THE QUEEN NEW BOOK.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1653, 5 April 1884, Page 4

THE QUEEN NEW BOOK.

A RECORD OF DOMESTIC LIFE. Lonww, February 11. Thh Queen's now book v/iis distributed to tho Press this morning. It consists of ft disconnected diary from August 27, 1862, to September 1883, with a long lapse from October 1872 lo final date, covering tho period of transition from the administration of Beaconsfield from that of Gladstone. The entire book is devoted to domestic family affairs. Tho political allusions nre only incidental. The illustrations arc numerous and include portraits of tho Queen, and Princesses Eleanor, Louiso and Beatrice. There is also a portrait of Grant, tho Queen's bodyservant, and one of her attendant, the late John Brown. There arc pictures of two of the Queen's collie dogsSharp and Noble—and several views of scenes in the Highlands from sketches by tho Princess Beatrice, In the preface tho royal authoress says: " Remembering the feeling with which our * Life in the Highlands' was received, tho writer thinks the present volume may equally awaken syinpathj as' while describing a very altered life it shows how her sad and suflerinj heart was soothed and cheered by tin excursions and incidents it recounts, as well as by the simple mountaineers from whom she learned many lessons o resignation and faith in the quiet am beautiful Highlands. DEDICATION TO THE SCOTCH, After the dedication "To the loyn Highlanders, and especially to tin memory of my faithful attendant ant friend John Brown," the diary opens with an account of the building of tin memorial cairn in honor of the Pnm Consort, It reads as follows: "W< started off in a little pony chaise, led b) Brown, Bertie, the Prince of Wales ii front, Eleanor and Louise on ponies and with the two little boys, Artlun and Leopold. I actually drove tin little carriage behind with sweet babj Beatrice, We found at the top tin view so fine, the day so bright, am the weather so beautifully pink, bu no joy—all dead, There at the top i the foundation of tho cairn to be erectei to my precious Albert. I and my poo six orphans placed stones on it, and ou initials are to be placed on the stone: all around it, Several succeeding entries nientioi other visits to the Prince's cairn, alon; with the family records and remark: of domestics, The following ma] serve as an example: " When neu: the cairn Grant said,' I thought yot would like to be here to-day on hi. birthday.' So entirely was lie of tin opinion that this beloved day, ant even the 14th of December, the mini versary of his death, must not b looked upon as a day of mourning There is so much good and strong fait] in these simple people." In October, 1863, when making ai excursion from Balmoral to Olova, tin carriage was overturned, the face ant right hand of the Queen were biuised and Brown's knees wore badly hurt The succeeding entries refer to Brown' injuries: " I was much grieved a breakfast to find poor Brown's leg badly cut, and he said nothing ahou it, but to-day one became so inflamed and swelled so much, that he conic hardly move, The doctor said he inns keep it up as much as possible am walk very little, but did not forbid hi going out in the carriage. 1 did not gi out in the morning," The next day Oct, 12, the Queen writes; "Brown' _ leg is much better. The doctor though he could walk over the bill to-morrow. MEMOIRS ON PRINCE ALBERT. When making her first visit to Glas salt Shiel Mountain Lodge in 18GS tb diary describes the housewarming a follows: " Brown came to say that al the servants were ready. There wen present—Louise, Arthur, Jane, Lath Churchill, and a number of domestic' and police, We made 19 altogether Five animated reels were danced, ii which all but myself joined. Aftc tho first reel a whisky toddy wa brought for everyone, and John Browi begged that I would dance to the iiic kindling,. The merry, pretty little hal ended at 11 o'clock, but the men wen on singing in the servants' room fo some time, all very happy, but sai thoughts filled my heart, both beton dinner and when I retired. I though ot my darling husband whom Ifancici I must see, and who always wished ti build here. Then the sad though struck mo that it was my first widow': house." LORNE AND LOUISE, On October 3, 1870, the Princes: Louise became engaged to tho Marqui: ofLorno, Tho oventtook place, tin Queen says, during a walk from Glas salt Shiel to Dim Loch, where tin Princess had gone with Lady Ely, tin Lord Chancellor, and Lome. "Louise on returning at night, told me Lorm had spoken of his devotion to her, ant had proposed to her. She had acccn ted, knowing I would approve. Thotigl I was not unprepared for this result) j felt painfully the thought of losing her but naturally gave my consent, ant could only pray she might be happy." The sole reference to the affairs it France in 1870 occurs in speaking of i sermon which she heard in Balmoral. A PLAINT OVER THE PRIXCE IMPERIAL In June 1879 the Queen records tin receipt of the news telling of the dcatl of the Prince Imperial : "TJrowr knocked and camo in, He said then to bad news, 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 teWi-am in her hand and said,' Oh I 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 'Nolno lit can't lie 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 I was quite beside myself, Brown was so distressed. Everyone was quito stunned. Little sleep did I get at thinking of the poor Empress, who did not yet know it. Tho Prince was 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 othoi'3 should not have turned round and lought for him!" One section of the diary gives tho recollections of " My dear and' valued friend, Dear 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 clay was most beautiful and calm. I sat down on tho grass for luncheon j 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 telescooo, dogged me and Beatrico 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 light if ha had not gone, for when Brown said the Queen wished him to move, ho said he had quite as good a right to remain as tho Queen had. Brown answered, very strongly, that (he highest gentleman of England would not do as he did, much less a manly reporter. Tho other roportera came up and advised the man to go ■ away quietly, TEARS FOR THE DEAD GIUIE, The concluding page is devoted to the death of Brown, It contains these sentiments: " His loss to me is irreparable, for he deservedly possessed 1 my entire confidence, He served me truly, devotedly, and untiringly. To say he is daily and hourly missed by ; me, whoso lifelong gratitude ho won by lifelong care and devotion, is but a 1 feeble expression of the truth," So tar as its political interest ia concerned, the book throughout is rather disappointing, All the Queen's remarks have direct relation to personal emotions. Even in her allusions to the Egyptian campaign, and to the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, her only thought is for the Duke of Connaught, The' Diary' says: "On the eve of the attack I 1 prayed earnestly for my darling child, and longed for the morrow," The noxt day she gets a telegram announcing the victory, and reporting that the duko had behaved admirably, whereupon she says: " I felt unbounded joy and gratitude, I showed the telegram to Beatrice and embraced her, warmly saying,' What joy and pride and cause for thanks we have to know that our darling is safe and so much praised, I feel quite beside myself with joy, though grieved to think of our losses,'"