ils--the movements of various relations, the improvement in
her brothers' looks, Court festivities, the childish ailments of her
little boys, the journeys and expeditions, recollections of Windsor,
their visitors, elaborate descriptions of dresses--interesting to
read, but difficult to select from. They are full of heart-felt
expressions of the sincerest affection for "your dear Majesty," a
quaint phrase that often occurs.

[Pageheading: PRINCE ALBERT]

After their marriage in 1840, Prince Albert naturally became the
Queen's confidential Secretary.

A close study of the Queen's correspondence reveals the character of
the Prince in a way which nothing else could effect. Traces of
his untiring labour, his conscientious vigilance, his singular
devotedness, appear on every page. There are innumerable memoranda in
his own hand; the papers are throughout arranged and annotated by him;
nothing seems to have escaped him, nothing to have dismayed him. As
an instance of the minute laboriousness which characterised the Royal
household, it may be mentioned that there are many copies of important
letters, forwarded to the Prince for his perusal, the originals of
which had to be returned, written not only by the Prince himself, but
by the Queen under his direction. But besides keeping a vigilant eye
upon politics, the Prince took the lead in all social and educational
movements of the time, as well as devoting a close and continuous
attention to the affairs of Europe in general, and Germany in
particular. It is obvious from the papers that the Prince can hardly
ever have taken a holiday; many hours of every day must have been
devoted by him to work; yet he was at the same time a tender husband
and father, always ready with advice and sympathy, and devoted to
quiet domestic life.

After the Queen's marriage the correspondence becomes far more
voluminous. It is difficult to exaggerate the amount of conscientious
labour bestowed by the Queen and the Prince Consort on all matters
which concerned the welfare of the nation. The number of documents
which passed through their hands, and which were carefully studied by
them, was prodigious.

The drafts of the Queen's replies to letters are in many cases in the
handwriting of the Prince Consort, but dated by herself, and often
containing interlinear corrections and additions of her own. Whether
the Queen indicated the lines of the replies, whether she dictated the
substance of them, o