LITMIR.BIZ

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the principal events of the year 1858 as regards the Prince, a most interesting statement is given in a letter of his father to his old friend Stockmar. It is dated Windsor Castle, April 2nd. "Yesterday the Confirmation of the Prince of Wales went off with great solemnity, and I hope with lasting impression on his mind. The previous day his examination took place before the Archbishop and ourselves. Wellesley (Dean of Windsor) prolonged it a full hour, and Bertie acquitted himself extremely well. To-day we take the sacrament with him." In a Memorandum by Her Majesty, it is said that the Prince Consort "had a very strong feeling about the solemnity of this act, and did not like to appear in company either the evening before or on the day on which he took the sacrament; and he and the Queen almost always dined alone on these occasions." With such habitual feelings about the solemnity of the service, the "First Communion" of his eldest son must have deeply touched his heart.

      In the letter to Stockmar the Prince continues his statement about the educational plans for his son. "Next week he is to make a run for fourteen days to the South of Ireland, with Mr. Gibbs, Captain de Ros, and Dr. Minter, for recreation. When he returns to London he is to take up his residence at the White Lodge, in Richmond Park, so as to be away from the world, and devote himself exclusively to study, and prepare for a military examination. As companions for him we have appointed three very distinguished young men, of from 23 to 26 years of age, who are to occupy in monthly rotation a kind of equerry's place about him, and from whose more intimate intercourse I anticipate no small benefit to Bertie." These companions were Lord Valletort, eldest son of Lord Mount-Edgecombe, Major Teesdale, R.A., of Kars celebrity, and Major Loyd-Lindsay, V.C., of all of whom the Prince expresses to Stockmar his high opinion. "Besides these three, only Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Tarver will go with him to Richmond. As future Governor I have as yet been able to think of no one as likely to suit, except Colonel Bruce, Lord Elgin's brother, and his military secretary in Canada, who now commands one of the battalions of Grenadier Guards. He has all the amiability of his sister (Lady Augusta Bruce, afterwards Lady Augusta Stanley), with great mildness of expression, and is full of ability."

      Fortunately for the Prince, the wish to obtain the services of Colonel Bruce was successful. On the 9th of November, 1858, writing from Windsor Castle to the King of Prussia on political affairs, which in Prussia were then in troubled condition, the Prince adds: "I ought not to tease you just now with family trifles, still I will let you know that Bertie, who to-day solemnizes his eighteenth birthday, proposes to pay a fortnight's visit to his sister, and asks leave to present himself to you. It will not be a State, but purely a family visit; and we, therefore, beg you only to show him such slender courtesies as are suitable to a member, and a very young one, of the family. To-day he becomes a Colonel in the Army, unattached, and will receive the Garter. Colonel Bruce, Lord Elgin's brother, has become his Governor."

      The Prince speaks of family events as trifles, compared with great political affairs, but he felt deeply every change in the home life. A few weeks earlier, he had taken his son, Alfred, to his ship at Spithead, from which he went to sea at once. On the day before, the father wrote, "His departure will be another great trial to us: the second child lost to our family circle in one year."

      On the 10th of January, 1859, the Prince of Wales started on his Italian tour. He had previously been hard at study. He had opportunities of seeing much that was interesting in his continental journey, but the stay at Rome, which was greatly enjoyed, had to be abruptly ended. The restless ambition of the Emperor of the French had brought about war with Austria, and a French descent on Sardinia. Orders were sent to the Prince of Wales to leave Rome and repair to Gibraltar, which he reached on the 7th of May. The plan now arranged was that he was to visit the south of Spain and Lisbon, to return to England in the middle of June, and in July and August to take up his head-quarters in Edinburgh for study.

