Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-10-15
QUEEN VICTORIA AT HONE

A correspondent Of the New York Ssn
writes from the Isle Of Wight as fol.
lows: fr
Here / am in the sunshine and shadow
ofroyalty. One can not get out Of either.
Everything around me is branded .'royal. =
The dockyard at Portsmouth was ..The
Royal Naval" The yacht club dubs It.
self so likewise. The paltry unaccom-
modaiing steamboats, which do the ferry.
ing between this point and the Hampshire
coast are. without exception Royal Mail
packets" Our wherry had not touched
the pebbly beach at Cowcs before we dis
tinguished through. our 6cld glasses '.the
Royal Hotel. and Then sfhe Queens, =
and next "the Prince of Wales Hotel" !"
The man at the corner house. who sells
tea. biscuits and bacon. is "grocer to her
Majesty" aud exhibits his honors in huge
golden letters. The butcher. rosy aud
rubieund. evidently 6nds o stimulant to
obesity in the glit.cring announcement,
which ornaments the front Of his store,
that he is "pnrveyor to the Queen" The
barber follows suit, and so on.
Icame here to see the private residence
and private life OF the Queen Of Great Bri-
tain. Every old building in this conser-
va,ive country has pedigree. aud this
sometimes as long aud invoIuted as that
of the O'Flaherty's of Galway. Osborne.
we are told. was once called the OYSTER
bourne. from the oyster beds Of the Medi-
ma. Then cane the MELANCHOLY story Of
Eustace Mann. who during the trouble
some times Of the civiL hr. buried bags
of gold aud silver in &coppice. and not
having marked the SPOT, was now unable
to find them. FromA.ady Isabella Blatch-
ford. Queen purchased the estate in
lSfU.'- By the purchase of Barton and
other adjoining demcsnes. the manor.
has come to include an area of 5000
acres. The situation Of the castle is most
desirable. On one siIe it is sheltered by
woods and plantations. aud on the other
commands an extensive. delightful and
animated prospect, including the naval
stations Of Portsmouth and Spithead.-
Girt by sea aud land. it comprises near
ly every variety Of rural scenery of which
the poets have sung. The climate is mild
and salubrious. Spring sets in at the
end OF February; and after the Queen has
enjoyed the freshness and beauty Of the
young year in this lovely spot. she always
bctakes herself ncrth of the Tweed, where
in her retreat at BalmoraI, she feels again
the warm breath Of spring and sees the
daisies aud cowslips blow for the second
time. -----------rzs-
The architecture Of Osborne is mainly
the work Of the late Prince Consort. The
palace is in Ne Palladian style. and ev-
cry,hing is lbordinatcl to the neccssi-
tics and comforts Of life. The building
is qualrangdlar. A clock tower, 90 fee.
high, fianks the sea front on one hand
and a flag tower, lot fec. high. on the
other. In advance of the Hag tower.
arc the royal apartments. comma andiug an
uninterrupted aud glorious view. Two
extensive terraces in front. adorned with
fountains, statuary and choice shrubs. in-
crease the apparent altitude Of the impo-
sing facade. These terraces descend for
twcnty-sevcn feet to lovely little valley
which leads to the landing place. the
bathing house and the other adjuncts on
the s,ques,ored shore. The apartments
are of handsome proportions. and arranged
most ccmmodiously. The interior is. how
ever, remarkable for its extreme simplici-
ty. The rooms are furnished in plain
mahogany, like the house Of any ordina-
~ country gentleman. Choice sculpture.
valuable paintings. and rare bronzes and
works Of art, however, abound. When
early summer has clothed Osborne in all
lis verLant lovelincss. the Queen. thou2
naturally Of 6dgety. rowing Disposition.
has often been known to wish that the
duties of state never called heI away frsu
this her iavorite residence. -.
The majority of the rain.isys in the pal
ace are British artists. .Landsecr is every
where, aud Frith's best works are~ll here
In every roOm may be no,iSsfa portrait, OF
one or more membeps of the royal family.
If the artists do. not ia,lx Ateir royal
mastera the princes - princesses may
have some preteusia3Sto beauty Indeed
the majority ofshem have fine figures,
good eoprl,xiOns aud pleasant faeS.z
There is. however, as q rule. mark,
want OF fi1tellect of q high order ama
them. and notably in Albert Edward. wh5,
in the course of human events. is to be
future King Of England. The greatest
Curiosity noticeable. is gilt cradle. once
belonging to Queen Elizabeth To wha,
purpose the Virgin Queen put it was moro
than any of our party could answer.
Her life, when in the country, is that
of any ordinary lady-always excepting
the attention she has to give to despa,chc:
and to the visits Of members of Govern
mens. The documents she reads with
most zcst arc those that come from til,
Foreign Office. /, was Prince Albert
whofmbued her with this pereuliar taste
She eArly. generally abou, seven,
tA,8 spysds the 6rst hour or two in hel
>sca- -lp6n. After this she is soon out o
doors. No gypsy could indeed be fondel
of the open air. as she spends every avail
able moment in exercise. In her morn
ing walks she is always accompanied BY
one lady, generally the Princes Beatrice
John Brown. The pampered mcnial.
walks behind them. The Queen evident
ly is impressedwi,h the force Of Lord
Lytle,on's saying. that Women. hk,
princes, end few real friends" as. through
good report and evil report. she sticks I.
John Brown, her faithfal Scotch valet
In those rambles. stranger would ncv
or i'm cine ths Mai, x<n.., hef,., ~,