iiiii 



THE BOOK OF THE ROYAL 



iliir' 



m 



H 



3 



Osborne, December 28, 1861. 

 Gentlemen, — Prostrated with overwhelming grief, and able, at present, 

 to turn her thoughts but to one object, the Queen, my Mother, has con- 

 stantly in her mind the anxious desire of doing honour to the memory of Him, 

 whose good and glorious character tlie whole Nation in its sorrow so justly 

 appreciates. 



Actuated by this constantly recurring wish, the Queen has commanded 

 me to recall to your recollection that Her Majesty had been pleased to assent 

 to a proposal to place a Statue of herself upon the Memorial of the Great 

 Exhibition of 1851, which it was intended to erect in the New Horticultural 

 Gardens. 



The characteristic modesty and self-denial of my deeply lamented Father 

 had induced him to interpose to prevent his own Statue from filling that 

 position which properly belonged to it, upon a Memorial to that gi'eat under- 

 taking which sprung from the thought of his enlightened mind, and was 

 carried through to a termination of tinexampled success by his unceasing 

 superintendence. 



It would however now, Her Majesty directs me to say, be most hurtful 

 to her feelings w'ere any other Statue to surmount this Memorial, but that 

 of the great, good Prince, my dearly beloved Father, to whose honour it is 

 in reality raised. 



The Queen, therefore, would anxiously desire that, instead of her Statue, 

 that of her beloved Husband should stand upon this Memorial. 



Anxious, however humbly, to testify my respectful and heartfelt affection 

 for the best of fathers, and the gi'atitude and devotion of my sorrowing heart, 

 I have sought, and have with thankfulness obtained, the permission of the 

 Queen my Mother to offer the feeble tribute of the admiration and love of a 

 bereaved sou, by presenting the Statue thus proposed to be placed in the 

 Gardens under your Management. 



I remain, Gentlemen, 

 Yours, 



To THE 



Council of the Hokticultuhal Society. 



ALBERT EDWARD. 



I 



IBlliBBiiililliliiilBliif 



