The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-02-01
Queen VictOria's Book.
Additional Exsr.ess-DesstIs 81 Royal De1e-
sic Life.

interest than those We have already given. 1t
should be remarked that the book was originally
printed for the Queens own family circle alone,
but fearing that imperfect copies might get into
circulation, she has :. trusted that the free and un-
reserved expression Of her feelings il such that IL
will command the sympathy and good opinion of
every one whose sympathy and good opinion is
desired and that there IL not one word coming
from the Prince himself which will not tend to n
better and higher appreciation of his character"
The volume las therefore been published-]
THE FIRsr YEAR OF MARRIAGE.
A very interesting chapter of the volume is that
which describes .. the first year of marriage The
deIneanor of Prince Albert is thus alluded to.
=. IL must be admitted, however, that constantly,
unostentatiously and perseveringly ~ he now gave
himself up TO the discharge Of his new duties, lac
was exposed almost during the whole period ofhis
life in this country % much misconception and
much Misrepresentation. Not for that, however,
did lie for one moment relax in his efforts, or allow
his zeal TO flag, in seeking to promote ell that was
for the good OF the British people. His actions
might be misunderstood, his opinions might be
misrepresented (of which there was more thanone
notable instance) @lNote by the Queen Espec-
tally Mt the commencement of the Russian warE
but, supported by his own conscious rectitude he
still pursued the even tenor of his way. Not u
complaint, not u murInur, ever escaped his liIe (;
not a single hasty expression did lie ever indulge in,
even toward thoee who were mort unjust to him.
lie accepted such injustice a. the inevitable lot of
one placed, a. he was, in high station, trusting
surely to the coming of tie time when his motives
and actions would be better understood and better
appreciated by his adopted country.
The principle ON which he always acted was
Ito Use his own noble words) to sink his own in
dividual existence in that of his wife to aim atno
power by himself, or for himself; to shunall ostenta-
ton, to assume no separate responsibility before
the public; but, making his position entirely n
part of the Queens, continually and anxiously to
watch every part of the public business, in order
10 be able To advise or assist her at any moment
in the multifarious and difficult questions brought
before her-sometimes political or social, or per-
sonal, rs the natural head of her family; suIerin-
tendcnt of her household, manager of her private
affairs, her sole confidential adviser in politics, and
only assistant in her communications with the Off
ecrs Of the government.
TIE PRINCE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
1t was not, however, for some time that the
position as described above was established. For
the first year or two the Prince was not, exception
rare occasions, and by special invitation, present
at the interviews of the Queen with her ministers.
Mote by the Queen: But this was not from any
objection on their part. Though taking, the
Queen says, 80 great pains TO inform himself about
everything, and though Lord Melbourne express
ed much anxiety /. that the Queen should show
him everything connected with public affairs,
he did not, ut this time, take part in the
transaction Of business"
Nor were there wanting those who would gladly
have kept him permanently estrangcd from II and
not only so, but who would lave denied bin, even
in domestic circles, that authority which in pri-
waite families properly belongs to the husband, and
without which, il may be added, there cannot be
true comfort or happiness in domestic life. The
Prince himself easily saw the necessity of his as
sorting that authority. /" In my home hfc," he
writes to Prince Lowcnstcin, in May. 1910, al
am very happy and cOntented but the difficulty
in filling my place with the proper dignity is, that
/ am only the husband, not the master in the
THE FRINGE AND lord MELBOURNE.
Fortunately, however, for the country. and still
more fortunately for tile happiness of tie royal
couple themselves, things did not long remain in
this condition. Thanks to the firmnc-s. bat ut the
same time gcntebeSs, with which the Prince in
on filling his proper positio. US head of the
family thanks also Ia the clear Judgment and
right-fccling OF the Queen, a. well as her singular
ly honest and straightforward nature /; but thanks.
more than all, to the mutual love and perfect
confidence which bound the Queen and Prince to
zach other, it was impossible TO keep up any
or difference OF interests or duties be-
tween them. To those who would urge upon the
Queen that, as sovereign, sine must be AZ the head
Df the house and family as well as of the State,
and that her husband was, after all, but one of her
her Majesty would reply that she had
engaged At the altar to - obey" rs well
n TO Z. love and honor, " and this sacred obligation
-he could consent neither to limit or refine away.
From the first, too, the Queen, acting ON the
advice Of Lord Melbourne, communicated all for
,ign dispatches % the Prince. In August, 1910,
be writes To his father: :" Victoria allows me To
much part in foreign affairs. and / think /
nave already done some good. 1 always commit
nv views to paper, and then communicate them
10 Lord Melbourne. lie seldom answers me, but
have often lad the satisfaction of seeing him act
:ntircly in accordance with what l have said"
And again, in 1871 &" All I say about my polit-
cal position is that | study the politics of the day
great industry, and resolutely hold myself
lloof from all parties Corfahre much ron allen
Parfeen trei IN hsh.n.) l take active intcrst in
III national institutions and associations. speak
Iuite openly with the Ministers on all subjects, so
- To obtain information, and meet all sides with
/ cndeavor, quietly, to be of
= much use to Victoria in her position as / can"
Here we have the first announcement of that
,rinciple by which the whole Of his future life was
and To which many years later be gave the
Ioblc expression already quoted, of q sinking his
existence in that of the Queen"
a. Slowly, but surely, acting on that principle,
&c did establish his position and 80 entirely was
/ recognized by the Queen herself, unreservedly
nd confdingly did she throw herself upon her hus-
and's support, relying in all questions of difficulty
n his judgment, and acting in all things by his
dvice, that when suddenly bereaved of that sup
ort her sense of the loss which she had sustained
= Queen found expression in the pathetic words,
that it would now be, in fact, the beginning of
new reign"
DOMESTIC LIFE.
The ordinary life of the Queen and Prince is
bus described
"It has been already stated that the Queen up
the period of her marriage, had INDUCED strong
of political craftsmanship. Among the
appy consequences of the marriage may be inclu-
ed the gradual extinction of any such feeling. !
he Prince had already shown, in the discussions
nd correspondence respecting the formation ofhis
ousehold, his own determination to stand clear
-Om all political parties. Lord Melbourne now,
honorably to himself, supported the Prince
! pressing the same course upon the Queen. He
I'D the Prince that he thought the time was come