Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-02-12
VICTORIA'S BOOK.
Another Volume Of the Memoirs of the
Queen OF England Given to the
World, in Which
She Gives Frequent Expression to the
Irreparable Less She Sustained in
the Death Of Prince Albert,
And Her Sense ef the ralrie OF the lie.
voted Services Of John BrOwn-A
Loving Mothers Gratitude,
VICTORIA,S DIARY.
The Ieng Promised Work Distributed
to the Press-Its Contents.


The Leng Promised Work Distributed
to the Press-Its Contents.
LONDON, February 1.-THE Queens
new book was distributed to the press this
morning. 1t consists of disconnected
diary from August, 1852, to September,
1882, with long gap from October, 1879.
to the Rnal period covering the y.ef,od Of
the transition from tie administration of
Beaconsfeld to that of Gladstone. The en-
tire book is devoted to domestic and fami-
ly affairs, political illusions being only in
cidental. The illustrations are numerous,
and include portraits of the Queen and
Princesses Elenora and J1oris8 and Beat
trice. eleo poftraits OF Grant, the Queens
body servant, and one of her attendants.
John Brown, Tor TEorr are pictures, too, OF
the Queens Collie dogs, Sharp and Noble,
and several views of scenes in the High
lands, from sketches by the Princess
Beatrice. In the preface the royal
authoress saysi Remembering the feeling
with which our Our Life IN Be RiqbLdndS
was received, the writer thinks the present
volume may equally etoke sympathy, as,
while describing a very altered life, it
shows how her sad and suffering heart
was soothed and cherished by the eXcur-
sions and incidents it recounts, as well as
by the simple mountaineerS from whom
she learned many lessons of resignation
and faith in the quiet Of the beautiful
Highlands" After the dedication to the
loyal Highlanders, and especially to the
memory of her faithful attendant and
friend, John Brown, the diary opens with
the building of the memorial cairn in
honor OF the prince consort. 1t reads as
follows 'We started off in little pony
chair led by Brown, Berte, Prince of
Wales, in front, Eleanor and Louise on
ponies, and two little boys, Arthur and
Leopold. / actually drove in the little
carriage to the very top of Craig Lowrigan,
Grant and Duncan pushing the carriage
behind. Sweet baby Beatrice we
found at the top. The view was
so fine, the dag so bright, the heather SO
beautifully green, but no pleasure, no Joy,
all dead. Here at the top is the founda-
ton of the cairn to be erected to my pre-
cious Albert. l and my poor six orphars
all placed stones on it, aud our initials are
to be placed on the stones all round it.
Several succeeding entries in the diary
mention other visits to the Princes cain,
along with family records and remarks OF
douestics. The following may serve as
an example OF the latter:
When near the cairn Grant sa d II thought you
would like to be here to-day. on his birthday, so
entirely was he Of the opinion that this beloved
day, and even the l4th of December, the ami
yeTsary Of his death, should not be looked upon
and strong faith in these simple people.
In October, 1865, when making an eX-
cursion from Balmoral to Clova, the car
riage was overturned, and the face and
right hand of the Queen were bruised,
and Browns knees were badly hurt. The
succeeding entries recur to Browns in
jury:
was much distressed at breakfast to find that
poor Brown legs had been dreadfully cut at the
back of the knees, and he said nothing about it,
but to-day one became infamed and swelled
said he must keep il up much possible, and
walk very little, but did not forbid his going out
with the carriage. did not go out in the morn
ing
Next day, October 18th, the Queen
writes:
Browns leg is much better. The doctor
thought he could walk over the hill tomorrow
When making the first visit to q Glassary,
Shiel mountain lodge, in 1865, the diary
describes the house warming as follows:
Brown came to say that all the servants were
ready. There were present Louise, Arthur, Jane,
Lady Churchill and II number of domestics and
policemen. We made nineteen altogether. Five
animated reels were danced, in which all but my
self joined. After the first reel whisky tOddy was
brought round, and Brown begged | would drink
to the fire -kindling; The merry, pretty little
singing in the steward 5 room for some time, all
very happy. But sad thoughts filled my heart.
both before dinner ana when 1 retired to rest. /
thought of my darling husband, whom fancied
| must see, aud who always wished to build here.
Then Ibe sad thought struck me that it was my
first widows house. But am sure his blessing
rests on it.
