CHAPTER 4 A QUEEN AT EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER 4 A QUEEN AT EIGHTEEN
During the years from 1833 to Victoria's eighteenth birthday，on May 24，1837，her life was sometimes that of a child，sometimes that of a young woman. Much of the time she lived quietly at Kensington. She studied，rode，walked，sketched，and played with her various pets. When her fourteenth birthday came，she was—for a few hours—treated like a“grown-up，”for at a juvenile ball given in her honor King William led her into the room，and at supper her health was drunk by the whole company.
Throughout the land there was talk about the quiet young girl at Kensington. King William was growing feeble. For half a century England had been ruled by elderly men；how would it fare in the hands of a young girl? Victoria was not as well as she had been，and there were rumors that she would not be equal to the labors of ruling the land.
An interesting man visited the Princess at this time，Baron Stockmar，who had long been a trusted friend of King Leopold's. “He was the only honest man I ever saw，”said a statesman who knew him well，and King William was eager to hear Stockmar's opinion of the young Princess. The Baron had no hesitation in expressing it. “If she were a nobody，”he said，“I should say she is gifted with an intelligence beyond her years；but being destined to rule over this great empire，I say that England will grow great and famous under her rule.”
“Do you say that? ”exclaimed the King. “Then I shall no longer regret that I have no children to hand the crown down to.”And yet，some months after this speech was made，the young woman who was to make England great and famous was sent to bed after dancing just one dance at a grand ball given in her honor. The health of the girl was too precious in the eyes of the Duchess to be wasted in late hours.
Soon after her sixteenth birthday the Princess was confirmed. The ceremony was performed in the chapel of St. James’，and none were present except members of the royal family. Even as a child Victoria had often shown great self-control，but when the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke to her，tenderly indeed，but with deep solemnity，of the responsibilities of the life that lay before her，of what good or what harm a single word or deed of hers might cause，then the earnest，conscientious young girl could not remain unmoved. She laid her head on her mother's shoulder and sobbed like a little child.
The wisdom of the watchful mother's care was made manifest in the increasing health and strength of the Princess. She was seen in public far more frequently. The little girl had become a young lady. The plain little white dresses were laid aside，and she now appeared in garments as rich and handsome as were permitted to her youth. One costume that she wore，a pink satin gown and a large pink hat，was the special delight of those of her future subjects who had the good fortune to see her in it. This was what she wore when a young American author gazed upon her admiringly and then went away to moralize over the sad fate of royalty. “She will be sold，”he said，“bartered away，by those great dealers in royal hearts.”
It was true that“dealers in royal hearts”had long before this laid their plans for the disposal of the Princess’affections. King William had proposed five men for marriage，one after another，but his polite and frustrating sister-in-law had kindly rejected all his suggestions. Another scheme had been formed across the water by the Coburg grandmother nearly seventeen years earlier. There was a baby granddaughter in England and a baby grandson in Coburg. If they would only be as fond of each other as the grandmother was of them！Not a word was said to the little English girl，but there is a tradition that when the grandson was but three years old his nurse used to say：“Be a good boy now，Prince Albert，and some day you shall go to England and marry the Queen.”However the truth of this story may be，it is certain that not only the grandmother but King Leopold earnestly hoped that some day the Prince might marry the Princess.
When the cousins were seventeen years old，King Leopold thought that the time had come for them to meet；but the wise sovereign had no idea of exposing his little niece to the fancies of a young man who might not be worthy of her，and he sent the faithful Baron Stockmar to learn all that he could about the character of the Prince. The report was as favorable as the devoted uncle could have wished，and he at once persuaded the Duchess to invite Prince Albert and his brother to spend a month at Kensington.
The two young men arrived and were most royally entertained. Such a round of parties，balls，receptions，dinners，all sorts of celebrations，they had never seen. Prince Albert was just a little bored by it all，and acknowledged in his home letters that he had“many hard battles to fight against sleepiness.”He seems to have found more pleasure in the quiet hours of walking，sketching，and playing the piano with the little blue-eyed cousin.
After the brothers had taken their departure，King Leopold wrote his niece，telling her very frankly of his hopes. She replied at once and with equal frankness. One cannot help seeing that the two cousins had become deeply interested in each other，for the letter of the Princess begs her uncle to take special care of one“now so dear to me，”and closes with the words，“I hope and trust that all will go on well on this subject now of so much importance to me.”
There were subjects，however，concerning which all did not go on well. The Princess loved her devoted mother with all her warm heart，and she also loved“Uncle William，”who was always good to her. She was now so old that the friction between them could no longer be concealed from her. The King's special annoyance was that she was not allowed to visit him save at rare intervals. The“Sailor King”was a favorite among his people，because he was cheerful and witty；but his wit was often coarse，and his good nature often turned into a“swearing rage”when his humor changed. There were certainly good reasons why the young girl should have been kept from his court；and he was keen enough to see that the Duchess had other grounds than care of her daughter's health for refusing to allow her to visit him. His gentle，stately sister-in-law had outsmarted him in every encounter，and at last his anger burst forth.
The time was a state dinner which he gave in honor of his seventy-first birthday. In his speech to the guests he lost all control of himself and declared，“I hope that my life may be spared nine months longer，after which period，in the event of my death，no regency will take place. I shall then have the satisfaction of leaving the royal authority to the personal exercise of that young lady”—here the King looked at the Princess Victoria，then，glaring at the Duchess，he roared—“and not in the hands of a person now near to me.”He went on like a madman，heaping every kind of abuse upon the Duchess and declaring that she had insulted him by keeping the Princess from his presence. The Duchess sat like marble，but her daughter burst into tears. At last，the dinner came to an end，and the Duchess ordered her carriage that she and the Princess might leave at once instead of spending the night. But Queen Adelaide begged them to stay. “The King is ill，he is not himself，”she whispered. “You have borne so much，bear a little more.”The Duchess yielded and remained at the palace until morning.
