Struggles and Triumphs: or, Forty Years' Recollections of P. T. BarnumBarnum, P. T. (Phineas Taylor)
General
Struggles and Triumphs: or, Forty Years' Recollections of P. T. Barnum
Barnum, P. T. (Phineas Taylor)
Barnum, P. T. (Phineas Taylor), 1810-1891; Circus owners -- United States -- Biography
“I would like them very much,” replied the General, his eyes glistening
with joy as he spoke.
“I will have them made expressly for you,” responded the Queen Dowager;
and at the same moment she called a friend and desired him to see that
the proper order was executed. A few weeks thereafter we were called
again to Marlborough House. A number of the children of the nobility
were present, as well as some of their parents. After passing a few
compliments with the General, Queen Adelaide presented him with a
beautiful little gold watch, placing the chain around his neck with her
own hands. The little fellow was delighted, and scarcely knew how
sufficiently to express his thanks. The good Queen gave him some
excellent advice in regard to his morals, which he strictly promised to
obey.
After giving his performances, we withdrew from the royal presence, and
the elegant little watch presented by the hands of Her Majesty the Queen
Dowager was not only duly heralded, but was also placed upon a pedestal
in the hall of exhibition, together with the presents from Queen
Victoria, and covered with a glass vase. These presents, to which were
soon added an elegant gold snuff-box mounted with turquoise, presented
by his Grace the Duke of Devonshire, and many other costly gifts of the
nobility and gentry, added greatly to the attractions of the exhibition.
The Duke of Wellington called frequently to see the little General at
his public levees. The first time he called, the General was personating
Napoleon Bonaparte, marching up and down the platform, and apparently
taking snuff in deep meditation. He was dressed in the well-known
uniform of the Emperor. I introduced him to the “Iron Duke,” who
inquired the subject of his meditations. “I was thinking of the loss of
the battle of Waterloo,” was the little General’s immediate reply. This
display of wit was chronicled throughout the country, and was of itself
worth thousands of pounds to the exhibition.
While we were in London the Emperor Nicholas, of Russia, visited Queen
Victoria, and I saw him on several public occasions. I was present at
the grand review of troops in Windsor Park in honor of and before the
Emperor of Russia and the King of Saxony.
General Tom Thumb had visited the King of Saxony and also Ibrahim Pacha
who was then in London. At the different parties we attended, we met, in
the course of the season, nearly all of the nobility. I do not believe
that a single nobleman in England failed to see General Tom Thumb at his
own house, at the house of a friend, or at the public levees at Egyptian
Hall. The General was a decided pet with some of the first personages in
the land, among whom may be mentioned Sir Robert and Lady Peel, the Duke
and Duchess of Buckingham, Duke of Bedford, Duke of Devonshire, Count
d’Orsay, Lady Blessington, Daniel O’Connell, Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence,
Lord Chesterfield, Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Bates, of the firm of Baring
Brothers &
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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