Having dealt with “The Early Court of Queen Victoria,” and “The Married Life of Queen Victoria,” it seemed appropriate to round off this critical biography of the late Queen by describing the second half of her life, that which was spent in widowhood. This volume gives a presentation, not of events of history or politics, but of Queen Victoria’s influence on those events, of her sorrows and joys, her mistakes and successes. She, “a poor, helpless woman,” to use her own words, had suddenly to furnish herself with a support by the help of which she could gather again into her own hands the affairs of State; and the support she chose, though natural to one of her temperament, brought about some curious results.

Her great affection for all things Teutonic, her unwavering determination to work “for a strong Prussia and a united Germany,” may not have been without their effect upon the German mind when the war lords were laying their plans for the conquest of Europe.

CLARE JERROLD.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

QUEEN VICTORIA _Frontispiece_

PRINCE CONSORT AND QUEEN VICTORIA IN 1860 _To face page_ 12

THE PRINCE CONSORT IN 1861 20

QUEEN VICTORIA IN 1864 82 (_From a painting by Winterhalter_)

W. E. GLADSTONE 108

BENJAMIN DISRAELI 126

QUEEN VICTORIA IN 1865 132

KING EDWARD VII AS PRINCE OF WALES 346

H.R.H. THE PRINCESS ROYAL 374 (_From a painting by Winterhalter_)