The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-10-30
QUEEN VICTORIA

/ -,-s QUEEN VICTORIA. -
The duties of the Queen aud the way she lives
are thus described: e. @4@ t@5s=a{-z
A Queens day is one of great toll, and can only
be got through satisfactorily by persons Of strong
constitutions and very systematic habits. Let us
sketch one of these days, which the reader will
suppose to be varied by circumstances.
The Queen rises at seven o'clock, in summer
time much earlier, and after her toilette eithe,
| walks or rides out with Prince Albert. Returning
at eight o'clock, after family devotion, Her Ma
jesty breakfasts At the entrance to the breakfast
saloon she is received by the maids of honor, who
curtesy to the very ground These maids of honor
selected from the first families in the country
They are usually younger daughters of the nobil
ty. Each receives e300 year, to find her in
clothes, but this is merely nominal salary. Afte,
breakfast, at which her majesty eats heartily, the
daily papers are read and then a visit is paid to
the nursery, the whole family go into the garden
the Conservatives, &c. At ten O'Clock the master
of the household visits the Queen, and giving an
account of his stewardship, receives her instruc-
tions in regard to Invitations interviews the dis
pensation of her charity, &c. The duties of this
office are very onerous. AT least one hundred
petitions and letters are daily sent to the palace
and it is the business of Sir Charles Phipps to
ply to every one, in her Majestys name, no matter
how poor the applicant or how absurd soever the
application OF course large discretion is allowed
to the master of the household in these matters,
and it is great proof of the tact of Sir c. Phipps
that he has never been known to compromise the
royal dignity by an insolent, unkind, or unbecom-
ing reply.
At eleven O'clock one of the ministers, or an
under secretary arrives, or, commonly, a
Queens messenger comes, with a red leather box
filled with official documents. Twice a week the
ommander-in-chief and one of the lords of the
admiralty wait upon the Queen, or send their
boxes. These boxes contain abstracts of foreign
correspondence, army and navy commissions re-
quiring the royal sign manual, applications for
public appointments in the Queens gift, commu-
nications from ambassadors drafts of speeches. and
replies to addresses, &C., all of which engage Her
Majesty for an hour or two. This business des-
patched, and the boxes returned to their several
departments, Her Majesty receives visitors or
grants interviews. 1t is astonishing how many
persons seek access to royalty on one pretext or
another. Foreign ministers to present credentials
or kiss hands their departures; artists to show
their handy work or paint some member Of the
rnyai s--ty '""ontors with new schem::-, - u
mitted interest, nnhln,n- 10 make special repre-
sentations upholsterers to receive orders people
from abroad with presents of curious workmanship
or remarkable animals. Race horses are always ac-
ceptable for the Queen is an admirable equestrian.
Luncheon is generally despatched between l
and O'clock and then the carriages are ordered
to the door for long ride or drive IF the Queen
is at Windsor Castle, she takes this opportunity of
paying visits to her relatives, to persons of rank
for whom she has special regard. On her re-
turn. an hour or two is devoted to reading and at
halfpast 7, dinner is served. This is rather a.
solemn affair. There is no general conversation.
It is not etiquette for guests to speak until they
are spoken to- A military or other royal band
plays during the meal. From the dinner table the
party, including some of the principal officers of
the household the ladies in waiting, &C., adjourn
to the drawing-room, and the evening is passed
very agreeab1y. Music and dancing, conversation.
reading aloud the inspection of portfolios of draw
ings, chess, bagatelc, winding up with family
prayer, constitute the ordinary methods by which
time is consumed.
This is Queens day at Windsor Castle, or Os-
borne, in the Isle of Wight. When at Balmoral,
there is less of work, more reading, and more out
door pastime. Prince Albert and the Prince of
Wales pass many hours in deer stalking and grouse
shooting. The Queen rambles over the mountains
and visits poor cottages, attends Highland fete
chdmpetres. q
A day in London, during "the season." is
much more fatigung affair. The Queen begins by
opening Parliament-a very tedious and formal
piece of business. The crowds that assemble on
this occasion very great. Her Majesty is
cheered along the whole line Of route from her
palace to the House of Peers The people dearly
love the Queen, and rejoice at the opportunity of
greeting her. In the House of Peers, the assem-
blage of peereses, foreign ambassadors and privi-
legged strangers is very considerable and very bril-
liant. It is treat to hear the Queen read her
Speech her voice is SO clear her elocution so per-
feet. In the evening, Her Majesty gives grand
dinner, and then proceeds TO the opera. Levees,
visits to public institutions, the business of the
Duchy of Cornwall, morning concerts, interviews
with scientific men, attendance at scientific lee
lures, &C., occupy the mornings of Prince Albert.
The Queen holds drawing rooms, visits picture gall
leries, reviews the troops in Hyde Park, Wool
wch and Aldershott Camp, and performs all the
ordinary public business described as forming part
of her country life. Every evening there are din
ner parties, concerts balls, the Queen attends
of the theatres She is passionately fond of
the drama, and has a state-box in every theatre
excepting Drury Lane.
The drawing rooms and levees at which pre-
sentations take place have become very fatiguing
to the Queen and the Prince. Formerly, not more
than one hundred or two hundred persons were re-
ceived. The popularity of the Queen, and the
increase of the volunteer and militia forces, have
increased the eligibles SO much that as many as
six hundred ladies have been presented at one
drawing room, and fifteen hundred gentlemen at
levee. Americans very numerous at the
assemblages. Having clear right to appear at
the levees of the President of the Republic, they
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