The nine months passed rapidly，and the morning of May 24，1837，arrived. The Princess was now eighteen，and the whole land celebrated her coming of age. The day began with a song under her window by a band of thirty-seven musicians. The Union Jack had already been hoisted on the church in Kensington，and its greeting was responded to from the palace by a banner of white silk upon which appeared the name“Victoria”in letters of blue. Almost every house had its flag or its bit of decoration of some sort. The King sent a birthday gift of a handsome piano，and that was only the beginning，for all day long costly presents were arriving. Addresses of congratulation were sent by numerous cities and by many public bodies，and the house was crowded with visitors. The greatest nobles of the kingdom，the people of most wealth，and the greatest statesmen hurried to Kensington to give their best wishes to the young girl. In the evening a state ball，the most splendid affair of the kind that had been known，was given for her at the Palace of St. James’，but the illness of the King kept both him and Queen Adelaide away from the event.
The way of the Princess to the throne seemed very clear，but there was one man in England who was determined that she should never reach it. He was the Duke of Cumberland，Victoria's uncle. He was the next younger brother of the Duke of Kent，and had it not been for the birth of his niece，the throne of England would have been his own. At that time the sovereign of England was also ruler of Hanover，but Hanover had a law called the Salic law，which forbade any woman to be its monarch. Two or three years earlier the Duke of Cumberland had confessed to an English officer his desire to gain the crown.
“The Salic law prevents the Princess Victoria from ruling Hanover，”he said，“and therefore she has no right to rule England. If I should be proclaimed king，would you and your troop follow me through London? ”
“Yes，and to the Tower the next day！”the officer answered indignantly.
“What will the Princess do for you? ”demanded the Duke. “If I were king，I could make you a great man. But this is nothing. I only asked to see what you would say.”
The Duke was in earnest，however，so much in earnest that he even ventured to allow his wishes to become known to King William. One day when the two brothers were dining together，the Duke proposed the toast，“The King's health，God save the King！”This was drunk，and then the Duke proposed a second toast，“The King's heir，God bless him！”Both the brothers had drunk too much，but King William was equal to the occasion. He called out，“Drink to the King's heir，God bless her！”and the toast was drunk by all except the Duke.
Nevertheless，the Duke of Cumberland did not give up his wild scheme. He knew that he himself was by no means a favorite in England，and that he had no friends whose devotion would place him upon the throne；but he fancied that he could arouse opposition to the Princess and so open a way for himself to become sovereign. There was nothing to be said against her，but he did his best to arouse dislike to her family.
“The Coburgs are the people who have influence with her，”he said. “King Leopold has just married a Roman Catholic princess，and the cousin of Victoria has married Queen Maria of Portugal，who is also a Roman Catholic. King William cannot live long，and England will have on its throne not only a child but a child who will be no Protestant.”
Now for a century and a half，England had had a law that as a Protestant country it must be ruled by a Protestant，and that the husband or wife of the sovereign must also be a Protestant. If Victoria had become a Roman Catholic，she would have forfeited the throne at once. This argument of the Duke of Cumberland was，therefore，almost too absurd to notice；but England was too loyal to the young girl at Kensington not to be in a storm of indignation.
Even then the Duke of Cumberland fancied that he might still have a chance，and he was so insane as to go to that sternly loyal old soldier，the Duke of Wellington，and ask what he thought was the best thing to do.
“To do? ”cried the“Iron Duke.”“Get out of this country as fast as you can，and take care you don't get attacked as you go.”
In less than a month after the eighteenth birthday of the Princess came the night of June nineteenth. The country knew that King William was dying. The Royal Life Guards were at their barracks，but not to sleep. The guards were doubled. Every horse was saddled，and by it stood its master，ready to race to Windsor to guard the lifeless body of the King，or to gallop to Kensington to escort the girl Queen to her throne.
All that night the officers sat in the dining hall and talked of the Princess.
“I saw her on horseback，”said one. “She rides superbly，but she looks like a child.”
“The Duke of Sussex says the little ones have the brains，”remarked another.
“She's a queen，every inch of her，”one declared，“and I tell you that England is going to be greater than it ever was before. She's a soldier's daughter，too. King William was a sailor. He could not have held a review to save his...What's that? ”The young man broke off abruptly，for the gallop of a horse was heard in the courtyard. There was dead silence in the dining hall. In a few minutes the Colonel entered. He held up his hand for attention，but he did not need to do this，for every ear was strained.
“Gentlemen，”he said，“King William is dead. Let us drink to the health of the Queen. God save the Queen！”
Early in the morning，the Life Guards were ordered to go，part of them to Windsor to do honor to the dead King，part of them to Kensington to do honor to the young Queen.
Meanwhile，the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Conyngham，the Lord Chamberlain，had been driving at full speed from Windsor to Kensington. Not a person was stirring about the palace，and the only sound heard was the singing of birds. The two men rang，but there was no response. They knocked and they pounded. Finally a very sleepy porter opened the gate and let them into one of the lower rooms of the palace. No one came to them，and at last they rang for a servant.
“Tell the attendant of the Princess Victoria，”said the Lord Chamberlain，“that we have come to see her on business of the utmost importance.”
The servant withdrew，but no one appeared. They rang again，and at last the attendant of the Princess came to them.
“The Princess Victoria is sleeping，”she said，“and she must not be awakened.”
Then said the Lord Chamberlain：“We have come on business of state to the Queen，and even her sleep must give way to that.”
There was no more delay. The Duchess was called，and she awoke her daughter，who still slept in a bed beside her own. “The King is dead，”she said. “Lord Conyngham is here，and he wishes to see you. You must not keep him waiting.”
The Princess threw on a long white dressing gown and stopped at the door for her mother to accompany her.
“No，”said the Duchess. “He wishes to see the Queen alone.”
For the first time the young girl was required to stand by herself，and as she stepped over the threshold she left all her free，girlish life behind her. She went down the stairs in her long white dressing gown，with her fair hair falling over her shoulders. As she entered the room，Lord Conyngham knelt before her，kissed her hand，and presented a paper，the formal certificate of the King's death.
Then the Archbishop said：“Your Royal Highness，Queen Adelaide wished me to accompany Lord Conyngham，for she thought that you would be glad to hear how peaceful and quiet the King was at the last.”
To the young Queen the sight of the Archbishop brought no thought of the glories of the throne，but rather of those solemn words that he had spoken to her in the chapel of St. James’two years before. With tears in her eyes she said to him，“I beg your Grace to pray for me.”
