The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14

ouo an Inlu ~ OOtht -
shawl thrown over her dressing gown. her feet
In shippers, and her hair falling down her back.
sne naa oeen wakened by tho Duchess OF Kent,
VINO toiu her Majesty she must get up; she went
atone INTO the room where Lord Conyngham and
inc hrchoishop were waiting. Tho Lord Cham
periaih tneh kneit down and presented a paper
announcing tho death Of her uncle TO tho Queen,
and the Archbishop said no had come by desire
OF Queen Adelaide. who thought tho Queen
would like to hear in what a peaceful state the
King had boon at the last"
There the account abruptly ends, without
telling US what the Queen said aud how the
news affected her.
One of the most impressive passages In the
book is this extract from tho Queens private
journal, des riding her pilgrimage to Napoleon's
grave In 1855, during tho state visit to the
Emperor In Paris:
we drove straight to the Hotel des Invalides,
under the dome Of which Napoleon lies, late as 1t
was, because we were most anxious not to miss
this' perhaps the most important act Of oil In
this very interesting and e~ventful time. II was
nearly z when We arrived. AL the invalidcs-
chiefly Of the former. but some Of the present,
war-were drawn up on either side Of the court
into which we drove . = There were four
torches which lit us along, and added to the
solemnity Of the scene. which was striking in
oNOiy why. II CnuTCn IL IiHo anu lOlty. W.
went to look from above into the open vault
= . the coffin 10 not yet there, but In a small
side chapel de st. Jerome. Into this the EN-.
peror led me, and there l stood, at the arm Of
Napoleon I'LL, his nephew, before the coffin Of
England's bittcrest foe; j, the granddaughter Of
that King who hated him most and who most
vigorously opposed him, and this very nephew.
who bears his name, being my nearest and dear.
est allyl The organ OF the church was playing
God Save the Queen at the time, and this
solemn scene took place by torchlight and dur
ing a thunderstorm. Strange and wonderful
indeed! II seems as II In this tribute Of respect
to a departed and dead foe. old enmities and
rlvalrios were wiped out and the seal of heaven
placed upon that bond Of unity which Is now
happily established between two great and
powerful nations. May heaven bless and pros
per it!'
One OF the best current incidents illustrating
the Queens Incorporating probity is thus
spoiled:
Regularity in allotment Of time. and careful
attention to every point of detail, both in her
own household and the discharge Of public duty.
has been one of tho marked characteristics of
her Majesty's life throughout the whole of her
long reign. Even in its earliest days she would
refuse to sign a document declared to be OF para
mount Importance without having mastered it's
contents; but the story, which has gained extern
siye currency. that once abe replied to Lord
Melbourne, who was urging the expediency OF q
measure, have been taught to Judge between
right and wrong, but expediency is q word I
neither wish to hear nor to understand Is quite
n myth"
The past third Of q century is, unfortunately,
dismissed in scarcely more than the space Of n
magazine article. This brief insight is all that
is vouchsafed about the Queens favorite studies,
occupations. and accomplishments:
During the whole Of her long life, in the midst
of public business which has daily become moro
voluminous and exactine, the Queen has never
entirely abandoned the pursuits which were the
pleasure and relaxation Of her earliest years.
Mention has been made Of her practice Of music
and of her instructors. and here 1t may be noted
that within the last fifteen years her Majesty
has sung with Signor Tosti, as at an earlier
period she sang with Lablanche and Mendels-
sohn. In all the extracts from the Queens
journals which have from time to time
been made public 1t will have been noted
how constantly she mentions that she sketched
the scenery of the places visited by her. The
early instruction. given by Westall and supple.
mented by the hints occasionally given by Sir K.
Landseer. was not in landscape drawing, which
was taught by Mr.. Lear in 1S46 and lS47. Since
that time the Queen has taken lessons from Mr..
Leitch. and within the last twelve years also
from Mr.. Green. The Queen has always fol
lowed with the closest interest the course oil
current events. which have necessarily alb
sorbed the greater part Of her time and atten
tion. But her Majesty has also made herself IA
miliar with great imaginative writers, with poet,
such as Shakespeare, Scott, and Tennyson. OIL
with novelists such as Jane Austin. Charlotte
BrontG, George Eliot, and, it may be added. Mrs
Oliphant. whose recent illness and death aroused
the Queens deepest sympathy. The Queens &C
quaintance with German and French literature
is considerable, and her intimate knowledge o
these languages is very noticeable in the purity
with which she speaks them. In the last ter
years a signal proof OF the warm interest which
her Majesty has always taken in her Indian
Empire has been given by the Queens study o
Hindustani, under the instruction Of the Munsh
Abdul Karin"
The Lord Chancellor's big run of legal patron
age Is over for a time. He has appointed twr
new Lords Justices and three new Judges sine,
the courts met n fortnight ago, and no other w
cancy is looked for in the early future. The con
sequence of his appointments is that t day
wherever barristers congregate there are
hundred disappointed men for one that /
pleased. The wrath among the ploaders is com
pressed into a memorial now being handle,
round for signature and to be forwarded to tn,
Lord Chancellor, telling him with exceeding
plainncss that the appointment OF Mr.. Cha lie
J. Darling. q. c., NJ. p. to be al dye of he Higl
Court is n scandalous job. Lord Halsbury I
used to being told this OF his promotions, an,
still. fro his appearance. can sleep o. night
and laugh hilariously In his waking hours.
Mr.. Darling is n dandy little Tory of youth
full mien and ready tongue, who has held for tel
years for his party the rough-and.rendy cattle
Strengthening and hide-tanninG vote of Deptford
where they are proud to call him "Deptford'
Darling" Tho professional cutlery against hi
present appointment 10 that. like necessity, h
knows no law. and there were Tories of longe
party services and higher legal standing longinI
for the Post. People looking for a reason for tn
appointment are bosought to seek tho lady.
When barristers say they never saw Mr.. Drl
ling In the courts, 1t Goes not follow that he wa
wasting his time. He had found a shorter GU
TO the Lord Chancellor's approval in Lady Halls
bury's drawing room. Over what track do hi
less fortunate brethren have to travel who see
to prosper In practicing law In London
This scandal over the appointment OF Justic