her husband's death till Victoria was proclaimed Queen she new separated herself from her daughter. They slept in the same apartment; the first lessons were given by maternal lips, and when careful teachers were employed, still the mother was ever present, sharing the amusements and encouraging the exercises and innocent gaiety of the child. Thus was Victoria trained. Her intellectual education was as thorough as her physical and moral. From her cradle she was taught to speak three languages—English, German, and French. In her fifth year her mother chose as preceptor for the princess the Rev. George Davys, now, through the gratitude of his pupil Bishop of Peterborough. In the co-operation afforded by this gentleman with the wise plans of the duchess for her daughter's instruction, he evinced great excellence of moral character, and his faithfulness was well rewarded. The duchess confided in him fully. When the princess became heir presumptive to the throne, and it was intimated to her mother that some distinguished prelate should be appointed instructor, and Earl Grey named the Bishop of Lincoln, then was the conscientious and truly noble mind of the duchess displayed She expressed her perfect approval of Dr. Davys as her daughter's tutor, declined any change, but hinted that if a dignified clergyman were indispensable to fill this important office, there would be no objection if Dr. Davys received the preferment he had always well merited. He was soon afterwards made Dean of Chester. Such traits deserve notice, because illustrative of the good influences which surrounded the young princess, and also because they exhibit the constancy of woman's esteem when gained by worthy conduct.
Besides her preceptor, Victoria had an excellent instructress, the Baroness Lehzen, whose services were likewise retained through the whole term of her education; and the long harmony so happily maintained between the mother and her auxiliaries in this important work of preparing a sovereign to be worthy of a throne, is an example worth consideration by those who would seek the best models for private education.
It has been stated repeatedly and never contradicted, that the Princess Victoria was not aware of her claims on the succession until a little before the death of her uncle, George the Fourth. The duchess had thus carefully guarded her child from the pernicious flattery of inferiors, and kept her young heart free from hopes or wishes which the future might have disappointed. When the accession of King William placed her next the throne, she had completed her eleventh year, "and evinced abilities and possessed accomplishments very rare for that tender age in any rank of life." "She spoke French and German with fluency, and was acquainted with Italian; she had made some progress in Latin, being able to read Virgil and Horace with ease; she had commenced Greek and studied mathematics, and evinced peculiar aptness for that science of reality; indeed, in all the sciences connected with numbers, the royal pupil showed great skill and powers of reason." She had also made good proficiency in music and drawing, in both of which arts she afterwards became quite accomplished. Thus happily engaged in acquiring knowledge of every kind necessary for her royal station, among which the knowledge of the people was not neglected, nor the arts, sciences, and employments which most conduce to the prosperity and advancement of a nation, this young princess passed the intervening years till her minority, May
