Year: 1878

Atlantic, ploughln1 nef way tnrough the
waves and currents, amid whatever weather
is vouchsafed to her, toward a land which,
though not new to the husband, is entirely
strange to his illustrious consort. Her
emotions, of course, differ from those of
the companions Of Columbus during
his first voyage and from those OF the
female part of the passengers on the May
flower but the sense of wondering contrast
experienced by the latter could not have
been more vivid than that felt by the
Princess Louise as she meditates on her
transfer from the life of soft elegance in .
European court in which she has been nur-
tured to the comparatively raw society of
the North American Provinces 1t is like
the transplanting Of precious shrub reared
indoors in o costly vase into the open air
of ruder climate, whose winds, though
they may not visit thoroughly, will still be
a trial to her powers of endurance. 1t will
be great compensation for the change that
it rescues both herself and her husband
from the annoyances incident to n marriage
which has placed them both in an equivocal
and anomalous position in the highest
English society. The enthusiastic accalma-
tions with which outpouring multitudes i'll
London and Liverpool greeted the vice
royal couple on their departure attest the
popularity Of this appointment with the
English people.


None of Lord Beaconsfeld's many coups
de theatre has been quite SO happy and sue
cessiul, or has been SO signal display of
the usually inconsistent qualities of refined
tact and mastery boldness as the stroke
by which he has at once lifted the Mar
quis of Lorne out of the social awkward
nesses which we're n consequence of his
marriage into the royal family, and ut the
same time and by the same dexterous
stroke kindles and intensifes the loyalty to
the Crown of the most important of the
colonies at a stage Of its growth when the
desire and expectation Of independence
are beginning to stir in the minds of many
of the Canadian people. Beaconstield's
other feats of this kind are exposed to
criticism and provoke dissent. Many
Englishmen regard the purchase of the
Suez Canal shares as blunder, and few are
more inclined to deride than to ad-
mire the bestowal upon the Queen
OF the pompous title Of Empress Of
India, although the prestige Of the latter
was followed up and heightened by the
well planned visit of the Prince Of Wales to
the East. The acquisition Of Cyprus is
still topic of discussion and contention
with the British public, and is thought by
4 ;cko {ba
chase Of the Suez shares. But with the
exception of one clever but spitetrl weekly
sheet published in London, and the further
exception of that portion of the nobility
which has looked askance on Lorne since
his marriage. the public sentiment of Eng
land warmly indorses Beaconsfeld's brill
liant display of dexterity in cutting q social
and political knot which it was impossible
to unite.


Had the Marquis of Lorne remained in
England he never could have extricated
himself from the perpetual notifications
to which he has been subjected by the dis
tinction in rank between his royal spouse
and himself In the higher British society
his wife is entitled to that precedence over
all the nobility which belongs to princess
Of the blood, while her husband can claim
no other rank than belongs to him as the
eldest son of o great duke. The other scions
of ROYALTY resent his intrusion into their
charmed circle and have administered to
him many a well bred snub, while, on
the other hand, the nobility look with
contem ptuous jealousy upon what they re-
gard Us his upstars pretensions. The London


World, is attempting to express the senti-
ments Of that narrow and supercilious cir
Gle, but it finds no echo in the hearts Of the
great body Of the English people, who love
the Queen and rejoice in the good fortune
of any member OF the royal family.
The enthusiastic good wishes and profuse
farewell greetings with which the Marquis
and his princess are waited forward
on their voyage prove that the English
nation does not share the petty spleen by
which the Marquis of Lorne has been an
noyed since he aspired to the love and wen
the hand Of a daughter of Queen Victoria.


Had the Marquis married in his own
rank and been appointed at this early age
to the great station Of Governor General Of
Canada his departure would have been as
unnoticed as that Of an ordinary ambas-
sador to a second class Power. The pre-.
vious viceroys to Canada have been states
men some Of them, like Lord Durham and
Lord Elgin, very important statesmen, but
over none Of them has there been any
of this acclaining parade when he sailed
from his own country for the scene Of
his duties. 1t is solely in consequence
of the Marquis of Lorne's matrimonial
alliance with the royal family that he re-
ceived those unprecedented demonstrations
of faithful and affectionate homage. Al
though they may be gall and wormwood to
few envious peers they show that, under
the skilful management of Earl Beacons-