Messengers had been sent to the members of the Privy Council to summon them to immediate attendance at Kensington. When they arrived，they were shown into the antechamber in which were the Duke of Sussex，uncle of the Queen；the Duke of Wellington，Lord Melbourne，the Prime Minister，and a few others. The doors were closed and an address of loyalty was read aloud and then signed by all present.
In the room adjoining were the Queen and her mother. The Duchess withdrew，and when the doors were opened，there stood near the threshold the slender figure of the girl Queen，looking even slighter and younger than she was in her close-fitting dress of black silk. It was perfectly plain；her hair was parted and drawn back smoothly from her forehead；and she wore not a single ornament. The Duke of Sussex stepped forward to meet her，put his arm around her and kissed her. The others kissed her hand. The order was given to the attendant，and the doors between the two rooms were closed. Not a word had been spoken.
A little later in the day came the famous First Council. Lord Melbourne had told the Queen just what was to be done and what her part would be. The Council assembled，and the Lord President read the formal announcement of the death of King William. Then he requested the Prime Minister and several others to go to the Queen and inform her also of the King's death. This was done with as much ceremony as if she had known nothing of it before. When they returned，the announcement of her rise to Queen was read. Then the doors into the adjoining room were thrown open，and the Queen stepped forward，wearing a plain，simple mourning dress. Her two uncles，the Duke of Cumberland and the Duke of Sussex，went forward to meet her and led her into the room.
At the end of a long table a platform had been placed，and on the platform was the chair of state. The Queen bowed to the Councilors and took her seat in this chair. She read her speech at once，clearly and with as much calmness and dignity as her mother could have shown. It closed，“I shall steadily protect the rights and promote to the utmost of my power the happiness and welfare of all classes of my subjects.”
She signed the usual oath insuring the liberty of the Church of Scotland，and then came the solemn swearing of each Councilor to be faithful to her. Her two uncles were sworn first，and as the Duke of Cumberland kissed her hand，she blushed as any other young girl might have done to have an elderly man，her own uncle，kneel at her feet. She kissed him and also the Duke of Sussex. This second uncle was too feeble to make his way to her easily，and she rose from her seat and stepped toward him. After the swearing of the Dukes，the oath was taken by the other members of the Council. When this had been done，she rose and left the room，led by her two uncles.
Never were men more surprised than these experienced Councilors，who thought that they understood all kinds of people and knew what sort of behavior to expect from them.
“I am amazed，”said Sir Robert Peel. “She is as modest as a child，but she is firm and self-possessed，and she understands her position perfectly.”
Greville，the Clerk of the Council，said：“William Ⅳ came to the throne at sixty-five，and he was so excited that he nearly went mad. The young queen is neither dazzled nor confused，but she behaves with all the calm and dignity the lack of which was so obvious in her uncle.”
There were yet Cabinet Ministers for the Queen to meet，there were matters little and matters great to think of，and the next morning there was to be another Council meeting and the observance of the ancient custom of proclaiming a new sovereign to the public；but the young girl found time in this first day of her rule to write a letter of sympathy to her“Aunt Adelaide.”She addressed it as usual to“Her Majesty the Queen.”When she was reminded that the widow of King William was no longer“Queen，”but“Queen Dowager，”she replied，“I know that her position is altered，but I will not be the first to remind her of the change.”
When the young Queen awoke on the morning after，she must have fancied for a moment that she had dreamed all the events of the previous day. She had gone to bed expecting a quiet morning of study；she had been aroused to hear that she was a queen. Thus far she had remained in her own home，and had merely received those who had come to her，the Prime Minister，the Councilors，and others；but when she had been Queen for a little more than twenty-four hours，the time had come for her to go to London and be proclaimed sovereign of England in the presence of thousands of her subjects.
Victoria and her mother came out of the palace followed by Lord Melbourne. Both ladies were in mourning. In front of the royal carriage were the Life Guards，a magnificent body of men，everyone drawing himself up to his full height in his pride that it was his company that was to escort the Queen on her first appearance. She bowed to them first，then to the crowds that gathered about the entrance. She and her mother entered the carriage. More of the Life Guards followed and a long line of carriages filled with lords and ladies.
The carriages did not go rapidly，for every road and lane and passageway was full of people，who cheered and waved banners and shouted“God save the Queen！”
When they arrived at St. James’，the officers of state stood waiting to receive them，and they were escorted to a window overlooking the square below，which had long been filled with a great crowd of enthusiastic people.
An officer advanced，escorted by the Earl Marshal，gave one look over the assembled people，then waved for silence，and read the formal announcement of Victoria as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. Meanwhile，the eyes of the people were not on him；they were turned toward an upper window，where against a background of red curtains stood the slender figure of the Queen，accompanied by her mother and the Prime Minister. The last words of the announcement were“God save the Queen！”and“God save the Queen！”repeated the bands in a great burst of music. The trumpets sounded，the cannon in the park roared，and the cannon in the Tower roared in response. The people in the court cheered，and the people outside the court cheered. They waved their handkerchiefs，hats，canes，umbrellas，anything that they could wave. They could not be persuaded to leave the place，and thousands hung about the entrance to the palace for hours，hoping for just one glimpse of their sovereign.
Not long after this announcement，the Queen presided over another Council meeting，and did it，so said one who was present，“as if she had done nothing else all her life.”This was not the end of the day by any means，for now the reception of archbishops，bishops，and judges followed. She met them with the most perfect dignity；but she was a merry young girl as well as a queen，and after she had received the bishops and had withdrawn from the room with a most stately manner，they were greatly amused to see her running down the corridor like a child just let out of school. Her Majesty had forgotten that the door was made of glass！
While all this rejoicing was going on，the dead King lay in state at Windsor Palace，wrapped in a red blanket. The crowns of England and of Hanover lay above him. Around him were nobles，admirals，and guards. Nearest stood the feeble old Duke of Sussex in his red uniform. The Death March sounded，and the long line moved slowly on and down to St. George's Chapel. The last honors were paid to the dead King，but the thoughts of all the land were with the young Queen.
Before the day had closed，Victoria and her mother were escorted back to Kensington by the Life Guards to spend a short time before the Queen should take up her home in Buckingham Palace. “I do not want to go there，”she said to the Duke of Sussex. “I love the old Kensington Gardens，where I can wander about as I please. Buckingham Palace is far too big and too grand for me.”