In 1871 the Queen attended a Scotch
communion service, one Sunday, at the
Craithie church, near Balmoral. She
writes:
The communion is most touching and beauti-
full. 1t Impressed and moved me more than L
80. lI, hn,- xlx
we were impressed by the grand simplicity of the
service. 1t was also truly earnest; No descrip-
ton can do justice to the perfect devotion of the
whole assemblage. longed much to join it to see
all these simple good people in their nice, plain
dresses, including the old woman in her muteh;
so many of whom | knew, and some who had
walked far, although they were in deep snow. was
very striking. Since 1873 1 had partaken of com
munIon at Craithie every autumn.
The Princess Louise became engaged to
Marquis Lorne. The event took place,
the Queen says, during walk from Gloss
Altshel to Dhu Lock, where Louise had
gone with Lady Ely, the Lord Chancellor
and Lorne. She says:
Louise returning at night told me Lor ne
had spoken of his devotion to her, and had pro-
posed to her. She had accepted, knowing would
approve. Though was not unprepared for this re-
suit, felt painfully the thought of losing her,
but naturally gave my consent, and could only
pray that she might be happy.
Sole reference to events in France in
1870 occurs in speaking of a sermon which
she heard in a church at Balmoral. She
says:
DR.. Macleod gave such a splendid sermon on
war. without mentioning France, he said
meant, when he POI inted out how God would pun
ish wickedness and vanity and sensuality. The
Ezekiel and the Psalms were really quite wonder
full for the way in which they seemed to describe
france: 1t was all admITnhie and heart-stir[ing
the sick. dying and wounded upon the battle
field, and of my sons-in-law and daughters.
In June, 1879, the Queen records the re-
ceipt of the news of the death of the
young Prince Imperial:
Brown knocked and came in; he said there
was bad news, When 1, in alarm, asked what?
l could not take it in, and asked several times
what it meant; Beatrice then came in with a tel
Imperial is killed feel a thrill Of horror now
while l write the words. 1 put my
Il 20 By Tbds Gear S
who cried very much, as did too, gave me the
telegram. 10 die in such an awful, horrible way.
poor, dear Empress, her only, only child, her all
-gone was quite beside myself. Brown was
so distressed. Everyone was quite stunned.
press, who did not yet know it. The Prince was
so good, and so much beloved. To think Of that
dear young man, the apple of his mothers eye,
born and nUrtured in purple, dying thus, is too
fearful, toe awful, aud it is inexPlieable and
around and fought for him.
One section of the diary gives recollec-
tions OF my dear, valued friend, Dr.
Norman Mcleod" Scotch chaplain to the
Queen, who is $50 clever, agreeable, so
kind and good. DIR. Mcleod is greatly
alarmed for the Established Church of
Scotland, as he fears an attempt will be
made to pull it down, though, thank God.
should this happen, a Free Church and
the United Presbyterians, with the pres
ent Esta olished Church, would become
one very strong Protestant body. l asked
him about Lord Lorne, and he said he had
a very high opinion of him."
During her excursions the Queens pri-
vacy was greatly disturbed by reporters.
When visiting Glencoe she writes:
The day was most beautiful and calm. / sat
down on grass for luncheon; then l sketchcd.
Here. however, here in this complete Solitude,
we were spied on by imPudent. inquisitive re-
porters, who followed us everywhere. One in
particular, who writes for some Scotch paper,
lay down and watched with telescope He
dogEcd me and Beatrice when were walking
about and was most impertinent when Brown
went to tell him to move. He went away at last.
Brown came back, saying he thought there would
have been a. fight. for when Brown said the
Queen wished him TO move away he said he had
quite as good right to remain there the Queen
had. Brown answered very strongly that the
highest gentlemen of England would not do what
he did, much less manly reporter. The other
reporters came up and advised the man to come
away quietly.
The concluding page is devoted to the
death OF Brown. 1t contains these SEN
tences:
His loss to me is irrcparable, for he deservedly
possessed my confidence. lie served me truly,
dcvotedly, untiringly. To say he is daily, hourly
missed by me, one whose life long gratitude he
won by constant care and devotion, is but a
fee BILE expression of the truth.
So far as its political interest is con-
cerned, the book is throughout intensely
disappointing. All the Queens remarks
have direct relation to personal emotion.
Evan in bar allnsiapc 20 tba E,,vn.;a,, ,.-,x