One day, when I had gone to the school more for exercise than a lesson,
and was taking a solitary canter in the tan for my own amusement, the
little door under the gallery opened, and Fozzard appeared, introducing
a middle-aged lady and a young girl, who remained standing there while
he advanced toward me, and presently began to put me through all my most
crucial exercises, apparently for their edification. I was always
delighted to go through these particular feats, which amused me
excessively, and in which I took great pride. So I sat through them all,
till, upon a sign from the elder lady, Fozzard, with extreme deference,
opened the door and escorted them forth, and then returning to dismount
me, informed me that I had given a very satisfactory sample of his
teaching to the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria, the latter of
whom was to be placed under his tuition forthwith.
This was the first time I ever saw the woman who holds the most exalted
position in the world, the Queen of England, who has so filled that
supreme station that her name is respected wherever it is heard abroad,
and that she is regarded by her own people with a loyal love such as no
earthly dignity but that of personal worthiness can command.
JAMES STREET, BUCKINGHAM GATE.
DEAREST H----,
The kind exertion you made in writing to me so soon after leaving
London deserved an earlier acknowledgment; but when I tell you that
every day since Christmas I have fully purposed writing to you, and
have not been able to do so before to-day, I hope you will excuse
the delay, and believe me when I assure you that not only the
effort you made in going to the theater, but your seeing me at all,
are appreciated by me as very strong marks of your affection for
me.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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