ROYAL STORY BOOKS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 404, 10 April 1937, Page 2

ROYAL STORY BOOKS.

FEATURES OF EXHIBITION Queen Mary’s Gift. ) One of most august museums, the Victoria and Albert, in South Kensington, has been beguiling ehildren with a boys’ andi girls’ exhibition, which is of interest to young and old alike.

In it were thown for the first time a; number of Royal ivtory books and fairy tales, recently presented to the museum by Queen Mary, Which have been read by monarchs, princes and princesses of the past. Among them are little coloured books in French and German which belonged to Edward VII. and Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Kent, when thjey were children, and a delightful Kate Greenaway volume of fairy tales, including “Little 80-Peep’’ andi “Polly Put the Kettle On,” vividly yet beautifully illustrated.

In another cate were shown books, inscribed on the fly-eaves, which were once treasured possessions in Royal nurseries. One of these is an elementary book on Napoleon, given -O Queen Mary by her music mistress when she was a little girl, and bearing the inscription: “H.R.H. Princess Victoria May of Teck. A reward for improvement in pianoforte playing. Eas-ter, 1877. From Eva Hunt.” There was also a child’s volume on “Palestine for the Young,” inscribed boldly in pencil: “For dearest May, from her most affectionate grandmama, Augusta, May 26, 1881,” and a boy’s book, “John Denton’s Friends,” bearing the words, “For Dear Eddy, from his very very affectionate aunt, Mary Adelaide, who wishes him with all her heart a very speedy and complete recovery, August, 1877.” May and Eddy iv’ere Queen Mary and Edward VII. Other features of the exhibition were dolls’ houses of all generations, clothes that would make modern boys and girls laugh, a peep show of the Great Exhibition of 1851, cradles and queer furniture, a . century rocking horse, cigarette cards, and copy- books of a hundred years ago.