Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-04-27
QUEEN vEUFORHaTs DAILY LIFE.

/
Air. SiddOns is a relative of the great actress
and his articles about English celebrities a
among the most interesting lately found in Hs
per:
QUEENS DAY.
There IS a corps attached to the British cou,
which is denominsted the fGontlemen- -at-arns.
They do not absolutely form the body guard O
the sovereign, that title being monop0lized b
the {" Ysomen of the Guard" commonly Gale
the " Beef eaters "-su old corruption of Buff
tiers. But their duty is nevertheless to deien
the Queens person against all possible aftacS
when she holds court at Windsor or Bueking
ham palace This garde du corps consists o.
| forty gentlemen that is, according TO thc
aristocratic reading of English society, person
who have never been in trade. There is q cap
tain, lieutenant, and two or three other officers
The gentlemen paw e 300 for their commission
and receive each Sl00 per annum. They wea
a scarlet coat sad white buckskin breeehes, =
steel breast-plase, geuntlets, helmet, and jacb
boots. They ara armed with sword and spear
and thus alfred an aeeOutered they liue the
staircase and the throne-ioom or reception-room
when the Queen receives her devoted subiscts
l once held one of those commissions; and after
by selling the commission which I had bought
hsd relinq1ished the weary privilege of stand.
ing bolt upright for four hours in the presence
of the sovereign sn1 the court, 7 held small sD-
pointDsnt in tho royal household, These cir
cumstsuces fsmiliarizsd me- with the usages ol
the Q1een, and impressed me deeply with .
sense OF her Majssty's method, industry, kind
ness, intelligence and high notions of duty.
An idea naturally prevails auong the nulsi-
tude that the life Of a sovereign is life Of lux.
urious idleness. Uneasy lies ths head that
wears crown" wss predicted of British king
in the days of despotism, but hiss no applica-
ton to the head which is continually ccunied
with considerations of public good.
Queen Vietoris--I speak of her in the present
tense, though it is now four years sincs was
an inmste Of the palace--Iises At hslfpast six
O'Clock iu the summer, and halEpast seven in
the winter. After the toilet and morning ser
vice in the chapel Of tbe palace, she breakfasts.
Coffee, bread, butter, eggs. aud cold meat con
stitute the usual repast. Ono or two ladios in
waiting and an equery have the privilege OF
psrtaking tho morning meal with the roysI
family Breakfast over, the Queen sallies forth
to walk on the slopes at Windsor or in the gar-
den Of the palses, asd generally visits, when
at Windsor, the farm or avisry, looking at her
horses and examining the aquarium
Rs-enteri3g her dwelling, she goes into the
nursery or the rooms in which the princes and
princesses are goiug through their studies; then
glancing at the Times and MorEiEg Past. she en-
household This officer lays before her Majesty
a memorandum Of al the letters aud sp6lica.
tioas be has received addressed to the Queen
and reports how he has disposed of them Ha
is allowed considerable latitude IN regard TO
the dspensstion of the inOnarch's charities for.
Of course the Q7een herself cannot institute in
quiries into the deserts Of the numerous sDpli
esnts. Ga the departure of the master of ths
household, the lord stewards deputy enters to
receive orders as to the invjtatons thas shall %
issued to persons of merit and distinction 20
visit her Majesty. These persons arrive to dine
one Gay, remain all the next day enio7in- the
individual attentions Of one or the other of tde
members of the househsld, and return homo on
Lhe third day These three days are called The
days of "rest," reception" End departure"
At eleven o'clock the dispatch boxes Of the
principal Secretaries Of State arrive or are
brought by ths ministers themselves. There is
nre from the Foreign Minister, ore from the
War Minister, ere from the Lords of the Ad-
1irElty, and one from tie Homo Secretary. with /
! supplement- box from the Premier, who is
9ither First Lord to the Treasury or Chancellor
1f the E1chequer
The box Of the Foreign Secretary receives
primary attention. It contains g pTecis. care /
ully written and sigred by the Secretary or
)ne of the under secretaries, of all the core. /
Ipondence that has recently taken place With /
oreigu powers, together with drafts of the sup |
plies which it is proposed to send Ifauy knot |
" question is st issue the Qucsn will probably I
lesire to see the original dispatches, # her wish /
n this respect has not been anticipated L is 4 /
iclion TO say that a constitutional sovereign /
can do no wrong" Ia her alone is vested the 4
1ower to declare war and make peace. though |
he responsibility is borne by tba Premier.
