Notable Books of the Month. 



It is obviously impossible to cope with the mass of books which pour from the printing 

 presses during the last two months of the year. Hence the distraction of the unhappy reviewer, 

 who can give but a line or two to such thought-compelling works as the Spiritual Interpretation 

 of Nature or such fun and information as Keeble Chatterton gives in his Through Holland in the 

 " Vivette." A brief account, however, sometimes emphasises one point to the disadvantage of a 

 book as a whole, and in such case many an author would agree that a line is preferable. 



A MODEST PRINCESS AND HER 

 CHIVALROUS MENTOR.* 



It is difficult to express sufficiently, in a few 

 words, the varying charm of this revealing and 

 beguiling book. It purports to be extracts from 

 the ingenuous journal of our great Queen, from 

 1832, when she was thirteen, to her wedding- 

 day, in 1840, perhaps, to her individually, the 

 most momentous years of her life. But beyond 

 this we have Lord Esher's own contributions in 

 the introductory chapter and the introductory 

 notes prefacing each division of the book ; the 

 invaluable footnotes describing the persons men- 

 tioned in the text, to which Princess Christian 

 has given generous help ; and yet again his own 

 personality lends interest to his comments upon 

 the girlish Princess whom he so much admires 

 and later so faithfully served. King Edward 

 commanded him to edit, and King George has 

 given his approval to the publication of, these 

 unique journals. 



There are two central figures : the quiet, almost 

 solemn, and yet childish person of the heiress to 

 the Throne, who until her eighteenth year had 

 never talked seriously, or at any length, to any 

 man or woman of exceptional gifts ; and the bril- 

 liant man of the world, Viscount Melbourne, 

 handsome and distinguished still, though near- 

 ing sixty. Their connection for those three years 

 when the exigencies of the State brought them 

 into daily contact is romantically touching. Lord 

 Melbourne's life had had little love in it, and one 

 can easily realise the charm to him of this 

 simple-minded young girl of eighteen, who had 

 never known a father's love, who was intelligent 

 if unlearned in worldly wisdom, and who while 

 preserving her own individuality had learned so 

 to lean upon his wisdom that she talked over 

 everything with him. His seat at lunch or 

 dinner was always next to her, and he con- 

 stantly rode or walked with her. The gratitude 

 of the country is due to this man of many quali- 

 ties, who, being the young Queen's First 



* The Girlhood of Queen Victoria. Edited by 

 Viscount Esher. (John Murray. 2 Vols. 36s. 

 net.) 



Minister, contrived so cleverly to teach her her 

 business without boring her ; on the contrary, 

 giving her delightful peeps into a world 

 unknown. 



The first journal was commenced August, 1832, 

 in a small octavo volume, half bound in red 

 morocco, which was given to her by the Duchess 

 of Kent that she might write of her journey into 

 Wales. It begins : " We left K. P. at 6 minutes 

 past 7 and went through the Lower field-gate to 

 the right. We went on and turned to the left 

 by the new road to Regent's Park. The road 

 and scenery is beautiful. 20 minutes to 9. We 

 have changed horses at Barnet, a pretty little 

 town." So with minute details the journal 

 continues, and this attention to detail so early 

 inculcated became doubtless a factor in the 

 character of the Queen of great value in her 

 future life. The entries in the first half of the 

 first volume were open to her mother and her 

 governess, and do not show the freedom which 

 characterises those written after her Accession, 

 but they transport the reader into the atmo- 

 sphere of her youth, of a time when her uncle 

 spoke of his service under Nelson and Hood, 

 and Byron was writing from Venice. The tone 

 is always simple and unsophisticated. Thus the 

 entry for May 24th, 1833, is : — 



To-day is my birthday. I am to-day fourteen years 

 old. How very old! I awoke at 5 past 5 and got up at 

 i past 7. I received from Mamma a lovely hyacinth 

 brooch and a china pen tray. From Uncle Leopold a 

 very kind letter, also one from Aunt Louisa and sister 

 Feodora. I gave Mamma a little ring. From Lehzen I 

 got a pretty little china figure, and a lovely little china 

 basket. I gave her a golden chain and Mamma gave her 

 a pair of earrings to match. From my maids, Frances 

 and Caroline, I also got little trifles of their own work 

 At i past 8 we breakfasted. 



In the evening the King gave a Juvenile Ball, 

 the Princess's first partner being " George Cam- 

 bridge," her cousin. The entry for the day con- 

 cludes : " We came home at | past 12. I was 

 very much amused." Later in the same year 

 the Princess heard Paganini, who " played b} 

 himself some variations, most wonderfully, 

 WONDERFULLY; he is himself a curiosity/' 

 Pasta and Malibran she heard also, and saw 

 Fanny Elslcr ; in fact, the Opera and the theatre 



