The Childhood of queen Victoria. By Mrs. Gerald Gurney. (James
Nisbet and Co. 6s.)—The little details about Queen Victoria's education which Mrs. Gurney has been able to gather from various sources are peculiarly interesting. There are extracts from Dr. Davys's diary ; there is an account of the various text-books—some of them not a little strange to this generation—which she used ; and there is a letter, signed by two learned prelates (Blomfield of London, and Kaye of Lincoln), in which they give the results of their examination of the Princess. Then there are pleasant little anecdotes of the child's kindness and amiability, and one or two to show that she was not too good to live. One day when her mother said to her, "When you are naughty you make both ins and yourself very unhappy "—" No, mamma," she answered, "not myself but you:, That reminds one of the child who did not care for "grown-up people's happiness,"—i.e., for giving up things to others, and so forth. There is a charming little letter, printed in facsimile capitals, written when the Princess was four, to Dr. Davys :— " Mr DEAR HiR,—I do not forget my letters, nor will I forget you. —Viceoata." Altogether this is a pleasant volume, a welcome addition to the interesting literature that concerns the per- sonality of the late Queen.
Previous page
