One traditionally Royal quality the Prince possessed in an extraordinary degree, namely, a perfectly marvellous memory for names and faces. Indeed, his memory in general was singularly tenacious, and in his historical studies he exhibited a wonderful power of quickly mastering the most intricate genealogical tables.
The Prince went for the Long Vacation on a reading party to Heidelberg, and while there he received an amusing poem from Mr. H. F. Wilson, one of his Cambridge friends, which is printed in Mr. Vincent’s memoir. The following may be quoted as perhaps the most characteristic lines:—
Your kitten broadens to a cat,
And wonders what her master’s at;
Is she to wait your Highness’ will,
And stay with Mrs. Jiggins still?
Or shall we pack her in a box,
And send her off from London Docks?
Meanwhile she slays the casual mouse,
And dreams at night of Marlborough House.