illustrative of the Queen's care for those dependent upon her, and her readiness to acknowledge the value of their services. Sir Arthur Helps, writing the introduction to the first of these volumes, draws attention to this feature of the Queen's character. He says: "Perhaps there is no person in these realms who takes a more deep and abiding interest in the welfare of the household committed to his charge than our gracious Queen does in hers, or who feels more keenly what are the reciprocal duties of masters and servants."
In one of the Queen's letters to Dean Stanley, on the occasion of the death of a valued servant of his, she says "I am one of those who think the loss of a faithful servant the loss of a friend, and one who can never be replaced." In 1858, on their first journey to Prussia, to visit the Princess Royal after her marriage, the Queen and Prince heard of the sudden death of a valuable servant of the latter, who had been with him since his childhood. The Queen wrote in her Journal "I turn sick now in writing it. … He died suddenly on Saturday at Merges of angina pectoris. I burst into tears. All day long the tears would rush every moment to my eyes, and this dreadful reality came to throw a gloom over the long-wished-for day of meeting with our dear child. … I cannot think of my dear husband without Cart! He seemed part of himself. We were so thankful for and proud of this good, faithful old servant. … A sad breakfast we had indeed."[1]
The Duchess of Kent made the education of the Princess her one end and aim during the minority of the latter. She was hardly ever out of her mother's sight, sleeping in her mother's room, having her supper, at a little table, by the side of her mother at
- ↑ Life of the Prince Consort, vi. 280, 281.
