"
Only the day after her marriage, the Queen wrote to Baron Stockmar:
"There cannot exist a purer, dearer, nobler being in the world than the
Prince."
She never took those words back--she never had cause to take them back,
to lie heavy on her heart. But such utter adoration persisted in year
after year, with cheerful obstinacy, even against the modest protests of
the object, would have spoiled any man who was spoilable.
Her Majesty was soon obliged to return to London, in order to hold
Courts, to receive addresses of congratulation on her marriage. It seemed
that half the men of the Kingdom of any standing, had formed themselves
into delegations. So numerous were they, that Prince Albert was obliged
to "come up to the help of the QUEEN against the mighty"--bore, for she
records that he in one day received and personally answered no less than
twenty-seven addresses! In fact, he was nearly addressed to death.
The Queen after receiving many members of both Houses of Parliament,
bearing addresses--received large delegations from the State Church--the
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland--the English Non-Conformists,
and the Society of Friends--all walking peacefully enough together to the
throne of Victoria, but having widely different ways to the "throne of
grace;"--all uniting in loyal prayers for the divine blessing on the fair
head of their Sovereign, and in the hope that the comely young man of her
choice might do virtuously, and walk humbly, and gingerly by her side--
but a little in the rear, as became him; not, of course, as a husband,
Scripturally regarded, but as the German Consort of an English Queen
_regnant_.
Pages:
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148