THE HEALTH OF THE QUEEN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 47, 16 December 1871, Page 6

THE HEALTH OF THE QUEEN.

The following able article on the seclusion of the Queen is from the '•'Pall Mall Gazette:"—

" Mr Disraeli's speech atHughenden, and the little flutter of 'sensation' that it aroused, have concentrated public attention upon a subject which we supposed had been set aside for a while. Now, nothing is talked about so much ; and therefore we are encouraged to say what we think of a profoundly important subject. Everybody musu remember that a few weeks ago a deep and universal feeling of discontent at the Queen's seclusion (or rather at its consequences) found voice in the journals of the countiw. No public print of any importance failed to take part in the chorus ; which was equally remarkable for its suddenness, fulness, and harmony. Indeed, the suddenness of the cry was surprising—till we remembered that what was then said had lain unexpressed in the minds of the whole community for years, with annual increment; and that when popular feeling gathers in that way, it is generally relieved at last by something of the nature of an explosion. This is a circumstance to be remembered in considering the future prospects of the subject, and its probable history. The gist of what was said when this first explosion of feeling occurred was this: A little while ago we had before us the spectacle of the monarch in retirement. Now we have before us the spectacle of the monarch in retirement, and republicanism of a very revolutionary form flooding in. This complexion of affairs no wise friend of the monarchy can view with pleasure, nor can even the merely personal friends of the sovereign's children. No doubt it is true that the Queen's retirement is far from complete. She performs her part in the country's governance with unflagging assiduity. Her closet in which she is immured is not an oratory, but a study and

work-place. Therefore not a word is to be said against Her Majesty's retirement on grounds of public business. Nor did anybody, gentle or simple, ignorant or wise, from the Prime Minister down to Mr Odger, over give utterance to a whisper of discontent, regret or misgiving, on that score. But the daily technical duties of the Sovereign do not cover the whole question. What occasions so much murmuring, indeed, is this very seclusion of the study; this holding aloof from the world ; this retirement from the important, valuable, and graceful duties of the Sovereign in social life. But, whatever occasions it, here is the murmuring; and it prevails not only in one class of society but in every one, from the very highest to the very lowest. It is possible that the discontent is not quite fair; — this, however, is a question for moralists rather than politicians. The latter know, what the former cannot always understand, that it is of small consequence whether popular discontent is reasonable or not, if it happens to be general and inveterate. In this case it cannot be called unreasonable —(we are now repeating what was said a month ago)it is unquestionably general, and like its cause it seems to be inveterate. Moreover, accidental circumstances have fired the prevailing humor amongst certain classes. It has again become necessary to ask the country for money for the support of the Queen's children ; and this demand brings to light a common belief (and they are not all vulgar people who entertain it) that her Majesty's seclusion from society enables her to hoard vast sums of money which otherwise would be spent for the good of trade and for the maintenance of the proper pride and splendor of the Crown. Here at any rate there is considerable injustice in the cry. If the Queen chooses to save her money, and can do it, that is her affair and not ours ; and though it must be conceded that coldness and inhospitality to strangers is no part of the duties of the Crown, yet royal economies are far more wholesome for the State than the captivating excesses of luxury. But whatever truth there may be in all this, it is not taken into account; it may be good but it is rejected reasoning; and it is with the sura of facts that we have to deal. Amongst large numbers of the populace the Queen's seclusion is associated with a habit of hoarding. You may hear daily what they say about money saved which ought not to be saved, since it was meant for purposes of state and splendour—(' good for trade') —all of which are neglected. Altogether, it is clearly time to face these facts, and ponder how they should be dealt with. Otherwise they may presently bring much trouble not only to the Pioyal Family, our first consideration, but to the whole empire. It is not good in days like these, when the Ptepublican, the revolutionary sentiment is once more rising to the flood, that any such discontent as we describe should exist—with so many plausibilities to justify it. The Queen forgets, and nobody reminds her, that since the days when she was in the world and had an admiring people at her feet, a dozen years have passed. That is to say, the young generation, men and women who were ignorant children at that time, have grown up without knowing their Sovereign at all, and little of her beyond this, that she is never likely to be known in'the world'again. Personal loyalty has been suffered to languish little by little : that is a misfortune, whatever the cause. It would be a misfortune at any time ; it may become a disaster if it still goes on, year'after year, year after year, while all sorts of Comtist agitations, international conspiracies, Communist theories, Republican fervors, economical madnesses, Odgers, Bradlaughs, Beeslys, and the rest, flourish at such a rate that even within five years thev have quintupled their range, and increased by ten times their importance and audacity. In five years more at this pace, what then ? Yet five years more, and what then? Nobody has hitherto invented a scheme for checking these ! inroads ; nobody can promise that they will be cheeked; nobody has yet appeared who is likely to control them if they gain a much greater ascendancy. Would it not be well, then, to appease as far as possible these complaints against the shrouding of the throne—-

complaints which everybody shares? Has it not become, in fact, one of those political duties which the Queen so well performs to allay them if she can ? If this were a private matter we should say nothing about it; but it has passed into an affair of State. It is matter for discussion not in the Queen's drawingroom, but in her Cabinet; and it will be discussed there if we are to avoid the risk of adding to the miserable roll of instances recorded by history of the dulness, blindness, and cowardice of the contemporary courtier. Besides, it is easy to do something—if only the etiquettes can be managed. The whole country sympathises with the Queen's widowhood; and understands how her life had been clouded ; and knows that mingling in the world is difficult for her. But she has a son who will one day be the king. At present he is idle, too, —by no fault of his own, but still idle. Telling is not good for a young prince ; and it becomes worse than better if he wears on with it until the summer of life, when fruits are expected of all good things. Why cannot he, by some fiscal arrangement which it would be no business of ours to inquire into, take up and carry on the social duties of the Sovereign—to his own benefit as well as to the general satisfaction? In doing so he would have with him an enormous advantage—a princess at his side who is respected and loved from one end of the land to the other; whose popularity, great now, while she also lives too much retired, would then be nearly boundless. Pity not to make due and timely use of it. And then the Queen would be troubled no more. She would perform undisturbed the higher duties of the Throne, with the assiduity, knowledge, and judgment to which her Ministers all testify ; and no other of its duties would lie in abeyance ; and there would be an end to a great deal of dangerous discontent ; and the future sovereign of these realms would take a better part in the country than he possibly can now, and have a fairer chance of earning the affection and respect of the people in good time."