The Washington herald., 1908-07-26
Bv EX-ATTAcHE-

Fefsai-y popular figures in English Ife
and no end Of good. especially among Tn,
suffering and the poor. has been accom-.
phshed through her initiative and in
nuence, Yet il IS only nov that for the
first tine the compliment has been paid
70 her q setting UP her statue in a
public place
II is particularly fitting that the bronze
eiiigy which represents her IN her coro-
nation robes should have found a site
IN the grounds OF the London Hospital
Of which she is the president ana %
which II has been presented BY the men,
bers Of the board of governors ard o.
the star Of that institution. For IL there
Is one branch Of philanthropy 10 vyhic,,
more than any other she has devoted her
self since she nrst came TO England near
half a century ago. from Denmark. II IS
10 hospital work. particularly 10 the i'm
D1ovemenJs in The nursing Of the sol
dlers. and. IN fact. Of the nursing service
IN general
Has Elevated Nursing.
She has not only carried TO its present
wonderful stage Of development the meth
oos OF caring for The sick and wounded
IN war, inaUgurated by Florence Night
1ngale- the Lady Of the Lamp. during the
Crtmean war in 1854 and lS55 but has also
succeeded in placing the profession Of the
sick nurse OF civilian life upon an entirely
different footing to that which Il occu-
pied in the days when Charles Dickens
imned in such mastery word painting
The immortal figures OF 'sairy Camp
and Betsy Prigg--
To-day the profession OF sick nurse IS an
honored calling. which calls for eGuca-
ZION. and also for the delicacy and breed
ing OF gentlew0man. The nurses form
. corporation, each member Of which
holds a diploma bearing the ef7ev OF the
Queen as active president OF the body.
Iney wear her badge, and al least once a
year many huIdreds-nay. even thousands
of them-are brought into contact with
her majesty at gatherings which she
causes % be organized IN the grounds OF
buckingham Palace. or some equally con-
Fenient place, where she passes through
their lines, chatting TO many OF them. and
presenting badges and diplomas 20 those
who have earned special c0mmeadarion.
she has likewise organized a large and
nourishing pension fund for them. as well
as q handsome and stately home in Lon
don. and II is worthy Of note that An,eri-
cans have contributed largely 20 both the
fund and 10 the building.
Deserving OF Statue.
II is therefore euinently fitting that the
statue Of Queen Alexandra should f1d a
place il the grounds OF the great London
Hospital. and the Earl Of Crewe. secre-
tary OF state for the colonies, who IN
yelled the memorial was not far
wrong when he declared that. looking at
the records Of those princesses who had
been consorts OF the Kings Of England.
from the present time. through the long
roll OF Hanover, Stuart. Tudor. and Plan Z
Iagenet rulers. back 10 the days OF the /
consort Of Henry Z whom the people I
loved 10 call the good Queen Naude."
ne cid not think that there was one OF 4
that illustrious list who had been so com
pleteiy enthroned IN the hearts Of the na-
ton as Queen Alexandra.
II 1 draw attention to the i1a-1rr.-,
ton OF this. the first statue Of the zre
clous helpmest Of Edward VII II is be-
cause statues OF royal women IN public .
places are exceedingly rare. as conpsrsd 4
with the extraordinary number Of marble D
and bronze erhgies representing members
Of the sterner and less attractive sex.
Statues Of men abound IN such numbers
or both sides Of the Atlantic bur ezna
ci2lly IN Europe. as 20 have deve1o-ed
into a positive nuisance. and memorials Of +
cnls nature are set Up TO all sorts OF
worthless individuals and insignificant
nediocrities. who should beforzotten in
stead OF being thus cOnmemorated. II
IS fortunate under the circumstances that
many OF their statues are made n such
Z Iasnion as 70 admit OF the heads being
AID those Of others grated on
n their place. Indeed. In France statue
grating has become quite an aclSnovl-
edged industry
Difficulties OF DFs=s.
Among the causes for the amazing dis
2arity between the statues OF men and
II women, one Of the principal Is IN
ioubtedly the consideration Of dress
eIilinine attire IN all ages. even IN that
Il the Garden OF Eden, has rua 10 ex-
remes and 10 exaggeraffon ana 7rbT.
his may be rendered temporarily to1er-
.oie through fashion, yet details that :
nay be regarded as wholly modish bv I
ne generation appear preposterous and &
-togetner ridiculous 10 those that follow. I
Contemporary paintings and engravings ]
onvey 10 those OF Us who are too Young I
o recall the era Of the third Nauoleo0 Z
ne iaiitastic diameter Of the criuolines :
laugur by Empress Eugene. and q
.hich- from an artistic point OF view. VIII q
ways be accounted as the most unpar- s
enable Of the evils for which she has Z
cen responsible II IS impossible 10 con- I 6
eve any sculptor Of note giving his name ?
5 creator 70 the statue OF a woman thus 2
rrayed- II would convey the idea Of a
pecles OF nightmare IN marble or In { Z
rome. and although there were some b
rear feminine figures IN the history Of T
De middle Of the nineteenth century \
hen the crinOline enjoyed its apotheosis ?
et not one Of them has been coumemo- =
1leo II stone, at any rate IL that at =
True, I can recall a statrle % c,-,sa, 4
lctora' and OF her husband. the l7te =
rince ConsOrt dating from the e8-Iv \
S. but both Of them are represented .
MEDIEVAL costumes. she IN a SORT Of 7.
owing robe, suggesting the reign Of Ed ,,
ara III. and he in the tunic reaching 10 -
-e knees that We are accustomed TO -
10 IN Ine portraits Of Robin Hood The =,
-Her statues OF Queen Victoria-there are ~
u many OF them; perhaps a dozen. scat
red n the various portions OF thar VAST
nplre upon which the sun never sars- 81
low the queen in her widowboo5 and n,
q age, when the Crinoline had dfean- n
AIRED. il Is 10 be hoped. forever a-5 =
here the artist took advantage Of be- ="
'tor1ous Indifference 70 fashion vbe-a y
T own attire was concerned. TO ideaIize >
= garos while preserving the facial re- Il
The Lovely Pauline.
Of all the feminine celebrities OF the Ia
ginning Of the nineteenth centurv-tbat fe
TO say Of the age when fashion ran W
't and when Nine TaIien and her al
lend and companion. Josephine Roma @
rle' L1augurated the somewhat daring -
snlons that Partisan Courrol1rferas ar ea