New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-05-03
SOME NOTED PERSONAGES.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE EARLY NINE
TENTH CENTURY.

TALES OF MY FATHER. BY a. N. F. Crown
Svo, PIP 269. Longmans Green & Co.
This third book by A. NJ F. resembles her
previous volumes in its presentation of more or
less picturesque "reminiscences and its recapitu-
lation of melodramatic stories of the sorrows
crimes and ghosts of divers noble families. In
this case the "reminiscences are chiefly those of
her father, in his youth an officer of the Life
Guards, in London. and the friend and aided
camp of Ernest. Duke of Cumberland, afterward
King of Hanover. This royal parsonage is de-
scribed by the Englishman determined to
succeed to the English throne should his
brother William ". leave no male heirs, and
a endeavoring to prejudice people against the
little Princess Victoria and her claims. He is
quoted alleging that the Sale law applied to
the Hanoverian dynasty. and that Victoria hav-
ing no right to succeed to the throne of Han
over. also had no right to succeed to that of
England-an absurd contention. He asked his
aide-de-camp one day if he and his troop would
follow him through the streets of London if he
were proclaimed king. Yes, and to the Tower
the day was my fathers indignant reply
says A. NJ. F. You have cut your own throat,
my boy, by that remark replied the duke. AS
King of England l could make you a great
What will the Princess Victoria do for
you and yours? But 1 only said this to see what
you would say"
II the duke had. indeed schemed to supplant
his niece, his plans were Ill laid. There came
day when King William. having departed this
life. Captain H. ordered out with his com
pany of guards to escort the little Queen from
Kensington Palace to St. James's. there TO Wit
ness her proclamation.
Often did my father describe the appearance
of the young Queen she came out of Ken
sington Palace. Dressed in deep mourning,
which made her slight girlish figure seem still
sghter, she looked like q child. so fragile WaS
she. Her eyes full of tears; the small
hands clasped and. unclasped each other, and 1t
seemed as If she must fall, her little figure
watching her with fatherly look, and APP
preaching the carriage she turned round and
looked at the smart body Of men drawn up be
fore and behind it. Audible murmurs. God
bless herr heard. 1t a trying mo-
ment, the sOlemnty Of which many strong man
would have felt But she kept her self-posses-
sion and bowed TO the right and left, her first
bow being to her army; my father used 10 boast
proudly that his company was the first to he
greeted by the young sovereign. Very
young did she look she came out alone to
witness her proclamation on the balcony of the
old Palace Of st. James's; tears were streaming
down her face.
There is a touching picture put into words by
her uncle the Duke of Sussex, Of the Queens
first Privy Council. The old duke was distressed
over her great nervousness, Saying it was
most painful and trying position for a girl, so
young and inexperienced, alone with all the men.
She was kind, he added. affectionate to
him, continually taking his hand If to assure
herself that she had some OF her own race and
blood near her. Lord Melbourne. who never
took his eyes off her, seemed even more nervous
than the Queen if he feared she might do or
say the wrong thing, But he need not have
been afraid, the old duke said, she is born to
rule, and if she had been ten years younger
bit of a girl she is he added, looking so
much younger than she really is
OF another Queen. the famous Louise Of Prus-
STA great grandmother of the present German
Emperor, A. M F. has much to say, still using
her fathers recOections-in this case derived
from the talk Of the Queens nephew, Prince
Frederick The royal lady told the boy
prince the story of the tragic night when, wait
ing in the almost deserted palace. seated on the
box Of state papers which the absent King had
intrusted to her, she heard the footsteps Of
Bonaparte the staircase. The conquerOr
came in dusty, unwashed. unshaven. The beau
tiful Queen remained seated with no sign Of
fear in her face. Il have often heard" said
Prince Frederick, that such was his hurry to
enter the Apartment that he did not even I'M
cover until a loud. clear voice was heard:
Monsieur, uncover before the Queen of Prus-
sia"" She refused to allow him to kiss her
hand, and refused also to yield to his repeated
requests that she should rise and give into his
possession the box OF documents on which
she sat The great captain not accustomed
to entreat for long. Madame" he said "a SOL
der sticks at nothing when he has an object to
obtain; II your majesty refuses rise, must
ask my officers TO compel you" He laid a firm
hand her shoulder She rose with outraged
pride in her lovely eyes and, uttering no word
eft he aft ri sail 10
peated Prince Frederick, ." 1 did not think he
would have dared TO lay his hand on Louise of
Prussia " The prince added that the Queen
saw the conqueror on the following day when
he dressed a French general, and that
she much impressed and struck by the
gentleness and courtesy of his manner to her;
he was no longer like the same man."
Elsewhere in this volume is quoted part of an
original letter from the Emperor Alexander de-
scribing his interview at Tilsit with the great
COrsican. He reveals himself as deeply i'm
pressed by Napoleon's genius and by what he
thought the mans extraordinary beauty His
profile is like of the olden times" wrote the
Car, himself one OF the handsomest men OF his
period. Il cannot take my eyes off II. His
speech is abrupt his French-well, I think
mine is better. He is king amongst men, but
our Russian ladies would not tolerate his brus-
querie" The conqueror's uncouth habit of spit
ting the floor also comes in for some impe-
rial comment. There is a curious glimpse, in one