Page:Life of Her Majesty Queen Victoria (IA lifeofhermajesty01fawc).pdf/198

 as "the ablest woman in Europe." Lady Bloomfield, whose husband was, in 1855, English Ambassador in Berlin, gives an account of the announcement there by the King at a State dinner of the engagement between his nephew and the English Princess. Lady Bloomfield says that the Prince was in such high spirits, and looked so excessively happy, it was a pleasure to see him. On their arrival in Germany, shortly after their marriage, he telegraphed to the Queen at Windsor, "The whole Royal Family is enchanted with my wife.—F. W." On the occasion of the Prince of Wales's wedding, in 1863, the Prince of Prussia was overflowing with praise of his wife. Bishop Wilberforce noted in his diary on this occasion, "I was charmed with the Prince of Prussia, and the warmth of this expressions as to his wife. 'Bishop,' he said, 'with me it has been one long honeymoon.'"

The story of the betrothal, and how it was associated with the giving and receiving of a piece of white heather, a proverbial emblem of good luck, is very prettily told by Her Majesty in "Leaves from the Journal in the Highlands." The chief anxiety the parents had in the matter was on account of the Princess's extreme youth; but her intellect and character were unusually developed, and she had, what so often accompanies fine intellect, a child-like innocence and purity of heart which specially endeared her to all in her home circle. Prince Albert wrote at once to Stockmar to tell him the news: "Victoria," he wrote, "is greatly excite; still, all goes smoothly and prudently. The Prince is really in love, and the little lady does her best to please him."

The engagement was not well received by an important section of the English Press. So little could the writer of the articles read the future, that Prussia