Other people may choose their homes，but sovereigns are less free，and there was nothing to do but leave Kensington，where her greatest troubles had been an occasional hard lesson，and go to Buckingham，or the New Palace，as it was called，which was to be her London residence.
The New Palace was not yet completed，but men had been working night and day to prepare it for the Queen. It stood on a desolate sand-flat. There were dirty streets and muddy pools and dirty little buildings around it，but the coming of the Queen was to make it gorgeous. A splendid new throne，all dazzling in its red and gold，was built for her.
“Is it as your Majesty would，have it? ”inquired the builder.
“It's the most comfortable throne I ever sat on，”replied the merry young sovereign.
Buckingham was not lonely by any means. From over the whole country came delegations from universities，corporations，and all kinds of societies. One of these delegations was composed of Quakers，who believe that to uncover the head is to show to man a respect that should be shown to God alone，and they marched up the stairway without removing their broad-brimmed gray hats. This could not be allowed，but the delegates could hardly be forbidden to see their Queen. Someone was quick thinking enough to discover a way out of the dilemma. “The Quakers won't take off their hats，”he whispered，“but it is against their principles to resist violence，and they won't object if we do it for them.”Two of the attendants then respectfully raised each man's hat as he passed between them，and returned it to his head when the audience had come to an end.
At the death of a sovereign，Parliament is always dissolved，and a new election is held. When the queen entered the House of Parliament，the brilliant company of peers and bishops remained standing. “My lords，be seated，”said the Queen. The usual forms of business were followed，but all interest centered in the speech of the sovereign. When she had finished，Fanny Kemble，the greatest actress of the day，declared，“I never heard any spoken words more musical in their gentle distinctness.”Charles Sumner wrote，“I never heard anything better read in my life；”and the Queen's kind old uncle，the Duke of Sussex，could only wipe his eyes and murmur，“Beautiful！”
It was not long before the court moved to Windsor Palace. The ordinary routine of the Queen's day was breakfast with her mother between eight and nine，followed by an hour or two with Lord Melbourne attending to matters of state. Then came an audience with the Cabinet Ministers，whenever there was business to be transacted. About two o’clock the Queen and some twenty or thirty of the ladies and gentlemen of the court took a horseback ride of two hours or longer. After this came music or amusement of some kind until the dinner hour. If there were any children in the palace，the Queen was always ready to spend this time with them，and their company must have been a great relief after the more serious activities of the day. Dinner was at about half past seven. After dinner came music，games，dancing，and conversation. This was the order of the day when it was not broken into，but it was almost always broken into，for there were balls，receptions，concerts，banquets，and the reception of delegations.
One visit which was soon paid to the court of England gave the Queen special delight. It was that of her uncle，King Leopold，and his Queen. Victoria had never played the hostess before，but there could have been no one else to whom she would have been so glad to show honor；and now there was a merry time，indeed，for the English Queen planned picnics，dinner parties，sailing parties，and all sorts of fun activities.
Those who looked on from the outside thought of the Queen as a light-hearted young girl enjoying to the full what was almost her first taste of happiness and pleasure，but there was quite another side to her life. More was required of the sovereign of England than to sit on a throne and wear handsome dresses and jewels. There was much hard work for her to do，and this merry little Queen had no thought of attempting to escape it. Those morning hours with Lord Melbourne were hours when she must give her keenest thought and closest attention. At an age when many girls have little more responsibility than to learn a lesson or to choose a dress，this girl had to read complicated papers，to listen to arguments on difficult subjects，and sometimes to decide whether a man proven guilty of crime should live or die. Of course she might have made all this much easier for herself by simply writing her name wherever her Ministers advised，but she would not sign any paper without reading and understanding it.
“Your Majesty，”said Lord Melbourne one day，“there is no need of your examining this paper，as it is of no special importance.”
“But it is of special importance to me，”replied the Queen，“whether I sign a paper with which I am not thoroughly satisfied.”
Papers of all sorts were showered upon her. Sometimes after listening to Lord Melbourne's advice she would come to a decision on the first reading，but often she would say，“I must think about this before I sign it.”Never was a sovereign so overwhelmed with papers，and her friends began to suspect that some of the officials who wished to have matters go their own way were trying to disgust her with public business，hoping that after a little while she would become so tired of it that she would sign whatever was sent her. They did not know that they were dealing with a Queen who had been taught as a young girl to carefully consider all matters brought before her. Even Lord Melbourne used to say laughingly，“I'd rather manage ten kings than one queen.”
There could hardly have been a better man than Lord Melbourne for the difficult position of adviser to a young woman who was also a queen. He was three times her age，and while his manner to her was always one of most profound respect，he showed an almost fatherly feeling for the young girl. He was her Prime Minister and was also her trusted friend. Before she became Queen，he had won her confidence in a remarkable way，by opposing her desires and those of her mother. In one of those constantly recurring differences between King and Duchess，he had stood firmly for the King's wishes，because he was the King's servant，although he knew that in a few months at most the Princess would be on the throne. Victoria was wise enough to see that the man who would be faithful even at the probability of his own loss was the man whom she might safely trust，and she did trust him implicitly.
Another member of the Queen's household was the honest Baron Stockmar. He had been sent by King Leopold，as soon as his royal niece had attained her eighteenth birthday，to guard her interests and advise her if it should be necessary. With people in general he was quiet and reserved. At table he“ate nothing and talked less，”according to the description of one who was at the court；but all felt that the Queen was especially frank with him，and that he and Lord Melbourne were in perfect agreement. One other duty he had at the English court which was known only to himself and King Leopold，and that was to prepare the way for the marriage that the King hoped would come about between his niece and his nephew. The two young people were really in training for rule. King Leopold kept Prince Albert with him for nearly a year after Victoria's rise to power. He saw to it that the young man should acquire a good knowledge of English and of the English constitution. Baron Stockmar was，in the meantime，teaching the Queen the rightful position of the sovereign of England. “The sovereign must belong to no party，”he said. “Whatever party is in power has been put in power by the nation，and has a right to claim the loyalty of the Queen.”
Surely the little Queen was not without good friends. There were King Leopold，the wisest sovereign in Europe；Baron Stockmar，the“only honest man”；Lord Melbourne，who seemed to have no thought but for her，and her former governess Lehzen，who had loved her since she was quite young. As a show of gratitude，she gave Lehzen the title of baroness.
