The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-03

nassaa." "1n the Trench near Peters
burg" or Howard Grove Hospital"
| Whether written in camp, or hos
| pital or hospitable home says Mr.
! Policy in his preface. "the letters tell
a plain unvarnished story Of the OBJ
servations and experiences. the i'm
pressions and feelings Of soldier"
But the writer's modesty does not
mention one Of the most delightful
features of the letters. They are fai
from 'unvarnshed." Mr.. Policy Is q
! student and book lover. and his
pages are varied with illusions 70
history and scraps of quotations from
Shakespeare. Scott, Butler and the
older poets. He has sense OF humor.
a natural aptitude for story telling
and as he sees everything and writes
with freedom. his letters are more
than mere side-lights on history
they are delightful reading. Reading
them one Is grateful to Charming
Nellie" that she inspired this soldier
to write SO fully and frankly.
VICTORIA THE WOMAN By Frank
lFird. d. Appleton & Co., of New
York. publishers. $3.50.
Mr.. Hird starts out with distinct
assertion thNt his book in no way
pun pm 10 W NC a COiIIplete NE VI w
| Victoria. or even complete study OF
her character. Instead he declares
that he has endeavored to show tho
Queen as a daughter. a wife. mother,
a'friend and sovereign. He has made
use as far as possible OF the Queens
own words in letters and diaries. some
of which have never been published be-
fore.
The chapters are devoted to an &c
! ,los-
the difficulties connected with a wo-
mans succession to the throne. the
enmity of the Duke OF Cumberland. the
Queens early life at Kensington. her
training and education. her attitude
toward her position, her succession to
the throne, her life at Windsor. her
first experience with politics and her
affection for Lord Melbourne.
Then the magni1cence Of the corona
ton and the dignity and sweetness OF
the young Queens bearing and the dis
by Lady Flora Hastings's death.
a bridesmaids, description OF the
Queens marriage and OF her perfect
subsequent happiness proves most In
terestinE. The Improvement In the
moral tone OF the court which follows
| is taken as matter of course and SC
is the Queens courage in the reor-
ganization of the royal household
Mendelssohn's account OF visit tc
giving the impression made on his mind
by Victoria's home life.
That she had all the requisite quail
tiles OF home maker Is shown by her
training of her children and her pur-
chase OF Osborne Lodge as place
for the Illustration of her ideas OF home
rule. Her purchase OF Balmonal. IN the
Scotch Highlands. the famous Planta-
genet ball at which Victoria appeared
as Queen Philippe and the Prince as
Edward III. and the incidents connected
with visits and state tours during the
first ten years OF her marriage rem.
der this chapter specially full OF in
terest.
The next describes the impressive
opening ceremonies at Crystal Palace
in the exhibition OF 1851. the part En-
gland played In the Russo Turkish
War. the Indian Mutiny, the Queen:
account OF the marriage OF the prin'
cess royal to Prince Frederick Will
liam of Prussia, the visit of the Prince
of Wales to the United States and Can.
ada, and the Queens Overwhelming
grief at the illness and death of Prince
Albert.
The succeeding part OF the book tells
about the marriage of the Prince OF
Wales. the Queens attitude during the
war between Austria and Prussia, her
preparation Of the Life of the Prince
Consort." the marriage of her children
and the death OF the Princess Alice
prior to the Queens being created EN-
press of India. The celebration of her
jubilee, the Boer War and the troubles
OF her last years. her failing strength
and death and the great and universal
grief it caused bring the book to its
end. It is written with great charm
of style and expression and is most
valuable from literary and historic
standpoint.