The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-17 00:00:00

111 R. BRIGHT A? COURT.

(From the Newcastle Chronicle.)
In certain circles in London conversation for the
last few days has been all about Mr. Bright's ar
pearance at Court, which was attended by loci"
dents of a very interesting character. Some yea's
ago Lord Derby volunteered a remark, considered
at the time highly gratuitous and offensive, to
.the
effect that Mr. Bright could not be 4. sent for
by the Queen, as he would be a distasteful person
at Court. A year or- two afterwards Mr. Bright
resented this in his own effective way, in a speech
he made at Birmingham,. in which he reminded,
Lord Derby that there were persons who stood
upon the steps of the Throne without being
able to add anything to the security °`,
it by increasing the affection of the Peql°
for it, and whose presence so near to it was not 5
national advantage. We understand on Mr. Glad-
stone mentioning to her Majesty that he intended'
with her permission, to offer a seat in the Cabinet
to the hon. member for Birmingham, the Queen
was pleased to say it would afford her the greatest
satisfaction if Mr. Bright should consent to serv°
the Crown—that she had read his speeches with
great pleasure, and that she was under the grcateat
obligation to him for the many kind words he hal
spoken of her, especially for a speech he made ahciut
two years- ago in a great meeting in St. James's"
hall. When Mr. Bright went to Windsor to take
the oaths of office her Majesty showed her delicate
consideration for the great commoner in a very
marked way. She sent Mr. Helps, the clerk to the
Privy Council, to assure Mr. Bright, if it was 131°r;
agreeable to his feelings to omit the ceremony of
kneeling or kissing hands he was quite at liberty
to do so. Mr. Bright availed himself of this con'
siderate permission, and was very kindly and ci)ft;
dially received by her Majesty, who took occasion
in the most marked manner to express her gratifieeci
don at meeting him. It was afterwards intimate
to Mr. Bright that her Royal Highness the Printer
i,
Royal of Prussia had expressed a desire that I".'`;
Bright should be presented to her. This was don °t
and the Princess heartily assured Mr. Bright til3t
she greatly desired to be acluainted with hitn—tbit
she herself and all the members of the royal faully
i
were greatly indebted to him for the way in wilich
be
he bad spoken of their mother. She herself, sea
said, had read all his speeches, and she was Pleasfai
to see him. Mr. Bright rep:ied in very grace,
terms, and said if her royal highness would I)er,
mit him he would tell her that the late Nil,
Buchanan, the American Minister, when last
London, said of her to him h
er
, bet " that wherever
royal highness went she shed sunshine over all the
path." Mr. Bright was very much struck with tile
graceful, animated manners and genial greeting
had the honour to receive from her royal big"!
tl's
and the young ladies of the court tell with cur
interest of the meeting between his royal high 13,a0
and the great Quaker courtier. Mr. Bright DLio
already become as famous in royal circles as
great predecessor, n illiam Penn. As a great o
has been said and written about the Queen's Pe r
sonal feelings, and as some of Mr. Gladstone's °o 0
intimate supporters have believed till lately t'
Mr. Disraeli had an undua influence over her, it io
most satisfactory to hear, as the have on the Ter'
best authority, that her Majesty's private reeeptil
of her newPrirae Minister was so gracious, so ki°
even so " affectionate" was the wocd used, as
t,
t 0
overwhelm him with feelings of the warmest gra
tude. Nothing could have more lightened ble r e
i
cent toils, or cheered him more thoroughly in w,
happily few difficulties he has to contend with.

1