The position of her mother was very peculiar and not agreeable in all respects. For eighteen years her only aim in life had been to prepare her daughter for the throne of England. The daughter was now on the throne，and the Duchess felt that her occupation was gone. She realized that matters of state must be discussed with the councilors only，and for this she was prepared；but it was not a pleasant surprise to find that the young girl who less than a year before had obediently left the dance hall for bed at her mother's bidding was now manifesting very decided opinions of her own. The Duchess had the fullest confidence in one of the executors of her husband's will，and she would have been glad that he should hold some office in the new government. The Queen treated her mother with the tenderest affection，and she willingly granted the gentleman a generous pension，but she refused to have anything to do with him.
Victoria had ascended the throne，but she had never yet worn the English crown，for though a young girl may become a queen in a moment，a crowning is a different matter. “The King is dead，and therefore Victoria is Queen，”declared the Council，and she was Queen；but the preparations for a crowning require more time than does the writing of an address of loyalty，and it was a whole year before these preparations were completed.
The day came at last，June 28，1838. There was a procession，and such a procession it was！First came the trumpeters，then the Life Guards，bands，foreign ambassadors in most gorgeous carriages，more Life Guards，the carriage of the Duchess of Kent，the Duke of Sussex，and others of the royal family，the officers of the royal household，and the officers of the Guard. Then all the thousands along the way were wide-eyed with excitement，for the eight cream-colored horses were seen drawing the carriage of state，inside of which sat the pretty little maiden who was the center and cause of all this magnificence. A body of horsemen followed her.
The procession was nearly an hour and a half in reaching the Abbey，for the Queen would not go by the shortest way. All that time people were shouting，and banners were waving，for every house along the line of march was brilliant with as much decoration as its owner could afford. Half a million strangers were in London，and many houses were rented at enormous rates.
When the procession finally arrived at Westminster Abbey，the queen exited her open carriage and attended the ceremony known as the“Recognition，”that is，the recognition of the new sovereign as the lawful sovereign. The Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury turned to the north，and the Archbishop said：“Sirs，I here present to you Queen Victoria，the undoubted Queen of this realm. All you who have come this day to pay your respects，are you willing to do the same? ”“God save Queen Victoria！”the people cried. The Archbishop and the Queen then turned to the south，to the east，and to the west，and the same words were repeated with the same response. This signified that the people of the land had formally accepted her as their sovereign.
After this，the Queen walked to the altar，and she made an offering of a golden altar cloth and a pound's weight of gold. This was only the beginning of the four hours’ceremony，and next came a long speech by the Bishop of London，followed by the solemn oath of the Queen to be just and govern according to the law.
Then came the crowning. She was escorted to one of the chapels and dressed in an ancient costume. Then the Archbishop led her to the famous old chair of St. Edward，in which was the stone of Scone，and touched her head and hands with the holy oil. The staff，orb，sword，and other things signifying power and authority in either Church or state，were handed to her，each with a few words from the Archbishop，urging her to use it properly. The ruby ring was placed upon her finger，and the cloth-of-gold upon her shoulders. Then the Archbishop slowly lifted the crown，which was blazing with diamonds and jewels，and placed it upon her head. The next moment all the peers lifted their crowns and put them on. The whole building flashed and glittered until one might have fancied that it was raining diamonds. “God save the Queen！”echoed and reechoed. The thousands who stood outside the Abbey caught up the cry，the bells of all the churches in London began to ring，and the guns of all the fortress towns were fired.
The ceremony of homage followed. The Archbishop，the two royal dukes，and many other prestigious members of society，knelt and，kissing her hand，said，“I do become your servant of life and limb，and of earthly worship，and faithfully and truthfully I will serve you，to live and die against all manner of folk，so help me God！”