Hence it becomes her duty to watch the pro-
yress Of every discussion, and 70 stop, ere It be
90 late, the adoption Of any policy which nav
compromise the peace OF the nation
The Foreign Sacret,lry's box being closed,
hat of the War Minister receives attention.
This box, il time of ps2ce, contains 8 report of
II that has been done in respect to new military
INVENTIONS and alterations in tbs clothing aud
equipments Of the troops; Recommendations of
sran general officers for important military
omusads, staff situations, or colonial govern
rents; and list Of al the promotions ard ap.
ointments it is proposed 70 make These lat-
ar are inscribed on large sheets of paper, and
there is nothing Objectionable in any Of the
for prefermant, the Queen attaches
er sign manual to cath sheet. The lords of
be sdmiralty make a communication cores
onding wish that Of the Wax Secretary.
The Home SscTetary's box contains warrants
ed patents for she Q1esn's SIGNATURE, which
12rrans confer Judicial OF ecclesiastical ap-
upon the higher members Of the bar
I'd the clergy, OF are the signal for the execu-
on Of general criminals. It is "a subisct Of
eep sorrow to the Queen when TIE Home Sec
slsTy docs not see reason for recommending
sr 70 exercise the royal prerogs!ve Of mercy.
o consign fellow creature to eternity Is Ie-
oting to her Christian spirit, and especially
hen the fellow-eresture is 3 woman. Indesd,
nee the last psToxysln of anguish which the
aV,(f IN T., L,a- |
'msry to assume that nurderess is a lunssic,
nd to confne her for life
The public efsrs of the nation at an end the
ueen now receives visitors, who have besn
leeielly invited, or persons who have besn
1noTed with Eer Commands" TO attend At the
alsce. Among the latter are artists and pub
shers, who have rare and novel works to show
} her Meiesty, or her likeness to take; persons
trusted with presents for the svicry, foreigners
ith special introduesons from their own soy
-oigns, tTadesInsn with articles which the Queen
dssirous Of purchasing, and 50 forth. After
lese folks have been dismissed, the Tavsl fami- |
? take their lunch, at which the Queen eats
I'D drinks heartily. The horses and carriages
70 then brought to the door, and her Majesty
ther rides or drives out for three or four hours,
equently taking the opportunity of visiting !
)ne Of the nobility, the Datchass Of Inverness,
r even (in the eGuntiy) poor but worthy peO |
le who are confined by sickness. Hsr Msjsa-
Is kindness 10 the suffariog5 Of her own sex is
roverbial. It is on record that when Mrs War
or, a tragic actress of excellent character, WIS
Of disease which ultimately carried her to
er grave, the Queen sent a carriage every day
lat she might nave the advantage Of pure air ]
n her rosurn home the Queen spends an hour
her private boudoir or library, and then dress
for dinner
dinner ct the palace hiss always been very
etely dre&ry, tedious affair. The table service
!, Of course, superb--gold plate, Sevrss poree-
in, alabaster vases, flowers, brilliant ehsnds
ers servants in scarlet coats and powdered
esds, military band performing in an ante
'orn, aud many ladies and gentlemen at table
j full dress costume A profound silence TeignS
lroughout the meal, only broken by the voice
the Queen, addressing herself to one or other
the guests, who are expected to limit thsu-
lives to direct reply. General conversation
carried On in whispers only A grest variety
wines are drank at the royal table, the Qasen
nd Prines Albert cDn6ning themselves chiefly
, Garf,s,, fT1Ls-..N 4