The princeliness of youth, the glow of joy and hope
overtop and outshine the crown which she wears as lightly as though it
were a May-queen's Coronal of roses; and the dignity of simple girlish
purity envelops her more royally than velvet and ermine. The eyes have
the softness of morning skies and spring violets, and the smile hovering
about the red lips, a little parted, is that of an unworn heart and an
eager, confident spirit. This was the first portrait of the young Queen I
ever saw, and still seems to me the loveliest.
Another American artist, Mr. Leslie, painted a large picture of the
coronation, which Her Majesty purchased. As he was to paint the scene, he
was provided with a very good seat near the throne--so near that he said
he could plainly see, when she came to sign her coronation oath, that she
wrote a large, bold hand, doing credit to her old writing master, Mr.
Steward.
In his recollections he says: "I don't know why, but the first sight of
her in her robes of state brought tears into my eyes, and it had this
effect upon many people; she looked almost like a child." Campbell, the
poet, is related to have said to a friend: "I was at Her Majesty's
coronation in Westminster Abbey, and she conducted herself so well during
the long and fatiguing ceremony that I shed tears many times.
Pages:
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107