VICTORIA.

THE name of Victoria is on every lip, and imprinted on the heart of each of her subjects, yet would the memoirs of English royalty be incomplete, without a brief outline of the life of the reigning sovereign.

The Duke and Duchess of Kent, her parents, were united in the year 1818, and, after spending some months on the Continent, returned to England, prior to the birth of their daughter, which took place at Kensington Palace, May 24th, 1819. The Prince Regent became sponsor at the christening of his little niece, on whom were bestowed the names Alexandrina Victoria. The Emperor of Russia and the Queen of Wirtemberg also stood as sponsors by proxy.

The death of the Duke of Kent at Sidmouth, when the princess was but seven months old, and that of George the Third, which happened a few days afterwards, rendered her presumptive heiress to the throne, after the decease of her three uncles, George the Fourth, and the Dukes of York and Clarence. The education of the princess became therefore a matter of momentous importance; and so conscious of this was the Duchess of Kent, as well as so scrupulously anxious in the undertaking, that she maintained the strictest oversight of the young princess, until the period of her accession to the throne. Under suitable preceptors, Victoria was instructed in every branch of learning that could adorn the woman, or qualify the monarch for her great and responsible position. Ancient as well as modern languages, history, geography, mathematics, besides music, drawing, and dancing, were by degrees imparted with complete success to the young princess, so that it soon became evident that her learning and talents, however little desire or occasion there might be to parade them, were really superior to those which any other queen regnant of England had possessed. Her preceptor, in the more solid branches of education,

as well as in religious instruction, was the Rev. Mr. Davys, afterwards Bishop of Peterborough and Dean of Chester; and her governess was first the Baroness Lehzen, and afterwards the Duchess of Northumberland. Parliament had early granted the sum of £6000 per annum for her educational establishment, and this sum was afterwards aug-. mented to £16,000. It is impossible for the nation to acknowledge in too high terms its debt to the Duchess of Kent for her excellent management of the education of the heiress to the crown. Doubtless the liberal tendencies of the mother's mind early impressed that of the daughter and that even balance of power with which Victoria has swayed these realms during fourteen years,—that self-control over a mind of more than ordinary capacity, which has not given cause for a single complaint against her personal interference in the affairs of the nation, must be traced in its germs to the constant example and supervision of the Duchess of Kent.

They resided together at Kensington Palace until the period of her accession, making from time to time progresses through the country in order that she might obtain a practical and intimate knowledge of those who were in time to be her people. Most of the cities of importance were visited at different periods, and the princess gained on the affections of all who knew her, by her genuine goodness of heart and benevolence.

When she attained her twelfth year, a juvenile ball was given by Queen Adelaide, who was always much attached to her, and the return of her birth-day was from that time marked by a similar demonstration of their majesties' attachment to their youthful successor.

An intimacy had been fostered, as children, between the Princess Victoria and her cousin the Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg, who had been placed under the care of the Duchess of Kent. He resided alternately at Kensington and at Claremont, with his uncle, Prince Leopold, to whom the princess and her mother were frequent visitors, and had been accustomed to share the lessons of the royal pupil. Thus a similarity of taste and feeling ripened into affection at an early age. This occurred previous to the year 1830, at which date, much to the regret of the duchess and her daughter, the amiable Prince Leopold was called to the throne of Belgium.

Victoria was confirmed by the Archbishop of Canterbury on the 30th of July, 1835, their majesties, her mother, and the rest of the royal family being present. In 1836, the Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha and his two sons visited England, and were royally entertained at

Windsor; the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria accompanying their relatives on their return as far as Portsmouth.

On the princess attaining her eighteenth year, the period of her majority, a state ball was given at St. James's Palace, at which, on account of the indisposition of both the king and queen, she presided in person. On that day many addresses of congratulation were presented to her, and, among others, one from the city of London, to which she herself made a short but interesting reply with her accustomed grace of manner and delivery. At a drawing-room somewhat later, in honour of the king's birth-day, the princess also appeared in public.

On the death of William the Fourth, June 20th, 1837, the Archbishop of Canterbury waited immediately upon the new sovereign at Kensington with the melancholy tidings. The dignified demeanour of Queen Victoria at the first council held after her accession, will never be forgotten by the eye-witnesses of the interesting scene. The events which followed are fresh in the minds of the English people. The first Chapter held for installing Knights of the Garter, the prorogation of Parliament in person by a young maiden sovereign, her first thronged drawing-room, her triumphal entry at Windsor into the castle of her ancestors, these, on which space permits us not here to dwell, are all become matters of history. So, also, is the state visit she paid to Guildhall, which was the grandest pageant of those days. The Parliament was re-opened by the queen in person, when a crowded House had an opportunity of admiring the dignified deportment which so peculiarly distinguishes her majesty.

