National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-01
QUEEN VICTORIA.
A Brief Poraonnl Sketch, with Com
msnts by an English Radical.

HtuNtu III lub C5leDIhhlO0s
June, of the fiftIeth anniversary OF Queen
Vlctoria's accession. NO monarch who has
ever reigned in Britain has witnessed and
taken part in events so momentous and
multiform as the august lady whose official
title is Queen Of Great Britain and Ireland
and Empress OF India. With traditions so
impressive and a position so pre.eminent
for half century, II seems fitting that
brief personal sketch Of her imperial ma
jesty as she appears TO the popular mind
not absolutely covering beneath the glitter
OF mere external splendor--sbould lead OF
the dance Of public personages who are
to DO invited to the Entertainment IN the
Saturday edition OF the NATIONAL REPUB-
IICAN.
AS very small boy derived my lSnowl-
edge OF English history from Plnnock's
volume on that subject Each chapter
commenced with the portrait OF q king or
queen, the births and deaths OF such digni-
taries being considered at that time the
most suitable milestones In the pathway OF
the historic muse. When, In due time,
came TO Victoria saw the woodcut of
beautiful young woman placed over the
lines, which were promptly committed to
memory,
They decked her courtly halls,
They refined her hundred steeds,
They shouted ut her palace gates
n uODlc QuSeu succeeub'
and, indeed, II the lady indicated had ever
been fairly represented by the picture, she
must at some time have looked ''every inch
q queen"
Years afterwards, when l frequently saw
| her majesty driving through the streets of
| London, / failed to notice any resemblance
between my sovereign lady and the beautl-
full woodcut of my childhood. Years still
rolled on, and 1t was rumored that the only
| nnoItttao nnoaacoa1 hv Vintprfa In, tr,t1xr
royal proportions, were those OF parsimony
and eccentricity. 1t was recorded, on the
| authority OF Lord Chancellor Hatherley,
whose fathers house adjolned one Of the
queens country residences, that the sover-
eign of Great Britain possessed the cconom-
ical domestic habits Of n thrifty Scotch
washerwoman. II was stated, and gen.
orally believed, that when young Albert
Edward had outgrown his jacket and
trousers, those garments were cut down to
the dimensions OF the boy Alfred, afterward
Duke Of Edinburgh and admiral OF the
British navy, with the scissors of devoted
parent; from that coign of vantage they
were then reduced to suit Arthur, now
Duke of CoHnaught and commander-in-
chef OF the British forces in India. The
amiable Leopold came In finally for the
well-worn and well-patched remnant.
This sort Of frugality pleased such people
as those whose parents idollzed George III,
tellectual treat half 80 keenly as he
reveled in the huge portions Of fat bacon
and green cabbage which he .devoured
In the cottages OF his enant-farmers.
Abiding to this HanoveriaD characteris-
tic, a great living writer says that the
"6erce light which beats against a throne,n
missed its mark In the time Of poor King
George, and "played lambently on a sty.n
Such quantities are certainly not those usu-
ally associated with royalty, although they
are harmless when compared with many
other royal practices.
Victoria's eccentrlcity, however, was
much more serious and farreaching
defect than her economy. Possessing
magnificent resources to maintain with
becoming splendor the dignity of that
empire upon which the sun never sets,
the queen transformed private sorrow
into national calamity, and, upon the
death Of Prince Albert, retired into an OBJ
security from which public interests have
scarcely ever Induced her to come forth.
No matter how serious the emergency may
have been, or however harrassed by stress
Of complicated and imperial interests, the
prime minister, a member Of bis cabinet,
or some other great public officer, whose
every moment is Of utmost Importance,
must travel, In the thick of parliamentary
session, hundreds OF miles by land or sea,
merely for the purpose Of holding ten min
utes' conversation with lady whose leisure
is more ample than her conscience.
Such considerations, added to the terrible
fact that she improves the occasion of her
solitude to write books stuffed with most
meager and infantine sentiments, detracted
seriously from the youthful ideal formed on
the hundred steeds and courtly halls OF the
fascinating woodcut. But, as we grow
into years and wisdom and gray hairs, We
learn to distinguish between accidents and
essentials; we find compensation by adopt
ing Wordsworth's maxim, and derive COM
fort from "idealizing the actunl' when we
have failed to "realiZe our ideals"
II is only too true that Victoria Regina
as seen driving through London in an open
carriage shattered forever our confidence
in woodcuts. "Leayes from Highland
Journaln dispelled the notions OF divine
!, right to Godlike intellect in the Guelph
family. A marked change from the truly
royal virtue OF generosity to the poor Pc
! nuriousness OF peasant broke up ones
faith in the open hand supposed to accom-
pany blue blood. But there are attributes
possessed by the queen, which far more
than atone for the defects We haye found II
l necessary to mention.
r Upon the whole we are inclined to think
Y that there Is no living woman, In any posi-
]. ton OF life, more esteemed and respected
! by all classes Of the American and English
people than this dowdy, bulky, red-facet
old lady, who goes out Of her way to cult
VI
. her subjects.
!, Why, then, is It thar Americans ant
y English people respect her so muchp Tn,
( reason Is not far to seek. She challenges
: admiration, not as an empress, but as
y woman; not rs queen, but a mother; no
: as a political ruler, but wife; not as th,
y leader of society, but as the purifier of tn,
!. most grossly corrupt court in Europe
!. Anglo Saxons everywhere honor and ad
h mire Victorio, because she Is a pure, good
J. simple.hearted woman, who would protec
o the purity OF all other women; who love
4 her friends dearly and hates her enemie
o cordially; who has been faithful for quartz
: Of century to the memory of husban,
II whom she passionately loved, and who
. braciDg almost all the royal families 0
q Europe, whose children and grandchildren
9 rise up and call her blessed.
II In the long list of distinguished queen
" Victoria is an ordinary woman, but In tn
o longer list Of good women Victoria is
% distinguished queen. In the great fundG
g mental and permanent relat ons OF daugt
]. ter, wife, and mother, no woman, expose
J. to public gaze for half q century, has com
l. through the ordeal with more absolutel
e stainless reputation. 1t is therefore thai
/ without reserve, we would add our humbl
z tribute to the wish expressed by one VIII
5. had experienced enough of courtly inhr
7; ences to appreciate the great heart. OF
10 woman beneath the trappings and hligre
;. OF conventional royalty:
10 May all love;
3, His love- unseen but felt, o'ershadow thee,
I, The love of all thy sous encompass thee,
Is The love of all thy daughters cherish thee,
5. The love Of all thy people, cnmi9rt thse,
,r Till Gods love sets thee NJ His side again.
20
RAILWAY NOTES.