E-text prepared by Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive/American Libraries (http://www.archive.org/details/americana) Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See http://archive.org/details/publiclifeofquee00mcgi THE PUBLIC LIFE OF QUEEN VICTORIA. by JOHN MCGILCHRIST. Felt and Dillingham, 455, Broome Street, New York. CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. ANCESTRY. Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony, the Protector of Luther--Staunch Protestantism of the Queen's Saxon Forefathers--House of Saxe-Coburg--A Saxon Desperado of the Middle Ages--A Fighting Hero of the Eighteenth Century--The Queen's Grandmother a Woman of Extraordinary Excellence-- Great Alliances in the Marriages of her Uncles and Aunts 1 CHAPTER II. THE GREATEST OF THE MODERN COBURGS. Romantic Career of Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, the Queen's Uncle--His Continuous, Kind, and Fatherly Care of his Orphaned Niece--The Duchy of Coburg held by Napoleon-- Sufferings of the Ducal Family--A Temptation resisted--The Tide turned--Leopold's Popularity in England--Betrothal and Marriage to the Princess Charlotte of Wales 8 CHAPTER III. PARENTAGE AND BIRTH OF QUEEN VICTORIA. How the Princess Victoria came to be Heiress Presumptive to the Throne--Death of the Princess Charlotte--Marriages of the Royal Dukes--Of the Duke of Kent--Birth of the Princess Alexandrina Victoria--Prediction of George IV.--Death of the Duke of Kent--His Character--His Liberal Opinions--Public Condolence with the Widow and Orphan--Early Life of the Duchess of Kent 14 CHAPTER IV. FIRST YEARS OF CHILDHOOD. Old Memories of Kensington Palace--Enlargements of the Structure by William III., Anne, Queen Caroline, and the Duke of Sussex--Maids of Honour--Rank and Beauty in the Gardens-- Wilberforce and the Infant Princess--Victoria at Ramsgate--A Picture of Victoria when Five Years Old--Her Physical Training--Popularity as a Child--Her Youthful Charities--A Narrow Escape from Death--Early Development of Quick Intelligence--Anecdotes--Love of Nature--Proneness to Self-Will--But Counterbalanced by Candour--Waggishness--A Portrait of the Child-Princess by Leigh Hunt 23 CHAPTER V. EDUCATION OF THE PRINCESS VICTORIA.