queen victoria-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Queen　Victoria

by　Lytton　Strachey




CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I。　　　　ANTECEDENTS
II。　　　CHILDHOOD
III。　　LORD　MELBOURNE
IV。　　　MARRIAGE
V。　　　　LORD　PALMERSTON
VI。　　　LAST　YEARS　OF　THE　PRINCE　CONSORT
VII。　　WIDOWHOOD
VIII。　MR。　GLADSTONE　AND　LORD　BEACONSFIELD
IX。　　　OLD　AGE
X。　　　　THE　END
　　　　　　BIBLIOGRAPHY



QUEEN　VICTORIA



CHAPTER　I。　ANTECEDENTS

I

On　November　6；　1817；　died　the　Princess　Charlotte；　only　child　of　the　Prince　Regent；　and　heir　to　the　crown　of　England。　Her　short　life　had　hardly　been　a　happy　one。　By　nature　impulsive；　capricious；　and　vehement；　she　had　always　longed　for　liberty；　and　she　had　never　possessed　it。　She　had　been　brought　up　among　violent　family　quarrels；　had　been　early　separated　from　her　disreputable　and　eccentric　mother；　and　handed　over　to　the　care　of　her　disreputable　and　selfish　father。　When　she　was　seventeen；　he　decided　to　marry　her　off　to　the　Prince　of　Orange；　she；　at　first；　acquiesced；　but；　suddenly　falling　in　love　with　Prince　Augustus　of　Prussia；　she　determined　to　break　off　the　engagement。　This　was　not　her　first　love　affair；　for　she　had　previously　carried　on　a　clandestine　correspondence　with　a　Captain　Hess。　Prince　Augustus　was　already　married；　morganatically；　but　she　did　not　know　it；　and　he　did　not　tell　her。　While　she　was　spinning　out　the　negotiations　with　the　Prince　of　Orange；　the　allied　sovereignit　was　June；　1814arrived　in　London　to　celebrate　their　victory。　Among　them；　in　the　suite　of　the　Emperor　of　Russia；　was　the　young　and　handsome　Prince　Leopold　of　Saxe…Coburg。　He　made　several　attempts　to　attract　the　notice　of　the　Princess；　but　she；　with　her　heart　elsewhere；　paid　very　little　attention。　Next　month　the　Prince　Regent；　discovering　that　his　daughter　was　having　secret　meetings　with　Prince　Augustus；　suddenly　appeared　upon　the　scene　and；　after　dismissing　her　household；　sentenced　her　to　a　strict　seclusion　in　Windsor　Park。　〃God　Almighty　grant　me　patience！〃　she　exclaimed；　falling　on　her　knees　in　an　agony　of　agitation：　then　she　jumped　up；　ran　down　the　backstairs　and　out　into　the　street；　hailed　a　passing　cab；　and　drove　to　her　mother's　house　in　Bayswater。　She　was　discovered；　pursued；　and　at　length；　yielding　to　the　persuasions　of　her　uncles；　the　Dukes　of　York　and　Sussex；　of　Brougham；　and　of　the　Bishop　of　Salisbury；　she　returned　to　Carlton　House　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning。　She　was　immured　at　Windsor；　but　no　more　was　heard　of　the　Prince　of　Orange。　Prince　Augustus；　too；　disappeared。　The　way　was　at　last　open　to　Prince　Leopold　of　Saxe…Coburg。

This　Prince　was　clever　enough　to　get　round　the　Regent；　to　impress　the　Ministers；　and　to　make　friends　with　another　of　the　Princess's　uncles；　the　Duke　of　Kent。　Through　the　Duke　he　was　able　to　communicate　privately　with　the　Princess；　who　now　declared　that　he　was　necessary　to　her　happiness。　When；　after　Waterloo；　he　was　in　Paris；　the　Duke's　aide…de…camp　carried　letters　backwards　and　forwards　across　the　Channel。　In　January　1816　he　was　invited　to　England；　and　in　May　the　marriage　took　place。

