New-York tribune., 1901-03-31
VICTORIA.
L1cKY. THE HISTORIAN, WRITES OF THE
QUEEN AS A MORAL FORCE
From The Pail Mall Magazine.


She was a great ruler but she was also TO the
last true, kindly, simple minded woman re-
tanning with undiminished intensity all the
warmth of a most affectionate nature all the
soundness of a most excellent Judgment.
Brought up from childhood in the artificial at
mosphere II court; called. while still girl, to
the isolation OF a throne; deprived, when her
reign had Yet forty years to run of the sup
port and counsel OF her husband she might Well
have been pardoned if she often found herself
out or touch with large sections OF her people,
and had viewed lie through a false medium or
in partial aspects. Yet Lord Salisbury probably
in no degree exaggerated when he said that il
he wished TO ascertain the feelings and opinions
OF the English people and especially Of the
English middle classes, he knew truer or
more enlishtening judgment than that of the
Queen. She thought with them and she felt
with them; she shared their ambitions; she
knew by kind Of intuitive instinct the course
Of their judgments; she sympathized deeply with
their trials and their sorrows.
She could hardly be called a brilliant woman.
1t is difficult indeed TO judge the full social
slant restraints Of royal position. but do not
think that in any sphere of life The Queen would
have been regarded a woman Of striking Wit,
o. originality, or even commanding power. The
qualities that made her so successful in her high
calling were Of another kind-supreme good
sense; tact in dealing with men and circum-
stances so unfailing that il almost amounted
10 genius; interchangeable industry which never
tagged from early youth till extreme old age;
a sense of duty so steady and strong that
il governed all her actions and pleasures, and
saved her not only from the grosser and more
also in a most unusual degree from the subtle
and often half concealed detecting influences
that spring from ambition or resentment from
personal predictions and personal dislikes- 1t
these qualities combined with her un-
riyalleG experience Of affairs. and strengthened
by long and constant intercourse with the lore
most English statesmen Of two generations,
that made her what she undoubtedly Was-a per-
fect model of a constitutional sovereign.
There Were, however, occasions when she took
independent steps, and some Of these had a con-
siderable influence on politics. Louis Napoleon
Was one of the few great soNereigns who were
not related to her, and TO few persons could the
coup d'etat which brought him to the throne
have been more repugnant; but the cordial per-
sonal relations she established with him un-
doubtedly contributed considerably to the good
relations Which for many years subssted be
tween England and France. Bismarck detested
English Court influence and greatly preju-
diced against her. but he has left a striking tes-
tmony to the favorable impression which her
tact and good sense made upon him when ne
first came in contact with her; She Possessga go.
10 a high degree the power of choosing the rlsnl
moment and striking the true chord, ana she
appears to have been an excellent Juuse iio.
only Of the feelings of large bodies OF men, but
also OF the individual characters of those win
whom she dealt. She had a style OF MIlllhs
which was eminently characteristic and emil
lently feminine and il is easy to trace the let
rs which were entirely her own. Her letters
Of congratulatiOn, sympathy, or encouTage-
rrant on public occasions scarcely ever lallrd
In their effect and never contained an inJudl-
cious word. The same thing may be said of her
many beautiful letters To those VINO W. W. , Sul
fer:ng from some grievous calamity Nhether
D.. WAS writing TO great puhllc character,
like the widow of American President, or
expressing her sorrow for obscure sufferers
,lera K-as the same note of true WomanlN sym
rathv so manifestly spontaneous and 50 mani
fceflv heartfelt that il found ITS way 10 the
hearth of thousands. The tact Tor Whirh she
US so iustly celebrated. like all true tact
er,rang largely from character. from the QUICK
md lively sympathies Of an enainently anec-
fionate nature No one could have been less
,reatrical or less likely in any unworthy way
10 soek for popularity: but she knew admlrahiE
,ra occasions or the methods by which she c"uli
strike The imagination and appeal most faNora-
fl, TO the feelings Of the people She ShoNeu
his In The very beginning ot nor reign VI
she insisted in defiance Of the OPINION OF lfis
Duke Of wellington, on riding herS-Il lhr"u1"
fb4 ranks Of her troops at her first review
i is rather, however, 10y The example 81 d
life Than by any public acts that a c"liSt4'u-
'f-,ra1 sovereign can impress her personality on
ne affections Of her people. OF the reign OF
Queen Victoria il may bc truly sald that very
g. in English history have been 50 balneI.SS
IS this which was the longest OF an. ifr
,,.r.rt was a model of quiet dignity ana H''"-
Il.rn singularly free from ali the atn"Spn"I'
of intrigue and from all suspicion of lnJudl'louS
.r unworthy faVoritiSm. she managed H. a. - :
managed her family with happy mik'ui ol
-.rt sps sfIectjon and. though she gave her con-
idence TO many. she gave II 10 such persons dIl1
IN sucb a way that il seemed meyer to he abused
\. domestic life could i'm all its relations nave
f.-en more perfect and her love Of chlldrrh
amounted to a passion. Among the great ie-
male rulers II would be difficult To hhd one itSS
like Queen Victoria than the Empress Catherine
of Russia: but they had tins common trdi' " Va
an iD.enss love for children and "A great power