OSBORNE, THE MARINE RESIDENCE OF HER MAJESTY, ISLE OF WIGHT.

Victoria's home, Victoria's choice,
Within the sea-girt Isle,

No pomp nor pageantry is known
Within its spacious pile.

But there are found that peace and joy

Which ever home retains:

Sweet Osborne is a home indeed!
For there a mother reigns.

MOST children like to know something about the place in which their King or their Queen resides. Such a place must be, in their estimation, the very height of perfection. Indeed, every idea of magnificence, luxury and ease seems centered in the word" Palace."

And so it ever has been. From the palaces of the Pharaohs of Egypt, Nebuchadnezzars of Babylon, and the Caesars of Rome, down almost to the present time. The accounts of their different palaces-regal and imperial—their structure, furniture, luxuries, and embellishments, are but an array of extravagant magnificence; and our Lord seems to express this when He says, in contrast to the character and circumstances of John the Baptist, Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' palaces." Matt. xi. 8.

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David, we read in 2 Sam. vii. had "an house of cedar," which Hiram, king of Tyre, sent carpenters and materials to build for him. Solomon had his palace, which took thirteen years to complete. (1 Kings, vii. 1.) No doubt but this was a gorgeous structure; and, descending some hundreds of years in the scale of time, Nero, the emperor of Rome, and murderer

of the apostle Paul, had his "golden house," which he erected upon the ruins of Rome, after he had reduced it to ashes, in order to satisfy his vanity in its rebuilding. The vastness of extent and the varied magnificence of this imperial residence, and its ornamental grounds, almost surpass belief. It is described as having been tiled with gold (whence its name), with which precious metal also the marble shealing of the walls was profusely decked. But these palaces

"Where gorgeous majesty had thus amassed

All treasure, all delights that eye or ear,
Heart, soul could seek, tongue ask,"

with their builders, are again mingled with the dust, the common end of all earthly perfection and splendour, But these are among the things that were. "Tis not so much in splendid edifices, simply as such, that modern sovereigns delight. Of course there are exceptions; but she who now fills the British throne and wields the British sceptre, seems more to enjoy the works of nature than the works of art, and consequently, Osborne House, originally, with all its inconveniencies and its comparative obscurity, was preferred to a pompous building of historic fame. These inconveniencies have been gradually removed by the old house being taken down, and more commodious buildings erected, and now her Majesty's marine residence of Osborne is second to none either in appearance, convenience, or healthy situation.

Osborne, or as it was anciently called "Austerborne" is situate on the east side of the high road, on the summit of the hill from East Cowes.

It is not its historical associations, as I have before hinted,

that give importance to Osborne, but it is its royal possessor, although there are several things in connection with Osborne and its neighbourhood which are of sufficient interest to justify narration.

Its most ancient possessor's name of whom we find any mention, was Bowerman, from whom it descended through various other possessors to one Eustace Man, in the fifth year of King Charles the First. Tradition reports that he buried some valuable property, consisting largely of money and plate, in a wood on the manor, during the turbulent reign of that king, and that on searching for it again it could not be found. The place where it was supposed to be hid still retains the name of "money coppice."

structure.

By marriage it descended to the family of Blachford, who built the mansion which has been removed for the present From Lady Blachford it was purchased by her Majesty, with Barton Farm, and a great tract of land adjoining, so that her Majesty is a great Island landowner, Osborne park and wood alone containing about three hundred and fortysix acres.

Near the boundaries of Barton, and but a pleasant walk from Osborne, along the shore, is a place called "King's Quay," which took its name from the following historical fact:

After King John had been compelled by his barons to sign what is called the great bulwark of English liberty, "Magna Charta," or the great charter, at Runnymead, of which he afterwards repented; and while he was corresponding with the Pope, who was then considered, even in England, as one who could relieve from the obligation of an oath-while, I say, he