      All this was well carried out, and on the 11th of September the Prince joined his parents at Balmoral. The Court had left Osborne on the 29th of August for the Highlands, and reached Balmoral on the 31st, after spending a day and a night in Edinburgh. Writing to Stockmar a few days after, the Prince Consort says they had "travelled for the first time by night, straight through from London to Edinburgh, in order to gain a day for that place. The experiment proved a complete success, and the Queen was not at all tired. When in Edinburgh I had an educational conference with all the persons who are taking part in the education of the Prince of Wales. They all speak highly of him, and he seems to have shown zeal and good will. Dr. Lyon Playfair is giving him lectures on Chemistry in relation to Manufactures, and at the close of each special course he visits the appropriate manufactory with him, so as to explain its practical application. Dr. Schmitz, the Rector of the High School of Edinburgh, a German, gives him lectures on Roman History. Italian, German, and French are advanced at the same time; and three times a week the Prince exercises with the 16th Hussars, who are stationed near the city. Mr. Fisher, who is to be tutor at Oxford, was also in Holyrood. Law and History are to be the subjects on which he is to prepare the Prince."

      All this shows the care taken in regard to the education of the Prince. The Royal pupil had rather a stiff course of study in these days, but he stuck manfully to all his work, which had been carefully planned by his good father, who held that little relaxation should be allowed even during holiday time. In a letter of 17th September, 1859, to Mr. Tarver, who was still Director of Studies, he wrote, "I should be very sorry that he" (the Prince of Wales) "should look upon the reading of a novel, even by Sir Walter Scott, as a day's work." Fond as he was himself of high-class works of fiction, the Prince held they should be sparingly laid open to young people during years which should be devoted to study.

      In December 1859 the Prince Consort wrote to the old Duchess of Coburg, who ever retained lively interest in all the family affairs, "The visit of Prince Frederick William of Prussia and his Princess came to a close on the 3rd. He has delighted us much. Vicky has developed greatly of late, and yet remained quite a child—of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." With sad interest we recall this, after recent events. Also it is written about the same time, "The Prince of Wales is working hard at Oxford."

      The year closed, and the new year dawned very peaceably and happily, the Queen saying in her Diary, "I never remember spending a pleasanter New Year's Day, surrounded by our children and dear Mama. It is really extraordinary how much our good children did for the day, in reading, reciting, and music."

      In the early spring arrangements were being made for the proposed visit of the Prince of Wales to America. A promise of this visit had been given to the Canadians during the Crimean War for which Her Majesty's loyal subjects in the Dominion had levied and equipped a regiment. A request was then made that Her Majesty would visit her American possessions. On this being pronounced inexpedient, the Canadians asked that one of the Queen's sons might be Governor-General. Their youth made this impossible, and then the promise was made that the Prince of Wales, as soon as he was old enough, should visit Canada. It was now announced that this visit should be early in the autumn of 1860, and that it should be signalised by laying the foundation stone of the new Canadian Parliament House at Ottawa. It was also arranged that the Prince should be accompanied by the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary Of State for the Colonies.

      This no sooner became known on the other side of the water than the President of the United States, James Buchanan, addressed a letter to the Queen, dated on June 4th (Independence Day), offering a cordial welcome to the States, and assuring Her Majesty that the Prince would be everywhere greeted in a manner that could not fail to be gratifying to the Queen. A reply was sent, in the same friendly spirit, informing the President that the Prince would return from Canada through the United States, and that it would give him pleasure to have an opportunity of testifying in person to the President that the feelings which prompted his invitation were fully reciprocated on this side of the Atlantic.

      After a short visit to Coburg in the early summer, the Prince started for the New World on the 10th of July, and on the 25th landed at St. John's, Newfoundland. His arrival caused a fever of excitement. "If all the Colonies feel towards the Prince as Newfoundland does," wrote one who witnessed the scenes, "it was a most politic step to have sent him on this tour." The rough fishermen and their wives were delighted, and were full of admiration. "God bless his pretty face, and send him a good wife!" was their most frequent exclamation. The manner of the Prince to the venerable Bishop of Newfoundland was "very beautiful,

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