Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-04-20
SECRETS OF ROYALTY
COSe-RaDge View Of Victoria, the Queen
and Woman.

bohuOn April l9.-Queen Victoria
was at once the best known and the
least known Of sovereigns. Her sub.
jects understood her because she was
never out of touch with them, but
trusted them as they trusted her. Her
real character and manner of speech
and life were not known. because there
could be no intrusion upon the privacy
OF sovereign so sincerely honored.
The Quarterly Review, which, under
the able editorship of Mr.. Prothero has
regalned it's old-time character and
prestige, contains remarkable article
on the Queen, evidently written from
precise and intimate knowledge dur
ing period of fifty years. The article
is not signed, but it occupies a lead
ing place in the current number. and
is, perhaps, the first character study o.
the Queen made by any competent
writer who had the advantage of per
sonal acquaintance with her, and could
reproduce her words in daily conversa-
tion and form impartial and critical
judgments, based on prolonged obser-
walton and reflection.
The article is discriminating, while
eulogistic, and is remarkable for the
candor of its statements, it's independ
ence of judgment and even the severity
of its criticism. 1t throws new light
upon many secret passages in the his
tory Of the reign, and contains series
of fresh anecdotes illustrating the
Queens characteristic traits of trench
ant humor and racy talk. and has
throughout a strong note of personal
ity. The authorship of this article will
probably remain literary secret, and
will pique public curiosity.
The author attempts, without blind
or sycophantic laudation, to ascertain
what were the elements and processes
of the evolution of the Queens charac
ter. He finds few traces of heredity,
and contends that there was no ire
sistable trend toward personal great
ness, but that she was rather an ordi-
nary mortal, with fine instincts. con-
siderable mental capacity and certain
vital persistence which served her well,
and that qualities not in themselves
extraordinary were trained by circum-
stances, so as to provide a basis upon
which an excellence not innate could
be built up.
The explanation given of the Queens
prejudice against Mr.. Gladstone is that
it started in the suspicion that he gave
her too much work to do, until she
was, as she put it, dead beat" He
tried in his eagerness. to press her to
do what she considered to be his work
and when she resented it and he re-
newed the attempt, she. formed per-
tinacious prejudice against him that
never was removed. The author states
that it was always an element in her
reticence with regard to Mr.. Gladstone
that he was too high church" and had
the mind of a Jesuit.
The Queens own attitude toward re.
ligion is discussed judiciously. Prob
ably the form of service which she pre-
ferred was that of the Presbyterian
Church, but she was broad church
woman, with no curiosity about creeds.
She liked Roman Catholics much bet
tel than Anglican ritualists. but pos
sibly because she felt no responsibility
for their opinions. The article closes
with this remarkable sentence:
And gradually she hypnotized pub
lie imagination go that at last, in de-
fiance of theorists, historians and phi
losophers, the nation accepted the
Queens view of her functions, and tao
lily concluded with her that she ruled,
a consecrated monarch, by right di E
vine.'