The　character　of　Prince　Leopold　contrasted　strangely　with　that　of　his　wife。　The　younger　son　of　a　German　princeling；　he　was　at　this　time　twenty…six　years　of　age；　he　had　served　with　distinction　in　the　war　against　Napoleon；　he　had　shown　considerable　diplomatic　skill　at　the　Congress　of　Vienna；　and　he　was　now　to　try　his　hand　at　the　task　of　taming　a　tumultuous　Princess。　Cold　and　formal　in　manner；　collected　in　speech；　careful　in　action；　he　soon　dominated　the　wild；　impetuous；　generous　creature　by　his　side。　There　was　much　in　her；　he　found；　of　which　he　could　not　approve。　She　quizzed；　she　stamped；　she　roared　with　laughter；　she　had　very　little　of　that　self…command　which　is　especially　required　of　princes；　her　manners　were　abominable。　Of　the　latter　he　was　a　good　judge；　having　moved；　as　he　himself　explained　to　his　niece　many　years　later；　in　the　best　society　of　Europe；　being　in　fact　〃what　is　called　in　French　de　la　fleur　des　pois。〃　There　was　continual　friction；　but　every　scene　ended　in　the　same　way。　Standing　before　him　like　a　rebellious　boy　in　petticoats；　her　body　pushed　forward；　her　hands　behind　her　back；　with　flaming　cheeks　and　sparkling　eyes；　she　would　declare　at　last　that　she　was　ready　to　do　whatever　he　wanted。　〃If　you　wish　it；　I　will　do　it；〃　she　would　say。　〃I　want　nothing　for　myself；〃　he　invariably　answered；　〃When　I　press　something　on　you；　it　is　from　a　conviction　that　it　is　for　your　interest　and　for　your　good。〃

Among　the　members　of　the　household　at　Claremont；　near　Esher；　where　the　royal　pair　were　established；　was　a　young　German　physician；　Christian　Friedrich　Stockmar。　He　was　the　son　of　a　minor　magistrate　in　Coburg；　and；　after　taking　part　as　a　medical　officer　in　the　war；　he　had　settled　down　as　a　doctor　in　his　native　town。　Here　he　had　met　Prince　Leopold；　who　had　been　struck　by　his　ability；　and；　on　his　marriage；　brought　him　to　England　as　his　personal　physician。　A　curious　fate　awaited　this　young　man；　many　were　the　gifts　which　the　future　held　in　store　for　himmany　and　variousinfluence；　power；　mystery；　unhappiness；　a　broken　heart。　At　Claremont　his　position　was　a　very　humble　one；　but　the　Princess　took　a　fancy　to　him；　called　him　〃Stocky；〃　and　romped　with　him　along　the　corridors。　Dyspeptic　by　constitution；　melancholic　by　temperament；　he　could　yet　be　lively　on　occasion；　and　was　known　as　a　wit　in　Coburg。　He　was　virtuous；　too；　and　served　the　royal　menage　with　approbation。　〃My　master；〃　he　wrote　in　his　diary；　〃is　the　best　of　all　husbands　in　all　the　five　quarters　of　the　globe；　and　his　wife　bears　him　an　amount　of　love；　the　greatness　of　which　can　only　be　compared　with　the　English　national　debt。〃　Before　long　he　gave　proof　of　another　qualitya　quality　which　was　to　colour　the　whole　of　his　life…cautious　sagacity。　When；　in　the　spring　of　1817；　it　was　known　that　the　Princess　was　expecting　a　child；　the　post　of　one　of　her　physicians…in…ordinary　was　offered　to　him；　and　he　had　the　good　sense　to　refuse　it。　He　perceived　that　his　colleagues　would　be　jealous　of　him；　that　his　advice　would　probably　not　be　taken；　but　that；　if　anything　were　to　go　wrong；　it　would　be　certainly　the　foreign　doctor　who　would　be　blamed。　Very　soon；　indeed；　he　came　to　the　opinion　that　the　low　diet　and　constant　bleedings；　to　which　the　unfortunate　Princess　was　subjected；　were　an　error；　he　drew　the　Prince　aside；　and　begged　him　to　communicate　this　opinion　to　the　English　doctors；　but　it　was　useless。　The　fashionable　lowering　treatment　was　continued　for　months。　On　November　5；　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening；　after　a　labour　of　over　fifty　hours；　the　Princess　was　delivered　of　a　dead　boy。　At　midnight　her　exhausted　strength　gave　way。　When；　at　last；　Stockmar　consented　to　see　her；　he　went　in；　and　found　her　obviously　dying；　while　the　doctors　were　plying　her　with　wine。　She　seized　his　hand　and　pressed　it。　〃They　have　made　me　tipsy；〃　she　said。　After　a　little　he　left　her；　and　was　already　in　the　next　room　when　he　heard　her　call　out　in　her　loud　voice：　〃Stocky！　Stocky！〃　As　he　ran　back　the　death…rattle　was　in　her　throat。　She　tossed　herself　violently　from　side　to　side；　then　suddenly　drew　up　her　legs；　and　it　was　over。

The　Prince；　after　hours　of　watching；　had　left　the　room　for　a　few　moments'　rest；　and　Stockmar　had　now　to　tell　him　that　his　wife　was　dead。　At　first　he　could　not　be　made　to　realise　what　had　happened。　On　their　way　to　her　room　he　sank　down　on　a　chair　while　Stockmar　knelt　beside　him：　it　was　all　a　dream；　it　was　impossible。　At　last；　by　the　bed；　he；　too；　knelt　down　and　kissed　the　cold　hands。　Then　rising　and　exclaiming；　〃Now　I　am　quite　desolate。　Promise　me　never　to　leave　me；〃　he　threw　himself　into　Stockmar's　arms。

