The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-04
WHAT VICTORIA READS.
The Queens Literary Tastes Described by
Her Lectrices.

Her Lectrices.
Now that the Queen of England, like
her grandfather. George III, suffers from
failing eyesight, two persons in her
household have come to possess more and
more Importance. These are the "lec-
trices," or readers, employed by the
nation to save what remains of her Ma
jesty's vision. The late Lord Beacons-
field once humorously described the two
lectrices as "the Queens pair of speota-
oles." For many years Fraulein Bauer
and Mile. Norle have held these places,
the Queen only needing their services for
German and French. as her English is
read to her by her ladies in waiting or
maids of honor.
Through the courtesy of the Queen s
private secretary, chat was recently OBJ
tanned by the London Queen with both
these ladies regarding the tastes of their
mistress in literature Mile. Norle. q
sprightly and charming French woman,
was easily enough induced to speak.
Her Majetsy,'' she declared, 'reads
very little of the lighter side of our litera-
ture, unless, indeed, one excerpts the vari-
ousIperiodicals which are sent marked for
perusal from the secretary's office. She
is especially fond of the older authors
works, Xavier de Maistre's, Victor
Hugos and portions of Bs1zac's, for in
| stance. think that the story she likes
best in all French literature is De
Maistre's touching 'Lepreux de la Cite
d'Aoste. have read it to her times
without number, the beautiful pathos of
the tale appearing to soothe her in re-
markable- manner.
"Of all the moderns, really believe
that her Majesty holds M. Alphonse
Daudet alone admirable. She thinks his
satire too mordant, though, and prefers
the delicious Letters from My Mill IN
Provence and 'Trente Ans de Paris to
the better known books. You will be.
perhaps, astonished to learn that tie
Queen likes Henri Murger; and many a
time have we laughed together over the
graceless scamps of the Vie de Boheme. )
Last year we read Fenelon's 'Telemaque'
from cover to cover. Her Majesys declared
that the work brought back her life's
happiest periods-her own ehildhood's
days in Kensington Palace, and the days
In which she taught her children their
French.
ga very important branch.of my work
cons lists in reading the many letters re-
oeived daily by the Queen from members
of her family and intimate friends.
Nearly all of these are either in German
or French. Many of the Queen juvenile
descendants are accustomed to send her
long weekly accounts-perfect diaries in
fact-of their doings and opinions.
Fraulein Bauer was less communicative
than her colleague. She comes of a
family which has served the Queens Ger
man ancestors in many capacities for
generations back.
"The Queen, she says" reads sconsid-
erably in modern German literature. She
is even fond Of the humorous journals,
and subscribes to all the principal maya
zines. Her German secretary, Herr
Maurice Muther, carefully watches for all
newspaper articles which may interest
her, and sends them marked for reading.
l think that Schiller is her Majesty S
favorite German poet, but she is also very
fond of Goethe. Heine she dislikes in
tensely. I have heard her quote the
Prince Consort to the effect that 'Heines
genius had the phosphorescent light of
decay
"She likes historical novels, particu.
larly Laube's Der Deutsche Krieg,' and
Scheffers 'Ekkehard.' This taste for
historical ficticn, I believe, follows the
Queen into other languages. She ad-
mires Walter Scott. Felix Dahn and
Freytag are two more favorites.
Reading her Majesty's voluminous
German correspondence forms very
large portion of my duty"
The Hon. Emily Mcneil, who, in her
capacity of maid of honor to the Queen,
has read extensively to her Majesty in
English, was kind enough to add a few
words to those of the lectrices. "The
Queens tastes in English literature, ;"
she said, ''are catholic. She reads almost
every new book which is described to her
as possessing real merit. For years the
Queen took Lord Beaconsfield's opinion
largely on the subject, but since.the great
Premier's death her advisers are many.
1.-THE Queen is never tired of reread-
ing Shakespeare, Scott, and Dickens.
Recently she has shown a sympathetic
feeling for Milton, and has been perusing
the blind poet s works. Lord Tennyson
is. however, her favorite. There is an
utterly erroneous opinion abroad that she
greatly dislikes Mr.. Swinburne. On the
Contrary, she has remarkable liking for
'Atalanta in Calydon' and others of
Swinburne's poems. OF late she has been
reading Mr.. Kipling and expresses ad-
miration for his vigor land keen insight
into human nature. She told friend
that Kipling had shown her empire to
her in the most realistic manner.
with her fondness for historical fiction,
she evinoes much interest in the new
school of historical fiction. The Celtic
Renaissance also attracts her. for she
sympathizes with the Gael to remark
able extent, and is prouder, l verify be-
lieve, of her kinship to the Stuar>s than
- 40, daooopt f rom the Grla1Dhc