MEMORIES OF OUR QUEEN.

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 May 1901, Page 3

MEMORIES OF OUR QUEEN.

Few lives have gone to join the choir invisible and left so sweet an influence, as that of our beloved Queen. As the day dawns, which has grown so familiar to us from our childhood, wo must experience for the first time what it is to have that most noble incarnation of womanhood taken from us. Her birth wo can commemorate no more, and though dead nearly half a year, it requires a determinate effort to presuade ourselves that the most divine in human nature in our day, has ceased to be a contemporary with us in the evolution of our life. It is not to recall the political environment that the Queen generated and fostered ; it is not to speak of her speeches and replies to deputations, or comment upon abilities she possessed as a Sovereign this article is written, but to prompt us to emulate the gracious influence left by her goodness—that is the feature of her life that presses upon us to-day. Even now that precious life seems too sacred for comment, and we feel anew the sorrow and pain caused by the parting of Her around whom our most loyal sentiments had been gathered. When Wellington breathed his last, the Queen said, “One cannot think of the country without the Duke, our immortal Hero,” and now she whose life has been so long associated with her people, whose joys and sorrows she has shared with material affecti on and love has been taken from us. Who can yet separate from the millions of British the life giving influence of Queen Victoria? Monarchs and rulers of the future may reign with precision and devout allegiance but above them all the Queen will be pedestalled in the unique attainment that her own inherent goodness acquired for her. We cannot think of her as dead, she sleeps the refreshing sleep that awakens for her the full-orbed life she so greatly desired among us. Her translation has given the opportunity to find “A life that bears immortal fruit, in great offices that suit the|full-grown energies ofHeaven.’ For sixty-three years she aimed at ruling with affection and love, and never has she diverged from that rectitude upon which her heart was set when she commenced her reign. Her task is run over, and by her life she has left a legacy for her people that will stand the closest inspection and defy all calumny from her enemies. Though the world has been wrapped in sorrow, it is impossible to estimate the multiplicity of tributes that have been paid to her memory. Perhaps the best of those are those that have come spontaneously from the hearts of the poor and uncultured. While others have given forth their eulogies with deliberation and care, the unstudied utterances of her poorest subjects have struck the truest note though roughly spoken. An hour after the great bell of St. Paul’s proclaimed the sad tidings, a poor labouring man was heard to say to a silent group of by-standers, “The Queen’s been a rare good ’un ; in my judgment there ain’t one that’s passed out of them there palaces so clean. There ain’t a spot on her.” An old woman on the same day demanded her money from a newsboy because the paper she had bought did not contain a portrait of the Queen saying, “A nice boss yours is not to net put no picture of the Queen in his paper.” That night of the 22nd January will he stamped for all time in the minds of the Queen’s people and those incidents though not eloquently expressed indicate the personal loss suffered by her subjects. Many are the beautiful lessons that crowd in the mind when we ponder over that very sincere life. Her sympathy with others was not of that cheap and easy kind which evaporates into into sentiraer tality. It was no a mere effusion of words but was intensely practical. Hearing of a poor woman that the Queen used to visit at Balmoral, having lost her husband, she went to the cottage and found the woman weeping, and •when the Queen appeared she tried to apologise for her sobs. “Do not mind giving way to your grief," said the Royal visitor, “I am so thankful to cry with some one who knows exactly how I feel myself.” Her sympathy for Mrs McDonald, her concern for the young soldier’s mother at Windsor, visiting the sick, helping the poor, volumes could be written on that gracious life. How considerate when in Ireland a short time ago, though worn out with a tiring day’s excitement, she left the Lodge to smile upon a contingent of children that had arrived too late for the review of school children in Phceuix Park. Our King set himself a high ideal when he said to his Privy Council “It will bo my constant endeavour to walk in the footsteps of my mother.” No heart can fail to be touched upon the review of such a noble life. Our beloved Queen sought to cultivate sym-

j pathy, considcrat'-'-ss, humility, fidelity* j end love, thc-c mod the atmosphere' in which her hie <. progressive goodness ! Lvalue so me led. The rays of goodness ! seemed in ’ aided in her character in j ini" himpn .. She was perfect and symmetrical m every detail of character. She leaves the one great lesson for us to learn that no life does so much for the world as that which is immured in goodness and love. She possessed the same frailties to which we are all subject, but her devotion to God and her people won for her the distinctive honour' which is seen m the fulfilment of the prayers of her people. Her life will ever be a part of ours and truly have we seen the power wrought by love as written of her by Tennyson forty years ago, “ May all love, His love, unseen but felt, o’ershadow Thee, His love of all Thy sons encompass Thee.The love of all Thy daughters cherish 3 bee; The love of all Thy people comfort Thee, Till God’s love set- Thee at His side again.” And truly, too, has his prayer been answered: “ May you rule us long And leave us rulers of your blood As noble till the latest day ! May children of our children say “ She wrought her people lasting good.” All this enables poor human nature to develope into perfection. J. B. Merrett.