GYPSY WOMEN.
From a sketch by Princess Victoria.
INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO CHAPTER VI
This was her annus mirabilis, her wonder-year. The earlier months passed much as usual. On 24th May she was eighteen years old. The entry in her Journal shows some presentiment of what was to come. In less than a month she had stepped from out of the precincts of that quiet, ill-furnished palace in Kensington Gardens into the full glare of the Throne. The 20th June was her most wonderful day, but although keenly alive to its significance and glory, she never lost her self-control. The hidden forces which even her Journals failed to reveal, appear so to have moulded her character that she was enabled to appreciate and yet resist the glamours of this supreme moment. There is not a trace of doubt or misgiving. She was conscious of a mysterious duty imposed upon her by Divine Providence, and although she obviously felt her inexperience, she never for a moment doubted her fitness for her task. King William died at Windsor soon after two in the morning, and three hours later the Archbishop and Lord Conyngham were at Kensington Palace. The Princess received them in a dressing-gown hastily thrown over her nightdress, her feet in slippers, and her fair hair loose about her head. Four hours later she received for the first time Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister, who was destined until the day of her marriage to exercise a potent influence over her thoughts and actions. Her caution in the selection of confidantes, her wariness in granting her approval, and her care to safeguard the regal tradition, are clearly apparent from the day of her accession. Although she accepted advice, she never appeared to yield. There is nothing in these Journals that displays the inner thoughts of the Queen, in a light differing from that in which her conduct appeared both to her Ministers and to her courtiers. Then, as in after-years, she fulfilled the hope publicly expressed by Lord John Russell, that she would prove to be an Elizabeth without her tyranny and an Anne without her weakness.
It must be remembered that from the day of her accession the Crowns of Great Britain and Hanover were divided. Her uncle, Ernest, Duke of Cumberland, succeeded to the Throne of Hanover. The fear that he might succeed to the Throne of Great Britain had always haunted the minds of the people, and added to the feeling of gladness with which they welcomed the young Queen. On the second day of her reign the name Alexandrina was dropped for ever, and she was thenceforth known, as she desired to be, by the name of Victoria.
CHAPTER VI
1837
Sunday, 8th January.— ... The service was performed by the Dean, who gave us likewise a sermon. The text was from the 1st Chapter of Isaiah,—verse:—“Wash you, make you clean.” At 12 dear Lehzen and I went out and came home at 10 minutes p. 1. It is today a week that we took leave of our poor good friends the Gipsies, and I am quite sorry when I pass the spot so long enlivened by their little camp, and behold it empty and deserted, and with almost no trace to be seen of their ever having been there. They had been there more than a month, for they encamped there about 5 days after we arrived here and have been there ever since until last Wednesday or Thursday. To my feeling, the chief ornament of the Portsmouth Road is gone since their departure. But this is their life; they are happy and grateful and we have done them some good. The place and spot may be forgotten, but the Gipsy family Cooper will never be obliterated from my memory!...
Tuesday, 10th January.— ... At a ¼ p. 3 came M. Van de Weyer, who arrived in London last night from Lisbon. He gave us most interesting and most valuable information about Portugal; praised our dearest Ferdinand to the skies, said he showed cleverness, firmness, and character which no other young man of his age hardly ever showed; said the poor Queen was totally indifferent to whatever happened, but was extremely obedient to Ferdinand who had great power over her. He told us much to distress us, but said that the present ministers were ready to do anything that was right. He is a most clever, clear-sighted, sensible little man, Van de Weyer himself. He looks much careworn and fatigued, and no wonder at it....
Tuesday, 7th February.—Read in Bajazet. Read to Lehzen out of Polyeucte and finished it; it is certainly very beautiful and full of most beautiful and highminded feelings, but the end is, to my feelings, rather unnatural. Lehzen dictated to me some passages from Polyeucte....
Thursday, 9th February.— ... Read to dear Lehzen out of the newspapers Lord John Russell’s very able and judicious speech on bringing in the Irish Corporation bill; and out of the Irish History.... Read in Bajazet and wrote my journal. Lehzen dictated French to me. Played and sang. Read in Raumer’s Königinnen. Read in Clive’s life[255] while my hair was doing. At 6 we dined. Read in Bajazet. Sang, and Mamma also. Stayed up till 10. Read in School Shakespeare while my hair was undoing.
Saturday, 8th April.—At 10 came the Dean till 11. Read with him in the N.T. and in Boswell’s Life of Johnson. At ½ p. 11 I went down and sat to Mr. Lane[256] till a ¼ to 1. He showed me 4 very beautiful coloured drawings by Chalon, 3 portraits,—Mrs. Ashley, very like; Miss Fanny Wyndham as Contino in Scaramuccia, ridiculously like; and Bellini as Figaro; the 4th is a very beautiful head and hands of Juliet asleep after she has taken the draught. Mr. Lane likewise showed me a very beautiful miniature of Lady Blessington[257] painted by Chalon about 15 years ago; and a beautiful drawing of C. Kemble as Falstaff, done by himself. He is a great friend of Kemble’s and admires him beyond everything. He is also very intimate with Mr. Macready, and says he is such an excellent father and husband. Charles Mathews, he says, speaks Italian as well as he does French.... At 20 minutes p. 7 we went with dear Lehzen, Lady Theresa, Charles and Lord Ilchester &c. to the Opera. It was my dear I Puritani, and they were singing the opening Chorus when we came in. Grisi, Rubini, Lablache, and Tamburini made their first appearance this season, and were all enthusiastically cheered on their appearance, in particular my worthy Master and Rubini. There is not a word of truth in what was said about Grisi, for I never saw anything look more lovely that she did, and she sang deliciously, as did also Rubini whose voice seems to get if possible finer each year. It is useless to add that the singing of these 4 incomparable and unequalled artistes was, as always, perfection! with the exception perhaps of Lablache’s being a little hoarse at times; he did not look well and was not in his usual spirits I thought. The Quartet “Ah! te o cara,” the Polacca, “Suoni la tromba,” and “Ella è tremante” were all loudly encored. After the Opera was over the 4 cantanti were called out and loudly cheered....