e anxieties and responsibilities inseparable from her great
position. Her happiness, instead of making her self-absorbed, only
quickened her beneficence and her womanly desire that her subjects
should be enabled to enjoy a similar happiness based upon the same
simple virtues. Nothing comes out more strongly in these documents
than the laborious patience with which the Queen kept herself informed
of the minutest details of political and social movements both in her
own and other countries.

It is a deeply inspiring spectacle to see one surrounded by every
temptation which worldly greatness can present, living from day to
day so simple, vivid, and laborious a life; and it is impossible to
conceive a more fruitful example of duty and affection and energy,
displayed on so august a scale, and in the midst of such magnificent
surroundings. We would venture to believe that nothing could so deepen
the personal devotion of the Empire to the memory of that great Queen
who ruled it so wisely and so long, and its deeply-rooted attachment
to the principle of constitutional monarchy, as the gracious act of
His Majesty the King in allowing the inner side of that noble life and
career to be more clearly revealed to a nation whose devotion to their
ancient liberties is inseparably connected with their loyalty to the
Throne.

EDITORIAL NOTE

Our special thanks, for aid in the preparation of these volumes, are
due to Viscount Morley of Blackburn, who has read and criticised
the book in its final form; to Mr J. W. Headlam, of the Board of
Education, and formerly Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, for much
valuable assistance in preparing the prefatory historical memoranda;
to Mr W. F. Reddaway, Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, for
revision and advice throughout, in connection with the introductions
and annotations; to Lord Knollys, for criticism of selected materials;
to Lord Stanmore, for the loan of valuable documents; to Dr Eugene
Oswald, for assistance in translation; to Mr C. C. Perry and M. G.
Hua, for verification of French and German documents; to Miss Bertha
Williams, for unremitting care and diligence in preparing the volumes
for press; to Mr John Murray, our publisher, for his unfailing
patience and helpfulness; and especially to Mr Hugh Childers, for
his ungrudging help in the preparation of the Introductory annual
summaries, and in the political and historical annotation, as well as
for his invaluable co-oper