Page:Life of Her Majesty Queen Victoria (IA lifeofhermajesty01fawc).pdf/130

 lished as a memorial of the former, she repeatedly refers to her happy childhood and her desire to pass on a similar training to her own little flock. Under the date of January 1st, 1865, Princess Alice writes to her mother: "All the morning I was telling Louis" (her husband) "how it used to be at home, and how we all assembled outside your dressing-room door to scream in chorus 'Prosit Neujahr,' and to give to you and papa our drawings, writings, &c., the busy occupation of previous weeks. … Dear papa bit his lip so as not to laugh."

The Princess Royal, now the Empress Frederick of Germany, was born at Buckingham Palace on November 21st, 1840. Prince Albert was then having a course of reading in English law with Mr. Selwyn; the tutor arrived on November 23d to continue his instructions. The Prince said: "I fear I cannot read any law to-day. … But you will like to see the little Princess." He took the lawyer into the nursery, and, taking the little hand of the infant in his own, said, "The next time we read it must be on the rights and duties of a Princess Royal." The Queen made an excellent recovery; then, as always, the Prince was her tender guardian and nurse. No one but himself ever lifted her from her bed to the sofa, and he always helped to wheel her on her bed or sofa to the next room. However occupied he was, "he ever came," writes the Queen, "with a sweet smile on his face." In short, his care of her was like that of a mother, nor could there by a kinder, wiser, or more judicious nurse.

At Christmas this year, Prince Albert naturalized the German custom of Christmas-trees in England; there is probably hardly a child in England who has not appreciated their introduction.

It may be imagined that Stockmar had plenty of