Queen VictoriaLytton Strachey's acclaimed portrayal of Queen Victoria revolutionised the art of biography by using elements of romantic fiction and melodrama to create a warm, humorous and very human portrait of this iconic figure. We see Victoria as a strong-willed child with a famous temper, as the 18-year-old girl queen, as a monarch, wife, mother and widow. Equally fascinating are the depictions of her relationships: with her governess "precious Lehzen", with Peel, Gladstone and Disraeli, with her beloved Albert and, in later life, her legendary devotion to her Highland servant John Brown. |
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Page 43
... noted long afterwards . No doubt , while the others were present , even her dear Leh- zen , the little girl kept up her self - command ; and then crept away somewhere to ease her heart of an inward , unfamiliar agitation , with a ...
... noted long afterwards . No doubt , while the others were present , even her dear Leh- zen , the little girl kept up her self - command ; and then crept away somewhere to ease her heart of an inward , unfamiliar agitation , with a ...
Page 49
... noted ; " Alexander is very handsome , and Ernst has a very kind expression . They are both extremely amiable . " And their departure filled her with corresponding regrets . “ We saw them get into the barge , and watched them sailing ...
... noted ; " Alexander is very handsome , and Ernst has a very kind expression . They are both extremely amiable . " And their departure filled her with corresponding regrets . “ We saw them get into the barge , and watched them sailing ...
Page 63
... noted in her diary , " is very good - looking in uniform , but not in plain clothes . Count Waldstein looks remarkably well in his pretty Hungarian uniform . " 2 With the latter young gentleman she wished to dance , but there was an ...
... noted in her diary , " is very good - looking in uniform , but not in plain clothes . Count Waldstein looks remarkably well in his pretty Hungarian uniform . " 2 With the latter young gentleman she wished to dance , but there was an ...
Page 81
... ; and it would be highly indecorous in a con- stitutional monarch to have any aims that were low or personal . As for Stockmar , the disinter- estedness which Palmerston had noted was un- doubtedly a basic LORD MELBOURNE 81.
... ; and it would be highly indecorous in a con- stitutional monarch to have any aims that were low or personal . As for Stockmar , the disinter- estedness which Palmerston had noted was un- doubtedly a basic LORD MELBOURNE 81.
Page 82
Lytton Strachey. estedness which Palmerston had noted was un- doubtedly a basic element in his character . The ordinary schemer is always an optimist ; and Stock- mar , racked by dyspepsia and haunted by gloomy forebodings , was a ...
Lytton Strachey. estedness which Palmerston had noted was un- doubtedly a basic element in his character . The ordinary schemer is always an optimist ; and Stock- mar , racked by dyspepsia and haunted by gloomy forebodings , was a ...
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Common terms and phrases
affairs Albert appeared Baron Baroness became Buckingham Palace Buckle Cabinet child Clarendon Coburg constitutional Court Crawford Creevey Crown daughter dear death declared delighted despatch Disraeli doubt Duchess of Kent Duke of Kent Duke of Wellington duty English extraordinary eyes feelings felt Foreign Secretary German Girlhood Gladstone Government Greville grew Grey happy heart House husband Ibid Kensington King Leopold knew Lady Flora Lehzen Letters Lord Derby Lord John Lord John Russell Lord Melbourne Lord Palmerston Madame Majesty marriage married Martin ment mind nature never once Osborne Peel political position Prime Minister Prince Consort Prince Leopold Prince of Wales Prince's Princess Princess Royal Prussia Quarterly Review Queen of England Queen Victoria question reign replied returned royal seemed Sir Robert Sovereign Stockmar thing thought tion told took toria Tories uncle Whig whole Windsor wrote young
Popular passages
Page 347 - You have heard me called a flatterer," he said to Matthew Arnold, "and it is true. Everyone likes flattery; and when you come to royalty you should lay it on with a trowel.
Page 193 - So much I feel my genial spirits droop, My hopes all flat, nature within me seems In all her functions weary of herself ; My race of glory run, and race of shame, And I shall shortly be with them that rest.
Page 122 - I was calm but very decided, and I think you would have been pleased to see my composure and great firmness ; the Queen of England will not submit to such trickery. Keep yourself in readiness, for you may soon be wanted.
Page 85 - Wise wretch ! with pleasures too refined to please ; With too much spirit to be e'er at ease; With too much quickness ever to be taught; With too much thinking to have common thought: You purchase pain with all that joy can give, And die of nothing but a rage to live.
Page 363 - Oh, if the Queen were a man, she would like to go and give those Russians, whose word one cannot believe, such a beating! We shall never be friends again till we have it out. This the Queen feels sure of.
Page 420 - From my heart I thank my beloved people. May God bless them!
Page 410 - The Queen is most anxious to enlist everyone who can speak or write to join in checking this mad, wicked folly of ' Woman's Rights,' with all its attendant horrors, on which her poor feeble sex is bent, forgetting every sense of womanly feeling and propriety.
Page 268 - We had gone so far forty miles, at least twenty on horseback. We had decided to call ourselves Lord and Lady Churchill and party, Lady Churchill passing as Miss Spencer, and General Grey as Dr. Grey! Brown once forgot this, and called me "Your Majesty...
Page 304 - I am also anxious to repeat one thing, and that one is my firm resolve, my irrevocable decision, viz. that his wishes - his plans - about everything, his views about every thing are to be my law\ And no human power will make me swerve from what he decided and wished - and I look to you to support and help me in this.
Page 69 - Since it has pleased Providence to place me in this station, I shall do my utmost to fulfill my duty towards my country; I am very young, and perhaps in many, though not in all things, inexperienced; but I am sure that very few have more real good will and more real desire to do what is fit and right than I have.