The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
WHAT VICTORIA READS.
The Queens Literary Tastes Described by Her
Lectrlces.

Now that the Queen of England, like her
grandfather, George III, suffers from failing
eycsight. two persons in her household have
come to possess more and moro Importance.
These arc the 'lectrices," or readers, employed
by the nation to save what remains of her Maj
esty's vision. The late Lord Beaconsfield once
humorously described tho two ~lectrices as the
Queens pair of spectacles." For many years
Fraulein Bauer and Mile. Norele have held
these places. the Queen only needing their SER
vices for Gerlnan and French, as her English is
read to her by her ladies In waiting or maids
Of honor.
Through the courtesy of the Qreen's private
secretary, n chat was recently obtained by the
London Queen with both these ladies regarding
the tastes of their mistress In literature. Mile.
Norele. a sprlghtly and charming Frenchwo-
man. was easily enough induced to speak.
Her Majesty she declared. "reads very lit
tie of the lighter side Of our literature. unless,
indeed. one excepts the various periodi-
calls which arc sent marked for .perusal from
the sccretary's office. She is especially fond
Of the older authors works, Xavier de Mails
tres, Victor Hugo's. and portions of Balxac's.
for instance. I think that the story she likes
best In all French literature is De Maistre's
touching 'Lepreux de la Cite d'Aoste.' l have
read it to her times without number. the beau
tiful pathos Of the tale appearing to soothe her
in q remarkable manner.
Majesty holds NJ. Alphonsc Daudet alone adj
mirable. She thinks his satire too mordant
My Mil in Provence and 'Trento Ans de Paris
to the better known books. You will be, per-
haps,. astonishod to learn that the Queen likes
Henri Murger; and many a time have we
laughed together over the graceless scamps of
the Vic de Boheme.' Last year we read fene-
Majesty declared that the work brought back
hcr lifc's happlest pe~rlods-her own childhood's
Which she taught her children their French. "
"A very important branch OF my work con
by the Queen from members Of her family and
intimate friends: Nearly all of these are either
in German or French. Many of the Queens
juvenile descendants are accustomed to send
her long weekly acc~ounts..perfect diaries in
faGt.of their doinGs and opinions"
her colleague. She comes OF a family which
has served the Queens German ancestors in
"The queen" she says. reads considerably
in modern German literature. She is even
TO tSna All p' t iae0 p hH% G m 'salanis; an Hcs su GsamsS
watches for all newspaper articles which may
ing. l think that Schiller, is her Majesty 8
fayorite German poet, bpt she is also very fond
heard her quote the Prince Consort to the ef-
feet that 'Heine's genius had the phosphores'
"Sho likes historical novels. particularly
Laube's Der peutscho KrieF' and scheffel's
'Ekkchnrd. This taslc Tor historical nction, l
believe. follows the Queen into other Ian.
guages. Sho admlres Walter Scott. Felix
Dahn and Freytag arc two more favorites.
"Reading her Majesty's ~voluminous Ger
man correspondence forms n very largo por'
ton OF my duty"
Tho Hon. Emily Mcneil. who, in her capac.
ity of maid of honor to the Queen. has read ex.
tensivoly to hcr Majesty In English. was kind
enough TO add a few words to those of tho lee
trices. The Queens tastes In English litera-
turc,'' she said, are catholic. She reads al.
most every new book which Is described TO
her rs possessing real merit. For years the
Queen took Lord Beaconsfleld's opinion largely
on the subject, but since the great Premier
death her advisors arc many.
1.-THE Queen IL never tired OF rcreading Sh axes.
pcare. Scott, and Dickens. Recently sho has
shown IA sympathetic feeling for Milton, and
has been perusing the blind poets works.
Lord Tennyson is, however. her f%avoritc. There
is an utterly erroneous opinion abroad that she
greatly dislikcs Mr.. Swinburne; On the con
trary, she has IA remarkable liking for Alta,
lanta In Calydon' and others Of Swinburne's
poems. or late She has been read ng Mr..
KiplinR and expresses admiration for his vigor
and keen insight into human nature. She
told u friend that kiplinR had shown her en-,
pirc TO her in the most realistic manner.
with her fOndness for historical fiction, she
ovinccs much interest in the new school OF his,
tOrical fiction. The Celtic Renaissance also Mt.
tracts her, for she sympathiZcs with tho GAeI
to n remarkable extent. and IL prouder, ] verify
believe, of her kinship 10 the Stuarts than OF
her descent from tho Guclph5.