After the homage，she received the Holy Sacrament；the“hallelujah Chorus”was sung；and then the procession reformed and went slowly over the way to Buckingham Palace.
After such a day as this，Victoria must have felt that she was“really and truly”a queen；but with all her dignity and her royalty，she was still a frank，natural young girl，and the story is told that when she entered Buckingham Palace and heard the bark of her favorite dog，she exclaimed，“Oh，there's Dash！I must go and give him his bath.”
The English were proud of their Queen，of her dignity and her royal bearing，but it was these touches of frankness and simplicity that won their hearts，and made them feel that with all her jewels，her velvets，and her luxurious fur，she was，after all，one of themselves.
注释
sketch[sketʃ]vi. 素描，绘略图
juvenile[´dʒuːvənail]adj. 为青少年设计的，适合于青少年的
e.g. juvenile fashions青少年的时装
...her health was drunk by the whole company. 该句为被动语态；句中drink（to）v. 为…祝酒/干杯，祝（酒）
e.g. We'll drink your health. 我们为您的健康干杯。
We will drink to your continued success. 我们祝您不断成功！
company[´kʌmpəni]n. 客人，同伴
feeble[´fiːb∂l]adj. 虚弱的，衰弱的
fare[fɛə]vi. 进展，过日子
e.g. How are you faring with your project? 你怎样进行你的计划？
How did you fare while you were abroad? 你在国外时过得好吗？
rumor[´ruːmə]n. 流言，传闻
beequal to能胜任，适合于
e.g. Some of the staff are not equal to these tasks. 有些员工不能胜任这些工作。
hesitation[ˌhezi´teiʃ∂n]n. 犹豫，踌躇
be destined to do...注定要…；destined adj. 注定的（其后常接不定式）
e.g. He was destined to become a great musician. 他注定要成为伟大的音乐家。
confirm[kən´fəːm]vt. 给…施坚信礼
Canterbury[´kæntəbəri]坎特伯雷大教堂，（建于11~16世纪）是英国圣公会的大主教和首席主教的住地。
solemnity[sə´lemniti]n. 严肃，庄重（的性质或仪式）
earnest[´əːnist]adj. 认真的；重大的，重要的
conscientious[´kɔnʃi´enʃəs]adj. 谨慎的
unmoved[´ʌn´muːvd]adj. 无动于衷的
watchful[´wɔtʃful]adj. 密切注意的
manifest[´mænifest]adj. 明显的，显然的
garment[´ɡαːmənt]n. 外衣，外表
costume[´kɔstjum]n. 服饰，套装（适合特定场合穿的一套衣服）
satin[´sætin]n. 绸缎
gaze（upon）[ɡeiz]vi. 凝视，注视
admiringly[əd´maiəriŋli]adv. 钦佩地，赞赏地
away adv. 继续不断地
e.g. They worked away for two days to get it finished. 他们连续两天不停地工作才做完。
moralize[´mɔrəlaiz]v. 指出…的寓意，从道德上解释
barter[´bαːtə]v. 以物易物
dealer[´diːlə]n. 商人，交易者
disposal[di´spəuz∂l]n. 布置，处理；dispose v. 安排，处理
af fection[ə´fekʃ∂n]n. 感情，爱情
frustrating[frʌs´treitiŋ]adj. 令人沮丧的
frustrate[frʌs´treit]v. 使感到灰心/沮丧
scheme[skiːm]n. 安排，计划，密谋
earnestly[´əːnistli]adv. 诚挚地
fancy[´fænsi]n. 幻想，迷恋，浪漫的爱慕（此义常用复数）
entertain[ˌentə´tein]vt. 热情款待
e.g. entertain friends at dinner招待朋友吃饭
acknowledge[ək´nɔlidʒ]vt. 承认
frankly[´fræŋkli]adv. 坦率地，真诚地；frankness n. 率直，坦白
friction[´frikʃ∂n]n. 矛盾，摩擦
conceal[kən´siːl]vt. 隐藏，隐瞒
annoyance[ə´nɔiəns]n. 烦恼，令人烦恼的事
save[seiv]prep. 除…之外=except
e.g. We know nothing about him save that he is a doctor. 我们除了知道他是医生以外，其他一无所知。
at...intervals不时，相隔…
interval[´intəvəl]n. 时间间隔，距离
witty[´witi]adj. 诙谐的，机智的；wit n. 风趣，机智
e.g. a witty saying一句妙语
coarse[kɔːs]adj. 粗俗的，庸俗的
e.g. coarse manners/language粗俗的行为/语言
swearing[´swɛəriŋ]咒骂的；swear v. 咒骂，诅咒
rage[reidʒ]n. 狂怒，恼怒
keen[kiːn]adj. 敏锐的，非常敏感的
stately[´steitli]adj. 庄严尊贵的
encounter[in´kauntə]adj. 对决，冲突，相遇
burst forth=burstout突然大声地…
burst[bəːst]adj. 爆发，爆裂（过去时与过去分词同形）
e.g. He burst out into explanation. 他突然高声解释。
burst out laughing/crying突然大笑/大哭
lost control of...失去对…的控制
e.g. She lost control of herself and hit him. 她失控打了他。
in the event（of）如果发生，万一发生
exercise[´eksəsaiz]n. 履行职责，任务
roar[rɔː]vi. 吼叫，怒吼
heap[hiːp]vt. 大量或奢侈地给予，常与on/upon连用
e.g. heap praise on the rescuers对救援者大加赞赏
abuse[ə´bjuːs]n. 辱骂，谩骂
insult[´insʌlt]vt. 侮辱，凌辱
be oneself人处于正常状态；oneself pron. 一个人正常或健康的状态
e.g. beyond oneself精神错乱，失态；beside oneself发狂
yield[jiːld]vi. （向争论、劝说等）让步
e.g. The child pleaded，but the parents wouldn't yield.
band[bænd]n. 乐队
the Union Jack英国国旗，联合王国国旗；jack n. 船舰上表示国籍的旗
hoist[hɔist]vt. 升起
banner[´bænə]n. 旗帜，横幅
costly[´kɔstli]adj. 贵重的
statesmen[´steitsmən]n. 政治家
Hanover汉诺威（现为德国西北部一城市）
Salic law萨利法典：根据萨利法兰克人的法律制订的继承法，禁止女人继承王位
monarch[´mɔːnək]n. 君主（国王或女皇，常指世袭和终身统治者）
confess[kɔn´fes]v. 披露，坦白
proclaim[prə´kleim]vt. 宣称，声明
indignantly[in´diɡnəntli]adv. 愤怒地
venture[´ventʃə]v. 斗胆，大胆冒险，冒昧
propose[prə´pəuz]v. 提出为…干杯，提议举杯祝饮
toast[təust]n. 干杯，祝酒
nevertheless adv. 然而，尽管如此
arouse[ə´rauz]vt. 激起，唤起
e.g. The odd sight aroused our curiosity. 奇怪的景象激起我们的好奇。
opposition[ɔpə´ziʃən]n. 反对，敌对，相反，反对派
Catholic[´kæθəlik]adj. 天主教的
Protestant[´prɔtistənt]n. 新教徒，西方基督教会成员
forfeit[´fɔːfit]vt. 丧失，没收
absurd[əb´səːd]adj. 荒谬的，可笑的
loyal[´lɔiəl]adj. 忠诚的，忠心的
indignation[´indiɡ´neiʃ∂n]n. 愤慨，义愤
sternly[´stəːnli]adv. 坚决地，坚定地
barrack[´bærək]n. （临时性）木板房；兵营（常用复数）
saddle[´sædl]n. 鞍，马鞍
By it stood its master. 该句是倒装句，原语序为：its master stood by it.