Among the many noble traits of character exhibited by Queen Victoria since the time of her accession, may be mentioned her kind attentions to the late Queen Dowager, and her observance of the last wishes of King William respecting the family of Mrs. Jordan, as well as the delicacy with which she caused the debts of her own lamented father, the Duke of Kent, to be paid. These acts, among numberless others, cannot be sufficiently admired.

The day of her present gracious majesty's coronation was a holiday in the entire metropolis. It was such a time of public rejoicing for the multitude as has not been seen for many years. The numbers of all nations who thronged into London constituted an unusual sight in itself, independent of the splendours with which the occasion was celebrated. Amongst other novelties peculiar to the event, was a grand fair held for several days successively in Hyde Park.

For nearly three years her majesty ruled this empire alone, but

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her own mind had probably decided long before on its choice of a fitting consort to share her exalted station. She had been already frequently subjected from her peculiar position to many intrusions and annoyances from pretended aspirants to her hand. The importunities of her ministers at length prevailed upon her, in the year 1839, to announce that her selection had fallen upon the playmate of her childhood, Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg. The prince had visited England in 1838 and again in 1839, prior to the formal intimation of the high destiny which awaited him.

In the spring of 1840 the royal marriage was celebrated, which, in the course of the ensuing ten years, has been productive of seven children. The Prince of Wales, Albert Edward, was born on Lord Mayor's day, 1841. There is a daughter older than he, and two sons and three daughters younger. In the same year, 1840, Oxford made his dastardly attack on her life: several other atrocious outrages of the same nature were suffered by her with exemplary courage and truly regal dignity at frequent intervals in the early years of her reign. On the 16th of July, 1842, a bill passed through parliament expressly for the better protection of the queen's person, in consequence of these despicable assaults; and it was hoped that this mania for popularity, and this easy method of obtaining a sustenance during life at the hands of the nation, had been thwarted and extinguished, until in 1850 another wretched candidate for transportation for a like crime presented himself in the person of a retired subaltern of her army, named Pate.

Her Majesty has testified for some years her predilection for pleasure excursions in her yacht during the parliamentary recesses, besides various progresses inland to the seats of the nobility. The most splendid reception of all the latter kind was provided on her visit to the Duke of Buckingham at Stowe, though not exceeding in cordiality and aristocratic elegance her recent entertainment at Castle Howard by the Earl of Carlisle. When the treacherous entente cordiale between England and the late King of the French was supposed to be the most firmly based, Queen Victoria paid a visit to Louis-Philippe at the Château d'Eu, in Normandy. The entertainment which she there received was very brilliant, and, apparently, friendly; and notwithstanding the family intrigues which that monarch was even then prosecuting, Her Majesty's sense of it was testified by her ready hospitality and kindness to the late Louis-Philippe after his expulsion from the French throne by the revolution of 1848. She has several

times made an autumnal journey to Scotland, where she has purchased Balmoral House, in Braemar, as an autumnal residence, and once has been hailed with glad acclamations through the whole length of Ireland.

England has not been without its internal commotions during this reign. There was the Chartist rebellion headed by Frost in Wales almost at its commencement; there were disturbances in 1842; there was insurrection in Ireland and attempts at insurrection in England, consequent upon the foreign revolutions of 1848. Through all these, however, the justly acquired popularity of Queen Victoria and of her Royal Consort, the existence of really sound and salutary institutions beneath the corruptions of many years, and the good sense of Englishmen, have brought us safely and happily. It is true that the mass of the people do not enjoy a prosperity equal to the greatness of the nation; but of late a very auspicious change in public feeling, as regards this subject, has become manifest. There is a decided disposition to enquire into the real condition of the people both in Great Britain and Ireland, and to adopt measures for its improvement. For three centuries, there has not existed in the public mind so real a desire to rescue Ireland from her complicated evils. Great victories have added to our territories in India, and the necessity of a better policy there is fast growing up. During the greater part of the Queen's reign, a masterly foreign minister has maintained peace and promoted our interests among the other nations. The Repeal of the Corn Laws is itself a fact sufficient to distinguish Her Majesty's reign as one of progress and care for the good of the people; and the judicious conduct of her husband, in cautiously abstaining from all interference in party questions, while he promotes education, the fine arts, and such measures as are calculated for the general benefit and glory of the nation, promises a brilliant permanence to the popularity of the reigning family and the greatness of the kingdom. projected Exhibition of the industrial productions of all nations in 1851, originating with Prince Albert, is of itself sufficient to indicate in the Royal Consort a serious and comprehensive mind calculated to confer the highest advantages and consideration on his country.

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If we look back no farther than to the reign of George the Fourth, we cannot avoid being struck with the contrast in morals, in manners, and in political wisdom exhibited in the present female reign. Queen Victoria presents the noblest example of domestic purity and social propriety. She has always been found ready to second the plans of sound reform demanded by the people and approved by parliament;