There was a terrible famine in Ireland, caused by a disease, before unknown, which destroyed the potato crop. The potato is the chief food of the poor people in Ireland, and, when the potato rotted in the ground, there was nothing for them to live upon. The rich people of England did all they could to help the poor creatures, and a great deal of money was sent from this country to buy food and clothes for them; but, notwithstanding all that was done, thousands and thousands died of disease and starvation. This was a dreadful visitation; but it has providentially led to some good; for more care has been taken since then to cultivate land in Ireland, and everything done to try and keep off such a misfortune in future.
And there have been rebellions in Ireland, because many of the people want to have a separate government of their own. But this would do them more harm than good, for they have a full share in making laws for the United Kingdom; and the Irish have equal liberty with the English and the Scotch. All three countries help one another; and there have been natives of all three among the great and good men who have raised the united British Isles to power and prosperity. So it is foolish and wicked to want to divide them again.
Another sad thing was the return of the cholera, which carried off great numbers of people; but this misfortune has also led to some good, for, although it is not known what brings the cholera, it has always been found that fewer people die of it where towns are kept clean, and houses are airy, and where people live on good food and wholesome water. So more care has since been taken of these things, and it may be that not only cholera, but fevers and other illnesses, may have been kept off by the care that is taken. But a great deal more has to be done to keep the air pure and provide plenty of pure water for our towns.
There was very great distress for some time in Lancashire, where so many thousands of people live by weaving cotton. The reason of this was, that a civil war broke out in America, where the cotton was grown. As long as there was fighting in America, no cotton came from that country to this; and there was no work for the weavers to do, so that they were in the greatest distress. They bore their troubles patiently and well, and nearly every one in the country, and even some of the Americans themselves, sent money and clothes for the suffering workpeople, and did everything possible to help them until they could go to work again. And since then, a rich American merchant, Mr. Peabody, has given hundreds of thousands of pounds to build proper houses for workmen and poor people in London.
But of all the sad events of this reign, the one which has been longest and most deeply felt is the death of the Prince Consort, the good and beloved husband of the Queen. Until he died, the people themselves did not know how needful he was to her in relieving her of the cares of governing, how much good he had otherwise done them, and how truly he loved them. Many of the improvements made in this reign were owing to him: he planned better houses for the poor to live in; he encouraged farmers to cultivate their land more carefully and to rear good cattle; he patronised and encouraged Arts and Sciences; in short, I cannot tell you how wise and prudent he was, and how many good things he did, nor how much and how sincerely he is regretted.
Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort had nine children; the eldest of whom, the Princess Royal, is married to the Crown Prince of Prussia; the second, the Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, is married to the Princess Alexandra of Denmark; and the third, the Princess Alice, who was married to Prince Louis of Hesse, died in 1878; the Princess Helena is married to Prince Christian; the Princess Louise, to the Marquis of Lorne, son of the Duke of Argyle; the Duke of Edinburgh is married to the only daughter of the Emperor of Russia, and the Duke of Connaught to the daughter of Prince Charles of Prussia; Prince Leopold, and Princess Beatrice.
And now, dear Arthur, before I end the story of what has happened thus far in our beloved Queen’s reign, I have to add something that seemed likely to be one of its saddest events, but I trust may prove, by God’s blessing, one of the happiest. Just ten years after the death of the good Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales was seized with the same sort of fever, at the age of thirty. He was so ill that prayer was made for him in all the churches; but three days afterwards he began to get better. The love shown by the Queen and all the Royal family in watching round his bed made them dearer than ever to the nation; and the deep anxiety of all the people for their Prince gave such a proof of their loyalty as I scarcely remember. I want my dear Arthur to learn well the great lesson of loyalty as well as liberty. It is our happiness always to enjoy a settled government, not subject to change, under a royal family, kept quietly and regularly at the head of the state; so that we may show love and honour to our country by loving and honouring them; and especially when we have a Queen and royal family whose virtues deserve all our love and loyalty.
But it is time to finish our little History, which I hope you will remember; and I also hope that it will help you to understand larger and better histories by-and-by.
THE END.