queen victoria-第22章

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dern　industrial　forces；　though　in　a　letter　to　Victoria　describing　his　experiences；　he　was　careful　to　retain　his　customary　lightness　of　touch。　〃As　I　write；〃　he　playfully　remarked；　〃you　will　be　making　your　evening　toilette；　and　not　be　ready　in　time　for　dinner。　I　must　set　about　the　same　task；　and　not；　let　me　hope；　with　the　same　result。。。　The　loyalty　and　enthusiasm　of　the　inhabitants　are　great；　but　the　heat　is　greater　still。　I　am　satisfied　that　if　the　population　of　Liverpool　had　been　weighed　this　morning；　and　were　to　be　weighed　again　now；　they　would　be　found　many　degrees　lighter。　The　docks　are　wonderful；　and　the　mass　of　shipping　incredible。　In　art　and　science　he　had　been　deeply　interested　since　boyhood；　his　reform　of　the　household　had　put　his　talent　for　organisation　beyond　a　doubt；　and　thus　from　every　point　of　view　the　Prince　was　well　qualified　for　his　task。　Having　matured　his　plans；　he　summoned　a　small　committee　and　laid　an　outline　of　his　scheme　before　it。　The　committee　approved；　and　the　great　undertaking　was　set　on　foot　without　delay。

Two　years；　however；　passed　before　it　was　completed。　For　two　years　the　Prince　laboured　with　extraordinary　and　incessant　energy。　At　first　all　went　smoothly。　The　leading　manufacturers　warmly　took　up　the　idea；　the　colonies　and　the　East　India　Company　were　sympathetic；　the　great　foreign　nations　were　eager　to　send　in　their　contributions；　the　powerful　support　of　Sir　Robert　Peel　was　obtained；　and　the　use　of　a　site　in　Hyde　Park；　selected　by　the　Prince；　was　sanctioned　by　the　Government。　Out　of　234　plans　for　the　exhibition　building；　the　Prince　chose　that　of　Joseph　Paxton；　famous　as　a　designer　of　gigantic　conservatories；　and　the　work　was　on　the　point　of　being　put　in　hand　when　a　series　of　unexpected　difficulties　arose。　Opposition　to　the　whole　scheme；　which　had　long　been　smouldering　in　various　quarters；　suddenly　burst　forth。　There　was　an　outcry；　headed　by　The　Times；　against　the　use　of　the　park　for　the　exhibition；　for　a　moment　it　seemed　as　if　the　building　would　be　relegated　to　a　suburb；　but；　after　a　fierce　debate　in　the　House；　the　supporters　of　the　site　in　the　Park　won　the　day。　Then　it　appeared　that　the　project　lacked　a　sufficient　financial　backing；　but　this　obstacle；　too；　was　surmounted；　and　eventually　L200；000　was　subscribed　as　a　guarantee　fund。　The　enormous　glass　edifice　rose　higher　and　higher；　covering　acres　and　enclosing　towering　elm　trees　beneath　its　roof：　and　then　the　fury　of　its　enemies　reached　a　climax。　The　fashionable；　the　cautious；　the　Protectionists；　the　pious；　all　joined　in　the　hue　and　cry。　It　was　pointed　out　that　the　Exhibition　would　serve　as　a　rallying　point　for　all　the　ruffians　in　England；　for　all　the　malcontents　in　Europe；　and　that　on　the　day　of　its　opening　there　would　certainly　be　a　riot　and　probably　a　revolution。　It　was　asserted　that　the　glass　roof　was　porous；　and　that　the　droppings　of　fifty　million　sparrows　would　utterly　destroy　every　object　beneath　it。　Agitated　nonconformists　declared　that　the　Exhibition　was　an　arrogant　and　wicked　enterprise　which　would　infallibly　bring　down　God's　punishment　upon　the　nation。　Colonel　Sibthorpe；　in　the　debate　on　the　Address；　prayed　that　hail　and　lightning　might　descend　from　heaven　on　the　accursed　thing。　The　Prince；　with　unyielding　perseverance　and　infinite　patience；　pressed　on　to　his　goal。　His　health　was　seriously　affected；　he　suffered　from　constant　sleeplessness；　his　strength　was　almost　worn　out。　But　he　remembered　the　injunctions　of　Stockmar　and　never　relaxed。　The　volume　of　his　labours　grew　more　prodigious　every　day；　he　toiled　at　committees；　presided　over　public　meetings；　made　speeches；　and　carried　on　communications　with　every　corner　of　the　civilised　worldand　his　efforts　were　rewarded。　On　May　1；　1851；　the　Great　Exhibition　was　opened　by　the　Queen　before　an　enormous　concourse　of　persons；　amid　scenes　of　dazzling　brilliancy　and　triumphant　enthusiasm。

