The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-08-10
MISCELLANY,
DOMESTIC ROYALTY.

DOMESTIC ROYALTY.
THE MARRIED LIFE OF PRINCE ALBERT AND.l
QUEEN VICTORIA. ID ..t-,s ST.
When it was announced some time ago that
Queen Victoria was preparing book which |
was to record the story of her married life
and of the early life of the Prince Consort,
great interest was naturally excited to see
what 1t would be like. The promised book
has appeared, and copies OF the English edI-
ton are circulating in this country 1t was
prepared under the immediate superntehd-
ence of the Queen, and no small part OF It
and that the most interesting-has been VIII
ten by her. The traDslations OF the etters Oh
Prince Albert have been made from German
into English by the Princess Helena, the eld- |
est unmarried daughter of the Queen. The |
period covered by this volume extends from |
the Princes birth to his marriage and the |
birth and christening of the Princess ROYAL |
The story of Albert's childhood is chiefly told
by himself, in extracts from his diary and his |
correspondence, while his marriage is describ-
ed by himself and the Queen There are few
personal narratives so touching and beautiful |
as this, and the book will be read with intense |
interest everywhere. The most perfect SIM |
plicity and artlessness pervades it from begin |
ming to end. 1t is as if the widowed Queen |
had resolved to take her whole people into
her confidence, to show them all her heart
and make them part of her family; and If |
the reader is sometimes disposed to smile at |
the ndicete of some of her revelations, it is |
smile which in no way detracts from the |
hearty sympathy and respect he win feel for
her. We believe that we can offer our read
ers nothing more interesting than such sum-
mary OF this narrative as our space will allow.
1t is announced that the Harpers will soon
publish an American edition OF the book: a~-
PRINCE ALBERTs CHILDHOOD, q "a
Pflnce Albert was born on the 21st of
June, dol9, az hosenau, summer residence
vi MS iaCner the Duke of Coburg. His moth
ers marriage was not happy one. and she
was separated from his father when fbe
young Prince Albert was only five wears old.
DurHlS tue remaining seven years of be, lite
ms motiier never saw her children. Her
Majesty writes that the Prince never foroot |
her, and spoke with much tenderness and s0r-
row OF MS poor mother, and was deeply af- |
fected IN reading, after his marriage, the ac-
counts OF her sad and painful illness. One of I
the flrst gifts made to the Queen was little
pm he mad received from her when little |
cnlld. AT two years of age little AIberin- I
chenD was described as "with his large blue
Eyes ana diIhpled cheeks, bewitching, forward, I
very funny, all good nature, and full of mis-,
cnleL The FRINGE afterwards spoke to the
queen OF his childhood, when his mother w,s |
yet with him, as the happiest time OF his life.
He and his brother Ernest, year older than
ninselI, were educated under the direction M |
in childish diary, cried at NV leSsor tn
DAY, because could not fird a verb: and the
tutor plnched me to show me what !, yorh |
was; and cried about it so . ' '''
why the marriage was unhappv. and NH,
Tue cause OF separation so complete that tho
ano'uet never saw her children afterwards.
are not stated, nor is the uni amy woman of
ten mentioned. About re Dawaoer Dncbess
pl ooo9rg we read We. " much more. for She it
MaS VINO gave 20 Prince Albert and to his
Sluo, 1Iotller earnest the care that a mother
h hnou'o nave given them. She seems to have
~1ref'l and affectionate, and devotedly
attached to her boys n
THE CoURTsHIP.
The records of the bright good boy and the
handsome, interesting youth are intere STING. /
but no part OF the work will attract SO much
attention as the Queens account of her court
snip ane marriage. The match had long been
proposed between the Prince and Princess.
who were cousins, born within three months J.
