Page:The Queens of England.djvu/586

VICTORIA. The life of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and Empress of India, is so interwoven in the history of die cen- tury, with the vital throbbing present, her name and character so deeply impressed on the hearts and lips of the world's mil- lions, that written words seem uncalled for. But written and printed words concerning so remarkable a personality and reign as of Her Majesty have interested and thrilled the world, have enthused and influenced peoples of varying tongues, and a brief sketch of the reigning sovereign, that of necessity must be incomplete and inadequate, is needful to the full number of the galaxy of Queens, who, crowned on the Stone of Destiny, have occupied the English throne and served to enlighten the world. The fact that England has had but few English Queens since the Norman Conquest stands for much in the history of the realm. Princesses from foreign courts have, from 1066, in- oculated the body politic and the blood royal with varying traits, that from time to time worked more for the woe than the weal of the country. The people remained English, while the House Royal and the court became infused with foreign elements. Today the people are becoming cosmopolitan, while the House Royal, strengthened by Teutonic grafting on the old English stock, is adding English blood to the vitality of every Christian throne in Europe ; this, too, in spite of the Salic law, and the spirit and will of kings, who could cast aside wives and daughters in eagerness for a male heir. Truly this is prophecy. From the days of Matilda of Flanders we have noted the de- veloping and benignant influence of woman on the British nation. As before stated, such influence has been especially ex- erted by the Queens regnant. Sovereignty on the brow of woman has stood for much, but the divinely appointed majesty 532