Victoria　herself　was　in　a　state　of　excitement　which　bordered　on　delirium。　She　performed　her　duties　in　a　trance　of　joy；　gratitude；　and　amazement；　and；　when　it　was　all　over；　her　feelings　poured　themselves　out　into　her　journal　in　a　torrential　flood。　The　day　had　been　nothing　but　an　endless　succession　of　gloriesor　rather　one　vast　gloryone　vast　radiation　of　Albert。　Everything　she　had　seen；　everything　she　had　felt　or　heard；　had　been　so　beautiful；　so　wonderful　that　even　the　royal　underlinings　broke　down　under　the　burden　of　emphasis；　while　her　remembering　pen　rushed　on；　regardless；　from　splendour　to　splendourthe　huge　crowds；　so　wellbehaved　and　loyal…flags　of　all　the　nations　floatingthe　inside　of　the　building；　so　immense；　with　myriads　of　people　and　the　sun　shining　through　the　roofa　little　side　room；　where　we　left　our　shawlspalm…trees　and　machinerydear　Albertthe　place　so　big　that　we　could　hardly　hear　the　organthankfulness　to　Goda　curious　assemblage　of　political　and　distinguished　menthe　March　from　AthalieGod　bless　my　dearest　Albert；　God　bless　my　dearest　country！a　glass　fountainthe　Duke　and　Lord　Anglesey　walking　arm　in　arma　beautiful　Amazon；　in　bronze；　by　KissMr。　Paxton；　who　might　be　justly　proud；　and　rose　from　being　a　common　gardener's　boySir　George　Grey　in　tears；　and　everybody　astonished　and　delighted。

A　striking　incident　occurred　when；　after　a　short　prayer　by　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury；　the　choir　of　600　voices　burst　into　the　〃Hallelujah　Chorus。〃　At　that　moment　a　Chinaman；　dressed　in　full　national　costume；　stepped　out　into　the　middle　of　the　central　nave；　and；　advancing　slowly　towards　the　royal　group；　did　obeisance　to　Her　Majesty。　The　Queen；　much　impressed；　had　no　doubt　that　he　was　an　eminent　mandarin；　and；　when　the　final　procession　was　formed；　orders　were　given　that；　as　no　representative　of　the　Celestial　Empire　was　present；　he　should　be　included　in　the　diplomatic　cortege。　He　accordingly；　with　the　utmost　gravity；　followed　immediately　behind　the　Ambassadors。　He　subsequently　disappeared；　and　it　was　rumoured；　among　ill…natured　people；　that；　far　from　being　a　mandarin；　the　fellow　was　a　mere　impostor。　But　nobody　ever　really　discovered　the　nature　of　the　comments　that　had　been　lurking　behind　the　matchless　impassivity　of　that　yellow　face。

A　few　days　later　Victoria　poured　out　her　heart　to　her　uncle。　The　first　of　May；　she　said；　was　〃the　GREATEST　day　in　our　history；　the　most　BEAUTIFUL　and　IMPOSING　and　TOUCHING　spectacle　ever　seen；　and　the　triumph　of　my　beloved　Albert。。。　It　was　the　HAPPIEST；　PROUDEST　day　in　my　life；　and　I　can　think　of　nothing　else。　Albert's　dearest　name　is　immortalised　with　this　GREAT　conception；　HIS　own；　and　my　OWN　dear　country　SHOWED　she　was　WORTHY　of　it。　The　triumph　is　IMMENSE。〃