OF each other, each having the same midwife
TO preside at their birth. They saw each 9th |
er at the age OF II, when Prince Albert made
visit to his cousin at Kensineton Palace. A
year after Victoria became Queen of England.
anu hef mead was little turned with her
new grandeur. There was a story of love
AFFAIR, and handsome young nobleman sent
OH 10 indla. There is no hint OF this here, but
something induced the young Queen to put
Oh the proposed marriage for three wears. l.
when the Prince came TO England determin-
eu not 10 be sacrificed in that way, but to
t Dleak II on himself, unless it were settled.
says, has ever since bitterly regretted that she
kept MN waiting. 1t was necessary, in their
positions, that she should take the initiative
That she should pop the question, A moor
oerlhsn fnnce could not ask the Queen of
one OF the most powerful Kingdoms in the
moriu 70 marry him. So she sent for the
Prince, and bravely asked him TO name the
:, linen Prince Albert, the good boy, wrote to
his grandmother: 5ls7 sD''''s "-'1 - ::
The Queen sent for me alone to her room
lew days ago, and declared to me in gen.
ull'e QutDurst OF love and affection (EreHsse |
Won Herzlichkeit und Lebe) that had Sain-
Gu her Whoie heart, and would make h er in
tensely happy (ubergliecklich) fl would make
ner tne sacrlhce OF sharing her life with her.
~. sue looked on it ar sacrifice; the only
rntn f, Mhlcn troubled her was that she did l.
not tnlnk she was worthy OF me. The ioyous l.
openness oil manner in which she told me this
quite enchanted me, and was quite carried
away by it. She is really most good and
amlable, and am quite sure Heaven has rot :
Slven me INTO evil hands, and that we shall be
nappy together. Since that moment Victoria
does whatever she fancie6 [ should wish or
like, and we talk together a great deal about
our future life, which she promises me toll
make as happy as possible"
This is truly charming. And the Queens
ietter TO her uncle, the late King of Belgium j
is quite as nice. She writes: o''Nh' l
WINDSOR CASTLE Oct TX 1890
MY DEAREST UNCLE. This letter will
am sure, give you pleasure, for Won have aIwavs
thot ,so 'ae.en warm interest in all H.
and ~, as me- My mind is quite made up,
W. Gold Albert this morning of it. The Z
" .lrm affection he showed me on learning this q
gave me great pleasure. He seems perfection :
and 1 have the prospect of very great happi-
ness before me. love him more than can
say, and shall do everything in my power to
render this sacrifice (for such in my opinion it
Isl as small as / can He seems to have great
tact, very necessary thing in his position
These last few days have passed like a dream /
to me, and am SO much bewildered by it all
that know hardly how to write; but 1 do feel
very happy. 1t is absolutely necessary that
this determination of mine should be known q
to no one but yourself and to Uncle Ernest un-
til sitter the meeting of Parliament as ii would =
be considered, otherwise neglectful on NV !
part not to have assembled Parliament AT
once to inform them of it. 55'l7 -
LORD Melbourne, whom I have of course
consulted about the whole affair, quite approves L.
my choice, and expresses great satisfaction at
ly desirable. DIS fII7 !""' Hs"
Lord Melbourne has acted in this business | D
as ne mas always done toward me. with the n
greatest Kindness and affection. We also ~
tnlnk IL better, and Albert quite approves If |
,nat we should be married very soon after Par, |
lament meets, about the beginning of Febrna-
ry. sesA 2 = u
Fray, dearest Uncle, forward these two LET
ters 10 Uncle Ernest to whom beg you will +
e1loIn strict secresy, and explain these details
Wnlcn nave not time to do, and to faithful 1
otockmar. think you might tell Louise of =
IL, out none OF her family. S,ls. Is.' - q
!, wish to keep the dear young gentleman b
nere uil the end ofnext month Earnest's sineere e.
pleasure 4 glves me great delight. He does so La
adore dearest Albert, ~ uoeS ~ W
'SS0f' nearest Uncle, your devoted Niece. y =
fsrs1a V.R." p
DOMESTIC LIFE weifre
Alter the marriage, which took place on tho v
10th Of February, 1s40, the separation from y,
his father, who returned on the 18th. was
deeply felt by the Prince. eHe said to me-" fe