THE QUEEN'S NEW BOOK. A Record of Domestic Life.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 42, 22 March 1884, Page 6

THE QUEEN'S NEW BOOK. A Record of Domestic Life.

London, February 11. — The Queen's new book was distributed to the press this morning. It consists of a disconnected diary from August 27, 1562, to September, ISS3, with a long lapse from October, 1572, to final date, covering the period of transition from the administration of Beaconsfield to that of Gladstone. The entire book is devoted to domestic family affairs. The political allusions are only incidental. The illustrations are numerous and include portraits of the Queen and Princesses Eleanor, Louise and Beatrice. There is also a portrait of Grant, the Queen's body servant, and one of her attendant, the late John Brown. Thore are pictures of two of the Queen's collie dogs — Sharp and Xoble— and several views of scenes in the Highlands from sketches by the Princess Beatrice. In the preface the royal authoress says : " Remembering the feeling with which our ' Life in the Highlands' was received, the writer thinks the present volume may equally awaken sympathy, a.s, while describing a \ cry altered life, it shows how her sad and suffering heart was soothed, and cheered by the excursions and incidents it recounts, as well as by the simple mountaineers, from whom she learned many lessons of resignation and faith in the quiet aud beautiful Highlands."

DEDICATION TO THE SCOTCH. After the dedication " To the loyal Highlanders, and especially to the memory of my faithful attendant and friend, John Brown," the diary opens with an account of the building of the memorial cairn in honour of the Prince Consort. It reads as follows :—": — " We started oft" in a little pony chaise, led by Brown, Bertie, the Prince of Wales in front, Eleanor and Louise on ponies and with the two little boys, Arthur and Leopold. I actually drove the little carriage to the very top of Craig Low rigan, Grant, and Duncan pushing the carriage behind, with sweet baby Beatrice. We found at the top the view so tine, the day so bright andthe weather so beautifully pink, but no pleasure, no joy— all dead. There at the top is the foundation of the cairn to be erected to my precious Albert. I and my poor six orphans placed stones on it and our initials are to be placed on the stones all around it.' % Several succeeding entries mention other visits to the Prince's cairn, alone v\ ith the family records and remarks of domestics. The following may serve a^ an example of the latter : — ''When near the cairn Grant said, 'I thought you would like to be here to-day on his birthday.' So entirely was he of the opinion that this beloved day. and even the 14th of December, the anniversary of his death, must not be looked upon as a day of mourning. There is so much good and strong taith in these simple psople. In October, 1563. when making an excursion from Balmoral to Clova, the carriage was overturned, the face and right hand of the Queen were bruised and Brown's knees were badly hurt. The succeeding entries refer to Brown V injuries: •'! was much grieved at breakfast to find poor Brcwn's legs badly cut, and he said nothing about it, but to-day one became r*o inflamed and swelled »o much that he could haidly move. The doctor said he must keep it up as much as possible and w alk very little, but did not forbid his going out w ith the carriage. I did not go out in the morning." The next day, October I' 2, the Queen ■writes : " Brown's leg ib much better. The doctor thought he could walk over the hill to-morrow.'"

MOIOIKS OF PKLVCF ALBhRT. When making her first visit to Glassalt Shiel Mountain Lodge in ISO'S the diary describes the housewarming as follow o :—: — "Brown came to say that all the servants ■were ready. There were present — Louise, Arthur, Jane, Lady Churchill, and a number of domestics and police. We made 19 altogether. Five animated reels were danced, in which fill but myself joined. After the first reel a whisky toddy was brought for every one, and Brown begged that 1 would drink to the fire kindling. The merry, pretty little ball ended at 1 1 o'clock, but the men went on singing in the servants' room for some time, all very happy, but sad thoughts filled my heart, both before dinner and when I retired. I thought of my darling husband, whom I fancied I must see and who always wished to build here. Then the sad thought struck me that it was my first widow's house."

LORKE AND LOUISK. On October 3, IS7O, the Princes Louise became engaged to the Marquis of Lome. The event took place, the Queen say.s, during a walk from Glassalt Shiel to Dhu Loch, where the Princess had gone with Lady Ely, the Lord Chancellor and Lome. "Louise, on returning at night, told me Lome had spoken of his devotion to her and had proposed to her. She had accepted, knowing I would approve. Though la\ as not unprepared for this result, I felt painfully the thought of losing her, but naturally gave my con&ent and could only pray might be happy." The sole reference to the affairs in France in 1870 occurs in speaking of a sermon which she heard in Balmoral.

A PLAINT OVER THE PRINCE IMPERIAL. In June, 1879, the Queen records the receipt of the news telling- of the death of the Prince Imperial : " Brown knocked and came in. He said there was bad new?, when I, in alarm, asked 'What?' He replied, ' The young French Prince is killed.' I could not take it in, and asked several times. Beatrice then came in with a telegram in her hand and said, ' Oh ! the Prince Imperial is killed.' I feel a thrill of horror now as I write the words. I put my hand to my head and cried out 'No ! no ! It can't be true,' Then dear Beatrice, who cried very much, as I did too, gave me the telegram. To die in such an awful, horrible way ! Poor, dear Empress ! Her only, only child, her all, gone ! I was quite beside myself. Brown was so distressed. Everyone ■was quite stunned. Little sleep did I get at thinking of the poor Empress who did not yet know it. The prince wa3 good and so much beloved. To think of that dear young man, the apple of his mother's eye, born and nurtured in purple, dying thus, is too fearful, too awful. And it is inexplicable and dreadful that others should not have turned round and fought for him !" One section of the diary gives the recollections of " My dear and valued friend, Dr. Norman MacLeod.'

WORRIED BY AN IRREVERENT REPORTER. During her excursions the Queen's privacy was greatly troubled by reporters. When visiting Glencoe she writes : "The day was most beautiful and calm. I sat down on the grass for luncheon ; then I sketched. Here, however, in this complete solitude, we were spied out by impudent, inquisitive reporters, who followed us everywhere. One in particular, who writes for some Scotch paper, lay down and watched us with a telescope, dogged me and Beatrice when we were walking about, and was most impertinent when Brown went to tell him to move. He went away at last. Brown came back, saying there would have been a fight if he had not gone, for when Brown said the Queen wished him to move, he said he had quite as good a right to remain as Jbe Queen had, Brown answered; very

strongly, that the highest gentleman of I England would not do as he did, much less a manly reporter. The other reporters came up and advised the man to go away quietly. TEAKS VOll THK DEAD GILLIE. ' The concluding page is devoted to tho death of Brown. It contains these sentiments : " His loss to me is irrepai'able, for he deservedly possessed my entire confidence. Ho served me truly, devotedly, and untiringly. To say ho is daily and hourly missed by me, whose lifelong gratitude he won by lifelong care and devotion is but a feeble expression of the truth." So far as its political interest is concorned, the book throughout is disappointing. All the Queen's remarks have direct relation to personal emotions. Even in her allusion to the Egyptian campaign, and tho battle ot Tel -el - Kebir, her only thought is for tho safety of the Duke of Connaught. Tho " Diary " says : "On the evo of the attack I prayed earnestly for my darling cl ild and longed for the morrow. " The next day she gets a telegram announcing the great victory and reporting that the Duke had behaved admirably, whereupon she says : "I felt unbounded joy and gratitude. I showed the telegram to Beatrice and embraced her, m armly saying : ' What joy and pride and cause for thanks we have to know that our darling is safe and so much praised. 1 feel quite beside myself with joy, though grieved to think of our losses.' "