It　was。　The　enthusiasm　was　universal；　even　the　bitterest　scoffers　were　converted；　and　joined　in　the　chorus　of　praise。　Congratulations　from　public　bodies　poured　in；　the　City　of　Paris　gave　a　great　fete　to　the　Exhibition　committee；　and　the　Queen　and　the　Prince　made　a　triumphal　progress　through　the　North　of　England。　The　financial　results　were　equally　remarkable。　The　total　profit　made　by　the　Exhibition　amounted　to　a　sum　of　L165；000；　which　was　employed　in　the　purchase　of　land　for　the　erection　of　a　permanent　National　Museum　in　South　Kensington。　During　the　six　months　of　its　existence　in　Hyde　Park　over　six　million　persons　visited　it；　and　not　a　single　accident　occurred。　But　there　is　an　end　to　all　things；　and　the　time　had　come　for　the　Crystal　Palace　to　be　removed　to　the　salubrious　seclusion　of　Sydenham。　Victoria；　sad　but　resigned；　paid　her　final　visit。　〃It　looked　so　beautiful；〃　she　said。　〃I　could　not　believe　it　was　the　last　time　I　was　to　see　it。　An　organ；　accompanied　by　a　fine　and　powerful　wind　instrument　called　the　sommerophone；　was　being　played；　and　it　nearly　upset　me。　The　canvas　is　very　dirty；　the　red　curtains　are　faded　and　many　things　are　very　much　soiled；　still　the　effect　is　fresh　and　new　as　ever　and　most　beautiful。　The　glass　fountain　was　already　removed。。。　and　the　sappers　and　miners　were　rolling　about　the　little　boxes　just　as　they　did　at　the　beginning。　It　made　us　all　very　melancholy。〃　But　more　cheerful　thoughts　followed。　When　all　was　over；　she　expressed　her　boundless　satisfaction　in　a　dithyrambic　letter　to　the　Prime　Minister。　Her　beloved　husband's　name；　she　said；　was　for　ever　immortalised；　and　that　this　was　universally　recognised　by　the　country　was　a　source　to　her　of　immense　happiness　and　gratitude。　〃She　feels　grateful　to　Providence；〃　Her　Majesty　concluded；　〃to　have　permitted　her　to　be　united　to　so　great；　so　noble；　so　excellent　a　Prince；　and　this　year　will　ever　remain　the　proudest　and　happiest　of　her　life。　The　day　of　the　closing　of　the　Exhibition　（which　the　Queen　regretted　much　she　could　not　witness）；　was　the　twelfth　anniversary　of　her　betrothal　to　the　Prince；　which　is　a　curious　coincidence。〃



CHAPTER　V。　LORD　PALMERSTON

I

In　1851　the　Prince's　fortunes　reached　their　high…water　mark。　The　success　of　the　Great　Exhibition　enormously　increased　his　reputation　and　seemed　to　assure　him　henceforward　a　leading　place　in　the　national　life。　But　before　the　year　was　out　another　triumph；　in　a　very　different　sphere　of　action；　was　also　his。　This　triumph；　big　with　fateful　consequences；　was　itself　the　outcome　of　a　series　of　complicated　circumstances　which　had　been　gathering　to　a　climax　for　many　years。


The　unpopularity　of　Albert　in　high　society　had　not　diminished　with　time。　Aristocratic　persons　continued　to　regard　him　with　disfavour；　and　he　on　his　side；　withdrew　further　and　further　into　a　contemptuous　reserve。　For　a　moment；　indeed；　it　appeared　as　if　the　dislike　of　the　upper　classes　was　about　to　be　suddenly　converted　into　cordiality；　for　they　learnt　with　amazement　that　the　Prince；　during　a　country　visit；　had　ridden　to　hounds　and　acquitted　himself　remarkably　well。　They　had　always　taken　it　for　granted　that　his　horsemanship　was　of　some　second…rate　foreign　quality；　and　here　he　was　jumping　five…barred　gates　and　tearing　after　the　fox　as　if　he　had　been　born　and　bred　in　Leicestershire。　They　could　hardly　believe　it；　was　it　possible　that　they　had　made　a　mistake；　and　that　Albert　was　a　good　fellow　after　all？　Had　he　wished　to　be　thought　so　he　would　certainly　have　seized　this　opportunity；　purchased　several　hunters；　and　used　them　constantly。　But　he　had　no　such　desire；　hunting　bored　him；　and　made　Victoria　nervous。　He　continued；　as　before；　to　ride；　as　he　himself　put　it；　for　exercise　or　convenience；　not　for　amusement；　and　it　was　agreed　that　though　the　Prince；　no　doubt；　could　keep　in　his　saddle　well　enough；　he　was　no　sportsman。

This　was　a　serious　matter。　It　was　not　merely　that　Albert　was　laughed　at　by　fine　ladies　and　sneered　at　by　fine　gentlemen；　it　was　not　merely　that　Victoria；　who　before　her　marriage　had　cut　some　figure　in　society；　had；　under　her　husband's　influence；　almost　completely　given　it　up。　Since　Charles　the　Second　the　sovereigns　of　England　had；　with　a　single　exception；　always　been　unfashionable；　and　the　fact　that　the　exception　was　George　the　Fourth　seemed　to　give　an　added　significance　to　the　rule。　What　was　grave　was　not　the　lack　of　fashion；　but　the　lack　of　other　and　more　important　qualities。　The　hostility　of　the　upper　classes　was　symptomatic　of　an　antagonism　more　profound　than　one　of　manners　or　even　of　tastes。　The　Prince；　in　a　word；　was　un…English。　What　that　word　precisely　meant　it　was　difficult　to　say；　but　the　fact　was　patent　to　every　eye。　Lord　Palmerston；　also；　was　n