The National tribune., 1907-12-26

own lacks as a hostess, were all freely
commented upon by her guests. Ana
the aggravating part of it was that tne
handwriting had been carefully dis
guised, and she couldn't for the life OF
her tell who had written anything. The
lady closed her book with an angry
snap and threw it into the fire, feeling
that her guests had gotten the best of
her, and that her experiment was a
great mistake, and a very foolish, vul-
gar one at that
Altho the world always recognized in
Queen Victoria of England woman OF
exceptionable ability, yet her Highland
Journals showed she possessed only or
dinary gifts as a writer The three vol
umes of her letters just published Will
therefore come as surprise to the
public as displaying a talent for TINS
style of literary composition, at least,
unsupported by the outside world. Her
letters cover the whole course of her
long life. and show her to have been a
woman of strong, dignified character,
who understood thoroly everything con-
nected with her business as ruler. The
letters are remarkable, even those writ
ten when she was a very young girl,
dealing with vitally interesting subjects
in a vitally interesting way. Her let
ters to her ministers display a wonder
full grasp of the weighty matters upper
most at the time, and are full of wise
suggestions. In these she is the Queen
pure and simple. But it is in her per-
sonal letters. and particularly those to
her Uncle Leopold. King of Belgium,
that she reveals herself as the most
feminine of women, tender and loving,
whose one idea of happiness is quiet,
domestic life with her beloved husband
and children. Victoria's father was one
of the younger sons of George Ill, and
her mother, the Duchess of Kent, was a
remarkably sensible woman. Her uncle,
William w., having no children, it
seemed probable from Victoria's child
hood that she would one day succeed
to the throne. She was brought up
with that end in view by her sensible
mother and her training made her just
and kind, rather than proud and over
bearing. Her life was most simple, and
in her book the Queen tells us that not
until after her accession did she have
bedroom to herself. Like all healthy
young girls. she was fond of a good
time. of music and dancing particularly,
but her natural dignity and the appre-
citation of what was suitable and be-
coming to one in her high place, kept
her from indulging her natural inclina-
tions to the extent she would have
wished. Her mothers brother, Leopold,
who in 1881 became the King of Bel
GUM, seems to have Influenced her life
almost more than anyone else. She
loved, respected and greatly admired
him, and on all possible occasions
sought his advice. 1t was he who first
suggested Albert to her as a possible
husband, and this fact was always a
great bond between them. In her let
ters to her dear Uncle Leopold, Victoria
pours out her heart. confding to him
her great happiness in her married life,
showing herself in them simply as the
woman-tenderly loving and tenderly
loved. She finds her Albert "perfec-
tion," she writes her uncle, and does
not think it possible for anyone in the
world to be as happy as she is. When
her children come to her it is to her
uncle that she writes first, and these