The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-11 00:00:00

THE SOLITUDE OF THE QUEEN•

(From ill; Times.)
There is one function of Royalty upon the due per-
formance of which both the real and the imaginal'
influences of the Crown depend for their permanence'
The Sovereign must appear frequently
in public,
must exercise a splendid hospitality, must be the
visible head of English society. The policy of some
Oriental despots has been to seclude themselves from
the eyes of their subjects, lest familiarity should dis-
sipate the impression of superhuman attributes. The
policy of English Kings has been exactly the reverse,
and Englishmen have come to regard the social duties
of Sovereignty as very real and serious duties. The
Stuarts, with all their faults, understood this part of
kingc.raft thoroughly; William 111., though much
against the grain, did his best to cultivate it; for
want of it, the first two Georges utterly failed to
redeem the disadvantage of German extraction
and manners ; by virtue of it George 111. re'
covered the popularity which he bad lost by his
apparent subservience to his mother and Lox.'
Bute. He never forgot the lesson. Though be
cordially hated pageantry, he was always to be seen,
and charmed by his entire freedom from royal airs
the bitterest opponents of his political bigotry'.
The retirement of George IV., little as he was be-
loved, was borne with great impatience ; the affable
and sailor-like manners of William IV. won him
golden opinions ; and the accession of a Young
Queen, who made it evident that she loved to meet
her subjects, elicited an outburst of loyalty which
_A
most of us can still remember. It was not dipole':
by 24 years of unbroken sunshine, and it has not
been quenched by more than five years that have
elapsed since the Prince Consort's death. At the
same time, we have never concealed, and have more
than once respectfully expressed, our conviction of
f
the injurious effect which so protracted an eclipse °
her Majesty's social prerogative must needs produce.
There cannot be a greater mistake than to suppose
that signing papers and transacting with Pilue-
tuality the indispensable business of State is the one
thing incumbent on a Sovereign, all else bell
optional. It would be hardly too much to say that
the reverse is nearer the truth. It has already been
found possible to relieve the Queen of much manual
labour in signing commissions, and there is probahil,
room for still further economy of her time an
trouble in matters of routine. What can only be
done effectually by herself, and cannot properly be
delegated to others, is this very function whie,
some may call merely ornamental. The reception °I,
foreign Princes and foreign Ministers, the holding el
Drawing-rooms and Levees, occasional appearances
on public occasions, and all the nameless courtesies
and hospitalities of a Court—these are just the acts
which the English nation expects of its Sovereigns_
_
and which, therefore, it is impolitic for an English
Sovereign to neglect. They cannot be neglected with-
out risk of consequences which all would deplore.
English society will have leaders, and if the Sove-
reign abandons the leadership, others will inevitably
_
usurp the place, to the injury, perhaps, of that pure
morality which the example of the Queen has done
so much to establish. But we have also obligations
to perform, and even debts to repay, to foreign na-
tions. At this moment the Sovereigns of Miss/3
and Prussia, with other Princes of minor rank, are
the guests of the Emperor Napoleon, within ten or
twelve hours of Buckingham Palace and wiudscr,
Castle. The Czar, in particular, who entertained
the Prince of Wales last winter so magnificentlP
and who seldom comes so far West, ought surely't
to visit our capital. He cannot, however, visit I_
in her Majesty's absence, and our national charact.er
for hospitality is compromised by a contretemps for
which the nation is not responsible. Parliament
would doubtless, if it were necessary, be ready to
vote any reasonable sum for his entertainment, as
the Common Council has already voted mope/
towards the reception of the Sultan and the Belgiaa,
Volunteers; but it cannot vote her Majesty back
from Scotland, nor can the want of a hearty wel-
come be supplied even by the Order of the Garter.
In reverting to so delicate a subject, we do n°t
forget either the sacred rights of private sorrow or
the truly Royal compassion which the Queen bes
so often manifested for the sorrows of others. Her
devotion to the memory of a good husband, and
her sympathy with all who are desolate or op-
pressed, come home to millions who know nothing,
of Royalty in its political or social aspects, aua
will ever be associated with her name. Her letter!
to Mrs. Lincoln and Mr. Peabody have touchedthe hearts of the American people ; her apPe.t
to the King of Prussia is believed to have had he
share.in averting an European war ; and be„
prompt expressions of 'womanly condolence, even
more than her generous deeds of charity, bare
brought consolation to many a widowed home. Wre,..1,,
it possible in these stirring days for a Queen
withdraw from public life without losing her er.
constitutional position and weakening that of lie'
that
successors, Queen Victoria might well claim ~c,
privilege. But this is not possible, and there 15_;f
true loyalty in disguising the inevitable results
„aid
such an experiment if carried on too long. uo
not be safe to allow another generation to grow
.
rarely, if ever, seeing the face of their Swore:fel;
and only knowing by report that she bad once, b.ely
the centre of a brilliant Court, and moved 11.7.0 a
among her people. It is not the aristocracy !to
its parasites, as is sometimes hinted, that Wu
ilk or
suffer by a social abdication. The aristocraci
are
how to take care of itself, and royal invitatieum• ia
not the only passports to " good society" It
to
t the
0
the interest of the monarchy itself, and -
country at large, that we venture once °ler ,A 0
express the hope that her Majesty will soon res;o
the place which not even the Heir Apparent
i 3
hold for her.

benle)fißtlls;
plaßyeodyfAoLr the last time. to
-EnSigSh'St,lwlllheEnAT,,RE.—Miss Glyn Will !avikellkoet
Antony and Cleopatra
ti-
CniAll GARDENS.—A very beati 6
ful display of American plants is now on view at theeto
gardensul in the Regent's-park, and will remain upon
are arranged
inspection during the present month. They 4 f
arranged in a tent occupying an extent a upw f d °to
20,000 square feet, and are so tastefully arraneu. as
present a sight of uncommon beauty. 1..,, ago a
A DIAMON
D BRACELET.—SeveraI month. • -, h..
diamond bracelet, valued at over £l5O, was lost at Pc a
mond by Lady Parker, and, although search was n'acie and
handsome rewards offered, no clue could be obtaine, st
her ladyship gave it up as lost to her for certain. 1).30,.
week her ladyship received an anonymous letter, sten it
that a parcel awaited her at a certain tradesman's, tl.lst,lSt
bore the direction given in the letter, and that eb° °1.,,,10
apply in person for it. Lady Parker's curiositY ." 0,
aroused, and she visited the tradesman's shop hers]tl°.„..
where the parcel as described had been for s day'.
The parcel was claimed and conveyed home, and 11,,a
Parker's astonishment may be imagined when on ope°'-ci".
it she discovered her long-lost diamond bracelet intaia or
No elucidation can be given to the mystery.-- in
Express. . e 0
WHAT'S THE FARR ?—IS a wonderful controran-
hit upon by J. L. Iladdan, C.E. of the flaC9C'i;
Carriage Department of the Metropolitan Police, n,- of
entitled by him The ' Course' System. It is OuggeStis
all
an instant -solution of a protlem hitherto regarded 99 a,
but insoluble—namely, that as to the settlement a Pee.A.
niary difficulties between Cabby and his custoraero• trot
little oblong book-lette, just the size for a waistcoat-Pne'
the I'l7-
or a lady's reticule—furnishes the clue through
rinth of London Distances. Letters—Numerals--A t° -.
Ito 16—S. and D.—the Street-lamps and this before-rannd
tinned book-lette—behold all ! The nut is crac)ced--81_301
the kernel of the whole difficulty lies there iu the nutsbete
always at the command of "Fare" and Cabman, and i°
taken by either with a relish.