Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-07
A ROYAL SCANDAL.
The Great Truth About Queen Victoria
Her PeenIarItIes ana the Causes of
Her UnpOpularlfy.

wretched little paper, published in LauS
same, Switzerland, INDUCED itself in
some scandalous stories about the Queen
of Great Britain; and the British repre-
sentative at Bernie, or one of his subordi-
mates had the folly to elevate the libel !
into Importance by prosecuting the jour
nalist This was perhaps the first time
that any scandal about Queen Victoria
found its way into print Long before
this, however, Queen Victoria's loyal
subjects had talked about her as Mrs.
Candor talks fsome of her friends. At
last these whisperings began to find dis
tinct and open expression. A weekly
paper, called the T0mahG17k, was started
in London, and it made itself famous at
once by cartoon entitled "A Brown
Study The artist represented heavy
looking Scotchman, of the lower class,
with kilt and sporran, standing on the
steps of the British throne, while the
British lion gazed from below with WON
dering and puzzled eyes at the audaeious
and noncAdldnt intruder-sOmewhat as
the Emperor Alexis COmnerius, in SCOTS
novel, looked astounded at the Frank |
Count, Robert of Paxis, loungiug on the
Imperial seat. The cartoon in the T0ns-
ahal0k was admirably executed; it was
the work Of man of genius in his way
Matt Morgan one of the principal scene
painters Of Convent Garden Theater.
The paper, which had not then and has
nothad since any literary merit whatever,
became celebrated and popular in mo-
ment People were scandalized, shocked,
amused, aroused. TomakaWks cartoon
had, in fact, illustrated what everybody
had been talking about, wondering at and
grumbling over
This is the scandal about Queen Ficto-
ria. In her personal service, her most
constant and close attendant is a Scotch
groom, or gillie, named John Brown. He
rides on the box Of her carriage, he hands
her in, he hands her out, he cl02ks her,
shawls her, opens doors for her, Is always
near her. Popular rumOr AYERS that he
sIeepson a rug outside herbed-roOm door;
and, although this certainly is not his
habit, it is beyond doubt that he has
done so occasionally, while the Queen
was travelling. He has been so closely,
indeed, in attendance on the Queen that
unuuestionably there might be grave
cause for scandal were he a RizZio or a
Potemkin, even though she was not a
Mary Stuart or a Catharine the Second
Add to this that the ladies of the family
of Brunswick have not in previous gene
rations been always virtuous. Chacune
a son But said the impertinent court
lady to George Ill 8 mother, in allusion
TO the famous scandal abont that princess
and the Earl of Butte Take further into
consideration the fact that all the West
| End tradesmen, dressmakers, milliners,
cooks and tackeys absolutely detest
Queen Victoria, because Of the dulness
| created by her long retirement; and that
| It has become an article of faith with all
| that class that the depression OF trade
| and even the financial collapse Of England
| are to be directly attributed 20 the Queens
| protracted and inconvenient secluslOn.
| Think then how delighted all that class
must have been when it first became
| whispered about that the sorrow of the
| royai ladv was not quite heavenly, after
ali. Is it wonderful that the scandal was
eagerly and delightedly spread? IN fact
people busily spread it who did not in
| their hearts believe it and before long
It became the universal talk whisper
| ofI,ondon. The Queen began to be spo-
! ken Of in slang phrase as Mr.. brown.
Punch one day published, under toe head
! of Court News, the announcement that
Mrs. John Brown walked on the slopes
Yesterday Great mirth was created
once by an odd tumble Of names in a
London daily paper, which, giving Tes
| mort of some popular demonstration, said
the proceedings closed with the singing
of God Save the Queen, and John Brown
the fact meant to be conveyed being
that the meetingsang the nationol anthem
and also our famous hymn 20 the memory
of tho Harper's Ferry martyr. Things
went so far that the Queen in her recent
hook actually Inserted passage explains
inc the position Of John Brown IN her
household. IL IS needless TO say that
those who love scandal and like to believe
it'none the less because Of this we'll
meant attempt at explanation.
What is the exact truth in all this!
The Queen is good, pure, tTue-hcarted
woman-a little given to eccentricity at
the best of times, lately SO shaken and
even shattered in nerves IS to be occa-
sionally not quite mistress Of herself
This John Brown, an honest, dense, thick
headed Scotchman, was faithful servant
of Prince Albert. His face and name are
associated with the memory OF some OF
Vietorias very happiest days. How
tenderlv che loved her husband, how she
daIigbted in his society, nobody needs to
he told. The classic woman who sWal-
lowed the ashes Of her dead lord did not
love more wholly and Accordingly than
did the Manufactured uninteresting
Queen Of England. She cEngs to the old
servant of her husband as she might to
her husbands dog But il Is beyond all
question that certain faint Of nervous
excitability-One does not like to call II
madness-is an element in the feelings
which inspire the Queen to defy scanda
!, in England. 1t is commonly said by those
who defend the Queen that she labOrs
undar the delusion that the soul Of Prince
; Albert has been transfused into the home
10 frame Of John Brown This is q wild
, exagreration: but it is quite true tia
I the manner in which the Queen connect
the memory of Prince Albert with th'
= nrasence of John Brown has sOmethin!
G morbid, fantastic, and almost monOma
4 n;acal in it. If it is not madness I'VE
0 that way madness lies,) she has frequen
y fits Of nervous irritation, which wouN
It seem 10 those unaccustomed to them L
n border upon frenzy. Not long since 9TH
a story is the simple TRUTH two of the cab
: met ministers were at Osborne, cOnvers
u ing in a sort of informal council with he
t Majesty. 4 page, charged with som
message, tapped at the dOor-two or thre
Tcht taps. The Queen, who had bee
y talking and listening with great interes
became so startled By the sound that sh
20 screamed, sprang up, paced the room
1t the widest alarm, and for long time wa
D. utterly unable to settle down to calm an
c. rational conversation Of any kind. U
III | der the influence of morbid attacks lIk
Id these. there ia sometimes little reLanC
D. tn he placed on what the Queen may sa
al or determine, or do. She was AWAY
az somewhat inclined to be head strong
81 now she is apt to form sudden plans,
y; take sudden resolves, from which nothIr
~ can divert her. She will leave Londol
% Tusb TO Osborne or to BalmOral, at Il
in most critical period ola session, at m
at ment when change of ministry may
ed impending; and, when she has resolve
.. on anv such escdpGde, no rGmonstranC
be or advice can dissuade her. In this We
d. she has persisted in keeping John Brow
Id az her uersonaI attendant, and allOWl
lie him to be conspicuous in his attenti0
ng avarvwheFe and no servants hallOr CT
y. scandal can induce her to send him II
on | a. - ,I-0roupd or IN alter her friend