PREFACE. Few words, by way of preface, are needed to this volume, which contains a series of plain and unpretending biographical sketches of notable women of the Victorian era. They are intended for those readers who have not the leisure or the facilities for consulting larger and more elaborate works, and may yet desire to know something of the life, character, and work of women whose names have become familiar as house hold words. A subsidiary purpose has been to illustrate the remarkable intellectual activity of woman in this nineteenth century, and thus to contribute in some small degree towards the movement which aims at securing for her the position to which she is justly entitled. The 'inferiority of the sex'can hardly be contended for in the face of such brilliant examples of genius and culture, energetic benevolence, and organizing capacity. The work of 'George Eliot' claims recognition along with that of a Thackeray or a Dickens; Mary Carpenter justly holds a high position in the glorious ranks of the great company of philanthropists; few of our minor poets sing a song of finer spirit and truer tenderness than Adelaide Anne Proctor; the Welsh Carlyle will secure for them a permanent repute; and Charlotte Brontë is a conspicuous instance of intellectual power and originality. At the head of our list we place the Queen, as in her august self a remarkable proof of the vigour of character and mental force and self-control which 'the weaker sex' can exhibit. W. H. D. A. CONTENTS OF VOL. I. Birth and Education.-Anecdotes of the Queen's Childhood.-Retirement in the Isle of Wight.-Recognised publicly as Heir-presumptive. — William IV. and the Duchess of Kent.-Accession to the Throne.— First meeting with her Privy Council.-Mr. Greville quoted.-Lord Mel- bourne,-A narrow Escape. - The Coronation.-John Nicholls Thom.- Chartism.-The Bed-chamber Plot.-Lady Flora Hastings.-Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg.-His Character and Career.-Introduced to the Queen. -A Love-match.-The Royal Marriage.-Birth of the Princess Royal.-Attacks on the Queen: Francis, Bean, Hamilton, Pate, O'Connor. -Birth of the Prince of Wales.-Domestic Life of the Queen.-Visit to King Louis Philippe.-The Czar of Russia's Visit to England.—The Queen purchases Osborne.-The Great Exhibition.-Balmoral: High- land Excursions.-Death of the Duchess of Kent.-A Family Picture. -Baron Bunsen quoted.-Mendelssohn and the Queen.-Illness and Death of the Prince Consort.-The Queen's Fortitude.-Her strong Sense of Duty. - Dr. Norman Macleod quoted.-The Queen in her Affliction.-The Mausoleum at Frogmore.-The Albert Memorial Chapel.-Other Memorials.—Marriage of the Prince of Wales.-The Queen's Address to her People.-Family Incidents.- Death of the Princess Alice.-Death of Prince Leopold.-The Queen's Cultivated Tastes. Her Administrative Duties.-Progress of the Country during her Reign.-A Retrospect of Forty Years.-Legislation.-Railways.— Education.-Scientific Inventions.-The Post-Office.-Literature.— Art.-Science.-Maclean's Attempt.-The Queen's Popularity.-List PAGE The Women of the Nineteenth Century. -Harriet Martineau's Work.- |