Year: 1867

agsS herself of wish TO keep the Prince
waiting for probably three or four years az inc d5A VI
clned to marry And the Prince has since iola h @ '
he came over in 1899 with the intention OF elhg


if she could not then make up her mind she must He


stand that be could not now wait Tor dccllOb ~ III


done nj a former period when this marriage Wasiiisl


"The only excuse the Queen make fer herself y IN


the fact that the sudden change from the secluded PIE AZ
Kensip ron 10 the Independence Of her position as Queen
Recuant the age of Eighteen pu al IDEAS cl Ihatiae
ont OF her mind which she noW moss bitterly IeeLts "a


worse school for q Young girl. one moic uetrl.
mental To al natural feelings and affections cannot wen
without experience and without husband to guide ana
peieuce and she thanks God that none OF her dear
daughters arc exposed TO such danger


! The year following Prince Albert accompanied 10y
his brother. made visit to Windsor Castle. which
soon decided his fate "The way of life at Windsor
during the stay Of the princes much a. follows
The Queen brealtfastinG at this time IN her own
ROOM they aiterward paid her q visit there; ana ~
! two o'clock had luncheon with ner and the Duchess
of Kent. In the afternoon they all TOde-the Queen
! and duchess and the two princes, with LoId .Ncl
bourne and most Of the ladies aud gentlemen III at
! tendance, forming large cayaicade. IheIe was "
! great dinner every evening, with dance al'ei "
three times a week. But on the 18th thero was 'i


nportant interruption to the ordinary routine oi tho
da, The Ouoen had told Lord Melbourne the DAY
before that she had made up her mind TO the lh"r,
yiage at which he expressed great satisfaction ana
! sod IN her os her Majesty states IN her Journal
! tbil Il will be very well received; for hear that
! there is an anxiety now that il should be- ana am
very glad of il (: adding III quite n paternal tone
! You will be much more comfortable; lot Il woman
can not stand alone for any time in whatever posi-
tion she may be- Can we wonder that the Queen
recalling these circumstances should eXcalm, Alas
alas the poor Queen now stands in that painful
positionp, An ntimation accordingly gwen to
the Prince through Baron Alvenslebcn, master OF
the horse TO the Duke of COburg, and long attached
to his family. who had accompanied the Prince to
England. that the Queen wished to speak to him the
next day. On that day the 18th, the Prince lad
been ont hunting early with his brother but returned
at twelve. and hafan-hour afterward obeyed
the Queens summons 10 her room, where he
found her alone. After o few minutes con
versation on other subjects the Queen told
him why she had sent for him: and we
can well understand any little hesitation and
decacy she may have felt in doing So Tor the
Queen's position making it imperative that any pro
posa of marriage should come first from her. must
necessarily appear painful one 10 those who derv-
ING their ideas on this subject from the practice OF
private life are wont TO look upon IT as the privilege
and happiness of woman to have her hand sought
in marriage instead of having 10 offer it herself
| The Prince was naturally made supremely happy
by the PROPOSAL the Queen herself says that he re
ceiyed her offer with the Yaupest demonstrations of
kindness and affections and adds III her journal
How viii strive TO make him feel little pos
sble the great sacrifice he has madel told him II
iras great sacrifice on his part but he would not al
low it. ] then told him to fetch Ernest.
who congratulated us BOTH and seemed very happy.


He told me how perfect his brother was
How much in love was the sovereign lady with
her betrothed may be inferred from the frequent pas
sages in her journal which quoted without the
slightest afiectation of the maidenly reserve which
is usually held to be in order such an occasion.
The following enthusiastic account OF military re-
view in which she accompanied 10y Prince Al
bert whOappeared in the grey uniform OF the CODug


troops is tell exposure of real wolnanly heart
"At ten minutes to twelve ! set OFF in my Windsor
uniform and cap on my old charger Leopold with
my beloved Albert, looking so handsome in his uni
form, on my right, and Sir John Macdonald, the adj
iutant general on my left Colonel Grey and Colonel
/ Wemyss preceding me a guard of honor my other
! gentlemen my cousins gentlemen, Lady Caroline
! Darlington etc, for the ground horrid day
] COld-dreadfully blOwing-and in addition, raining
hard when we had been out few minutes. Ii, how
| ever, ceased when came 10 the ground ] rode
alone down the ranks, and then took my place, as


usual with dearest Albert my right, and Sir John


Macdonald on my left aud the troops


march past. They afterward maneuvered. The


rifles looked beautiful 1t was percingy cold. and
had my cape on which dearest Albert settled comfort
! ably for me. He was so cold, being EN- grsnde
! tenue' with high boots"


! The position of Prince Albert after his marriage
was characterized by rare union of sefrespcct and
courtesy lie aimed at high standard of personal
excellence and at once adopted system of conduct
which affords an admirable illustration of the purity
of his principles well the soundneSs of his judg
ment


And well did the Prince deserve that II should be
From the moment Of his establishment in the English
palace the husband ~ the Queen, his first object
to maintain and IL possible the character OF
the court With this view he knew that II wa, was not
reproach; no shadow OF shade Of suspicion should ny
possibility attach to H. He knew that IN ms position
friendly spirit that his golgs out and his comings IN
would be watched, and that in every society however
little disposed 70 DO censorous there would always no
found sSne prone were an opening afforded to Sxagger


unchartable construction the most innocent acts


He therefore from the first laid down strict not 20 say


Of restraint and selfdenia upon his own movements,


which could not but have been ksome had he not been


would derive from it. lie densd himself the pleasure


which TO one fond he of personally watching
| would have been very great-of walking al win about


the town Wherever he went. whether in carriage or


on horseback, he accompanied by his equeIry lie


paid no visits in general society His visits to the


studio OF the artist, tO museums Of art science to ns


tutiOns for good and benevolent purposes Wherever


visit from him, his presence could advance the


real good Of the people, there his horses might be
| waiting never at the door Of fashion Scandal


itself could take liberty with his He loved


de through all the districts Of London where building
| aud improvements were in progress, especially


when they such would conduce TO the health


recreation of the working classes and few II any knew


well, took such interest he did, in all that


being DONE at any distance east west north south "


the great City-frOm Victoria Park 20 Battersea-rom


the Regents Park TO the Cry sal Palace and far beyond
| luncheon at great pace, and would always


through the Queens dIessingrQom where she generally


was at that tme with that bright loving smile with


which he ever greeted her. telling her where he had been