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NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s.vi. JUNES, 1920.

struggle was revealed by the traces of emotion, visible on the Queen's countenance unmistakable as those were. On this occasion, as during the long weary months of misery the Queen has passed through, the love and sympathy of her people have been the chief earthly support, and the wonderful manifestation of these at this juncture, the chivalrous tenderness and devotion with which the nation has united as one family to welcome this new Daughter, and to share the joy and thankfulness of its Head (as it shared Her sorrow) have filled the Queen's heart to over- flowing.

When expressing this yesterday, the Queen went on to say what a source of gratification it had been to her to see how faithfully and beauti- fully the sentiments of the nation had been interpreted by the Press, and how worthily this noble chapter of our history had been written, and those events recorded and described which will be read with honourable pride by future generations.

The Queen wishes you to mention specially to Mr. Delane when an opportunity offers, how much Her Majesty has appreciated the delicate and feeling manner in which the meaning and signifi- cance of these soul-stirring manifestations has been brought out in the columns of The Times, a significance and meaning not more honourable to the heart of the country than precious and soothing and encouraging to the hearts of the Queen and of Her Children.

Dear Lord Torrington, you and I missed what the few present tell me was the most touching part of yesterday's proceedings the Queen's reception of the young Bride and Bridegroom on their return from the Chapel. H.M. hurried home to be in time, and was standing on the doorstep in the Quadrangle when they alighted, determined to be the first to. welcome them. For some moments she seemed rooted to the spot, pressing first one and then the other to her heart and gazing on them with love unutterable ; then turning with that winning smile so full of sweet- ness and tenderness that that of the young Bride is scarcely more bright, she led them upstairs to their own apartments with the grace and dignity we know. We need not fear, the Queen's one desire for her children is to see them worthy of their high position, worthy of the affection and regard of which such overwhelming proofs have been given to them. Her one aim to show them an example of devotedness to those high and important duties for which alone She now lives. Never, I should think, was H.M. more determined to shrink from none, but H.M.'s labours are unceasing and uninterrupted she alone knows at the cost of what effort they are discharged, what the stricken heart and shattered frame can bear, and what process is best fitted to restore to both that measure of strength which will be necessary for the accomplishment of more than the Queen now undertakes. It is soothing to the Queen to feel that the daily, hourly exertions She makes are known and appreciated, and that Her People have perfect trust and confidence that the course She pursues is the one most conducive to that end which is Hers as well as that of the Country.

I do not apologise for saying all this. I know you can hear it from others whose opinion is more

worth than mine, but it is because all who see the Queen feel this thankfulness and this implicit confidence, that I am strengthened in my own and feel the comfort I do in speaking to one who feels as you do. Ever yours truly,

AUGUSTA BRUCE.

Since writing the above I have seen the Queen, and found H.M. much distressed at the news of the sad loss of life in the City, and grieving deeply that there should have been so many victims, and so much sorrow on a day when all were assembled to share the happiness of Her family.

It may be worth while to quote the following passage from Sir Edward Cook in reference to the scene in the Chapel at Windsor :

The contrast between the brilliant and happy scene below and the solitary figure of the bereaved Queen is said to have drawn tears from Lord Palmerston, and was the subject also of a sym- pathetic reference in The Times, perhaps suggested by Delane. .

C. W. B.

' TIMON OF ATHENS.'

No successful attempt has yet been made to solve the problem of ' Timon of Athens.' This is true at least of that part of the problem that is concerned with the identity of the author who either completed Shake- speare's work or whose play was revised by Shakespeare himself. The spurious portion is usually given either to Wilkins or Tourneur, though nothing in the shape of evidence has hitherto been advanced to prove the claim of either of these medio- crities to work that has been no more than faintly praised. In fixing upon the " adapter," as he is customarily called, one attribute must be allowed to him he had a sense of honour, fine to touchiness. Also, he was fully grounded in the knowledge of the seamy side of life, and he could lay open and castigate the deceitful vices of the sycophant who spreads such easy pitfalls to entrap a nobler animal than himself. This poet's habits of composition favoured prose and verse indiscriminately, while he mixed with the latter a large number of rimed couplets. This character exactly suits Thomas Middleton, and, as will be seen from the evidence brought forward, ' Timon of Athens ' must be referred to an early period in his career.

The first scene of the opening act is usually credited to Shakespeare, with the exception of the prose dialogue between Timon and Apemantus, which is thrust upon the " adapter." The compressed and