Year: 1871

Victoria, and position In the royal household is no
snecure.


SIMPLE HABITS.


When the Queen Is living at Osborne or Balmoral
her habits are simple as those OF any OF her SUBJ
jects. Ali state and formaty are set aside, and she
leads the life OF any ordinary English lady. She
rises early and often takes walk before breakfast
accompanied by single attendant. After the morn
ing meal she summons her housekeeper to her pre-
sence and after giving her Instructions for the day,
again goes out, sometimes foot, to visit the poor,
with whom she Is q great favorite, sometimes In q
carriage for o drive, and still more often on one
OF ner ponies, OF which she mas q great number,
and Of which she is very proud. Her afternoons
are spent In similar manner or II the weather be
unfavorabe, In reading. writing or painting. or
late years. however she has been unable to give her
attention to one thing for any length OF time, ana
whereas she was formerly an excellent artist ana
musician she now seldom touches either brush or
piano.


HER PHYSICIANS UNEASY.


1t Is this fact that causes her physicians much
uneasiness. Tney unable to interest her, to hit
upon any pursuit to amuse her and divert her mind
from the past. Above all, they are desilOus OF d.
verting ner thoughts from the memory OF her hus-
band, and this tncy have completely failed to do.
For years past the Queen has believed that the soul
Prince Albert is invariably present with
her and that she can hold communion
with him. SO Impressed Is she with this
pathetic belief that she Will frequently, it is said,
order knife and fork to be laid for HIM her table
and cause the attendant footmen to place every
course before the empty cnair their master still
occupied 1t. Every morning pair Of boots are
cleaned and set down at the door OF the room FORM
erly tenanted by Prince Albert, and by innumerabe
other signs the widowed Queen tesnes 10 her faith
In her dead husbands actual presence on earth.
Prince Albert it is well known, was free thinker,
and there Is Little doubt that the Queen was during
his life time made well acquainted with many OF the
bold and ingenious, hut somewhat mystical, theories
oil certain German philosophers In relation to the
future state OF the soul.


is HER INTELLECT IMPAIRED


There Is good reason for supposing that the
Queens mind has been IN no small degree affected
by some OF these speculations. has even been
asserted tnat her affection for Of her ye0men Is
traceable to this fact.


BROWN, TIE SCOTCH 'GILLIE,"


whose name Is now household word throughout
England, is o man OF stainless character and was
the favoritc hcnchman OF Prince Albert. In appear
ance he somewhat resembles his former master.
Tail and slim. with fne manly, open counte-
nance, he is the beau idea, Of an old and faithful
servor and the fact that he has grown gray in the
royal service would alone be sufficient reason for
the high esteem In which he Is held by his mistress.
For many years he has been her attendant
during her mountain excursions, and 1t was
under his guidance that she, while still o
gir first the Scottish deer their native hills
The man Is so Intimately associated In her mind
with the happier days Of her married life, that now,
when she is widowed and solitary land the Queen Is


very woman), 1t Is only natural that she should
lect him to attend her In preference to any Other.
But, apart from all thls 1t Is whispered that the
Queen at times Is Impressed with the dea that her
dead husband can In some mysterious manner i'm
part ADVICE to her through the medium OF her favor
ite gie and 1t Is certain that tic latter has fire.
Quenty more influence over her than the members
OF her own family or even her ministers.
The Queen opened the last session OF Parliament
in person, and much comment was excited by the
fact tnat Brown, In his Highland Dress attended
her to Westminster and handed her from her car.
riage. It Is tolerably well known that before the
day OF the opening the Queen declared that she
would not appear in pubic unless Brown accom-
panied her. and that Mr.. Gladstone endcavored to
dissuade her from such course, but in vain She
was finally obliged to yield, as tue popular clamor
about the Queens neglect OF her duties was at its
height. and II had been authortatively announced
that she would open Parliament In state. AS he
had forcseen, however, the appearance of Brown
created most unfayorabe impression, and revived
all those rumors and tnsnuatOns which had been
almost forgotten.


ABSOLUTE RETIREMENT NECESSARY.


That the Queen will ever again take an active
part In public affairs is most improbable even II
her life should be prolonged for many years. She
does not make any effort to emerge from her seclu
sion but, the contrary. exhibits positive repug
nance to again don the robes OF state. Absolute
retirement IS necessary to her existence, and she
would not live long amid the noise anu busIle Of
court lfe Let her be judged chartably. AS
daughter, wife, mother and Queen she has set q
brilliant example by her pure and blamcless lie,
and II IN these latter days her intellect is clOuded
by the weight OF great sorrow, and she Is no
longer capable OF fulfilling all her duties, let 1t be
remembered that devotion TO the memory Of o hus-
band is positive virtue, although an Questionable
one.


Serious Character Of Queen Victoria's Illness.


from the London Lancet]


We are most glad g to be able to stat state - that ner
fact That This iIuess has been OF serious character
so much so, indeed, as 10 have given rise at one
time to considerable anxiety on the part Of those
aDout the queen. The announcement made few
days Since that q gathering nad formed In Her
Majesty's arm and had been opened, was, II not to
the puplic, at least 70 medical minds, not little
dsgsn nasTch as Il sSnea ~ under ,n the cir
health had occurred. The Queens illness began
at osborne, carly IN August with entire
loss OF appetite, headache, disturbed nights,
general depression and slight Inflammation OF the
lett tonsl. The inflammation OF the tonsIl soon
subsidcd, but Her Maesty, without suffering from
any notable local trouble, continued very ILL., Tne
heat of osborne and OF Windsor was moreover,
most trying TO the queen before she went to Balmo
raj. lIcr majesty bore the Journey north we'll and
on the road slept better than she had for several
preceding nights. on the 10Th OF August, however:
ana for some days subsequently, the queen suffered
from most severe throat, and there was cOnsid
cradle interference not only win tue act OF swallow
ing but even with speech. AS the throat improved
the Queen began to sufter pain little below
Ihe right arm at wnicn part swelling,
That subsequently suppurated, made It's ap
pcarancc. Her Majestys general health was
again greatly disturbed at the time, IN con.
necllon with the formatl0n oil the abscess, aud
for days Her Majesty was unable TO take any food.
On the 4th of September Mr.. Lister opened all ab-
sccss which had formed at the scat or the swelling
beneath the arm. Thc aoscess proved 10 be of con-
siderable size; but alter II was mcised II made IA
voraoe progress toward cure and sool
healed. From this time tho Improvement
in the Queens general health began to
show ITSELF and during the past few days has
been very decided. II Will be gathered from these
details that all hOugh the Queen never been IN