gallop[´ɡæləp]vi. 飞驰，急速进行
e.g. Summer was galloping by. 夏天很快就过去了
escort[´eskɔːt]v. 护卫，护送，陪同
superbly[sjuː´pəːbli]adv. 极好地
brain（s）[brein]n. 头脑；智力（常用复数）
e.g. beat（one's）brains（out）绞尽脑汁，大费脑筋
She beat her brains out during the examination. 在考试中她绞尽脑汁。
every inch在每个方面；完全地
e.g. He is every inch a king. 他是一位在各方面都称职的国王。
He is every inch a soldier. 他是个十足的军人。
review[ri´vjuː]n. 正式阅兵式
break off说话时突然打住
abruptly[ə´brʌptli]adv. 突然地，唐突地
strain[strein]v. 拉紧，尽量使力，最大限度地给予…
e.g. strain one's ears/eyes/voice竭尽全力去听/看/高声喊
strain one's nerve to do sth. 竭尽全力做某事
Lord Chamberlain（英国王室的）宫务大臣
stir[stəː]vi. 走动，移动
utmost[´ʌtməust]adj. 极度的，极端的n. 极限
e.g. a matter of the utmost importance最重要的事情
She worked to the utmost of her abilities. 她尽全力工作。
withdraw[wið´drɔː]vi. 退出，退下（过去式与过去分词为withdrew，withdrawn）
attendant[ə´tendənt]n. 服务员，侍从
give way to让位于，给…让路
e.g. gave way to an oncoming car给一辆即将过来的汽车让路
throw[θrəu]vi. 随便穿上，仓促地穿上或脱下
e.g. throw on a jacket随便披上一件夹克
dressing gown晨衣，长外衣
kneel[niːl]vi. 跪下（过去时：knelt）
certificate[sə´tifikət]n. 证明书，证明事物真实性的文件
highness[´hainis]n. 殿下（与His，Her或Your连用，用来称呼王子、亲王或公主、王妃）
e.g. Her Royal Highness the Princess Margaret玛格丽特公主殿下
solemn[´sɔləm]adj. 庄严的，隆重的
Your（或His）Grace：阁下（对公爵、大主教的尊称）
messenger[´mesindʒə]n. 报信者，传令员
Privy Council枢密院，英王的咨询委员会，现在由内阁大臣和其他终身任职的官员组成
summon[´sʌmən]v. 召集，召唤，号召，鼓起，振作
antechamber[´æntitʃeimbə]n. 接待室
adjoining[ə´dʒɔiniŋ]adj. 隔壁的，邻接的
slender[´slendə]adj. 苗条的
figure[´fiɡə]n. 身材，体形
close-fitting adj. 紧身的，贴身的
assemble[ə´semb∂l]vi. 集合，聚集在一起
the chair of state元首职务/位
councilor[´kaunsilə]n. 委员会成员
dignity[´diɡniti]n. 尊严，高贵
promote[prə´məut]vt. 促进，发扬，提升，提拔，晋升为
welfare[´welfɛə]n. 幸福，福利，安康
oath[əuθ]n. 誓约，誓言
liberty[´libəti]n. 自由（权利）
swear[swɛə]vi. 宣誓，发誓（过去分词为sworn）
blush[blʌʃ]v. （因羞愧、窘困等）脸红
self-possessed[´selfpə´zest]adj. 沉着的，镇静的
dazzle[´dæz∂l]v. 使目眩，使眼花；使不知所措
confuse[kən´fjuːz]v. 使迷惑，使不能清楚理智地思考或行动
cabinet[´kæbinit]n. 内阁（内阁：英国国王的最高咨询机关，由枢密院外交委员会演变而来。英国内阁一般由首相及外交大臣、国防大臣、财政大臣、内政大臣、大法官、枢密院院长、掌玺大臣等主要大臣组成。内阁掌握国家实际权力，在其首脑（首相）的领导下，决定并执行国家内外政策。）
observance[əb´zəːvəns]n. 遵守（法律、习俗、命令或规定遵从的惯例、仪式等）
widow[´widəu]n. 寡妇
alter[´ɔːltə]v. 改变，变更
be in mourning戴孝；mourning[´mɔːniŋ]n. 服丧，戴孝
magnificent[mæɡ´nifis∂nt]adj. 外表华丽的，宏伟的
body[´bɔdi]n. 团队
draw oneself up挺直身体
lane[lein]n. 小巷，里弄
enthusiastic[in´θjuːzi´æːstik]adj. 充满热情的
Earl[əːl]n. （英）伯爵
trumpet[´trʌmpit]n. 小号，喇叭（及类似小号的乐器）
cannon[´kænən]n. 大炮
cane[kein]n. 手杖
hang about徘徊在
glimpse[ɡlimps]n. 一瞥，一看
preside[pri´zaid]vi. 主持，主管（常与over或at连用）
by any means无论如何
corridor[´kɔridɔː]n. 走廊，通道
rejoicing[ri´dʒɔisiŋ]n. 欣喜，高兴
wrap[ræp]vt. 覆盖，包裹
admiral[´ædm∂rəl]n. 海军将军，舰队司令
The Death March哀乐进行曲（march n. 进行曲）
chapel[´tʃæp∂l]n. 葬仪礼堂，小礼拜堂
...there was nothing to do but leave Kensington，where her greatest troubles had been an occasional hard lesson，and go to Buckingham，...该句中主句为：there was nothing to do but leave Kensington and go to Buckingham，...其句子中的where引导的是插入的非限制性定语从句。
Buckingham=Buckingham Palace白金汉宫，英国君王在伦敦的王宫，位于威斯敏斯特城内
residence[´rezid∂ns]n. 住处，住宅
desolate[´desələt]adj. 荒芜的，废弃的
sand-flat n. 废墟
inquire[in´kwaiə]v. 询问，提问
delegation[ˌdeli´ɡeiʃ∂n]n. 代表团；delegate[´deliɡit]n. 代表
corporation[ˌkɔːpə´reiʃ∂n]n. 社团，公司
becomposed of由…组成；compose vt. 组成，构成
e.g. The exhibit is composed of French paintings. 这是一场法国画展。
Many ethnic groups compose our nation. 我们的国家由许多民族组成。
Quaker[´kweikə]n. 贵格会会员，教友派信徒
uncover[ʌn´kʌvə]vt. 脱去…的帽子，脱帽致敬
stairway[´steəwei]n. 楼梯
broad-brimmed adj. 边宽的，宽边的
dilemma[di´lemə]n. 进退两难的局面，困难的选择
principle[´prinsəp∂l]n. 原则，行为准则，道义
resist[ri´zist]vt. 向…让步，忍得住
e.g. He couldn't resist playing computer games. 他忍不住要玩电脑游戏。
violence[´vaiələns]n. 暴力，暴行
respectfully[ris´pektfuli]adv. 尊敬地，谦恭地
audience[´ɔːdiəns]n. 接见，拜见
dissolve[di´zɔlv]v. 溶解，解散
enter the House of Parliament当选为议会议员
Parliament议会，是英国的最高权力机关和最高立法机关。现代英国议会由英王、上院和下院构成。上院议员不是选举产生，而是由宗教贵族（大主教、主教）、世袭贵族、终身贵族、王室贵族和上司贵族（高级法官、总检察长和副检察长等）组成。下院议员由选民按小选区多数代表制直接选举产生。上院议长由大法官兼任，下院议长按惯例由多数党议员出任。
peer[piə]n. （英国）贵族，（英国）上院议员
e.g. peer of the realm世袭的贵族
distinctness[dis´tiŋktnis]n. 清晰，明显
murmur[´məːmə]v. 低声说，低语
routine[ruː´tiːn]n. 习惯做法，日常事务
attend to关注，致力；attend vi. 专心，留意
e.g. We'll attend to that problem later. 稍后我们将关注那个问题
transact[træn´zækt，-´sækt]vt. 办理，执行
relief[ri´liːf]n. （痛苦、压力等的）减轻，娱乐
the order of the day议事日程
break into打断
banquet[´bæŋkwit]n. 盛宴
keen[kiːn]adj. 敏锐的
complicated[´kəmplikeitid]adj. 复杂的，难解的
shower[´ʃauə]vt. 将…阵雨般倾倒下来，纷撒；常用：shower sth. （up）on sb.
