[Original]
to death. Not a county in Ireland wholly escaped the potato-rot, and with it came what was called the potato disease—a peculiar form of fever that was the result of sheer starvation, and caused the death of hundreds of people.
Of course such terrible suffering led to scenes of crime and violence, and the Irish hated the government that they firmly believed would not help them. Such was not the case; for the government were doing the best they could, and were at their wits' end to find a remedy for the evil. Subscription lists were opened in the large cities, and many of the merchants put down their names for a thousand pounds. The sympathy of the whole civilized world was aroused, and relief began to pour in from different countries. The United States sent over their war-ships laden with grain and other food, and, as they arrived, one after another at one of the Irish seaports, the bells of the town rang out merrily to convey the joyful tidings to the famine-stricken inhabitants.
Starvation and disease had killed off two millions of people by the time the famine was over. Young Ireland became dissatisfied with a country where such misery could exist, and might be repeated, and their attention was turned westward. The United States had opened her arms for the oppressed, and offered them a welcome, a home, citizenship. To our hospitable shores, therefore, streamed a tide of Irish emigration until they formed a large part of the population of every city in the Union.
A.D. 1847. This year an evidence of Prince Albert's having gained in public esteem was shown by his being offered the chancellorship of Cambridge University. He accepted, and at his request William Wordsworth, then in his seventy-seventh year, wrote the ode for the occasion, which was set to music by Mr. Thomas Attwood Walmisley, and proved most effective. The ceremony of installation was very impressive, and after it was over there was a fine banquet at Trinity Hall, followed by a reception.
[Original]
A.D. 1848. Early in the following year the Orleans dynasty in France was overthrown, and a republic was proclaimed. By the end of February King Louis Philippe, his queen, and the various members of his family were hurrying secretly and in disguise by different routes to England, their fortunes ruined, and they themselves anxious to escape from the fury of the revolution and the horrible scenes that were being enacted in their native land. This flight of King Louis Philippe with his queen, in the depth of a very severe winter, is a painful story. They were old, wretched, and deserted; and, although the king was responsible for the mistakes that brought about the revolution after a peaceful reign of eighteen years, who can fail to pity him?