Queen Victoria Her Girlhood and Womanhood [Paperback]

Grace Greenwood (Author), 1stWorld Library (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2006

It seems to me that the life of Queen Victoria cannot well be told without a prefacing sketch of her cousin, the Princess Charlotte, who, had she lived, would have been her Queen, and who was in many respects her prototype. It is certain, I think, that Charlotte Augusta of Wales, that lovely miracle-flower of a loveless marriage, blooming into a noble and gracious womanhood, amid the petty strifes and disgraceful intrigues of a corrupt Court, by her virtues and graces, by her high spirit and frank and fearless character, prepared the way in the loyal hearts of the British people, for the fair young kinswoman, who, twenty-one years after her own sad death, reigned in her stead. Through all the bright life of the Princess Charlotte - from her beautiful childhood to her no less beautiful maturity - the English people had regarded her proudly and lovingly as their sovereign, who was to be; they had patience with the melancholy madness of the poor old King, her grandfather, and with the scandalous irregularities of the Prince Regent, her father, in looking forward to happier and better things under a good woman's reign; and after all those fair hopes had been coffined with her, and buried in darkness and silence, their hearts naturally turned to the royal little girl, who might possibly fill the place left so drearily vacant. England had always been happy and prosperous under Queens, and a Queen, please God, they would yet have.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the author's Dedicatory Letter:

To Camilla Toulmin (Mrs. Newton Crosland), Linton Lodge, Blackheath Park:

Permit me, my dear friend, to inscribe to you this very imperfect Life of your beloved Queen, in remembrance of that dear old time when the world was brighter and more beautiful than it is now (or so it seemeth to me) and things in general were pleasanter;--when better books were written, especially biographies, and there were fewer of them;--when the "gentle reader" and the "indulgent critic" were extant;--when Realism had not shouldered his way into Art;--when there were great actors and actresses of the fine old school, like Macready and the elder Booth--Helen Faucit and Charlotte Cushman; and real orators, like Daniel O'Connell and Daniel Webster;--when there was more poetry and more romance in life than now;-- when it took less silk to make a gown, but when a bonnet was a bonnet;-- when there was less east-wind and fog, more moonlight to the month, and more sunlight to the acre;--when the scent of the blossoming hawthorn was sweeter in the morning, and the song of the nightingale more melodious in the twilight;--when, in short, you and I, and the glorious Victorian era, were young.
--GRACE GREENWOOD.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: 1st World Library - Literary Society (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421821303
• ISBN-13: 978-1421821306
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,255,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)