II

The　tragedy　at　Claremont　was　of　a　most　upsetting　kind。　The　royal　kaleidoscope　had　suddenly　shifted；　and　nobody　could　tell　how　the　new　pattern　would　arrange　itself。　The　succession　to　the　throne；　which　had　seemed　so　satisfactorily　settled；　now　became　a　matter　of　urgent　doubt。

George　III　was　still　living；　an　aged　lunatic；　at　Windsor；　completely　impervious　to　the　impressions　of　the　outer　world。　Of　his　seven　sons；　the　youngest　was　of　more　than　middle　age；　and　none　had　legitimate　offspring。　The　outlook；　therefore；　was　ambiguous。　It　seemed　highly　improbable　that　the　Prince　Regent；　who　had　lately　been　obliged　to　abandon　his　stays；　and　presented　a　preposterous　figure　of　debauched　obesity；　could　ever　again；　even　on　the　supposition　that　he　divorced　his　wife　and　re…married；　become　the　father　of　a　family。　Besides　the　Duke　of　Kent；　who　must　be　noticed　separately；　the　other　brothers；　in　order　of　seniority；　were　the　Dukes　of　York；　Clarence；　Cumberland；　Sussex；　and　Cambridge；　their　situations　and　prospects　require　a　brief　description。　The　Duke　of　York；　whose　escapades　in　times　past　with　Mrs。　Clarke　and　the　army　had　brought　him　into　trouble；　now　divided　his　life　between　London　and　a　large；　extravagantly　ordered　and　extremely　uncomfortable　country　house　where　he　occupied　himself　with　racing；　whist；　and　improper　stories。　He　was　remarkable　among　the　princes　for　one　reason：　he　was　the　only　one　of　themso　we　are　informed　by　a　highly　competent　observerwho　had　the　feelings　of　a　gentleman。　He　had　been　long　married　to　the　Princess　Royal　of　Prussia；　a　lady　who　rarely　went　to　bed　and　was　perpetually　surrounded　by　vast　numbers　of　dogs；　parrots；　and　monkeys。　They　had　no　children。　The　Duke　of　Clarence　had　lived　for　many　years　in　complete　obscurity　with　Mrs。　Jordan；　the　actress；　in　Bushey　Park。　By　her　he　had　had　a　large　family　of　sons　and　daughters；　and　had　appeared；　in　effect　to　be　married　to　her；　when　he　suddenly　separated　from　her　and　offered　to　marry　Miss　Wykeham；　a　crazy　woman　of　large　fortune；　who；　however；　would　have　nothing　to　say　to　him。　Shortly　afterwards　Mrs。　Jordan　died　in　distressed　circumstances　in　Paris。　The　Duke　of　Cumberland　was　probably　the　most　unpopular　man　in　England。　Hideously　ugly；　with　a　distorted　eye；　he　was　bad…tempered　and　vindictive　in　private；　a　violent　reactionary　in　politics；　and　was　subsequently　suspected　of　murdering　his　valet　and　of　having　carried　on　an　amorous　intrigue　of　an　extremely　scandalous　kind。　He　had　lately　married　a　German　Princess；　but　there　were　as　yet　no　children　by　the　marriage。　The　Duke　of　Sussex　had　mildly　literary　tastes　and　collected　books。　He　had　married　Lady　Augusta　Murray；　by　whom　he　had　two　children；　but　the　marriage；　under　the　Royal　Marriages　Act；　was　declared　void。　On　Lady　Augusta's　death；　he　married　Lady　Cecilia　Buggin；　she　changed　her　name　to　Underwood；　but　this　marriage　also　was　void。　Of　the　Duke　of　Cambridge；　the　youngest　of　the　brothers；　not　very　much　was　known。　He　lived　in　Hanover；　wore　a　blonde　wig；　chattered　and　fidgeted　a　great　deal；　and　was　unmarried。

Besides　his　seven　sons；　George　III　had　five　surviving　daughters。　Of　these；　twothe　Queen　of　Wurtemberg　and　the　Duchess　of　Gloucesterwere　married　and　childless。　The　three　unmarried　princessesAugusta；　Elizabeth；　and　Sophiawere　all　over　forty。

III

The　fourth　son　of　George　III　was　Edward；　Duke　of　Kent。　He　was　now　fifty　years　of　agea　tall；　stout；　vigorous　man；　highly…coloured；　with　bushy　eyebrows；　a　bald　top　to　his　head；　and　what　hair　he　had　carefully　dyed　a　glossy　black。　His　dress　was　extremely　neat；　and　in　his　whole　appearance　there　was　a　rigidity　which　did　not　belie　his　character。　He　had　spent　his　early　life　in　the　armyat　Gibraltar；　in　Canada；　in　the　West　Indiesand；　under