The times., 1897-07-11

the Lord God made the different nations
he forgot to give them tongues aud V ben
they came and begged for them, He took
piece of ipeat and cut it into slices. ana
gave one to each to serve as Il tongue:
but the EnglishInan came late, and there
was no slice left, so the Lord GOD gath
cred up all tie odds and ends and put
them together, aud gave ther TO him for
tongue. And tha5 is why the En- glist. speak
SO indistinctly."
1.-THE Priya Life of the Queen,'' as
written bys mcnber Of the royal household,
drifts along q trifle late of the full tide or
jubilee interest, but as it does not borrow
its value from current collaterals, it is
none the less Interesting.
The author gives d graphically vivid pic
ture of the personal and domestic life OF
Victoria. He effects TO have borrowed
the method of the Dutch school OF painters
as best suited to q domestic But il is
only in the choice Of his subject that he en-
ulates tie genre of these painters, for in
process he is distinctly photographic. Every
thing is given at its face value with the
Ininuteness OF d camera, or with the tabu-
lated regularity of statistician But it
ts hiOuOGt SuSldtItu IHltEcSl On IIldG
account. The entire book is, in fact, fun
OF fascination.
1t gives an idea of Victoria, the woman,
as can be had OF no other work before it,
From it we learn OF ell her surroundings,
OF place and person, her tastes, habits, di.
versions. pets, accomplishments, her friends,
family, guests and servants. II shows her
disSocia'ed so far as possible from her
character as sovereign, and as intimately
as possible in her capacity as mother, friend
and housekeeper.
These disclosures contain, naturally,
many surprises. The side lights disclose
a new profile Oh a hitherto indistinct per
sonalty. The womanliness OF Victoria
seems 10 hC her chiefest charm. That de-
lightfui touch of feminnity W which finds ex-
preston in her deeply religious nature;
her first exclamation: Pray for me- when
told Of fhersoveregnty; her affectionate CON-
panionship with her husba nd; her continued
mourning for him; her gentle affiliation with
the Scotch peasantry; her large interest in
the position and order of her personal sur
roundings, and her indulgence OF many fads
and human weaknesses
One OF these is for Photography No one
In the world has sat for more portraits in
bronze, marble or on canvas than Victoria,
yet II is said that she retains her interest
In each new sitting, and is in fact q cocile
poser She delights in being photographed
In all Sorts OF positions and under all cir
cumstances, and she enjoys seeing photo
graphs OF all her little personal Posses
sions.
All her life she has been an enthusi astic
musician. This accomplishment was not
entirely instructive. She rebelIed against
her music lessons at first. Her instructor
one day told her during these early lessons
that without Industry and perseverance
She would never become mistress Of the
pianoiorte. But what would you think
of me, cried the high-spirited princess,
If l became mistress Of it in the next
minute?' THAT would be imposs ibie
without study. There is no royal road TO
music" NO royal road TO music. eh?
And am not to be mistress of my own
piano?" sa d her royal highness, briskIy.
Il will show Won that l am. and that
this Is the royalist and easiest road
With that it is related that the princess
shut down the instrument, locked IL and
popped the key into her pocket. That's
being mistress OF the piano, and the royaI
%SNAN ~ iSeAA mug - HChtI W lctht IL ltsSll
unless you're in the mood for it," But she
became wonderfully facile musician, and
the most attractive period OF her life was
that spent with her beloved husband, play
ing and singing together. His talent and
enthusiasm drew out her best posSibli-
ties.
This authoritative author declares that
the Queens eyesight is not unnaturauy Y i'm
paired, neither is her power OF locomotion,
though She carries waIking-stic and often
permits hei self to be wheeled in achair She
has been in her day a devoted pedestrian;
she still rides frequently; she enjoys watch
ing the Battenburg princes play at lawn
games; and her personal acquaintance with
all her numerous stock, especially her super
annuatcdhorses,i is not less reInar kable than
touching. Nearly all the Queens pet ami
mails have been perpetuated, and her rooms
everywhere contain pictures and statuettes
in marble, gold or silver Of her favorite
horses and dogs.
Prince Albert once wrote to a friend that
his difficulty in filling his place with
proper dignity was that II ain only the
husband, and not the master, of the
house. The Queen always distinguished
herself lis & good houSekeeper She is very
particular as to any form of dirt or even
urtidiness, and there is a story told of her
majesty that, having come across aneglected
cabinet, she Wrote her sigma ture with her
finger in the dust. Going the next day 10
See the result of this silent rebuke, she
found that no notice had been taken of it,
and accordingly wrote the name of tie par
ticular housemaid who was responsible
for the neglect underneath. The next day
the two signatures had disappeared, and so
lad the housemaid, W no was so frightened
that she ran away without even asking
for character The Queen, however, sent
for her. had her brought back, and spoke TO
her Eiudiy. ad-
The book is beautifully made. The rrontis-
piece is the portrait known as '.the jubilee
portrait and throughout the volume are
numerous pictures OF places where dwells
the Queen, New York: d. Appleton s Co
Washington: Woodward & Lothropl
'My Wife's Husband is the effort of
Alice Wilkinson Sparks. She denorninates
it "a touch Of nature The book is one OF
those curious contributions which come in