'Tore already existe-n fairly long ontalogue of Royal Authors, and the name, of Queen Victorin coup' prominent position on the most part, however, the world has not hitherto been blessed with the productions of a sovereign who aims at being a comic writer. Royal historians, royal philosophers, are not-auknown to the patrons of circulating libraries; but it has been reserved for. the Queen of Great Britain and Empress of In make a contribution to what may without oftenes be characterised as the light literature of the day, And has come about in a rather unexpected manner, Everybody will agree that it la the height of bad form for a humourist to laugh at his own jokes, for that is a weakness that goes far to rob most jokes of all point whatever. Some of the most amusing utterances, indeed, are those of whose.amusing qualities the writer or speaker is him. self profoaudly unconscious; and to this category may, we think, be relegated. a very large portion of H.M.G.M's present instalment of her Highland Journal, The fact ie that Her, Majesty, can have but sense of humour, Some of the funniest things are put down w and seriousness tha august, position of such. a chronicle been private matron, the, world would have wondered at it as the fact of Mrs, Jones or Mrs. Smiili having had bad tea be the kettle refased to bull, or having taken long drives through pouring raia, and having comforted herself with a drop of whiskey to keep the cold out, would be malters of supreme indifference to anybody, bat Mrs. J. or Mrs. S, herself, itis a different affair altogether when it is the Queen england who is exposed to these adventures. The Queen has jindsea rightly upon this, point, and. acted accordingly. Ibis however just this thing in the book that makes-ué regret that Victoria Regina et Imporatrix la,
Jeomebody else, she would be a, m what gle is, 2 Queen. Were she only amassing person to know in private It is an unfortunate thing, but non the less true, that the very first of all the fanny things written by the Queen relates to hor dead Consort, Driving out late one evening with Brown, Smith, and some of the long-suffering Princesses, Hor Majesty one, to grief. Over wont the carriage; " the Lord 'Almighty' have mercy upon na! Wrought you, mere all. Killed lently upon her face, which, is much bruised and swollen; Princess Alice's dress us to be torn to ribbon she oan be extricated; Princess Helena cries out piteously to be-rolensed; and Brown suffers n bid contusion of, the knee. he Queen bad to wash' her face in claret, some of which sla drank and then—almost immediately,, after the accident had liappeued—came thy crowning bathos, Her Mu. idea, comm:
dicated to' thi Alice, was, whut " terrible thing it was not to be able to tell the, Prince Consort all about it. The Priucose, homerer, reassured Hor Majesty, saying she was certain. that the perfectly well; arid the Queen do a ional comfort from the, con Goat from her doing. any thing jon that the accident had not
that Hid Into Royal Highness would lave disapproved. Some time, after. wards a fresh disaster betel Hor Major on the occasion of a visit to the Dake of Richmond at Glenfiddich, After many mishaps, upon the road, the industrious party arrived at ctr desiiuee tion, but the luggage was nowhere to be fond. 'The ladies waited a long time, but to no purpose, 'The Queen had no change of clothing, not, even a cap; 60 ab Inst she was obliged to.dine in bor muddy riding-skirt, with one pf hier maids' veils twisted round hoy hea This seems to have distressed the Queen, and not unnaturally 5 ore after waiting' till past two o'clock in the morning, she had to g ont.any, proper, toile rain cP ae 3 and however we may admire. the Spartan. courage, of the, Queen difficalt to' help symp
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.