever announced in a political assembly. There
are a few—and bat a very few—iu the Lords,
such as Earl Granville and Viscount Halifax.
Some long ago disappeared from public into
private life, and were never heard of again ; but
by far the greater number have been gathered to
their fathers. A member of the present Cabinet
—Sir Charles Dilke—was not born for six years
after the Queen came to the throne. Of the
;tette•urne Cabinet then in power the only
survivor is Earl Grey, who has attained the
patriarchal age ef eighty-two. Where are the
leading spirits of the Conservative opposition of
that time? The Duke of Wel'ington, in the
Lords, has been resting In the crypt of St. Paul's
for 3 generation ; the remains of Sir Robert
Pest have been in Tamworth churchyard an even
longer period. We might continue the com-
parison and the contrast with the chief names in

ivery department of the State and in every
variety ot intellect, in the army and the navy, in
the ranks of our historians, artists, sculptors,
authors, and the masters of these sciences, which
bend them to the will of man. But amid all
these vicissitudes, and amid all the ouvrtrd pro-
gress in improvement's march, there is one at
tribute whiob has remained changeless In the
fans of so much change. Her Majesty promised
to govera in accordance with the constitution of
the realm, and in the face of all the fluctuations

of party, and the oscillations of the political
pendulum ; this plodge bas been faithfully kept
no matter who has happened to be at the head
of affairs,