e.g. People showered flowers on the parade.
overwhelm[´əuvə´hwelm]vt. 淹没，压倒
disgust[dis´ɡʌst]vt. 令人厌恶，令人反感
adviser[əd´vaizə]n. 顾问，提供建议者
profound[prə´faund]adj. 深的，深邃的，意义深远的
e.g. a profound insight深邃的洞察力
profound social changes意义深远的社会变革
remarkable[ri´mαːkəb∂l]adj. 不平常的，非凡的，显著的
recurring[ri´kəːriŋ]adj. 经常性的，反复的；recur[ri´kəː]vi. 反复地发生
probability[ˌprɔbə´biliti]n. 可能性
implicitly[im´plisitli]adv. 绝对地
attain[ə´tein]vt. 达到，获得
frank[fræŋk]adj. 坦率的，真诚的；常用结构为be frank with sb. /about sth.
see to it（that）负责做到；see to其后常接先行宾语it及that引导的宾语从句。
e.g. I'll see to it that you are not inconvenient.
acquire[ə´kwaiə]vt. 获得，学到
constitution[ˌkɔnsti´tjuːʃ∂n]n. 宪法，章程
in the meantime与此同时
claim[kleim]vt. n. （根据权利提出）要求，声称，要求权
gratitude[´ɡrætitjuːd]n. 感激，谢意
baroness[´bærənis]n. 女伯爵，男爵夫人（常用作这类贵族妇女的头衔）
agreeable[ə´ɡriːəb∂l]adj. 使人愉快的，惬意的
bidding[´bidiŋ]n. 命令，吩咐
manifest[´mænifest]vt. 表明，显示
executor[iɡ´zekjutə]n. 遗嘱执行者，执行者
grant[ɡrαːnt]vt. 授予，把…作为特权给予
e.g. grant the franchise to all citizens给予所有公民选举权
pension[´penʃ∂n]n. 养老金，退休金
have something/nothing to do with与…有点/没有关系
trumpeter[´trʌmpitə]n. 小号手，喇叭手
ambassador[æm´bæsədə]n. 大使，使节团
magnificence[mæɡ´nifisns]n. 华丽，富丽堂皇
horseman[´hɔːsmən]n. 骑师，马兵
abbey[´æbi]n. 修道院，修道士（总称）；此处用大写，特指威斯敏斯特教堂
enormous[i´nɔːməs]adj. 巨大的，数额超常的
Westminster Abbey威斯敏斯特教堂，英国新教伦敦圣公会教堂。从英王威廉一世起，几乎所有英王的加冕盛典都在威斯敏斯特教堂举行。也为英国名人墓地，1760年以前的历代英王和王后均葬于此。从18世纪起，英国的著名人物大多葬于此地。
recognition[ˌrekəɡ´niʃ∂n]n. 公认，赞誉
lawful[´lɔːfəl]adj. 合法的，法定的
present[pri´zent]vt. 介绍，引见
undoubted[´ʌn´dautid]adj. 无疑的，确实的
signify[´siɡnifai]vt. 使…公诸于众，表示，意味
e.g. He signified his intent clearly. 他清楚地表明了自己的意图
formally[´fɔːməli]adv. 正式地
altar[´ɔːltə]n. （基督教教堂内的）圣坛，祈祷祭拜的地方
Scone斯昆：位于苏格兰中部的一个村庄。1651年前一直是苏格兰国王的加冕地。该村庄在作为加冕地期间，一块当作御座的命运之石在13世纪晚期由爱德华一世带入英格兰，现今它被放置在威斯敏斯特教堂内一张英国君主曾用于加冕的椅子下面。
staf f[stαːf]n. 权杖
orb[ɔːb]n. （象征王权的）宝珠
urge[əːdʒ]vt. 驱策，激励
ruby[´ruːbi]n. 红宝石
blaze[bleiz]vi. 照耀，闪耀
glitter[´ɡlitə]vi. 闪闪发光，闪烁
echo[´ekəu]vi. 发回声，随声附和；reecho vi. 再回响
catch up着迷，吸引住，被卷入；亦常用：be caught up in
e.g. I was caught up in the mood of the evening. 我沉醉在夜晚的情调中。
He was caught up in the scandal. 他卷入了丑闻。
fortress[´fɔːtris]n. 堡垒，要塞
homage[´hɔmidʒ]n. 效忠仪式，臣服；pay homage to sb. 向某人表示敬意
prestigious[ˌpres´tiːdʒəs]adj. 享有声望的，受尊敬的
life and limb不惜一切
limb[lim]n. 肢，如胳膊、腿
e.g. He risked life and limb to rescue the child from the danger. 他不惜一切地从危险中解救孩子
earthly[´əːθli]adj. 人间的，现世的（常用来加强语气）
worship[´wəːʃip]n. 崇拜，尊敬
all manner of folk各种各样的人
sacrament[´sækrəmənt]n. （基督教的）圣礼，圣餐
hallelujah[ˌhæ´ləlujə]n. 赞美曲，哈利路亚（赞美上帝用语，表示赞美或欢乐）
chorus[´kɔːrəs]n. 合唱曲，合唱队
reform[ri´fɔːm]vt. 重组，改革
bearing[´bɛ∂riŋ]n. 举止，风度
touch[tʌtʃ]n. 风格，格调
simplicity[sim´plisiti]n. 朴素，直率