The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-21

[. now first published from the original!
The compiler of the collection, and tn
author of the biography and CONNER
which accompanies it, is w. II. Wilkins
Fellow Of the Royal Historical Societ!
The papers reproduced are mostly letter
which passed between Sophie Dorothe
and Philip Christopher, Count Konigs
mark, and throw much light on a histor
as mysterious and romantic, in man
ways, as that of Mary Stuart. and IA
less familiar to the general public. TIL
history of the house of Hanover durin
he period Immediately preceding and fol
lowing George Is accession to the thron
Of England. has never been more dra
told, and as the author state
IN his preface. this WORK is based on man
interesting and authentic papers whic
have but lately come to light The pref
ace, which explains the sources and oh
ect of the narrative, runs in part as fol
ows:
In England, Notwithstanding that
Hanover is the cradle of our Kings
and these unpublished documents have
direct ard personal bearing on the
history of our royal house, nothing, or
practically nothing, has been done to
turn them to account They have been
available for the last thirty years, yet
so far no one has written an English
monograph of that remarkable wo-
man, the Electress Sophia-at least.
not one worthy Of the name.
I'm addition, therefore to the inter-
est of the subject. the fact trat these
Hanoverian papers are practically I'M
known to the English public forms a
sufficient reason for writing this book.
But apart from the papers in the
Hanoverian archives, l claim to have
found other important documents
which shed new light on the mys-
terry of Sophie Dorothea's life. The
dispatches of Sir William Dutton
Colt, of Cresset; Policy. and many of
those of Stepney, freely quoted in
this book, are now published for the
first time. But more important still.
and transcending all in interest, is the
correspondence of Sophie Dorothea
and konigsmark. This correspondence
is herein translated from the French
of the original documents in the Dos
session of the University of Lund, in
Sweden, and l have further edited and
arranged it. With A view to
doing the work thoroughly, / have fol-
lowed as closely as possible the foot
steps of the princess during her life.
| have visited Celle, where she was
born; Hanover, where she lived dur
ing her unhappy married life; and
Ahlden, where, for more than thirty
years, she was consigned TO a living
tomb.
The late Miss Agnes Strickland. 1t is
well known, brought her lives of the
Queenso of England 10 an end with Queen
Anne. In her preface to the final vol
ume. written in lS4S she advances two
reasons for not continuing them fur
Their. First. the lack of authentic doc
uments and letters, and secondly, be-
cause 'personages so near our own
times are not proper subjects for his
torical investigation. The first OBJ
lection has since been Obviated by the
opening of the Hanoverian archives
and the discovery of other documents:
to the second. it may be urged that as
Miss Strickland wrote fifty years ago,
her objection has lost force by the
lapse of time. A princess who died
nearly two centuries ago can hardly
be described as near our own times.
For the rest. as the wife of one of our
Kings, Sophie Dorothea belongs to his
tory. There is no more Improperly
in writing her life than in writing one
of Anne Boleyn, who also was a Queen
Consort accused of offences which could
never be proved against her. and who
suffered out Of all proportion to her
errors. Indeed, there is even less: for
posterity has learned all IL is ever like
ly to know about Anne Boleyn. but the
secrecy and Misrepresentation with
which Sophie Dorothea's memory is
need the light of impartial
investigation. In the biog-
raphies of the unfortunate princess
hitherto given to the world, she APP
pears either as an injured saint or a
most incorrigible sinner In point of
fact, she was neither but merely a low
ing woman, very human, and, there
fore, not free from faults, but far more
sinned against than SHINING
A word in conclusion as to the title
Of this book. In writing Sophie Doro-
thea's life one must write of her love-
since without her love her life was
nothing. OF course, in the strictly
legal sense, though consort Of George
], she was never Queen of England any
more than she was Electress Of Han
over, though de jure she was both.
But to quote Doran, Sophie Dorothea,
from the time her husband assembled
the throne. was in some sort of loving
sorrow called by the few left to love
her. the Queen A Queen though never
a Queen though always
a prisoner, a Queen though never
a Queen Of tears"
1t viii Ice seen from this brief summary
the life Of the unhappy wife of George
that the book has much dramatic in
rest, and will be fascinating to the lover
romance. The tnoroughness with
hich the author has done his work is
irticularly noticeable Not point in
)phie Dorothea, which could throw any
sht upon her life or character has been
nitted. and the misunderstanding is as
lreful as it would be in a fine histori-
Il novel, besides being far more accu-
tie. In word. this biography is one of
lose which may be found now and then
nong a dry and dusty collection of rec
IDS. a book as interesting as any work
fiction, and possessing the added
-auty Of truth.
The first chapters are devoted to a
.refully drawn picture Of life as it was
the Hanoverian Court in the seven
enth century, and TO character sketches
the forebears OF the unfortunate young
-incess who became the ancestress of a
ne of English Kings. There is in the
e Of this German principality, and that
its sister State of Celle, very little of
e glitter and romance which we asso-
ate with the court life Of England at
e same time. Yet there was romance
'en here, though it had To come through
stranger Of alien blood.
This is the way they lived at Hanover
those days:
AT the Schloss Of Celle meals were
served daily in the great hall, at in
the morning and in the afternoon.
The retainers were summoned to
meals by a trumpeter on the tower, and
If they did not appear punctually they
had TO go without. As they ate a page
went round bidding everyone be quiet
ana orderly, forbidding all swearing
and rudeness or throwing about Of
bread. bones, or roast, or pocketing OF -
the same The butler was warned
not 20 permit noble or simple to enter
the cellar, the squircs were allowed
beer and 'sleeD-drinks,' but wine was
only served at the princes high table.
All accounts We're carefully kept and
bills paid weekly. The court was one
big family and the prince was the
father OF his people. But this well
ordered household was in the days of
the old Duke Christian. a predecessor
Of the four registering blades who now
divided the possessions Of Brunswick
II appears that the eldest OF these four
AIDES, Duke Christian of Celle. was a
the second, George William,
lOd life at Hanover too tedious and