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the sad incidents of that December are described with touching pathos.
Neither do we propose to narrate the events that occurred between the
death of the Prince Consort and the marriage of the Prince of Wales, to
the Princess Alexandra, on the 10th of March, 1863. These events are
fresh in the recollection of many to whom the incidents of the earlier
life of the Prince are less known. It is enough to say as to these
years, that he continued to be diligent in the acquirement of varied
knowledge; that he carefully attended to his military duties; that he
took active part in the volunteer movement; and in town and country was
alike popular, from his love of manly sport as well as of the pursuits
of art.

The coming of age of the Prince was not celebrated with great ceremony,
for he was abroad at the time, and the shadow of sorrow was still over
the Royal household. But when the Prince brought his bride to England
the joy of the nation was unbounded. The passage of the Prince and
Princess through the streets of London was a scene of popular
enthusiasm such as has seldom been witnessed, so tumultuous was the
outburst of joy. The magnificent splendour of the marriage itself was as
nothing compared with that national demonstration. In the following
pages it will be seen how the Prince and Princess were one in public
life, as they were in heart and home.

When the Prince and Princess were returning from Osborne, where they
spent the honeymoon, on arriving at Portsmouth, _en route_ to Windsor,
the Mayor and Corporation presented an address, upon the deck of the
Royal yacht _Fairy_. This was the first of a succession of "addresses,"
which were merely marriage congratulations, couched in complimentary
strains, and responded to in a few grateful and gracious words. These
addresses were so numerous that they came to be merely mentioned in
list, and in that early time might have been troublesome, but for the
courtesy and good nature of the Prince. These demonstrations continued
throughout the summer, the last being at Edinburgh, where their Royal
Highnesses remained for a night on the way to Abergeldie, their Highland
home near Balmoral. They did not go to Holyrood Palace, but to Douglas'
private hotel, in St. Andrew's Square. Here a vast crowd assembled, and
the Prince and Princess had to appear and bow their acknowledgments from
the open window, till the multitude dispersed. But before going to the
North, the Prince had alrea